September full moon and elk

[vandeman17]

Full moon for september is the 24th which is a monday. If you had 7-10 days for an archery elk hunt in Montana, what dates would you be going?

[Stein]

The week of the 9th.

[fishngamereaper]

Equinox is the 22. I agree with Stein.. 8-15 should be good.

[vandeman17]

Equinox is the 22. I agree with Stein.. 8-15 should be good.

Don't think that is too early in the rut and they won't be too vocal? Its a new area so we don't have any real honey holes yet

[fishngamereaper]

Mature cows come into estrus 5-10 days before the fall equinox. I've been in Idaho and area's of Washington the first week of September and it's been bugle after bugle. I think it will be good this year.

[WapitiTalk1]

Any 7-10 day combination that encompasses the third week in September.  That is the time most of the cows come intro their estrus cycle and when the bulls are pretty much, at the peak of their rutting activities (locating cows, protecting cows, breeding hot cows, challenging bulls when there is a hot cow in the mix).   

[2MANY]

Elk numbers in any given area drive the vocal bus.
More elk=more talk.

Go before the big bulls herd up and add eyes/noses to their camp.

[vandeman17]

Any 7-10 day combination that encompasses the third week in September.  That is the time most of the cows come intro their estrus cycle and when the bulls are pretty much, at the peak of their rutting activities (locating cows, protecting cows, breeding hot cows, challenging bulls when there is a hot cow in the mix).

This is my normal plan of attack but just a little bummed about the full moon's timing. 13-23 could be a solid option

[2MANY]

I've had 2MANY good hunts during a full moon phase to worry about it.

The full moon works well as an excuse for lack of success.

Schedule for when it works best for you.

I promise you elk can breed just as well in the dark as they can in the minimal light the moon provides.

Lights on..............Lights off....................Who cares.

[vandeman17]

I've had 2MANY good hunts during a full moon phase to worry about it.

The full moon works well as an excuse for lack of success.

Schedule for when it works best for you.

I promise you elk can breed just as well in the dark as they can in the minimal light the moon provides.

Lights on..............Lights off....................Who cares.

I never used to be a believer in the full moon thing and do think you can still have good hunts but also have seen how nocturnal they can get. If I can, I will avoid hunting near it but if I have no other options then I will for sure hunt it rather than not hunt at all.

[DOUBLELUNG]

I think you'll be happy with elk bugling any time during the month, if you could predict when the strongest cold front will come through that is what I would plan for, much greater effect on elk bugling activity than lunar phase. 

I think anywhere in MT you will be very pleasantly surprised, as I doubt there is a hunted herd anywhere in that state that is subjected to near the level of stupid human elk calling seen in the Colockum. 

[Reidus]

I've had 2MANY good hunts during a full moon phase to worry about it.

The full moon works well as an excuse for lack of success.

Schedule for when it works best for you.

I promise you elk can breed just as well in the dark as they can in the minimal light the moon provides.

Lights on..............Lights off....................Who cares.

 

Any day in Sept in the elk woods is a good day.

[WapitiTalk1]

I certainly understand hunters wanting to maximize their valuable time off from work and days spent in the elk woods with stick and string. What's the answer? It depends as each phase of the elk rut offers various and unique opportunities. It seems lone bull encounters are more prevalent in early September as the boys are cruising for the girls (herding up activity). Testosterone levels have risen in the bulls and they gravitate towards the gals (suddenly, those ladies don't seem all that bad and just perhaps, they are worth hanging out with). A few cows may come into their estrus cycle (early) during this period. This can certainly be a very exciting time to be out with your buddy, attempting to call in bulls. As the second week rolls around, herding activity is really somewhat settling down as the "initial" herd bulls have established their groups, love sick juvenile bulls are engaged in covert cow stealing operations from established herds, and challenging/advertising bugles ring throughout the drainages. Again, a few more cows are coming into their estrus cycle (and as we all know, the rut is all about the ladies). The third week is when the majority of the cows come into their estrus cycle; this means "hot cows" which can launch serious competitive encounters with the boys. It is oftentimes during the third week that I see some of the big honkers come in and kick the former herd bulls to the curb; the former herd bulls now become satellites on the prowl for either their former group, or, a new group to tend. The fourth week in September brings activity similar to the third week but not at quite at the same level. All this said, whatever week you and your hunting partner(s) can collectively work out to head into the elk woods is a good week to go!; just tailor your tactics to what is occurring during that part of the archery elk season.  The full moon phase (really, you have bright nights several days up to and several days after full moon unless it’s cloudy) doesn’t impact much IMO.  They’ll be singing at night and early in the morning as they move from feed to bed giving away their position and here’s a pearl for you folks…. “many” more elk are killed very close to their bedding area than in any other place in the elk woods each year.   

[vandeman17]

I certainly understand hunters wanting to maximize their valuable time off from work and days spent in the elk woods with stick and string. What's the answer? It depends as each phase of the elk rut offers various and unique opportunities. It seems lone bull encounters are more prevalent in early September as the boys are cruising for the girls (herding up activity). Testosterone levels have risen in the bulls and they gravitate towards the gals (suddenly, those ladies don't seem all that bad and just perhaps, they are worth hanging out with). A few cows may come into their estrus cycle (early) during this period. This can certainly be a very exciting time to be out with your buddy, attempting to call in bulls. As the second week rolls around, herding activity is really somewhat settling down as the "initial" herd bulls have established their groups, love sick juvenile bulls are engaged in covert cow stealing operations from established herds, and challenging/advertising bugles ring throughout the drainages. Again, a few more cows are coming into their estrus cycle (and as we all know, the rut is all about the ladies). The third week is when the majority of the cows come into their estrus cycle; this means "hot cows" which can launch serious competitive encounters with the boys. It is oftentimes during the third week that I see some of the big honkers come in and kick the former herd bulls to the curb; the former herd bulls now become satellites on the prowl for either their former group, or, a new group to tend. The fourth week in September brings activity similar to the third week but not at quite at the same level. All this said, whatever week you and your hunting partner(s) can collectively work out to head into the elk woods is a good week to go!; just tailor your tactics to what is occurring during that part of the archery elk season.  The full moon phase (really, you have bright nights several days up to and several days after full moon unless it’s cloudy) doesn’t impact much IMO.  They’ll be singing at night and early in the morning as they move from feed to bed giving away their position and here’s a pearl for you folks…. “many” more elk are killed very close to their bedding area than in any other place in the elk woods each year.

Appreciate the response and I agree. The nice thing is that my dad is retired, I have a flexible schedule so I can basically take off whatever chunk I want and I believe my buddy can too. There are so many variables that are out of our control when planning with the biggest being the weather. Ideally, some cooler weather and cloud cover around the full moon would be best but a guy will just never know. I am leaning towards heading out late in the second week of September and hunting that weekend and all the third week. 

[DOUBLELUNG]

I certainly understand hunters wanting to maximize their valuable time off from work and days spent in the elk woods with stick and string. What's the answer? It depends as each phase of the elk rut offers various and unique opportunities. It seems lone bull encounters are more prevalent in early September as the boys are cruising for the girls (herding up activity). Testosterone levels have risen in the bulls and they gravitate towards the gals (suddenly, those ladies don't seem all that bad and just perhaps, they are worth hanging out with). A few cows may come into their estrus cycle (early) during this period. This can certainly be a very exciting time to be out with your buddy, attempting to call in bulls. As the second week rolls around, herding activity is really somewhat settling down as the "initial" herd bulls have established their groups, love sick juvenile bulls are engaged in covert cow stealing operations from established herds, and challenging/advertising bugles ring throughout the drainages. Again, a few more cows are coming into their estrus cycle (and as we all know, the rut is all about the ladies). The third week is when the majority of the cows come into their estrus cycle; this means "hot cows" which can launch serious competitive encounters with the boys. It is oftentimes during the third week that I see some of the big honkers come in and kick the former herd bulls to the curb; the former herd bulls now become satellites on the prowl for either their former group, or, a new group to tend. The fourth week in September brings activity similar to the third week but not at quite at the same level. All this said, whatever week you and your hunting partner(s) can collectively work out to head into the elk woods is a good week to go!; just tailor your tactics to what is occurring during that part of the archery elk season.  The full moon phase (really, you have bright nights several days up to and several days after full moon unless it’s cloudy) doesn’t impact much IMO.  They’ll be singing at night and early in the morning as they move from feed to bed giving away their position and here’s a pearl for you folks…. “many” more elk are killed very close to their bedding area than in any other place in the elk woods each year.

Appreciate the response and I agree. The nice thing is that my dad is retired, I have a flexible schedule so I can basically take off whatever chunk I want and I believe my buddy can too. There are so many variables that are out of our control when planning with the biggest being the weather. Ideally, some cooler weather and cloud cover around the full moon would be best but a guy will just never know. I am leaning towards heading out late in the second week of September and hunting that weekend and all the third week. 

That is what I would do in your situation.