Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?

[Little Fish]

So I went out and bought a few calls last year, then went out and bought a bow this year and now I'm thinking about giving archery elk a try this fall.

I have 2 scouting trips set up in late August to hopefully locate a few animals to hunt opening day. So the question is when do elk on the wet side start bugling? Will I have a reasonable chance of calling one in before to season opens to see if all my practice has been worthwhile?

I know this is a little early to be thinking ahead, but I've heard that successful elk hunters start preparing for their next season as soon as the current one ends.

Thanks for any thoughts and advice.

[Crunchy]

I'm no expert but I'd say alot of it depends on the weather.  I did not hear much bugling last year, other than other hunters during the first week of early archery.  I think it was too warm.  I'd say late August would be a good guess as to when.  Which calls did you get.

[jackelope]

I think you might be sending them elk to school if you start calling them in before season...educating them maybe? let others chime in, i'm no expert at all, just what i've heard.

[WDFW-SUX]

They start in August and most are going by the 17th of September.  They are sensitive to human disturbance so be careful if you are going to harass them before the season they go into stealth mode pretty easy and then the calls are useless.

[boneaddict]

You can definatley bring them in during August, but not without alot of failures.  Hell, I still see bulls in velvet laborday weekend in the wilderness.

[Little Fish]

Hmmmm.....I guess I will use some discretion while calling. Maybe just try a few locator bugles to approximate where the animals are, but no trying to call any animals in until it's the real deal.

As far as calls go I bought most my stuff through elknut.com. Paul who runs the site is a frequent poster on several other hunting sites. He was very helpful in getting me started on calling. I bought several of his videos, the monarch calling system (bugle), a Carlton estrus whine and multiple mouth reeds.

Despite being an little intimidated at first I've found the mouth reeds are easy to use and very versatile. You can bugle with them or use them for cow callilng. A little practice goes a long way. Last fall I got several responses from bulls using the bugle (never called any animals in) and managed to talk several cows to within 20 yards of a friend during modern firearm season. After that last experience I knew I had to try archery since my buddy would have been successful if we'd been hunting archery (bulls only for modern firearm season).

Thanks all for the information.

[PolarBear]

Do not use bugling as part of your scouting routine!!!!  Sure, you can call them up in August but the more fake calls they hear, the more they shut down during the actual rut.  They will only bugle at night making it impossible to locate them audibly during the day.  Another thing is try not to buy the "in thing" in calls.  The elk will get use to hearing it and associate it with hunters.  A few years back the Primos Terminator call was all the rage and everyone and their brother was blowing the crap out of it including my hunting buddy.  The elk that were bugling quickly shut up whenever that call was blown.  I pulled out an old E.L.K. Power Bugle, blew a few short and really high pitched rounds and had bulls lighting up from every where.  Don’t be afraid to try a different pitch and cadence than everyone else blows.  When you do get a response, and you are sure that it is a bull and not some yayhoo answering you back, repeat back to him what he said to you with a little more vigor.  If you locate one and he stops answering you back leave him alone for at least a half hour if not more.  Try to carefully sneak in his direction just a little ways using the wind.  2 major things to remember: Do not over call and be patient!!!

[boneaddict]

Excellent advice from PB...and remember that 95% of the other bugles you are hearing are other hunters like yourself thinking they are talking to a bull.  There are way more two legged animals out there bugling than there are elk answering you.

[jackelope]

thanks for the advice...i'm learning...keep it coming. great thread.

[Little Fish]

Ditto what Jackelope said. Thanks for the advice. I'm all ears.

[WAcoueshunter]

Agreed, great thread.  I'll be hunting western WA bulls for the first time this year.  Based on the other replies, the timing (e.g. late August through September, with a peak around mid-September) and frequency (more at night; quiet if there's pressure, etc.) sounds a lot like the eastern WA bulls.  Any big differences?

[huntnfmly]

You dont always want to sound like the biggest baddest bull in the woods either.First time i tried bugling bulls i started right before light got a little too aggressive the bull answered i thought cool he was only out about 200yrds i kept it up he kept answering farther away when day broke i watched him herd his cows right out of the ravine.sometimes cow calls work better or sounding like a little raghorn.
jim

[xXx Archery]

You dont always want to sound like the biggest baddest bull in the woods either.First time i tried bugling bulls i started right before light got a little too aggressive the bull answered i thought cool he was only out about 200yrds i kept it up he kept answering farther away when day broke i watched him herd his cows right out of the ravine.sometimes cow calls work better or sounding like a little raghorn.
jim

sorry but not true...when we call I sound as big as I can...there is more to calling elk than making elk sound...when and where.
most guys hear a bull and then just keep calling and calling and calling ...slow it down..let things happen...I have had bulls bulge in july....but most start at the end of Aug. a cow will go in heat 3 times if not bread by a bull Aug. Sept and Oct.....most cows will go in 3 days before the full moon....one more thing if YOU can see elk DO NOT CALL

[zackmioli]

this a great thread. keep the tips coming! thanks to everyone for sharing.

[jackelope]

wow...2 years old and resurrected.