aeclar1

Hey all, I know there are a lot of people on here who love/hate 6A, but either way I could use some advice from people who know the area and elk habits. Ive been up there scouting at least a half dozen times this summer to learn the area and find some good locations to hunt. I have the early season archery bull tag next week. I have never hunted 6A before and I have only hunted elk in the late rifle season before. So I have a couple questions, and I appreciate any help you can give. My main concern is this, I am usually a "get up high and glass" kind of guy, but 6A seems to be lacking a lot of areas where I can do this. I'd like to focus on more of the Juniper type areas so I can at least glass some. If the elk are only bugling in the early morning hours, and its been raining like it has, what should I do the rest of the day (still hunt, sit tight and glass, sit water)? In the early season, do elk still act like they do in the late season, meaning, when pressured the bulls will find the nastiest canyon they can and hide out? I have been trying to learn their habits the past few weeks and don't think I have it dialed in. Typically, will the elk come out of a canyon in the AM and feed in the flats, then go back down into the canyon to bed, or do they still bed in the flats too? Or maybe they feed in the flats and then go up a mountain/hill to bed... what's more probable? I have been focusing my scouting in the central part of the unit south of stoneman lake and north of Clear Creek. I have no problem, and enjoy getting into hard to find areas and doing some all day hiking and glassing. In that general area am I more likely to find them in the flats or up on this hills? any advice on areas I would sure appreciate it. Im running short on time and don't feel nearly as confident as I have in the past for my late rifle hunts. Lastly, I have only encountered a couple "nice" FS roads in the unit like the 214. Are there any other access FS roads in the unit that are smooth riding? I want to set up camp where pulling my trailer in wont be a huge issue. Thanks again and if anyone is having trouble in 8 or 7E, I am more than happy to give some good input.

You guys are great, thank you, its nice to hear differing tactics and ways to hunt these elk. I have hunted for years, just never on an early archery elk hunt, so Im kinda turned around with my strategy. I am in shape and can hunt most all day, but typically, I will lay my head down in the field midday to relax.

Thanks for the replies guys. I like the idea of chasing bugles in the morning (half the fun of a rut hunt right), im just a little lost on what to do when the bugles die down late morning. Its hard to glass them in their beds in that unit I feel. 6aNut, PM sent