Scouting is a crucial component of elk hunting. In my earlier years of hunting, I used to just wing it. I would go to a unit that I had previously hunted and hoped to find elk in the areas where we had seen some the year before. But with the tools nowadays, scouting online has never been easier.

Some e-scouting tools available to big game hunters include paid and free options. Google maps and the hunt planner on the Idaho Fish & Game website are great free resources available to any hunter. Some paid options include OnX, Go Hunt, Scoutlook, Quiver, and Powderhook. These paid options are useful for identifying private and public land.

E-Scouting just means using online tools to help you with identifying hunting areas before you go out in the field. While using a topo map is still a good option, and you may want one in the field, a hunter can more efficiently look at more areas with electronic tools like Gohunt and Google maps.

The Idaho Fish & Game has put together a fantastic e-scouting series, ( Big Game Digital Scouting Series), on youtube that goes over how to use online tools to help you plan and execute your big game hunts. I highly recommend you watch these videos.

I watched the 3 part series and will share a few tips they mentioned on the topic of e-scouting.

Intro To Idaho Fish & Game Hunt Planner: Part 1

Harvest Stats

The first thing that stood out to me was how blessed we are in Idaho to have so much public land. 60% of the state is open to the public for recreational activities. This is not the case with a vast majority of states.

The next interesting point is looking at harvest statistics. Unless you already know where you want to hunt for the upcoming season, you will want to check out the harvest statistics under the hunt planner on the IDFG website. The video shows how you can check out all the harvest rates for any season in any unit in Idaho. Use these stats to help you determine what unit intrigues you based on harvest rates.

Map Center

The video will also go into detail on the capabilities of the map center. This tool allows you to see the whole state divided into units or zones. On top of that, you can add various features including topographical views, satellite imagery views, roads and trails and more.

What To Look For When E-Scouting: Part 2

As hunters, we need to not just find animals, but also keep in mind a plan to get them out. Idaho mountains are unforgiving, no matter how much meat you are packing out. So when looking at hunting units keep a good pack-out strategy in mind for a successful harvest.

The Google Factor

Part 2 of the Big Game Digital Scouting Series will show you a great integration with google earth. You can download the google earth layers to allow you to see satellite images, elevations, and times of year on the zones and units you want to hunt.

Key Terrain Features

Now you know that you have all these tools available to you. The next step is to start identifying where you are going to look for elk.

In general, you should look for terrain changes. Animals like to have open areas to feed and thick cover to hide in. Cover could be sagebrush or timber. They like to be able to escape and hide quickly if they sense a threat. So keep a lookout out for diverse landscapes such as ridges, timber, draws, creeks, and cliffs.

Other terrain features you want to look for are things like ridges and saddles. Saddles are low points in the ridges around you, where game are likely to cross at some point throughout the day. You may want to set up and wait near an area like this or sit off on a distant glassing point and see if any animals use the crossing point.

Boots On The Ground: Part 3

After your digital e-scouting homework has been done, it is time to plan an on-location scouting trip. Before heading out, it is recommended that you either print out some maps with your locations marked, or download the areas into your paid map apps like OnX. This will allow you to access your marked maps in areas with no cellular or internet service.

When you get out on the mountain and start looking for animals, look for signs that there are animals in the area. Look for any tracks in the area and see if they are fresh. The same goes for animal droppings. The video gives some good examples of how animal droppings can change with season and diet so give it a look.

Another telltale sign of animals in the area is rubbings on the trees. Elk leave scratch marks on the trees that mark their territory. You can tell the freshness of a rub by things like fresh wet sap and the color of the wood.

So if you have some time it may be worth it to look at these videos as they are great sources of information. So do your homework before going out this season and see if it makes a difference for you.

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(This article was originally published on Pintreesandsolitude.com. If it is now published on any other site, it was done without permission from the copyright owner.)

E-Scouting For Elk: Tips From Idaho Fish & Game