New Archery Season

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

In 36 years of elk hunting I have hunted elk pretty much on every day from Sept 1st through Janurary 15th.
Every hunt is different.
 I have seen 90 degree weather, and hail, snow, thunder and lightning.
The timing of the rut is dependant on photoperiod, but the elks vocalization has more to do with weather and pressure than anything else.
It is an established fact that most cows become impregnated during the last week of September and the first week of October, dependent on the maturity of mature breeding age males.
The more mature Bulls are ready to breed in August, yet this is during the "display" period, most vocalization is meant to advertize and establish territory.
The bulls that come in early are cautious and curious.
Pre-rut (late August and early September) dictates more patience and less agression.
During the middle to late September it might be easier to find elk, but actually getting them to commit is more problematic.
Most hunters dont understand elk behavior well enough to find them without the benefit of vocal animals, why late September and early October is when they want to hunt them.
They live in the woods 24/7/365 and if it was easy everyone could fill a tag.
I just dont want to lose the number of days I get to hunt them.
As soon as "the little green army" starts chasing them they head for their core areas, mature animals are conditioned to migrate to these areas.
Sure, these spots are sometimes far away from roads, yet there are always a few that find little pockets to hide in.
Check the harvest statistics, SOMEONE always fills their tags, season timing has very little effect on total harvest.
What is DOES affect is the age class of those animals harvested.
The WDFW has the unpopular job of making it as easy to harvest an animal as they can while allowing a cross section of age classes to survive for the good of the whole herd.
Having a later season will not change my chances of harvesting an elk, it will increase my chances of harvesting a mature elk.
Balancing total harvest while maintaining mixed genetics is why "the rut" is so variable, the young bulls are more accessable during the pre-rut, while the older bulls are more accessable during the peak.
Archery seasons have been cut back because of this phenomenon, Modern seasons have been moved back for the same reason, Muzzleloder units have been restricted to balance escapement.
I hope for a later season because I want a fair chance at a mature bull, but do not want to lose days afield.
As long as it remains no fewer than 13 days, I will be grateful to hunt with a bow.
If I lose any of those season days, I will hunt elswhere because it is the days of Elk Camp that are precious to me, the animals are there, you just need to be able to adapt to the changing circumstances.

[bigbeamhunter]

well said as I have got older I turned 50 last year the same day I shot my bull last year. 30 something years ago when i started bow hunting it started august 1 I loved it then to.maybe I just like being in the woods. I find it fun to watch my 22 year old son and his buddies doing the same thing I use to do. An example Dad where you going i'm going down in the hole. He says there not bugling I say do you think aliens picked em up up and moved em. They are there just don't like what we are saying . I just go for a walk and do my sequences and go for a walk in the woods until dark or I shoot something. They are always looking for the sound of the bugle

[Jonathan_S]

Yeah the late season is for guys who can't shoot.

   I don't get it. 

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

well said as I have got older I turned 50 last year the same day I shot my bull last year. 30 something years ago when i started bow hunting it started august 1 I loved it then to.maybe I just like being in the woods. I find it fun to watch my 22 year old son and his buddies doing the same thing I use to do. An example Dad where you going i'm going down in the hole. He says there not bugling I say do you think aliens picked em up up and moved em. They are there just don't like what we are saying . I just go for a walk and do my sequences and go for a walk in the woods until dark or I shoot something. They are always looking for the sound of the bugle

What gets me, is as I slowly sneak up game trails along the creek bottoms I hear guys bugling from roads and ridges, I just ignore them also.
Then I use soft cow calls and low volume chuckles, maybe rake some brush and have a bull literally go nuts near me in the bottom.
They (the bulls) have been listening to bugles all morning long, and not responding.
On an average season I hear plenty of bulls bugle, yet most hunters I talk to say that they are not hearing any.
It helps to get off the road, away from your truck, and into areas that hold elk.
Waiting for more than a few minutes helps also, I have been surprised lots of times after more than half an hour after ending a sequence.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Yeah the late season is for guys who can't shoot.

   I don't get it.

Meaning they missed their elk in the early season and have to hunt the late season.

[longwalker]

Im fine with the amount of days we have in the seasons seasons.  Who needs more than 4 days anyway 

It's not about needing more days to kill a bull it's about spreading out the hunters and the pressure over a longer period of time. Once you get the ego stuff out of the way you can objectively look at what makes for an all around better hunting season

just hunt more remote areas.. I have seen 3 hunters  the last 5 years combined... killed bulls every year in our group.

And I've seen none and killed bulls every year, I hunt plenty remote areas.Again it's not about my ego it's about managing hunting seasons properly and effectively for the user. It is our game after all

[krapmit]

Does anyone know the date, that they will actually announce the news season?

[bobcat]

It says "Date of intended adoption:  On or after April 9, 2015"

[krapmit]

Thanks Bob