Archery Elk Season Hunting Style in the Evergreen State 2015

[WapitiTalk1]

So campers, with the pending changes to our early archery elk season this year, will you be changing your hunting style/tactics from previous years?  The tentative 2015 season dates will certainly allow us to be in the elkwoods with stick and string closer to the peak of the rut which translates to the majority of the cows coming into estrus.  Cows coming into estrus create some of the most exciting times to hunt elk.  Competition for the affection of the ladies is at a yearly high between the bulls which equates to lots of displaying/advertising, warning/challenging, and a frantic level of urgency for the boys trying to get girls to date them.  This is the first year in many, many years that we'll be in the elkwoods with this occurring.  Do you plan on adjusting your tactics/style of hunting from the previous years in light of what will be occurring come September 2015 in our state? 

[tonymiller7]

I hunt the eastside so it depends on if I get drawn for a quality bull tag or not.  If yes, then I abandon my normal stand and do much more runnin and gunnin.  If no, I sit in my normal spot and stick a cow or a spike.

[X-Force]

Eastside... No change. Probably more rut activity but considering I see and hear elk bugling and pushing cow every year probably more of the same. It will be nice if we have some cooler weather. The longer season wont hurt either.

[bobcat]

I ordered two dvd's from Elknut and will be working on my elk calling skills. I'll be hunting SW Washington. Hoping to get into lots of elk rutting activity.

P.S.  Why do you say the season will be "closer" to the peak of the rut? I think it WILL BE during the peak. What do you consider to be the peak?

[WapitiTalk1]

I ordered two dvd's from Elknut and will be working on my elk calling skills. I'll be hunting SW Washington. Hoping to get into lots of elk rutting activity.

P.S.  Why do you say the season will be "closer" to the peak of the rut? I think it WILL BE during the peak. What do you consider to be the peak?

Bobcat, good on you for getting some of the Elknut DVDs.  His elk language interpretation philosophy and tactics tips are incredibly good and have been game changers for many, many elk hunters.  Yes, I consider the third week of September the peak of the rut so you're correct.  Guess I'm so used to missing it here in WA that I was afraid to say the words "we get the rut", lol.  RJ 

[kentrek]

idk if I can handle peak rut  I might be going through a couple reads a day 

[vandeman17]

If I hunt early archery here and don't have a bull tag I will hunt exactly the same but hopefully get to enjoy the sounds of bulls bugling. Also hope that the increased rut activity might also push some of those darn spikes out of the groups and send them searching for lost cows. This could lead to them wandering past my tree stand looking for what made all those super sexy estrus cow calls 

[TommyH]

No change in style of hunting, maybe a change in areas. Cooler weather (fingers crossed ) would be nice.

[D-Rock425]

A lot of it depends on draw results for me.  If i dont draw I'll probably just shoot a cow or spike on Tuesday the 15th PProbably between 7:45 and 8:30 am.  That 45 minute period seems to be when i kill 80% of the elk ive killed.

[buglebrush]

The last two years I've been Archery in Idaho, and Muzzy in WA.  I will probably go Archery in WA, and B tag in Idaho now.   

[buglebrush]

One thought.  I sure hope people can stay out of the woods, and especially no calling for the week prior to the opener.       It would make such a difference if we could hit the woods on the opener with uneducated elk. 

Also, the muzzy season should be awesome this year with the new areas opening up.  That season has been great except for the overcrowding.  With new areas to spread people out a little more, and the inevitable increase in archers it really could be dynamite this year.  I may have to think about that...

[bigbeamhunter]

I think the archery season will be great. yo said there may be more archery hunters, I went the other way maybe less because of the increase in units for muzzleloaders

[Band]

I'll likely spend more than my usual 1 or 2 days in the field with the better season timing.

[bobcat]

I'm also thinking about doing muzzleloader instead of archery. I just wish I knew which season will be less crowded. It could go either way. If I draw multi season that will solve the problem. But if I don't, I think I'm not going to apply for any special elk permits, that way I don't have to decide which tag to get until September 11th. By then it may very well come down to how well I'm doing with shooting my bow. If my confidence isn't real high by then, I may choose to hunt with the muzzleloader. Or hunting partners might make the decision for me.

[buglebrush]

I'm also thinking about doing muzzleloader instead of archery. I just wish I knew which season will be less crowded. It could go either way. If I draw multi season that will solve the problem. But if I don't, I think I'm not going to apply for any special elk permits, that way I don't have to decide which tag to get until September 11th. By then it may very well come down to how well I'm doing with shooting my bow. If my confidence isn't real high by then, I may choose to hunt with the muzzleloader. Or hunting partners might make the decision for me.

I do the same thing.  I've just decided to do my drawings in washington for Multi-season, Moose, and Sheep.  I'll get my quality bull hunts otc from other states.  We've had great success in the muzzy season, but last year it seemed there was more hunters than ever!  Decisions, Decisions 

I do think Muzzy will definitely be less crowded this year.  I wonder if with the low snowpack we will be fighting fire issues this fall?

[Roosevelt]

I'm still not sold that the date will actually be the 12 - 24th. I'll believe it when I see it. I know it's the proposed date but when I see it in the regs is when I'll accept it. Should be a much better season this year regardless. I probably won't end up changing my tactics too much. It's always on a bull by bull basis and what that specific situation calls for.

[bobcat]

They've already gone to all the work of adjusting the general seasons and the special permit seasons, all to accommodate the new, later dates for the early archery elk season. There's no way September 12-24 is not going to be accepted as the dates for this year, and actually for the next three years.

[baker5150]

They've already gone to all the work of adjusting the general seasons and the special permit seasons, all to accommodate the new, later dates for the early archery elk season. There's no way September 12-24 is not going to be accepted as the dates for this year, and actually for the next three years.

 

[Roosevelt]

They've already gone to all the work of adjusting the general seasons and the special permit seasons, all to accommodate the new, later dates for the early archery elk season. There's no way September 12-24 is not going to be accepted as the dates for this year, and actually for the next three years.

 

Welp... I'm not going to sleep tonight.  Sure hope you guys are right!

[dreamingbig]

A lot of it depends on draw results for me.  If i dont draw I'll probably just shoot a cow or spike on Tuesday the 15th PProbably between 7:45 and 8:30 am.  That 45 minute period seems to be when i kill 80% of the elk ive killed.

Most of our archery elk are shot in the magical hour too!  That is prime time for them scrambling back to their beds.


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[AKBowman]

I'll definitely be spending at least a few more days in the woods this year and take some time off to make it happen.

If i draw multi season I'll take the entire week off in October.

Didn't they change the laws a few yrs back to allow you to hunt with a bow during muzzy season?

[RadSav]

Only difference this year from other years is I might not spend as much time sleeping in the truck.  Freezers are finally getting to a manageable level allowing for a complete elk along with the other creatures we intend to hunt.  Been quite a while for us on that.  So I should be free to shoot away without taking an opportunity away from the wife.  I expect it to be a great year, but the season dates make little difference to me.  I've had success in August, September, October, November and December.  My techniques change very little with each month since all the bowhunters and cramped space made bugling a PITA.  That would change if I ever drew a limited access/tag hunt where I might be inclined to bugle a bit more.  But heck, my best two bugle seasons ever were August '88 and October '85 so     Would be nice if we could get some rain this year though!!