Elk hunt timing

[tenrag]

A question for all you veteran elk hunters: Do you have more success elk hunting early season when the temperatures are warmer and hunting pressure begins OR later when the temperatures drop, the rut begins and hunting pressure increases for other animals.

[Ferenc]

The earlier the better the bulls are looking for cows and sounding off and will check you out and be very vocal. As the month of sept wears on most of the herd bulls will have cows and sound off to your calls but they hang tight ... The hotter the weather the less they bugle so best just to call (bugle) early morning.... As for the evening if it's hot I just cow call ....earliest bull I took was sept 12... The latest was sept 23. ... Both came in like a freight train...after early snow storms in sept...call right after it stops snowing... What you want is cold frosty mornings for action in my opinion...so early or late in sept ... The whole month can be good but much better if it's colder

[Elkchaser]

Ferenc's advice is spot on and I'll add a little to it. "Success" happens anytime between September 1 bow season opening and late October closing. Most of us don't have the luxury of hunting throughout - we have to work. The key is to adapt your hunt to the date you choose/can do a multi-day hunt. Chances for a big bull coming to calls are best pre harem when they are seeking cows. Once cows start being receptive (over 90% in 3rd week), the herd bulls become a true challenge to get close to. I focus on freezer meat for my family now and no longer live 'close' to elk so I try to get out near the rifle open season. If I go muskwa then it's more about jet boat water levels and if that means early September then I'm getting away from river and adapting my calling based on what's happening. Finally just wanted to say - good luck, get out there and learn - that's the best part.

[HarryToolips]

Not meaning to hijack this thread, but do you guys think they will be high alpine/sub alpine right about now?? And have you ever had a bull respond to a bugle or cow call late morning/mid day/early afternoon?

[Ferenc]

Yep had a 4x4 come in silent to 30 yds hiking back to camp at 12 noon but it was a cold overcast day...just let out bugle... What a surprise that was !!!

[Ourea]

Not meaning to hijack this thread, but do you guys think they will be high alpine/sub alpine right about now?? And have you ever had a bull respond to a bugle or cow call late morning/mid day/early afternoon?

In the none pressured areas I hunt it has not been uncommon to have bulls firing off mid morning and day without being initiated.
Obviously the above comments reflect the given standard but if elk are not pressured it can go from zero to sixty any time of the day.

I am reflecting back on a decent 340 bull we killed at 2:30 in 25 degree heat Sept 15'ish a number of years back. We came across a wallow.....looked at my partner and said, "by the looks of the water on the ground a bull has been in here within an hr or two". I backed up 75 yards down wind leaving my partner by the wallow. I gave a rip...before I finished my bugle I was cut off by a bull screaming back from less than two hundred yards. Twenty seconds later a shot rang out. I gave it a few minutes before walking back. There piled up within feet of the wallow lay a half decent elk. Partner said he came in at a full run and hitting the brakes by the wallow less than ten yards away Partner spined him so he dropped in his tracks.

Point is...this was at 2:30 on a hot day.
Cool early mornings are still the gold standard but anything can happen at any time.

[Ourea]

http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd428/browndog100/Oldies/347001.jpg

Said bull killed at 2:30

[Ferenc]

http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd428/browndog100/Oldies/347001.jpg

Said bull killed at 2:30. That for sure is a decent elk. nice !!!!

[Bugle M In]

In the none pressured areas I hunt it has not been uncommon to have bulls firing off mid morning and day without being initiated.
Obviously the above comments reflect the given standard but if elk are not pressured it can go from zero to sixty any time of the day.

I am reflecting back on a decent 340 bull we killed at 2:30 in 25 degree heat Sept 15'ish a number of years back. We came across a wallow.....looked at my partner and said, "by the looks of the water on the ground a bull has been in here within an hr or two". I backed up 75 yards down wind leaving my partner by the wallow. I gave a rip...before I finished my bugle I was cut off by a bull screaming back from less than two hundred yards. Twenty seconds later a shot rang out. I gave it a few minutes before walking back. There piled up within feet of the wallow lay a half decent elk. Partner said he came in at a full run and hitting the brakes by the wallow less than ten yards away Partner spined him so he dropped in his tracks.

Point is...this was at 2:30 on a hot day.
Cool early mornings are still the gold standard but anything can happen at any time.


I took a Bull a couple of years ago at high noon with 29- 30 c....couldn't believe.
And he came in with bugles at first, and lots of cow calling, definite Satellite bull however.

Most of my Elk have been taken actually Oct 1. ( as I usually hunt last week of Sept into Oct )
But, would agree with previous posters, especially since cow #'s are back up, it is much harder to call in herd bulls, but satellites are still game for sure.
Seemed like in the 90's, cow #'s seemed way down, and larger bulls seemed to come in much easier.
Just my experience however, as I don't have oppurtuni

[J_T]

For hunting elk pre rut, rut and post rut the hunter may need to adjust tactics more bugling different types of bugling, or less, quiet cow calling or louder cow calls, but we often have bull action that lasts all morning. You just have to try different tactics and find what's working.

[GoatGuy]

Cows control everything.

Cows in estrus = screaming bulls.

In your part of the world the elk bailed out of the high country when winter showed up around the 10th. Guys are having a great time hunting low elevation stuff - lots of bulls on the go and getting dumped. After all this heat I would imagine they'll be on their way up again looking for better veg.

[todbartell]

First week of September is usually the best I have found, despite the warm temperatures. Bulls are on the move looking for cows and more willing to come right in. Later in the season you have to work em more to get results, which is still part of the fun

[Brez]

To answer your question, the answer is "Yes".