How and Where to Scout For Elk

Advice for Elk Hunters
Photography by Bill Kinney

Elk are one of those trophy hunts that I would recommend not missing out on!  An elk tag can sometimes be a little tricky to draw, but if you are lucky enough to have one start preparing now for one of the greatest North American hunts of your life!

Assuming you have an idea of the area in which you are hunting, begin scouting as soon as possible.  Hunting begins around September time, but scouting can start as early as you want it too, and we recommend EARLY.  Early August is a good time to begin because the thing about elk, and most animals for that matter, is that they are a creatures of habit.  They get used to using the same path, traveling to the same grazing area, and even the time of day and year that they do it.  So, start early so that you can begin to understand what it is you are hunting, that way by the time hunting season comes around you will know exactly what it is you are attempting to do and what you are looking for.

How to Call in a Turkeys Using Their Vocalizations

Calling in Turkeys by Learning Their VocalizationsPhoto by Bill Kinney Photography

Turkey hunting isn't for every hunter.  You seem to either love it, or you could care less.  For you, hunting for turkeys may be a transition period, giving you something to do so you don't go crazy waiting for deer hunting season to start again.  However, for those of you turkey nuts, you know how exciting it is to call in a big gobbler!

Unfortunately, many hunters are unsuccessful on the turkey hunt.  This is because they try and wait it out like a deer hunt thinking, eventually, the turkeys will just show up.  Well, some times they do, but knowing how to call them in will shed a whole new light on turkey hunting, reduce the wait time, and maybe even bag you a turkey!

Part of the thrill of turkey hunting is not only scouting for birds, but calling them in.  It takes stealth and hard work to fool a turkey, and when you are successful, it makes the hunt even more rewarding!   For those of you already turkey fanatics, you know what I'm talking about, and for those of you thinking you might want to give it a try, here is how to properly call in a turkey.

How to Interpret and use a Deer Grunt, Snort, or Wheeze

Bill Kinney Photography

Have you ever wondered what those different deer noises meant?  You will often hear a deer before you see him if you pick up on his vocalizations.  There are a variety of hunting calls meant to imitate deer sounds and, when used in the correct manner, can be very successful.  These sounds are extremely useful hunting tools and need to be understood in order to have a successful hunt.

Why do deer make such vocalizations?
Like any wild animal, deer use sounds as a form of communication.  Deer are a quiet animal, moving in and out of an area sometimes without a sound so as to avoid unwanted attention.  Because of this many of their sounds are just as suttle and often not recognized by the average hunter.  This is why it is important to train your ears and learn how to correctly use these calls.

Types of Deer Noises
The most commonly known is the grunt.  It is used by hunters during the rut and can be quite successful, but understanding their other sounds is important as well when trying to understand  what is going on in your environment.

The snort
Deer snorting is very common and sounds almost like a sneeze.   However, if you hear a deer snort, proceed with caution.  It may not specifically be you, but a deer snorting is a deer sending out a word of caution.  It is telling the other deer that somethings not right.  If you can see it and it is looking in your direction, do not move.  The deer will flee if it notices any further danger.  Know that once a deer has snorted, even if it dismissed whatever danger it thought was there, it is still on the alert and you must be extremely stealthy.  A skittish deer does not take second chances.  If you ever see someone trying to sell a deer snort as a hunting call, recognize it as a probable scam, it will do nothing more than scare away every deer in the area.