Hunt where i found bulls?

[austinsmith]

New adult elk hunter. I did my first scouting trip and after months if not years of you tube schooling I picked 3 places to focus on. I glassed up or bumped bulls and raghorns in every spot. I found a total of 7 bulls amd raghorns. Either solo or a small bachelor group. This was done early August in MT. I am doing an archery hunt around Sept 20-30. I'm wondering if I should focus on the areas I found the bulls or scrap the areas totally because I did not see a single cow the whole time. I found several bedding areas in timber near meadows, but no cows. Any help to guide me on my first solo archery elk hunt would greatly needed and appreciated.

 

[wyogoat]

You have three solid places to start and your scouting was solid. Start there but don’t be married to those ideas. If they aren’t there then move. Maybe cows move in later or those bulls stay either in a bachelor group or alone a little longer depending on other factors in that area. Go with your gut and have a plan A through C. Post pics of your bull when he’s down…

 

[TheTone]

See any rubs or old wallows that would indicate bulls have been there during past Septembers? I guess my other thought is where would they go and why?

 

[Ucsdryder]

Go hunt. You’ll cover lots of areas. I definitely wouldn’t give up on any area. Elk are big and move a lot. You’re over thinking it.

 

[OKHunter84]

Might pay attention to the weather. If there's nothing happening to push them down then I would imagine they would stay high, other then chasing cows. I would probably start there like others said.

 

[Deadfall]

Start there. However,
Personally, I would not hunt that week. Typically, the 21-29 are toughest hunting days during bow safari season. Here that week almost always falls directly between cycles. Bulls are usually held up resting waiting on main event to kick off. Montana, October is hottest time for the bow safari. Anyway, I would go before or after if that's possible.

 

[Michael Rankin]

Start there. However,
Personally, I would not hunt that week. Typically, the 21-29 are toughest hunting days during bow safari season. Here that week almost always falls directly between cycles. Bulls are usually held up resting waiting on main event to kick off. Montana, October is hottest time for the bow safari. Anyway, I would go before or after if that's possible.

Funny you should mention that. I have been noticing the same trend after thinking about the last 10-12 seasons

I swear every year somewhere between the 15-20 the bulls go nuts for 1-3 days. Bulls answering almost everywhere

Then almost every year it gets really tuff to find one that wants to talk sometime within a few days after the 20th

The Oregon season typically ends somewhere between sept 24-28

This year our season goes to oct 2

I’m really curious to see what it’s like the last 4-5 days this year

 

[Marble]

Bulls are going to be looking for cows. The bulls near me have already started splitting of and hanging around cows.

Where you find rubs, you'll find all other elk.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[austinsmith]

I did not see evidence of rubs or probably didn't pay attention. Just found some heavily used bedding areas that smelt like elk. Unfortunately that is the only time I have off to hunt. I'll be able to give it a solid 7 days, just looking to maximize my time amd efforts. Thnx for the advice

 

[velvet muley]

If there are no cows, there's a good chance those bulls will be gone after the second or third week in August. That has always been my experience in the places I have hunted, good luck.

 

[austinsmith]

Start there. However,
Personally, I would not hunt that week. Typically, the 21-29 are toughest hunting days during bow safari season. Here that week almost always falls directly between cycles. Bulls are usually held up resting waiting on main event to kick off. Montana, October is hottest time for the bow safari. Anyway, I would go before or after if that's possible.

During that lull in rutting activity you think they go to sanctuary briefly?

 

[Huntnnw]

During that lull in rutting activity you think they go to sanctuary briefly?

I dont buy any of that. I have hunted elk in multiple western states during those dates and never observed anything like that. I was in MT last year until the 26th for 10 days and bulls were going nuts every day

 

[nmarchr]

the bulls will be with the cows, hopefully you were able to find some cows. If so, hunt there.

 

[Fullfan]

Just have other locations in mine. The bulls you ran into will be miles away searching for cows.

 

[Michael Rankin]

Quick follow up to my post above agreeing with Deadfall that lots of years it gets tuffer to find bulls where I hunt that are as vocal sometime in that September 20th to 28th range.


Almost all years we still finds bulls talking, the amount of bulls just seems to decrease pretty dramatically.

Also, when I think back through the years we almost always call them into bow range when we get one going during this time period. Way less bulls that just shut up, or won’t commit to coming in.

So for clarification, it is still an Awsome time to be hunting.

We have killed a good amount of bulls after the 20th.

 

[87TT]

Seems like that time period, the bulls have cows by then and are just trying to get away alone with them. They will come in and look for a fight if you push in close or satellites will sneak in to try a a drive by heist.

 

[ut1031]

You have got to find the cows! Bulls will be seeking them out!

 

[Michael Rankin]

Last year my buddy I backpackhunt hunt with most of elk season found a group of 4-5 bulls at first light sept 23. Started with an answer to a locate bugle I did. I then moved closer, Only cow and calf calling. Another bull answered. Then I also started some estrous cow calls. Two or three more bulls answered. They all started going nuts

We called in two of the 4 bulls, and killed them. The next 2 days we never heard another bugle while packing the meat.


One of my other great friends hunts a different area. He killed this bull sept 20 or 21st


He then called in this funky bull for a guy the next day


Another good friend of mine hunts another different area in our state. He killed this bull sept 21st



So after September 20th was really good for my few close friends and I in multiple different parts of the state.

 

[Jaquomo]

Bulls will travel many miles to go to the cows. They will often come back to the same places year after year until they get blasted. Find cows now and bulls will be there later.

 

[Indian Summer]

Is there a reason you’re hunting so late in September? By then your August scouting may or may not help. But learning your area and those spots is priceless.