Cross your fingers Modern Hunters

[Coastal_native]

While I was out deer hunting today I watched two different herds still being tended by legit herd bulls.  Cross your fingers that the cows will keep them interested until the opener.  They were both in small groups )10-15) and neither one of the herd bulls would let the raghorns get close to the cows.

[AKBowman]

Thats crazy. 2+ solid months of rutting action...that is pretty impressive!

[iceman91m]

Noticed the same in my unit today and yesterday

[PolarBear]

The elk around my place are still rutting
  A month ago our pet herd was 14 with 5 bulls, all of them spikes.  Now we are up to 17 with the same 5 bulls and the buggest spike is still running himself ragged trying to round up the cows and chasing off the other spikes.  It looks like he has mad cow disease by watching his behavior.  He is still bugling at night as well.  I'm afraid that he is going to rut himself to death, he looks pretty worn out.

[washingtonmuley]

We just came out of the west wenaha at they were still rutting.

[carpsniperg2]

Its the goofy year we are having

[washingtonmuley]

I agree.

[Jason]

Blue backs with a rough winter coming...Not good.

[DoubleJ]

So what you guys are saying is, I can use my typical approach for Sept archery elk for my son during modern elk next weekend?

[colockumelk]

Thats crazy. 2+ solid months of rutting action...that is pretty impressive!

That's what happens when your bull to cow ratio is too low.  Not enough bulls to breed all the cows when they come into heat the first time in September.   Usually about a month later the ones that didn't get bred come into heat again.  So you will see a second rut like many of you are seeing right now.  Cows will come into a 3rd and 4th rut if not bred. 

A low bull to cow ratio also has a very negative impact on the calf to cow ratio as like I said before there may not be enough bulls to breed all the cows, and like you are seeing the bulls will rut themselves to death, or get so out of shape if there is a bad winter then they might not make it.  Cows that are bred the 2nd and 3rd estrus cycle will give birth to calves that have a far lower chance of making it through the next winter. 

In units that have a low bull to cow ratio the WDFW tries to put a "positive" spin on it.  For a unit that the "carrying capacity" is 4,000 elk the WDFW will say "the herd is good to go because the herd is at its carrying capacity"  nevermind the bull to cow ratio is 5 times less than what its supposed to be which leads to a calf to cow ratio half of what it should be.  Then the WDFW acts like the low calf to cow ratio is some mystery that can't be solved.   

[Coastal_native]

Here we go again , we couldn't have a post about elk without colockumelk "ratio-ing" us to death.

In our case, I think there are probably other factors involved then low Bull:Cow ratios.  Although I agree with a lot of what you've said.  We don't want unbred cows in November.

Some of the other factors I was thinking were: harrassment throughout the rut, seasonal weather variations, nutrition/health

[colockumelk]

Here we go again , we couldn't have a post about elk without colockumelk "ratio-ing" us to death.

In our case, I think there are probably other factors involved then low Bull:Cow ratios.  Although I agree with a lot of what you've said.  We don't want unbred cows in November.

Some of the other factors I was thinking were: harrassment throughout the rut, seasonal weather variations, nutrition/health

You forgot to blame the Indians Coastal.  Can't forget that one.   

[Yak-NDN]

Had a big bull call me in this weekend (Big Bull) jumped the cows and they took off across the hillside saw about 20cows three spikes two rag horns a nice six point and way behind them a big ass bull. I don't think the bull to cow ratio was to bad in that group  and the big bull was screaming.

[colockumelk]

Had a big bull call me in this weekend (Big Bull) jumped the cows and they took off across the hillside saw about 20cows three spikes two rag horns a nice six point and way behind them a big ass bull. I don't think the bull to cow ratio was to bad in that group  and the big bull was screaming.

Well yeah YAK the bull to cow ratio in Hanford is just fine.  But those nuclear elk are like rabbits they like to do it alot.   

[Yak-NDN]

I was on the rez, who should we blame for the decent bull to cow ratio one the rez.