Killing Elk from Ground Blinds
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: Inshart
08-Dec-17
This past September in CO, we met couple guys who hunt elk "almost" exclusively from ground blinds and talked about how close the elk get without spooking. They both live in CO and have been killing elk like this for many years. They said that they continually get elk coming within 10 yards. They seemed like stand up guys and not BS'ing us.
We talked about taking GB's with us next time but from our experience hunting white tails, if you don't brush them in the deer spook and/or shy away from them.
We're very interested in hearing your elk encounters from ground blinds? If you do use GB's, do you brush them in.
Thanks, Bob
From: Brun
08-Dec-17
We put one out this year and a bear tore it apart the first night. I have had some success on elk this way though. Brushing it in is always a good idea, but most important of course is wind direction. I also think it is a very good idea to put the blind out as long before your hunt as possible. This reduces scent and visual impact.
From: Rock
08-Dec-17
I set one up this fall for Mule Deer then walks a mile or more up the valley to scout a different spot. While glassing I looked back at my Blind and watch 55 head of Elk come out and walk past the blind on both sides and 1 Cow even walked or and sniffed it, could actually see it move when she touched it with her nose. Never spooked any of them and it was less than an hour after I set it up without brushing it in.
From: swede
08-Dec-17
Elk are not Whitetails. They will walk by your truck or ground blind without a problem. I believe all this is in part due to the large range area they cover.
From: HUNT MAN
08-Dec-17
Had them close very close
From: smarba
08-Dec-17
Pick a spot Hunt Man!
From: AZ Toad
08-Dec-17
This Sept. my daughter and I hunted out of a ground blind after being blow out of the tree stands for a couple of day. We hunted a spot that has produced from the ground but not from a tree stand. We set up the blind and brushed it in. We had cow tags and of course just a small bull came in that evening.We both ended up killing cows out of that blind.
From: Michael
08-Dec-17
Hunt, did you reach out and pet it? I bet that was a cool encounter.
From: Hunter42
08-Dec-17
We use ground blinds all the time. They work very good on elk.
From: MathewsMan
08-Dec-17
We had a permanent ground blind that was behind a blow-down aspen and then dug out an area behind a tree where our feet were, sort of like a pit-blind for pronghorn hunting. Killed numerous elk, mule deer, and bears. Over time, had some other logs and such around behind us so that the elk would not walk though or a bear sneak up right on top of our location.
From: David A.
10-Dec-17
Ground blinds would work better if the manufacturers didn't insist on putting windows everywhere. They would be a lot better at containing scent. The "ground flaps" many have in recent years has helped vs. the earlier models where the air could more easily circulate in and out of the blind at the bottom if there was a gap there.
From: Mr.C
13-Dec-17
I've got elk hair on the corner of two box blinds ,,,I guess they think its a rubbing posts,but they've been in the field for about 4 years now ,they'll even lay right next to them ,my last cow was about 8 feet away! build them in spring ,paint the inside dark I used brown and black! When the season rolls around they'll have forgotten all about ..very affective! it good luck MikeC
From: GF
13-Dec-17
Sounds like they can be plenty effective, but man.... I'd sure hate to travel 2,000 miles to be in Elk Country and then spend any of my Hunting Time sitting "indoors". Not that I'm a big fan of never getting within range of an Elk, but.....
Do you guys think they work because of the scent control or is it really just the concealment?
From: drycreek
13-Dec-17
Well since I can't physically enjoy elk country, if I could get to a blind I would sit in one all day every day for a week to kill an elk. Did it many times for pronghorns, so why not elk ? Only one thing tastes better than pronghorn, and that would be elk !
From: Mulehorn
13-Dec-17
One thing for sure, elk will pick your blind apart like no other animal.
From: Lefty
13-Dec-17
96 degrees spike walking by at 90 yards
96 degrees spike walking by at 90 yards
Ive had incredible experiences from a ground blind. cows and calves rubbing in front of the window,.. yep should have reached out and touched one. Missed shots. A bull sticking his nose inside and blowing snot . Make sure you can shoot all directions, a pair of 360 bulls walked 14 yards "downwind" and I never had window
From: Lefty
13-Dec-17
spike walking buy opening week 96 degrees
spike walking buy opening week 96 degrees
blind is 14 yards from the cows
blind is 14 yards from the cows
opps posted the one after that spike walked past I have a real sad trail cam pic; a 310 6x6 with my blind 22 yards away,.. and me 250 yards away
From: ELKMAN
14-Dec-17
If your willing to sit in a box with a tiny hole for a view while in elk country I'm sure it will work on some level. I wouldn't know. I would rather not kill an Elk than do that.
From: SlipShot
15-Dec-17
My son took his second bull from a ground blind at 5 yards with a rifle. We took the ground blind with us for years without using. The year that we used it, it was crazy cold with the temperature never getting out single digits. We set it up on a point overlooking a large sage valley that elk would transition through. The blind got us out of the wind and with the small propane heater we could hunt all day comfortable. The bull came from behind us and at one point sniffed the tent before he got to a point where my son could get a shot.
From: MathewsMan
15-Dec-17
I've killed elk from treestands as well. I guess when you drive 5 minutes to be on elk, it's not a big issue to sit in a blind.
From: Wild Bill
12-Jan-24
Here in Idaho, elk feed and water close to civilization, so, hunting blinds are pretty much dismissed by elk unless spooked. I like to locate my pop-up blind next to evergreen trees and brush becoming a part of what is already there. I really don't need to "brush it in." Location is the key to success! My hide needs to be located away from other hunters while covering a water source in a area with lots of fresh sign. Experience has taught me to locate my hide as far away from the kill zone as my weapon allows. If swirling thermals are a problem, I fill a mesh laundry bag (scent bag) with some type of strong smelling vegetation and hang my scent bag close to my hunting hide. I like to hunt active natural springs hidden away in the mountains. Elk love these spots! I prefer water resistance in my hide material. Mountain weather is very unpredictable! Hunting public land, I set my hide up early in the morning and tear it down when I'm ready to call it quits. Between wild critters and people with sticky fingers, hunting hides left alone do not last long. I reckon people figure, "If its left behind, then nobody wants it anymore."
From: bowyer45
12-Jan-24
Like hunting whitetails, it's still all about location!
From: GFL
12-Jan-24
Wallow way out in the middle of a field. Payed zero attention to blind or my shot.
From: Tilzbow
13-Jan-24
I’ve set up blinds one day and had elk coming in the next day that paid zero attention to the blind. Blinds weren’t brushed in and were set up in sagebrush covered hillsides overlooking water.
Blinds can be very effective in early archery seasons for cow elk (August 1 in NV) and the first week or so of early archery bull hunts in arid western states such as NV and Utah that begin in late August before the rut really gets going.
If I ever draw another NV bull tag I’ll be spending at least a few days at the start of the season sitting water but as soon as the rut kicks into gear I’ll be out chasing bugles for sure since that’s way more fun.
From: elkmtngear
13-Jan-24
I usually spend mornings "running and gunning". I've spent a lot of evenings in treestands, killed a lot of elk that way.
Wouldn't want to pack a popup blind too far in, but, wouldn't rule it out as an option for an evening waterhole and/or wallow sit, if condtions are right.
I might throw it in the truck this Year.
From: bluedog
13-Jan-24
I used to carry a lightweight folding camping chair on my day pack..I'd set up snugged against a dead fall . Think I killed 3 cow elk over the years in Arizona using that style. My bud used to always mutter something about me "killing them out of a fkn Minnesota duck blind" LOL
From: Stix
13-Jan-24
I use natural ground blinds exclusively. My current favorite is the inside of a giant juniper tree, limbs cut out near a waterhole. Last kill was 25 yards away (using a longbow)
From: Charlie Rehor
13-Jan-24
Made this natural ground blind on my AZ hunt last fall. Found this spot where trails were going north to south and east to west. Sat it 8 times and saw elk 6 times. Silly whitetail guy I am.
From: Grey Ghost
13-Jan-24
Another 7 year old thread resurrected by Wild Bill, yet he never contributes to current topics. Hmmm…?
From: bluedog
13-Jan-24
"Wild Bill" is Pat's click building sock puppet. ;)
From: Jaquomo
13-Jan-24
He's doing it on the CO forum too. Maybe Pat got a new bot for Christmas?!
From: drycreek
13-Jan-24
Wild Willy has a way with words !
From: badbull
13-Jan-24
I think what Brun said back in 08-Dec-17 is right on and it can be productive if you use a ground blind. It can be really exciting to have them come close by but still hard to beat bugling them in. In my old age its sounding more and more like ground blinds are the way to go. Thanks for bringing this old thread back as it reminds me that I might try ground blinds again in order to stay in the game.
From: IdyllwildArcher
13-Jan-24
I killed a bull out of a ground blind. After a few days of watching bulls across a mountainside, I set up a ground blind at the foot of the mountain near water the night before and got in it early and called all morning with herd talk and bugles till one finally had enough and came down to investigate.
He walked right into 25 yards. I shot him and hit the ridge of the scapula with minimal penetration. He ran off to about 80 yards behind some brush and I started up again with frantic herd talk and bugles and he couldn't help but try and figure out what was going on and peaked back through at 45 yards and finally exposed his chest again and I double lunged him.
From: Wild Bill
13-Jan-24
Elk blinds work because there is nothing scary about their shape or presence. I've seen elk grazing in corrals next to barns and in people's yards. I've actually seen a herd of elk grazing through the area next to a highway rest stop ignoring people in street dress. I've come to the conclusion elk recognize a person dressed in camo as a threat.
From: Insheart
13-Jan-24
Going to give it a try again this year.
