Wapiti Hunters

[RackStar]

Hello my fellow elk addicts. You have 2 weeks to hunt for bull elk this year , what 2 weeks would you choose? These 2 weeks do not have to be back to back.

this will be my first elk season in Alberta but plenty of experience on the B.C. side of the peace and the low elk density thick bush country of Prince George.

archery is August 25- sept 17, I’m thinking of doing sept 9-17 as one of the weeks because historically I’ve had amazing action during this period and any bull moose is also open for sharp stick.

I hear opener of rifle here is a gong show so I’m thinking of heading back out for the first week of October if I was not successful by then. I’m not into battling crowds.

anyone have any input for the first week of October for calling elk? This is not spot and stalk country and I’m not hunting farms.

curious on what dates you fellow elk hunters would pick.

thanks

[ACB]

The first thing that you have to do to rid yourself of this affliction is go to a meeting and standup and state your name and admit you're an ELKOHOLIC. Just kidding. LOL Sept. 10 then the following 2 weeks.

[jac]

I like around sept 21

i have had good calling first week of October

[Ferenc]

Weather plays an important role in the timing ... cold Sept first week frosty mornings be out there ... find them before they get cows .... Hot weather will definitely slow things down.

[Bugle M In]

Ask the Butcher!!
Sounds to me, where o hunt, the bow season is the best time and I think if you have a week of rifle right afterwards, and were not successful with bow, you have lots of intel going into rifle.
I would have normally said the last week of September, but firstly, that where I go.
But with the low #’s, it’s more of a crap shoot now.
And you may see me with bow if I ever get back into the game.

[RackStar]

Thanks for the replies fellas , nice to hear others opinions and experiences. Nothing like a good frost or first snowfall.

[HarryToolips]

Sept 9th and that week has been the hottest action for myself... and the last week of September has been good as well...latest I've heard a bull bugle is Oct 7th, but I know they go later...but will it be different (earlier in the year probably?) in Alberta, especially if you're a little more North than the interior of BC?

[RackStar]

I’ve had great action from as early as sept 2 but the long hot days make it a morning or evening hunt. Makes for long days. I’m about halfway between Dawson creek and grande prairie , plan on hunting areas from grande cache to the BC border near Dawson. Sounds like sept 9 - 24 would be a logical time to hunt. I know some guys who do really well in the first week of October in PG but you have to switch your tactics when they’re herded up with 20 cows. Latest bugle I’ve had was sept 26 in that region. Not nearly as many elk there as here though.

[landphil]

Sept 9th and that week has been the hottest action for myself... and the last week of September has been good as well...latest I've heard a bull bugle is Oct 7th, but I know they go later...but will it be different (earlier in the year probably?) in Alberta, especially if you're a little more North than the interior of BC?

I’ve been among bugling bulls in late October in region 7B, including on the 31st. The weather was a bit milder than a week before when it was -15, and the 12” of snow from earlier was melted off the south slopes.

I called a bigger bull a good part of the way in up there last fall too, on Oct 7th with weather in the 20’s during the day and rarely frosty in the mornings. Was a heck of a lot of fun for an hour and a half, until he ambled back to where he came from, bugling all the way.

But back to timing, I tend to think they might have a later rut up there, and here’s why. Since the spring comes later, so does ideal calving season. And since gestation periods will be unchanged, a later rut than the southern regions just makes sense. No proof, no elk meat in my freezer to even try to back that theory up. Just my conclusion from a bunch of time pondering my observations up there.

[358mag]

2nd phase of the rut

[HarryToolips]

I’ve been among bugling bulls in late October in region 7B, including on the 31st. The weather was a bit milder than a week before when it was -15, and the 12” of snow from earlier was melted off the south slopes.

I called a bigger bull a good part of the way in up there last fall too, on Oct 7th with weather in the 20’s during the day and rarely frosty in the mornings. Was a heck of a lot of fun for an hour and a half, until he ambled back to where he came from, bugling all the way.

But back to timing, I tend to think they might have a later rut up there, and here’s why. Since the spring comes later, so does ideal calving season. And since gestation periods will be unchanged, a later rut than the southern regions just makes sense. No proof, no elk meat in my freezer to even try to back that theory up. Just my conclusion from a bunch of time pondering my observations up there.

Good to know, you're theory makes sense... FYI OP I once while scouting for elk in the interior, got a location bugle back on Aug 1st one year..does that seem strange to anyone?

[RackStar]

^^^^ makes sense to me, I did have some bulls come crashing in but held up out of sight and winded me around oct 15 here. No bugled though just a weird grunt bark. I also had cam pictures of a 5 pt with 2 spikes and 7 cows on oct 26 first snow fall bugling his head off running back and forth with his cows for 2 hours.

[RackStar]

2nd phase of the rut

I hear great things about the second rut, when the big boys come to play. Never able to pin point it yet. I’m assuming it’s around first week of October that’s why I figured I’d try that week after crowds die off.

my old zone 7a ends oct 9, maybe that’s when second rut starts?

could you comment further on your experiences with this second rut?

thanks

[jamfarm]

My first year up in the Peace I was in an area that held elk. Didn't know anything about calling then so we just set up and were making a few calls every 10-15 minutes on a hootchie mama. At one point a bull came in and absolutely screamed at us (round up), it came within 100 yards but we didn't see it. All we did was just sit there and call on the hootchie mama and those bugles just kept getting further and further away, that was on October 24th.

[Husky7mm]

It sounds like you’re headed in the right direction with the elk, it can take years to figure them out or dial in an area and its seasonality, but unfortunately for you like to piss in the drinking water. Try the school of hard knocks…..

01-16-2023, 10:06 PM
Thread: HBC Covid thread 2022 by RackStar
Re: HBC Covid thread 2022
conservative governments neglect education... they want to keep their followers dumb. You can't expect much else here, hence the copy and pasting all day everyday. No action. Talks cheap.

[RackStar]

Thanks husky , il still offer you a cold beer and a handshake out in the woods. Even though you despise my trolling.

been going hard on elk for the last 4 years. Every hunt I’ve managed to call in monster bulls , but unfortunately 6pt rule and the thick jungle I use to hunt in , had led me to pass on many bulls despite having massive wale tails poking up under the brush. Did manage to get a shot off once but my bullet was deflected by a branch , also have had other hunters in the peace hear me battling with a bull after I’ve confirmed 6 , waiting for a good shot to have them come in with cow calls and spook away. Many close calls, many 5 points called in , and many many hours of fun. I’m hoping I can connect this year.

thanks for your helpful advice pal , have a great day and best of luck to you this season. Most bulls I see up here harvested especially in saddle hills are dinks but you’ve managed to get some good ones. Hats off to you.

[high horse Hal]

clue
for a long time the 10 day rut gos in several zones of 7B was Sept 1- 10
After campaigning mostly by G/O's the dates were changed to Sept 5-15

[Bugle M In]

I don’t hunt the peace.
But loggers I talk to in the EK always talk about how vocal elk are on their own in late August, then suddenly stop come beginning of September.
Some butchers there will tell you they get a decent run in bulls, younger ones generally, in bow.

You are talking the peace, so I would snoop around there with both those groups.
Agree, the second rut is what I usually hunt.

[HappyJack]

Some of the hottest elk hunting we ever had in the Peace was the first week of September, we would hear them bugling while August moose hunting. I've been going the third week and have been having trouble locating vocal bulls, so planning on going the first week this upcoming season to see how it goes. Suppose it's a problem of lower populations [due to wolf predation and habitat loss] or I've just lost my touch. :-)

[RackStar]

Awesome to know thanks. I had one going on sept 2 this year we backpacked in, but got evacuated the next day due to forest fires. I’ve had some good bugling in the first 10 day’s of September, the hot weather sucks though. Makes for some long hot day’s waiting till evening.

[Lobot Doog]

I have had bulls screaming at me from September 1st, until the end of October... But if I could only hunt 2 weeks it would be Sept 10th-24th.

[nelsonob1]

I have had bulls screaming at me from September 1st, until the end of October... But if I could only hunt 2 weeks it would be Sept 10th-24th.

I'm usually one week later but with the Luna phase this year I have booked the same dates. If I connect this year it will be 4 for 5. Already getting excited and will use late bear season to scout a couple of new areas.

Good luck everyone!

[HarryToolips]

So question, and I apologize if I'm derailing this thread slightly, though it is a question regarding elk hunting: I know with respect to agriculture, elk will be drawn to fields with alfalfa or clover primarily as an optimal, calorie rich food source for the cow elk... so Sept and Oct, if these food sources are around, will they be keying in on these sources preferentially over forbs and grasses at higher elevations?

[nelsonob1]

So question, and I apologize if I'm derailing this thread slightly, though it is a question regarding elk hunting: I know with respect to agriculture, elk will be drawn to fields with alfalfa or clover primarily as an optimal, calorie rich food source for the cow elk... so Sept and Oct, if these food sources are around, will they be keying in on these sources preferentially over forbs and grasses at higher elevations?

IMO high elevation bulls are not foraging on farmland until after the season closes. Elk are like hunters - some like it low some like it high.
I hunt high not because there are more elk, but rather fewer hunters. But if you find cows in September , then you have found bulls.

[HarryToolips]

IMO high elevation bulls are not foraging on farmland until after the season closes. Elk are like hunters - some like it low some like it high.
I hunt high not because there are more elk, but rather fewer hunters. But if you find cows in September , then you have found bulls.

Thank you for the answer... the bull I shot in 2021 was high elevation, in Sept, and the cows were up there as well... my question is, IF agriculture containing alfalfa and clover is in the general area during Sept and Oct, rather than residing in traditional higher country, from your or others' experience, will the cows be keying in during those months on the agriculture food source rather than being in the higher elevation areas? And from there of course as you mentioned, we know where the bulls will be..

[nelsonob1]

In my experience, the higher elevation herds stay higher until pushed out by snow or they disperse after the rut. For example, around the Creston area in W.Kootenays most of the hay farmers complain about elk later, into November and over the winter. There are some elk around on the valley bottom all year but nothing compared to how many winter there.

[Bugle M In]

It’s why the zine x hunt was introduced.
Most creatures, even sheep go low come winter with decent snow.
Big problem was/is, the elk weren’t going back to high country come spring.
Why?, best guess to avoid the wolf gauntlet each spring/fall.
IMO, between zone x and wolves, is why some areas have had elk #’s implode.
Not to mention losing winter range.

But high country feed come spring is 4x more nutritious for game then the feed a rancher has.

[HarryToolips]

Cool good to know thanks guys...I think it's good we're keeping this thread going, I believe the OP is still on HBC vacation lol...