Bugle Reports.

[Laramie]

I thought I had them dialed, had multiple encounters in the first week, been back up since the last day of muzzle loader and heard bugles for two days and now all the drainages that were holding them have since become silent, really minimal hunting pressure too… now I’ve been hitting spots to see if I can locate them again. It’s tough hunting when you can’t hear them talking

3 weeks, especially this time of year, can mean a massive shift for many elk herds. Bulls follow cows. Cows follow food, water, and sanctuary. It isn't as hard as some make it out to be but it can sure be frustrating to find them sometimes. Somewhere within a few miles of you, there is a herd of rutting elk. Good luck

 

[Sled]

I started hearing bugles from the private areas and even got a reply back from one of the more hunted canyons where I'm at. At first I thought it was a hunter because of the minute delay but now I'm not so sure. It might be turning on. The timing is right. Let's hope they start coming in to the calls now.

 

[Hnthrdr]

3 weeks, especially this time of year, can mean a massive shift for many elk herds. Bulls follow cows. Cows follow food, water, and sanctuary. It isn't as hard as some make it out to be but it can sure be frustrating to find them sometimes. Somewhere within a few miles of you, there is a herd of rutting elk. Good luck

Exactly! I am used to more pressured otc which almost narrows down where they will go, they have a lot of really good feed and water areas in about a 5 mile radius of where I was after them at. Hopefully I’ll find them before I head home on Monday

 

[svivian]

Called in several bulls last weekend and on Sunday they were screaming until 1pm. Cannot wait to get back up tomorrow night after all this rain.

 

[Fullfan]

Central Idaho undate. Into bulls every day. Will answer cow calls and bugles. Will not come to investigate. Two days ago had 4 bulls talking, two below and two above. All went qt. Wind was blowing across the moutain. Can not even get the cows to talk.

 

[Laramie]

Central Idaho undate. Into bulls every day. Will answer cow calls and bugles. Will not come to investigate. Two days ago had 4 bulls talking, two below and two above. All went qt. Wind was blowing across the moutain. Can not even get the cows to talk.

Say something different to them. They get tired of the same old pick up lines.

 

[Fullfan]

Say something different to them. They get tired of the same old pick up lines.

Fella sure wish I knew what to say. Have tried every cow sound I know. Bulls answere a calf sound more that anything. We will keep after em.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Back into them, glass one and heard one in a deadfall hellhole haha, got my work cut out for me this evening getting back in there, good luck to all!

 

[svivian]

Fella sure wish I knew what to say. Have tried every cow sound I know. Bulls answere a calf sound more that anything. We will keep after em.

Do you have different reeds with different depths of tone?

 

[Laramie]

Fella sure wish I knew what to say. Have tried every cow sound I know. Bulls answere a calf sound more that anything. We will keep after em.

PM sent

 

[windrunner]

Not one peep in the areas i've been, unit 12 co. Must be missing something.

 

[JayTx]

Just got back from grand mesa area last night. We had 4 or 5 bulls bugling for one day and one night about 8 days ago then nothing. They were still there just not talking. Called one in but busted me drawing.
In CO does the rut normally start in one part of the state first then other areas follow?

 

[hobbes]

Just got back from grand mesa area last night. We had 4 or 5 bulls bugling for one day and one night about 8 days ago then nothing. They were still there just not talking. Called one in but busted me drawing.
In CO does the rut normally start in one part of the state first then other areas follow?

The lack of bugling isn't necessarily an indication that the rut hasn't started. The number of bulls pestering a herd bull, the number of breeding age bulls that are looking for cows, the amount of pressure, among other things all play into how vocal they are in daylight hours. Elk calves need to be born in a specific window the following year. Too late and they have a slim chance of surviving the coming winter. They breed in September and early October every year. If it's mid to late September, the elk are rutting. The amount of bugling has a lot to do with herd dynamics in my opinion.

 

[Wheels]

Bugling has been scarce the last couple days where I am in Colorado, I’ve been up here mule deer hunting all month, last week they were going strong, but starting to see herd bulls cruising again, getting towards the end for you bugle chasers.

 

[ridgefire]

We just spent 1.5 weeks in SW Montana and we were into bugling bulls daily. Most bugling was early and late but we had several bulls come in on a string during the middle of the afternoon to bugling/raking. Great hunt for our group and more blown opportunities than I care to admit.

 

[rodney482]

NW WY …. They were fired up today

 

[svivian]

OTC Colorado and the bulls were still fired up. Watched 12 different bulls for two hours while chasing and breeding cows. My favorite time of the year

 

[Fullfan]

Switch has been flipped in Idaho. Been here since the 12. Have not encountered much several bugles. And several days where I thought things were going to heat up. Yesterday we had 8-10 bulls screaming. Had one shot opportunity at 58, kid did not feel good about the shot. Bulls were running nuts. On the walk out in the dark we heard several. It is about time

 

[elkocd]

Things really went dead in W WY a few days ago. What are the type 1 Oct 1 opener guys hearing out there? For a few years now things have really been good early Oct, but this year it seemed liked the mature bulls were already pulling off the cows after the 20th of Sept and going into post rut earlier than I've seen in a while. All the mature bulls I have been on recently have been solo and holed up in their holes during all daylight hours.

 

[selbyt31]

Things really went dead in W WY a few days ago. What are the type 1 Oct 1 opener guys hearing out there? For a few years now things have really been good early Oct, but this year it seemed liked the mature bulls were already pulling off the cows after the 20th of Sept and going into post rut earlier than I've seen in a while. All the mature bulls I have been on recently have been solo and holed up in their holes during all daylight hours.

Its been hit or miss in MT. Fired up for about a week on the 17th or so.. Been pretty vocal all up north but SW has been odd. Heat and smoke played a measure there first weeks of September I'm sure. Hope the first weeks of October here have some life.