Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: tbrady on September 05, 2013, 01:49:56 PM

Title: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: tbrady on September 05, 2013, 01:49:56 PM: Just curious how you guys hunt elk when it's coming a deluge (like what is forecast for this evening and tomorrow). Do they tend to hunker down like deer or do they stick with their normal routine?
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: CedarPants on September 05, 2013, 01:53:12 PM: I usually cow call about every 15 minutes from my tent, peek out the window, then go back to whatever I was doing.

Repeat

:chuckle:
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: WalleyeJason on September 05, 2013, 02:03:01 PM: :yeah:
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: whacker1 on September 05, 2013, 02:06:44 PM: I always found that the west side elk are more likely to be feeding out in the open during the early morning and early evening, as there is not enough light to feed at night because it is all socked in with clouds. Very true in the later part of the year as the days get shorter, but true now as well.

I would look to try and catch them between feed and bedding areas.
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: southern transplant on September 05, 2013, 02:15:19 PM: ive had elk coming in consistently to my area and feeding up until opening day. i didnt know if it was the weather changing their patterns or if some hunter dropped his 2013 regs and seasons book and the elk found it
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: bobcat on September 05, 2013, 05:52:14 PM: Quote from: southern transplant on September 05, 2013, 02:15:19 PM
ive had elk coming in consistently to my area and feeding up until opening day. i didnt know if it was the weather changing their patterns or if some hunter dropped his 2013 regs and seasons book and the elk found it

Same here, and I believe the issue is the rut is kicking in. Which causes the elk to totally change their routine, at least the bulls. And everyone complains about archery season being too early! If the opener was a week earlier we would very likely have two tags filled by now. :bash:
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: southern transplant on September 05, 2013, 06:07:12 PM: If it was a week earlier I probably could havr dropped of the 6x7 I've been watching at the taxi
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: bobcat on September 05, 2013, 06:14:24 PM: If only we were in Oregon- their archery elk season opened August 24th.
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: southern transplant on September 05, 2013, 06:17:37 PM: Oh man that wouldve been nice
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: SemperFidelis97 on September 05, 2013, 06:19:10 PM: Funny you should say that Bobcat I had never put the two together, but the herd I hunt changed their pattern just three days before season.
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: ICEMAN on September 05, 2013, 06:20:34 PM: Boo hoo, the archery guys are finding out how fun elk hunting is in a downpour! Try Modern or Muzzy!!! :chuckle:

Don't kill me guys! :peep:
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: SemperFidelis97 on September 05, 2013, 06:24:57 PM: Quote from: ICEMAN on September 05, 2013, 06:20:34 PM
Boo hoo, the archery guys are finding out how fun elk hunting is in a downpour! Try Modern or Muzzy!!! :chuckle:

Don't kill me guys! :peep:

I think somebody is a little jealous.
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: ICEMAN on September 05, 2013, 06:26:49 PM: Probably.....

Wish I didn't have so much experience getting soaked to death... :chuckle:
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: bobcat on September 05, 2013, 06:33:54 PM: I'm nice and dry in my blind, waiting for the elk to come to me. Unfortunately, I think the elk have a different plan.

Yes I may get a little wet tonight walking out in the dark. Hoping to not get struck by lightning. :yike:
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: Sportfury on September 05, 2013, 06:35:08 PM: Quote from: whacker1 on September 05, 2013, 02:06:44 PM
I always found that the west side elk are more likely to be feeding out in the open during the early morning and early evening, as there is not enough light to feed at night because it is all socked in with clouds. Very true in the later part of the year as the days get shorter, but true now as well.

I would look to try and catch them between feed and bedding areas.

Agreed. The past two years my son has killed both his bulls as they came out of the timber to feed in the evening. Both times we saw the elk feeding in the morning, go bed down, and waited for them to come out to feed in the evening.
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: billythekidrock on September 05, 2013, 07:15:59 PM: Quote from: bobcat on September 05, 2013, 05:52:14 PM
Quote from: southern transplant on September 05, 2013, 02:15:19 PM
ive had elk coming in consistently to my area and feeding up until opening day. i didnt know if it was the weather changing their patterns or if some hunter dropped his 2013 regs and seasons book and the elk found it

Same here, and I believe the issue is the rut is kicking in. Which causes the elk to totally change their routine, at least the bulls. And everyone complains about archery season being too early! If the opener was a week earlier we would very likely have two tags filled by now. :bash:
if that 5pt would have stopped at 15yards instead of 20 i'd be done already.
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on September 05, 2013, 07:16:03 PM: some of the best hunting is on a crappy day :tup: If its raining they can not smell you or hear you coming ..if its windy they seem to move out into move open areas so they can see whats sneaking up on them ....I love hunting on sheety days :tup:
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: Easy-E on September 05, 2013, 07:19:41 PM: On the east side the elk celebrate foul weather. While most hunters are sipping whiskey in their coffee waiting out the storm, the elk are out and about loving every minute of it.
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: Axle on September 05, 2013, 07:40:55 PM: Some of my best hunting has been in some of the wildest weather. Good memories!
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: washingtonhunter121 on September 05, 2013, 08:15:51 PM: The nastier the weather the harder it blows, rains/hails/snows the better hunting it is. For the westside anyways never been east. They want to come out of the brush when its rainy and windy to much noise is my guess.They like to hear whats coming and when its nasty in the brush they cant so they go out in the open
Title: Re: elk hunting in a deluge
Post by: zackmioli on September 05, 2013, 10:26:42 PM: rain is one thing, but what about the thunder and lightening storms? does that change their patterns or anything?