When did you notch your tag?

[JPhelps]

With all the questions out there about when to hunt I'm curious when you have notched you archery tags.  Westside or Eastside?  If you could pick an exact date that routinely  seems to be "go time" what day would it be?

[JPhelps]

'09 archery: 9/11
'10 muzzle: 10/2
'11 archery: 9/12
'12 archery: 9/16

If I could pick one day I would say the rut starts to kick in on 9/12 and is close to over by 10/5 (this is primarily for the Willipa Hills).

[Button Nubbs]

Killed 2 bulls in a row on opening day. First week for me.

[kentrek]

maybe make a poll for an easy view of the data ??

in 6 years bow hunting

ive got 3 on opening day
1 on the 14th (i missed a cow on the 2nd day so i was caller for awhile)
1 late season (i was still new to the elk so it took me awhile)


hopefully i nev have to make the choice on which portion to hunt cuz i like it all 

[JPhelps]

I agree.  I'm glad I don't have to choose right now.

[D-Rock425]

9/20 03
9/8 04
9/15 05
9/10 06
9/16 08
9/11 09
9/7 11
9/7/12
Those are my best guesses on exact dates all washing archery elk. Dates could be off by a day or two.

[blackveltbowhunter]

Starting from 03, which is when I started to use calling as a significant and or primary tactic....

9/21
9/10
9/12
9/21
9/16
9/18
9/19
9/16
9/07?
Goose egg in Washington 12' but saw lots of response the first 3 or so days.

[Fullabull]

I'm not sure there is a better time then another the way the seasons are set right now. When it finally gets back to ending on the 21st, I would think we could actually get more rutting action. For most of the hunters who don't get very far off the roads, the later the better. For those who get back into the country with fewer or no other hunting pressure is going on, I think the more responsive the elk will be and it won't really matter as much what part of the month it is, you will just have to change your tactics a bit to accommodate what faze of rut the elk are in.

My father and I can't get to far back to we really have to rely on calling to find elk. We usually get one or two opportunities but it makes it real difficult to be successful. I shot my bull on the second day of the season last year while in a cold calling set up. 

[NoImpactNoIdea]

Still trying to!