When do bulls start bugling?

[vandeman17]

I know that elk are talkative critters and bulls will bugle randomly throughout the year. My question is when you guys normally hear them start to bugle from pre rut activity?

[trophyhunt]

Now, last year I heard a bull bugle 3 or 4 times in late june.

[teanawayslayer]

I know that elk are talkative critters and bulls will bugle randomly throughout the year. My question is when you guys normally hear them start to bugle from pre rut activity?

Ive heard them quite a bit in August in the Liberty area.

[vandeman17]

I ask the question because my Oregon hunt starts August 27th and I am mulling my tactics. I have two spots that I plan to hang stands but I also want to do some still hunting.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Seems like last several years I have heard more bugling in August than in September, unless its hunters.
They travel and bugle a lot during the staging, or "display" period.
It is basically the bulls getting frisky and posturing for each other, establishing pecking order and talking smack.
Not "true" rut behavior, but it happens none the less.
Good time to get a look at the bulls in your area, but they will be somewhere else come season usually.

[bracer40]

I ask the question because my Oregon hunt starts August 27th and I am mulling my tactics. I have two spots that I plan to hang stands but I also want to do some still hunting.

I just listened to Elknut talking about this exact same scenario on the Hunt Backcountry podcast, episodes 36 & 37. Shared some great success stories and calling examples.

[vandeman17]

I ask the question because my Oregon hunt starts August 27th and I am mulling my tactics. I have two spots that I plan to hang stands but I also want to do some still hunting.

I just listened to Elknut talking about this exact same scenario on the Hunt Backcountry podcast, episodes 36 & 37. Shared some great success stories and calling examples.

Awesome thanks

[BUTTER]

Not soon enough but honestly August 20th ish and elk bugle year round but won't mean anything serious till the later part of August

[alwaysontop]

I had bulls bugling last year in Oregon on the opener.

[brianb231]

Not soon enough but honestly August 20th ish and elk bugle year round but won't mean anything serious till the later part of August

 

[Rainier10]

They woke me up this weekend bugling, but that was just small talk.

To answer your question I think it varies from area to area.  The area I hunt they are normally getting active the beginning of September and going nuts around the 14th -16th.

[theleo]

If you want to mix things up, hunt the second week or straddle the second and third week. After that point they can be a bit difficult to pattern for using your tree stands. I'm guessing you're hanging the stands over wallows and seem to remember a thread where you said you were hunting Ches, if that's the case the stands will be more useful sooner rather than later.

[scoutdog346]

To answer your question specifically I think they start soly as a response to the rut factor late August I hear more bugles starting around September 27th to October 10th. Around Sep. 27 to Oct.10th is when i hear the most.  One season i heared a bull and a spike go back and forth as if it was mid Sep. during Eastern modern firearm.  Crazy!

[blackveltbowhunter]

I think once they shed their velvet, they will begin to feel the urge more and more moving into September. But its location specific and based IMO primarily on herd dynamic in a given area rather than actual timing. I have been in areas opening weekend in Oregon where bugles were plenty and bulls were very responsive. 3 days later in a different area with no hunting pressure, I would have swore cows didn't exist. And bulls were all but silent and  devoid of testosterone. Couldn't buy a bugle although I saw 18 + bulls in 2 days. The problem was the age class of the herd was much older and the cows were plenty, simply on adjacent properties.

[idaho guy]

Back when Idaho opened aug 30 I never heard a lot of bugling but that first week is when we called in the biggest bulls. I don't think they had their harems yet and the big boys were more willing to fight or come try and round up a cow or two. That's my theory! but I really have no idea why that was. Anyways, I would definitely still hunt and do some calling. You probably know this but a lot of times they come in silent early so if I call I always wait 30 mins.    I agree that the most bugling rut activity always seems to occur starting the 15th all the way to the first part of October. Last week we stumbled into a  bunch of cows all talking and a bull was bugling his head off down in the creek below. Elk are strange       

[buglebrush]

Back when Idaho opened aug 30 I never heard a lot of bugling but that first week is when we called in the biggest bulls. I don't think they had their harems yet and the big boys were more willing to fight or come try and round up a cow or two. That's my theory! but I really have no idea why that was. Anyways, I would definitely still hunt and do some calling. You probably know this but a lot of times they come in silent early so if I call I always wait 30 mins.    I agree that the most bugling rut activity always seems to occur starting the 15th all the way to the first part of October. Last week we stumbled into a  bunch of cows all talking and a bull was bugling his head off down in the creek below. Elk are strange     

   That early season is your very best chance at a monster.  Hunting isn't as much fun with lots of silent encounters, but we've always had great success early.  The hardest part is staying in the game mentally when the woods are silent.   

[dreamingbig]

Doesn't Idaho still open on the 30th of Aug? It says it does in the central elk zones.


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[DOUBLELUNG]

I've heard occasional bugles from June on, the greatest level of daytime bugling seems to occur following a cold front anywhere from late August to mid September.  Late September there is almost always some level of daytime bugling regardless of the weather. 

[idaho guy]

Doesn't Idaho still open on the 30th of Aug? It says it does in the central elk zones.


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yes in some zones- I usualy hunt in the panhandle which opens sep 6

[PA BEN]

I called in 3 bulls August 20th one year, fresh sign and 2 bulges from me and they came in quite

[piledup]

Based on my experiences, Idaho usually starts earlier than Washington. I have no exact date but Idaho will be bugling on opening day.

[Karl Blanchard]

Pecking orders are being established in august between bulls in an area.  Also, mature cows will come into estrus first, which can be as early as the end of august.  There is no bad time to be in the elk woods.

[rosscrazyelk]

I heard one bugle on wednesday. But still a month and half away  from the real stuff