YOUR HUNT ITINERARY

Alright, let’s build out a solid day for your October rifle elk hunt. With sunrise around 7:15 am and sunset around 7:00 pm, you’ve got a good chunk of daylight to work with, but the key is to maximize those critical morning and evening hours when elk are most active. Here’s how I’d structure it:

4:30 am – Wake Up and Gear Up

• Get up early enough to eat, gear up, and get to your glassing spot or listening point. You want to be in position well before first light.

• Pack layers, snacks, water, and your optics. Don’t forget your tripod—it’s a game-changer for glassing.

5:30 am – Drive/Hike to Your Spot

• Depending on how far you need to go, give yourself plenty of time to drive, then hike in quietly. Use a red or green headlamp to preserve your night vision.

• If you’re covering a lot of ground, bugle or cow call occasionally in the dark to locate elk. This can give you a head start on where to focus once it’s light.

6:30 am – Settle In and Glass

• Be at your glassing spot or listening point at least 30-45 minutes before shooting light. This gives you time to get set up, let the area settle, and start glassing as soon as there’s enough light.

• Focus on open meadows, south-facing slopes, and transition zones where elk might be feeding or moving.

7:15 am – First Light Action

• As the sun comes up, watch for elk feeding or moving toward bedding areas. If you spot elk, make a plan based on their behavior and the wind direction.

• If you don’t see anything, keep changing angles, glassing and listening. Elk can be hard to glass up, especially in timbered/cedar hills areas.

9:00 am – Mid-Morning Move

• If you haven’t found elk by now, it’s time to move. Still-hunt through likely bedding areas or transition to a new glassing spot. Keep the wind in your favor and move slowly.

• If you spotted elk earlier but couldn’t make a play, now’s the time to reposition and get closer.

11:00 am – Midday Break

• By late morning, elk are usually bedded down in thick cover. This is a good time to take a break, eat, and reassess your plan.

• If you know where elk are bedded but can’t approach without blowing your wind, hang back and wait for them to get up in the afternoon.

12:00 pm – Scout and Glass

• Use the midday hours to scout new areas, check for fresh sign, or glass shady bedding zones. Elk can sometimes get up to stretch or feed briefly, so stay alert.

2:00 pm – Position for the Evening

• By early afternoon, start moving toward your evening glassing spot or a likely travel corridor. Elk will begin moving again as the day cools off.

• Set up where you can see into feeding areas or catch elk moving toward water.

4:30 pm – Evening Glassing

• Be in position well before the evening movement starts. Focus on feeding areas, open meadows, and transition zones.

• If you spot elk, make your move carefully, keeping the wind in your favor.

7:00 pm – Last Light

• Sunset is at 7:00 pm, so this is your final chance to spot or make a play on elk. Be ready to shoot quickly if an opportunity presents itself.

• After sunset, pack up and head back to camp. Use your headlamp and stay alert for other hunters or wildlife.

Post-Hunt – Reflect and Plan

• Back at camp, review what you saw and adjust your plan for the next day. Look at maps, check the wind forecast, and think about where elk might be moving.