First Time Elk Shed Hunting, Need Help

[CouesHunterAZ]

After going through around 40 pages of shed hunting posts, I have finally managed to get a free weekend together to head up North and try to shed hunt. I have only been on two elk hunts which were both when I was younger, and was just posting to see if anyone had any helpful advice on where to go, or what to look for while shed hunting. I am a novice shed hunter all around, as I have only found three deer sheds, but I mainly want to be able to get out in the woods for a weekend and get out of the dirty T. I don't mean to step on any ones toes, or try to find out "secret" areas, but if anyone has any suggestions on where to go I would love to hear them, I have an old Yukon that can barely off road, which plays a large factor on where I'm able to travel. Anyways, if anyone has any advice at all I would love to hear it!

[Mathews]

Well first of all welcome to the site, second of all where about are you wanting to go? Any specific units?

[CouesHunterAZ]

Location is still up for grabs, it is either the white mountains or flagstaff right now.

[Flatlander]

Start walking. Either one of those spots ought to work.

[CouesFanatic]

Find where the bulls were in the last week of march through april and into may. Thats where the sheds will be. The benefit of being local is that you can see where the bulls are at during this time. This way you are walking in areas where you know bulls have been.

[bstpeter]

If you know where Elk usually live you'll find some. Don't be discouraged if you don't find anything right away you could walk miles without finding one. I went years without finding one until last year when I started trying to figure out where they were in late spring. I live in the valley so I don't get the chance to get out much or see where they are but usually where I find them there is plenty of sign, poop, dead elk bones, Hookings or scrapes on trees plenty of food and cover. Enjoy

[NM_Shedder]

For where I am it depends on the snow fall. This year when it snowed it all melted within a few hours of sunshine. So the elk were up high. This is where we found most of our elk sheds. So for a lot of places I would say it depends on the snow fall and how long it lasted. Like if there's a lot of snow and it doesn't melt quickly I would say the elk sheds will be down lower. Hope this helps.

[Chris]

Get a quad.

[Coues Stew]

/>Get a quad.

 

AND STAY ON THE ROAD!

[Hunterjohnny]

.....dead elk bones....

Classic! The live ones suck!

[bstpeter]

I agree with Dead Elk bones are actually a great indicator. I usually find mine in and around an area where I find bones if not entire dead Elk skeletons. I don't agree with a quad unless your truck can't get you close to an area. You'll be on foot when you find them. When you are walking always give a little look back from where you came I found a nice set while looking with a friend and he walked by them while I was taking more time looking;-)

[Hornhunter247]

I find alot of dead elk while shed hunting, but I agree that's not a good sign your going to find sheds! I find most my sheds up around flagstaff, get in the transition areas from pines to pinion/juniper, and look on the edges of ridges and the shelves just below the ridge tops. The elk n deer love using these spots to travel. Good luck n post some pics if you get into some!

[CouesHunterAZ]

Two months after my original date and I finally was able to go on this trip. After two days of hard hiking with some good friends I still do not have an antler in my hands.. I just wanted to thank all of you for the advice you gave me, and wanted to ask for advice again. Even with not finding any antlers it was still an all around great trip to finally get out of Tucson, and to be in the outdoors again. I just wanted to ask if I was in a wrong area for shed hunting or if another factor played a role in us not finding any. Like all of you said it depends on tracking the elk whereabouts in the time of spring, but due to this being my first trip out of Tucson in awhile, I had no idea where the elk were. I tried to follow hornhunter's directions and go where the pines/junipers were transitioning from one another. We ended up camping just north of Stoneman lake and hiked west trekking from the pines into junipers, I also tried to find routes that were as much distanced from the roads as possible. We found 9 elk skeletons, some which looked quartered, all of them being quite old, and we were always in some good elk sign. Anyways, I was just wondering if next time we should try another area completely, or if we just missed some/they were already picked up in this area. Again, thanks for all of the advice that some of you members gave me, and if anyone has this area for deer we saw a nice 3x3, and what looked like a 4x4 that was already quite tall in some deep woods there, they got my heart pumping for archery season!

[CouesRanger]

It takes a lot of luck. I have been on a role and find atleast one shed every trip i make up north. The elk like to walk in canyons when they are forced to trek over a mountain they will find the saddle and move through, i find many sheds in saddles. I have heard stoneman lake holds alot of cows. Find where the elk feed and bed during the winter months and you will be successful, though some bulls stay in the same area year round most travel. Many times i have located a heavy game trail and walked in looking from side to side and found some nice ones. Water is also a great area to look. Good luck

[Hornhunter247]

COusehunter, that sucks you didn't find any! I have had very slim luck around Stoneman lake. Lots of elk, but the bulls seem to hang on the edge of the big canyons to the SE of there. Tough hiking! If your not opposed to traveling a little further north next trip ill pm you some very specific areas that you will find some horns! Seeing as how I found the Mecca if she'd lands this year in NM, I won't likely be hitting my old spots much