Late-season elk hunting can feel intimidating for newcomers, but it is often one of the best times of the year to find a mature bull or a large herd of cows and calves. By the end of November, three months of hunting pressure have changed elk behaviour. Luckily, snow often reveals fresh tracks that tell a story in the woods and fields. Learning travel routes, where they feed, and how they respond to weather and predators will help you find success.

A plan is critical for late-season hunts, when elk gather in large herds. It isn’t unusual to have 70 or more elk in a wintering herd. The good news is that 70 animals with four hooves each leave a significant number of tracks. There are also late-season antlered elk licences, and mature bulls are often together during winter. Finding the spot where elk like to be is critical, for cows or bulls, as they are not spread out over a large territory.

Like deer, elk also use the same trails through deep snow because it is easier to walk. What you will notice is that elk do not always take the open lines but prefer to stay in dense bush and cross open lines quickly. Elk often stop with their nose out of the trees to look both ways before wandering across. Setting up on active elk trails and watching for movement are good ways to be successful. Always set up downwind, where you can stay out of sight but still have a good shooting lane. It is different from hunting deer, as elk prefer to feel secure and stay out of sight, which is part of their strategy.

Late-season elk feed heavily through the night, often traveling to agricultural fields and high-protein feed. As the sun starts to rise, they do not simply head into the closest cover and bed down. Pressured elk often leave the fields before legal shooting light and travel to secure bedding areas. They usually travel slowly and feed along the way, sometimes taking hours to get to their resting places. Setting up on lines even a kilometer away from the field can be the best way to catch an elk during legal shooting light. Try cutting tracks as far back from the field as you can and use those travel points to set up and wait.

Focus on the elk sign. Study the land. Look for feeding areas at night and then locate the travel corridor they use at dawn. If you find a field torn up with tracks and droppings, you have a starting point. Use maps to identify meadows, cutlines, and pipeline crossings where you can set up quietly and wait where elk will travel. Arrive early, well before legal shooting light in the morning, and early afternoon to hunt evenings.

Fresh snow can be extremely valuable to an elk hunter. I took my son on his first elk hunt, and when we cut extremely fresh tracks while it was snowing, we put on our winter gear and started tracking. A slow and methodical approach is required, as elk have excellent hearing. We tracked eight animals close to two kilometers through the forest, and when the tracks made a sharp buttonhook downwind into dense alders, I knew we were close. Elk usually bed downwind of their tracks to monitor for predators. We were about 60 metres from the herd when they jumped from their beds. Using a cow elk call, I mewed twice as loud as I could. The elk stopped, which provided an opportunity for a shot.

The biggest challenge for new hunters is finding the best feed in areas where elk are concentrated. Look for areas adjacent to fields with limited access. Steep riverbanks without roads and large blocks of timber with few cutlines are prime spots. Technology helps. A quick look at a satellite map in your hunting app can reveal large sections of country with no easy path in or out. Track your movements with ABHuntLog, and you will quickly find the best access points and know where you are at all times.

Late-season elk hunting may feel challenging at first, but it is one of the most predictable times to tag an animal. The woods are quiet, hunting pressure is low, and cold temperatures help with meat care. Learn how elk behave after the rut, focus on hidden pockets of habitat, read tracks, and let patience guide you. When you finally hear cows chirping on a frozen morning, you will know you are on the right track.