Poll: Better season for calling in bulls Archery or ML (westside)

[janttihunter]

What do you guys think? I've heard allot of negatives and positives about archery and not much feedback on muzzy.

What season do you have a better chance of locating some bulls? And what season would you choose If you are willing to put in the work, scouting, get way behind gates ect. not road hunting. ( nothing against road hunting)

[Crunchy]

I would saytha you would be better off during muzzy season this year.  With the early start of archery Sep 2 I think, the bulls probably wont be bugling much until mid to late september.  Of course no one every really knows for sure.

[janttihunter]

Ya I guess it depends on the weather too..

[D-Rock425]

Muzzleloader

[bullcrazy]

Don't leave out the moon phases...

[Tbar]

The closer to September 25th you get the more vocal they become. That said I would choose early archery because the bulls haven't been called/pressured. Another thing about early season us they often come in silent to watch a fight not necessarily to get in one. 

[Fullabull]

There are advantages to both.
During this early archery season you are not going to find bulls all cowed up and may be willing to come check you out cautiously. Friendly tactics should be used, not aggressive!

I believe our ML season is the best for hunting rutting bulls as they are still looking and breeding cows who did not get impregnated during their first estrus cycle.

I drew a multi season tag last year and if I did not score during archery, I was looking forward to hitting the ML season with my bow but I did get my bull during early season. I used friendly bull calls to get him curious and he came in for the shot.

I think they are both good just require different hunting tactics

[judojudd]

This is a question for the ages. I've seen bulls act stupid from early september through the middle of november. I watched a huge bull mate a cow in the blues last year...the date...November 10th. He was bugling every 10 minutes all morning and had a harem of 8 cows. I'd say this is an anomaly but during my family's rifle spike hunt on the Oregon side, it is far more rare that we don't hear bugling bulls the first week of November. In fact, one of the guys from our camp drew the bull tag for that unit and shot his bull just after getting busy with a cow. If there is a cow near estrus, you can bet the bulls will be there and ready.
It's probably a matter of preference more than anything. Do you like the thought of a curious bull coming to check things out or a slobbering, sex-crazed maniacal bull coming in for a fight? Do you like summer temps or fall temps? The potential of an elk in laid back summer mode or spooked, call shy bulls?
We hunted the second week of archery last year and honestly didn't hear too much bugling. We got into elk and saw a couple bulls but it seemed like they were in more of a pre-rut phase. We are seriously considering hunting the muzzy season this year to see if that's any better. It's a bit of a gamble because our area is very high and we like to spike camp into some spots off the beaten track. I'm not too excited about getting caught in a snowstorm miles away from our rigs.
Interested to read what everyone else thinks.

[bwhntr350]

 As some said, early September can be very good for those wandering bulls. Oft times, a cow call is all I will carry. I, actually, think it is easier to hunt earlier in September rather than later September, unless you can get way late . Early gives you chances at lone bulls in search of love. A little cow calling can go along ways. Later, after they join the herds, you are trying to get close to 30 or more elk for the shot at one or maybe two that may be in the herd. There will, also, be a plethora of dormant cows, spikes and raghorns following those herds and getting by all that trash to get the masher is not easy.

 ML season, I think it is easy, or at least when bow season was in early Oct., years ago. Pretty much all groups of elk will have a bull in it and only one of them and the groups are much smaller. To bugle one in then, imo, is not easy. The peak of the rut is about Sept. 25 to Qct. 1 or 2. A bull with 8 or 10 cows will, probably, not leave them to find others. But to use their bugle as a locator Then the stalk should be easy going against a limited number of eyes.

 If I had my druthers, I would like the season to go back to ending after September the 20th or 21st. I am afraid that will never happen, so, as of now, I would take early September over the ML season. I like my chances of talking in a bull with the cow call and the meat is, most definitely, still edible as opposed to early Oct. where you can make pepperoni, sausage, jerky and hamburger after said bull losses 150 to 200 pounds of fat during the rut.

 

[janttihunter]

Thanks guys good input. My thinking was Archery has the first shot at them undisturbed and may here a few early bulls, Muzzy they may be a little more active but also have been pressured already but I also have more range with my muzzleloader. The weather is a gamble..The spots I scout right now are private  written permission only timberland and would have been closed for archery..Decisions... Decisions....

[washelkhunter]

Could have shot 2 bulls last year and my pick of any cow. But its spike only. Never saw one.

[janttihunter]

Added a poll.

[deerhunter_98520]

I took the first 9 days of archery off last year and had bulls bugling 7 of those days in the heat wave we had ....just depends how active they are in the area you hunt

[janttihunter]

So seems like they may be bugling more in October but more receptive to a cow call in archery/Sept? Man I love it here in WA most beautiful country I've ever seen, love the variety of game, you guys are lucky!!! But the seasons dates and regs here are tough!! I know some of you put in as much work and some more than I do in the offseason, scouting, target shooting, practicing calling, researching, working out...They just make it tough to decide what weapon to use (all which have there advantages and disadvantages). Hard to commit to those very few days ..Makes it more of a challenge but more stressful!!!

[RifleRidge]

All about timing....