A Different Kind of Elk Season

[WapitiTalk1]

Sooo campers, we have a bit of a different "kind" of early WA archery elk season this year.  The season starts during the herding up period (kind of towards the end) and ends smack dab in the middle of the peak of the rut (third week in SEP when the majority of the cows are coming into estrus), 12-24 September.  This is a huge shift from the seasons granted in previous years. 

1.  The herding up period consists of rising testosterone levels in the bulls, final movement from bachelor groups to the cows, lots of location and advertising bugles, perhaps a few cows coming into estrus, and lone bulls attempting to establish a harem of several to many cows.  You may hear several bulls in an area sounding off that are "not" tight to a given herd but in fact are on the move, looking for a handfull of ladies they can call their own and begin tending and protecting.

2.  The last handfull of days of our season "will" result in something we have not seen in many years here.  Herds are established with the fittest herd bull in the area and satellites mostly stick like glue around the herds, nervously waiting for a chance to hook a cow or three while the herd bull does his best to fight off these wanna be herd bull Casanovas. 

Do you plan on changing your battle plan up a bit in light of this new portion of the elk rut we've been given?  Will you hang your hat on quality calling more than you have in previous years to maximize your chances?  Do you think the satellites will come in to your calling from farther away during the herding up period as they're looking for cows to call their own?  How will you react to/attack a vocal herd bull with satellites buzzing around the herd during your last few days of the season?

These are just a few of the considerations to think about with our new and improved elk season starting in just a hair over two months away.  Let's talk about it.  Again, do you plan on changing your battle plan up a bit in light of this new portion of the elk rut we've been given?

 

[notellumcreek]

 Will it depend on the weather at that point in their stages of rutting or are they in full strut regardless if there is hot weather?

[Jonathan_S]

Hot weather will suppress activity during the day.  If I am right, I believe that wallow activity is decreased in these later weeks of September so that is something I will pay less attention to.

Phantom, the way I'd react to a herd bull with satellites buzzing around is to get in close, call a satellite bull in and shoot it 

[WapitiTalk1]

Hot weather will suppress activity during the day.  If I am right, I believe that wallow activity is decreased in these later weeks of September so that is something I will pay less attention to.

Phantom, the way I'd react to a herd bull with satellites buzzing around is to get in close, call a satellite bull in and shoot it 

Yes and yes, I like you're thought process here sir.  How are you gonna call that satellite bull in JS (if that's your target)?       

[Jonathan_S]

I'm not much of a caller but I'd probably try to get within 200 yards and give a few chirps to generate a response.  If no response, I'd pick in closer and try again.  If still no response or a response without commitment then I'd give a few estrous calls and maybe a spike squeal or challenge bugle but I'd only do that if I had heavy cover since I'd most likely be alone.

[Rainier10]

Nothing is going to change for me, I am hunting true spike and cows so I will be doing locater bugles and moving towards the responses getting to the cows first and making the shot.

[Dhoey07]

As a sophmore elk caller and a new reciepient of The Real Chuckler Bugle, I will be out blowing that thing like a trumpet on a 4th of July parade!!!!

[Tbob]

I'll be hunting the first week of the season this year and I think I'm going to try and locate some lady elk, get in close (at least a hundred yards or less) and do some chirps and estrus calls ( trying to sound like a lady elk who might be ready to go with a few lady friends around). I'm shooting the first 3pt or better bull that comes to investigate.. Now only if my brother would practice calling so he doesn't sound like a dying cat!!

[WapitiTalk1]

I'm not much of a caller but I'd probably try to get within 200 yards and give a few chirps to generate a response.  If no response, I'd pick in closer and try again.  If still no response or a response without commitment then I'd give a few estrous calls and maybe a spike squeal or challenge bugle but I'd only do that if I had heavy cover since I'd most likely be alone.

JS, if you've got him/them located, get closer than 200 yards sir.  Work the wind and available cover/concealment till you're within 100 yards or less if possible.  If a tasty satellite is what you're after, I'd recommend you keep your tube on your back and give some very light, whiny cow calls every 2 or 3 minutes... nothing too loud, just enough that you figure the bull(s) can hear you.  It's highly possible the herd bull will chuckle at you telling you to "get your butt over here missy"! At that point you'll have to decide if you wish to try for the herd bull (involves a whole other set of calling tactics), or, continue on with trying to take a sattelite home for dinner.  Continue with those light, whiny cow sounds every few minutes, have an arrow nocked, possible shooting lanes picked out and the chances are "very good" that a satellite will Batman into your vicinity trying to hook that lonely cow (you). 

[Jonathan_S]

   just in case I develop high standards in the meantime, what would you do to try and pull the herd bull?

[WapitiTalk1]

As a sophmore elk caller and a new reciepient of The Real Chuckler Bugle, I will be out blowing that thing like a trumpet on a 4th of July parade!!!!

   Give em hell. 

[Dhoey07]

Whinny cow sound opposite of the herd bull, then turn and scream right at him. 

[westsidehntr]

I'll be hunting the first week of the season this year and I think I'm going to try and locate some lady elk, get in close (at least a hundred yards or less) and do some chirps and estrus calls ( trying to sound like a lady elk who might be ready to go with a few lady friends around). I'm shooting the first 3pt or better bull that comes to investigate.. Now only if my brother would practice calling so he doesn't sound like a dying cat!!

I wonder if your my brother

[High Climber]

Not sure what will change for me yet... Just gonna feel it out and figure it out on the fly. It's gonna be fun!

[WapitiTalk1]

I'll be hunting the first week of the season this year and I think I'm going to try and locate some lady elk, get in close (at least a hundred yards or less) and do some chirps and estrus calls ( trying to sound like a lady elk who might be ready to go with a few lady friends around). I'm shooting the first 3pt or better bull that comes to investigate.. Now only if my brother would practice calling so he doesn't sound like a dying cat!!

Tbob, I hear you buddy.  It's very important for your hunting partner to be able to make decent elk sounds, at least 3 or 4 of the important ones to maximize the opportunities the elk gods give you during this unique season WDFW has given us.  Send me a PM and I'll shoot you some instructional VIDs that may help your partner on his way to sounding better.     

[WapitiTalk1]

  just in case I develop high standards in the meantime, what would you do to try and pull the herd bull?

JS, say you're sitting in a establishment with your girlfriend and that establishment serves alcohol (wait for it....alcohol creates super duper bravery levels in many human males... just like rising testosterone does in bulls during the rut and perhaps, a scent in the air of a cow(s) hitting estrus compounds the intruder's said bravery level... just like the finest perfume).  What would make you see red and cause you to leave your girlfriend (analogy here of course, in reality... the herd bull has several ladies he's tending/protecting and is not amused at all by some half drunk, lusty bull trying to court his chicks)?  How can you sir, make the herd bull see red and leave what he's tending to? Well, you have to simulate that you've stolen one of his cows (the ultimate insult) and are screaming back in his direction for perhaps, other cows to join.  Dhoey07 alluded to this.  Dependent on time of the rut, the "threat" level 2 and 3 can really cause a knee jerk reaction for a herd bull (when you're in close enough) to facilitate a frontal charge to your location like you've never seen before.  Be ready for it, have an arrow knocked, and keep those knees from knocking long enough to take the air out of the big bull's lungs.  It can happen very, very quickly.  I've pinged Elknut about this thread.... I'm sure he'll chime in at some point         

[coachcw]

Go an pull a bull into rtspring s lap.

[Big6bull]

No real change here. ill probly still be struggling with getting a shooting lane like always. Hoping this year my new decoy might give me a few secs to get into that shooting lane when the time comes! Can't wait   

[huntnnw]

Very rare in NE WA to see more than 1 branched bull with a herd of cows....I see some spikes sometimes with the herd. The herds tend to be less than 10 animals and what are considered satellites in many other areas are herd bulls here. Yes you get the exception some areas here , but I have been chasing elk in NE WA and N ID for 18years and have only seen a couple of herds that had rags with them. Different story in WA draw units tho, such as last year when I drew a blues tag that was more of what is being discussed big bulls running herds and sattlites everywhere

[buglebrush]

I cover a lot more ground, because it they are around they will answer.  Just find them, and the rest is easy

[steeliedrew]

Due to some health issues this year I'm fresh out of vacation time. This means I'll get two, day and a half hunts split up over the two weekends that fall during the hunt.  It'll be a high speed burn each of the friday's down to the elk woods with a 4.5 mile hike in the dark solo most likely. Saturday I'll be charging hard and you won't find me sitting and waiting.  I'll be putting on miles and will find the elk that want to talk.  Got on them every day last year, including bugling bulls and chirping cows in 80 degree weather.  Not worried about finding them. Question is...How bad do I want it!

[CP]

I’m going to sit and wait.  Maybe a tree stand.

[Jonathan_S]

Very rare in NE WA to see more than 1 branched bull with a herd of cows....I see some spikes sometimes with the herd. The herds tend to be less than 10 animals and what are considered satellites in many other areas are herd bulls here. Yes you get the exception some areas here , but I have been chasing elk in NE WA and N ID for 18years and have only seen a couple of herds that had rags with them. Different story in WA draw units tho, such as last year when I drew a blues tag that was more of what is being discussed big bulls running herds and sattlites everywhere

   the biggest herd I have ever been into was in early MZ season.  The herd bull was a 5x6 and I had him at 60 yards.  That was the day I got a painful lesson in how poorly powder and rain mix.  I was in a deep depression for days...seriously 

This year I am hunting western archery and hopefully I have an opportunity to decide which bulls to pursue vs. shooting the first elk I see in the NE 

[Jonathan_S]

  just in case I develop high standards in the meantime, what would you do to try and pull the herd bull?

JS, say you're sitting in a establishment with your girlfriend and that establishment serves alcohol (wait for it....alcohol creates super duper bravery levels in many human males... just like rising testosterone does in bulls during the rut and perhaps, a scent in the air of a cow(s) hitting estrus compounds the intruder's said bravery level... just like the finest perfume).  What would make you see red and cause you to leave your girlfriend (analogy here of course, in reality... the herd bull has several ladies he's tending/protecting and is not amused at all by some half drunk, lusty bull trying to court his chicks)?  How can you sir, make the herd bull see red and leave what he's tending to? Well, you have to simulate that you've stolen one of his cows (the ultimate insult) and are screaming back in his direction for perhaps, other cows to join.  Dhoey07 alluded to this.  Dependent on time of the rut, the "threat" level 2 and 3 can really cause a knee jerk reaction for a herd bull (when you're in close enough) to facilitate a frontal charge to your location like you've never seen before.  Be ready for it, have an arrow knocked, and keep those knees from knocking long enough to take the air out of the big bull's lungs.  It can happen very, very quickly.  I've pinged Elknut about this thread.... I'm sure he'll chime in at some point         

Thanks Phantom   

[Tbob]

Thanks phantom! I'll shoot you a Pm.

[Elknut1]

That's awesome this year the season is extended for you folks! We are spoiled here in Idaho with full month Sept elk hunts! I love it though! (grin) Good luck to you folks & enjoy!

  ElkNut1

[cryder]

awesome stuff guys , funny how we are given this big opportunity in the same year there going to take it away , wow maybe our leaders of opportunity are really close to the big weather people in the science world, ,,,,,they knew allllll along !

[huntingbaldguy]

This is my first archery season for elk and my wifes first hunting season ever.  We will have a massive learning curve, of that i'm sure.  We own and have watched the university of elk hunting dvd half a dozen times.  We're getting practiced up in our calling technique, i just bought the all new chuckler bugle and we've scouted a couple times and have found cows. 

So we are moving along.  If we need to call, i'm thinking locators followed by cow calls to try and separate a satellite bull from the herd, and then challenge it.  The very first legal bull we see, we hope to put in the dirt.  In the late season, or late in the early season, we will be willing to shoot a cow however, to put meat in the freezer.  That's the important thing to both of us.  I'm just trying to soak up as much info as possible but not overwhelm myself or make it too complicated.

[huntnnw]

Biggest herd ive seen during a hunting season in NE WA was 17 elk that was in the 117 unit had no satellites or spikes just a big 6x6 320" bull

[Elknut1]

huntingbaldguy, once response is received from a bull with your locator bugle/bugles even if you were cow calling at the same time lose the locator bugle, you've made contact so no need to continue asking where are they! You already know. (grin) Too, as a satellite expresses interest no need to all of a sudden challenge him telling him to stay back or else! Consider this?

  A very good satellite bull killer method is to go into a Breeding Sequence, this is what brought the Satellites over there in the first place. Get 150 yards away or closer if possible but don't get caught being seen or winded. You need a mobile type setup here, now imitate a bull talking/scolding the hot cow in his small group of 2 or 3 with raking a tree/brush. If other bull bugles do not bugle back at him, instead cow call to him 1-2 times with a bit of excitement, let him know you are interested in him. As you cow call go towards him now that you have him pinpointed, cow call again with some excitement but not urgently, call at him in return everytime he bugles you as you close the distance, this shows you are choosing him over the bull you were with & you are leaving that bull & heading his way. This will really have that satellite pick up the pace heading towards his new found treasure without any challenging involved. -- As a lone hunter I like making my last cow sounds excepting his invite then moving up 30-40 yards making this oncoming bull think I'm still where he heard me last.

  If I need to call again to give last second coaxing, I will turn & cast my call behind me through my bugle making it seem I'm further back there still, this bull will come in search mode to seek you out!

  ElkNut1

[WapitiTalk1]

Sweet, thank you for chiming in Elknut.  The breeding sequence is certainly in my tool kit and "will" be deployed as the peak of the rut approaches in the Evergreen State (it's worked well for me in Idaho and Montana in the past).  As the season starts on the 12th this year in WA, I'm gonna also do a bit of advertising if the area I hunt in the WA elkwoods seem a bit quiet in the earlier part of the season.  Nothing like creating some interest and peaking some curiosity from the resident bulls  . 

[huntingbaldguy]

huntingbaldguy, once response is received from a bull with your locator bugle/bugles even if you were cow calling at the same time lose the locator bugle, you've made contact so no need to continue asking where are they! You already know. (grin) Too, as a satellite expresses interest no need to all of a sudden challenge him telling him to stay back or else! Consider this?

  A very good satellite bull killer method is to go into a Breeding Sequence, this is what brought the Satellites over there in the first place. Get 150 yards away or closer if possible but don't get caught being seen or winded. You need a mobile type setup here, now imitate a bull talking/scolding the hot cow in his small group of 2 or 3 with raking a tree/brush. If other bull bugles do not bugle back at him, instead cow call to him 1-2 times with a bit of excitement, let him know you are interested in him. As you cow call go towards him now that you have him pinpointed, cow call again with some excitement but not urgently, call at him in return everytime he bugles you as you close the distance, this shows you are choosing him over the bull you were with & you are leaving that bull & heading his way. This will really have that satellite pick up the pace heading towards his new found treasure without any challenging involved. -- As a lone hunter I like making my last cow sounds excepting his invite then moving up 30-40 yards making this oncoming bull think I'm still where he heard me last.

  If I need to call again to give last second coaxing, I will turn & cast my call behind me through my bugle making it seem I'm further back there still, this bull will come in search mode to seek you out!

  ElkNut1

Great tips, thank you.  I'm still learning how to call, i don't even know how to add excitement with the tones and stuff yet, but i have mews down pretty good.  I try to imitate my hoochie momma call from Primos for estrous calls.  The bugling is where i need work as i don't do it a ton.  I don't want to go out to our location we are hunting and start cluing them in either, so i'm trying to find a place to practice.  I think i have the challenge and locator down ok, but again i haven't gotten your bugle yet (maybe today in the mail). 

Maybe i'll try to record what i can do and post it for some constructive criticism.  Thanks again and looking forward to getting your Chuckler!

[Elknut1]

I should make one point clear bud, it's not that the method above you mentioned doesn't work because it can! I just hate seeing guys get so hung up a single method assuming that it will work on every bull, I wish it were that easy! (grin) So many times the elk haven't read our script so we must adjust & adapt our thinking to their interests for that day & timing of the rut. You will find that there will be bulls that are responding to your every bugle but stay completely silent to a cow sound, then there will be bulls that bugle every cow sound but not respond to your bugle! -- Be willing to switch gears & adjust your calling plan to fit their interests.

  Then there are those bulls that bugle one time in the morning & you don't hear them again for the rest of the day, you need a plan for them too! Being flexible in your thinking as well as creative is what makes a well rounded elk hunter.  I agree in keeping things simple but be prepared to know & understand some of the most common situations that can arise & how to handle them. If you don't you'll be kicking yourself after the season because of the encounters you came across but had no idea how to handle them.

  Again, the cow calls & challenge bugle can work, it just needs to be on the right bull & situation. Hope this makes sense! (grin)

  ElkNut1

[huntingbaldguy]

Oh no, i didn't take it that way, i know you have to have a big bag of trick sometimes and i welcome the constructive comments! 

[Netminder01]

tag

[TommyH]

I've dreamed of bugling bulls nearly every night the last few weeks!!! My neck is starting to swell up abit also!! I'm getting excited about this year!!

[dreamingbig]

That's awesome this year the season is extended for you folks! We are spoiled here in Idaho with full month Sept elk hunts! I love it though! (grin) Good luck to you folks & enjoy!

  ElkNut1

Not extended just shifted.  Still only 13 days. 😞


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