New Early Archery Elk Season...?

[popeshawnpaul]

Tell us what you think.  We worked hard to get this season for bowhunters and wanted to hear your feedback on the new season dates that run later into September.  Was it cooler?  Were you more successful?  Were the elk "talking" more?  I know we had fire issues this year and that likely effected people somewhat.  Thanks!

[D-Rock425]

We seem to have more people in our area this year.

[krout81]

cooler for sure.  In the area I hunt there are a lot of people and the bulls have not been vocal for many years.    I had high hopes that the later season would make the last week echo in the woods, but only heard one bull bugle on opening day.  Saw him 3 more times,  after that but he never made a peep.  Might have been because I hit him in the brisket opening day, but in years past bulls bugled from every hole even early on.  I blame pressure more than the season dates for less bugling.

[2MANY]

How about if you talk you die??

Perhaps we are systematically weeding out the talkers and replacing them with a herd of mutes?

[mburrows]

I liked the later season. Was unsuccessful but was in a completely new area.

[X-Force]

I like the season change. As a guy who almost always had to work the first week of the season it was good to be able to be out there with everyone else on opening day. It was crowded for sure but almost everyone can make a Saturday opener.

I also like the tail-end of the season because by Monday or Tuesday 99% of people went home and the last day or 2 were quiet except for elk bugling.

[JimmyHoffa]

cooler for sure.  In the area I hunt there are a lot of people and the bulls have not been vocal for many years.    I had high hopes that the later season would make the last week echo in the woods, but only heard one bull bugle on opening day.  Saw him 3 more times,  after that but he never made a peep.  Might have been because I hit him in the brisket opening day, but in years past bulls bugled from every hole even early on.  I blame pressure more than the season dates for less bugling.

There were LOTS of people running around scouting and bugling probably a week and a half before the season even opened.  Guys out checking every hole with big uptick in pressure starting Sep 1 or so.  The end of the bow season had tons of guys with muzzy tags doing the same thing. 

[krout81]

  Yes.  We talked a few people that they came in to scout and there was people in the woods "deer hunting" with bugles for the first week of the month doing exactly that.

[kentrek]

I liked it...we got our butts kicked but had unbelievable vocal elk...if you had a bad time its not because of the dates

Keep it later !!

[pianoman9701]

I like the later dates but wasn't able to hunt much this year do to outside influences. It was just as warm, but I don't think that'll be the case most years. This has been an odd year.

[Mxracer532]

The later the better, infact I would love it if it were moved back another week. The bulls are still screaming on the east side last weekend.

[TheHunt]

I liked it.  I harvested an elk opening morning. They were screaming in my area and I called for some newbies which was a lot of fun. 

[Casey]

I liked it they were talking all day opening day but every day after that it was a calf that would answer. Or they would come in quite witch happened to us and we missed a bull.

[Roosevelt]

For me it was a much better season.  The elk were more vocal.  Most of the bigger bulls had cows which made it a different challenge than the previous seasons.  I never hunted a single day of the season without hearing a bugle.

[Jonathan_S]

I like the later dates better.  If I look at the small picture, I killed a bull last year in early season but not this year.  I am able to recognize though that the later dates will be better in the long run.