why are the Elk not talkin

[texasbuckmaster]

Hunted the winston unit this weekend with the old man not much goin on down there. couldnt get anything to talk anyone know whats goin on i keep hearing somethin about a late rut? just wanna see if anyones havin the same problem where there huntin.

[1bugman]

Wierd, I'd think they'd be going lound now

[Tony 270]

From what I've seen they're fairly quiet. Haven't had a single cow call back. Have gotten a bull to bugle back, once. It's early.

[archery288]

From past experience, the west side of the cascades is usually a later rut.. I was up hunting opening day and the second day of season.. Didn't hear a thing.. Just talked to my old man this evening and he said they haven't heard a thing yet either.. Usually it seems like the best time is the last couple days of season, and the week after season ends - that figures..    

I think it's just early and a combination of this weather we're having.. They'll start talking, give them time.. Everyday will get better!

[jackelope]

seems to be the same as it's been the last 3 years anyway...
The early archery has been too early for them to  be talking...at least the 1st week anyway.

[HoofsandWings]

So hopefully, when us muzzleloaders take the field, there will be some bugling.

[Wanttohuntmore]

I thought they were quite vocal on Thursday   Much more than the last few years.  All solo though, no cows w/'em. 

[Jellymon]

Hunting pressure in winston is bad, it looks like the vail tree farm deer opener over there, cars driving everywhere. We went over there the other day and found a closed gate, we got about 4 miles back, started glassing and didnt see ONE "hunter" get out of their car.  We heard hunters bugeling EVERYWHERE, know wonder the Elk arent talking. It makes us laugh every time, archery "hunters" road hunting.

[halflife65]

Hmmmm...wasn't in the Winston but they were bugling like crazy where I was.  I called in a 6 point to about 20 feet literally, but on accident.  I hit a cow call a couple of times at about 1:30 in the afternoon - I was just kind of screwing around and a bull bugled from about a 100 yards away and RAN straight at me.  It was amazing - almost scary.

Later in the evening I called in a 1 X 2 to 60 yards but was hunting in a "true spike" area.  I might have been able to get him closer but didn't bother trying after I realized he wasn't legal.  He also ran in because of a cow call.  Left my bugle in the truck and never used it all weekend.

I did see something kind of amazing and would have been funny if the guy wasn't just blowing it.  I saw maybe about 50 elk on this hillside and walked to about 100 yards below them.  At this point, I could only hear them talking and a bull bugling.  Suddenly, they spooked and took off and ran right by me.   I didn't spook them so I thought to myself it was probably another hunter.  As the elk went by me I heard a "bull" bugle behind me.  I turned around to see this guy actually running after the herd of elk and stopping to hit his bugle every once in a while.  The guy had approached them from the wrong direction on the upwind side (opposite side of the herd that I was on - which explains why we didn't see each other) and just blew everything out.  It was a fine display of woodsmanship and, had there not been a couple of legal spikes in the group, would've been funny.

[Tony 270]

That would be comical, but sad to see. Running after and coming in upwind? Nice

[halflife65]

Yeah, it was absolutely amazing.  I suspect the guy figured out that I was there and was rushing to beat me to the elk.  I guess, anyway.  Otherwise, I can't explain why someone would do that.

[robmill70]

I was gonna hunt Winston the other, but the traffic jam was so bad on the side roads I left...that area is getting a lot of pressure.  It is funny to see bow hunters using modern FA techniques of driving up and down the roads and then trying to chase down elk, LOL.....

[AKBowman]

Theyre talking more in SW WA than I have ever heard. Got on 6 bulls in 2 days. Had one run into 15 yards right behind the tree I was using for cover and let out a huge growl. I thought my arrow was going to come off the rest I was shaking so bad. After about a 1-1/2 minute stand off he turned and went back the same way he came in without making a noise. I dont know how they can do that I sounded like a train going through that stuff.

Heard about 40 bugles in 2 days. cant wait to get back in it.

[Pathfinder101]

Talkin' up north of Ellensburg, talkin' in the Blues..

[bowpredator]

Not talking up in the Stampeed pass area. Just spent the last 3 days up there and not a sound. Just the Indians blasting everything in site. Watched aon guy take 4 shots at over 500yrds with an 30-06 and not bother to check if he even hit the thing, pretty pathetic.