Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: scoutdog346 on June 12, 2015, 10:03:31 PM

Title: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: scoutdog346 on June 12, 2015, 10:03:31 PM: New to the west archery elk hunt. I know the east side will b crazy with it starting September 12th instead of September 2nd regarding vocal bulls. Will the west side bulls be significantly more responsive this season when compared to last year because of the later dates of the season like they will in the east side. I understand this may sound like a stupid question but on the east side September 12th to the 24th is way way way different than early September starting the 2nd or the 3rd on the east side. in your opinion or guess how much of a difference will it be this year than last year on the west side? The 2 week later in September difference is huge on the east side, is it as big of difference on the west side like it is on the east? I'm anticipating a much better hunt then last year on the west side because of the later seasons. does it make sense to think this?
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: Dbax129 on June 13, 2015, 08:38:34 AM: Im pretty new to this but thats the impression I get. Last year I didnt see any bulls with cows early archery. They were in bachelor groups still and alone. Everyone I have talked to sounds pretty excited about it.
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: scoutdog346 on June 13, 2015, 09:09:52 AM: I hope so...thanks. Im going west side this year again for the 2nd time. Im hunting gmu 506 again. Hope to get a branch bull and heare more bugles.
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: DoubleJ on June 13, 2015, 11:02:49 AM: Because elk use calendars :rolleyes:
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: jackelope on June 13, 2015, 11:05:54 AM: I'm not too sure it will make a huge difference, but I'm sure it will at least be a little better timing. Really the weather will probably be the biggest contributing factor. If it's 90 degrees out, it probably won't make too much of a difference I don't think.
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on June 13, 2015, 11:26:30 AM: It will be better!!

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Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: coachcw on June 13, 2015, 11:48:32 AM: the last few days will rock if you far enough away from the pressure
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: Todd_ID on June 13, 2015, 12:22:48 PM: We changed it because that's what hunters wanted. It won't make a difference on the number of elk harvested. 10% of the people will always kill 90% of the elk regardless of the restrictions put on them. The key in being successful is figuring out for yourself how to get into that 10%.
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: scoutdog346 on June 13, 2015, 12:44:55 PM: 10%...does that mean the harvest percentages will not increas this year?
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: bobcat on June 13, 2015, 01:08:57 PM: It sure seems to me that archery hunters could harvest more elk this year, due to the later season. Why wouldn't the harvest be higher? People have been asking for the later season so they can hunt elk when they're more vocal, and therefore much easier to locate. If the archery harvest isn't higher in certain units, that will probably be due to the population being down due to hoof rot.

The overall elk harvest may not increase, because if archery success is higher maybe muzzleloader and modern firearm will be lower. There's just no way to know, we will just have to wait and see. What I'm really curious about is how many people switched to muzzleloader this year because of all the additional GMUs they added to the early muzzleloader season.
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: RadSav on June 13, 2015, 01:37:36 PM: Quote from: scoutdog346 on June 13, 2015, 12:44:55 PM
10%...does that mean the harvest percentages will not increas this year?

Not significantly in my opinion. Might be a higher bull harvest, but numbers should remain very much the same.
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: scoutdog346 on June 13, 2015, 02:19:30 PM: yeah I don't see how the percentages of bull harvest won't be up. I think they will b way up then last year. Archery that is...
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: elk247 on June 13, 2015, 02:23:00 PM: Quote from: RadSav on June 13, 2015, 01:37:36 PM
Quote from: scoutdog346 on June 13, 2015, 12:44:55 PM
10%...does that mean the harvest percentages will not increas this year?

Not significantly in my opinion. Might be a higher bull harvest, but numbers should remain very much the same.
:yeah: I think there will be more bowhunters in the woods than there has been in quite a while if not an all-time high. Maybe more elk will be harvested during bow season but harvest ℅ numbers don't change much year to year. I'm not even convinced that the elk will be much more responsive. If we can get cooler temps, no fire restricted access and away from the pressure, that last week will be a lot of fun. (That moon phase!) Most guys just found out if they drew a special tag, I found out about a year ago that this season was going to be one to remember! OTC DIY elk hunters dream.
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on June 13, 2015, 05:29:47 PM: Bull havest will be up this year due to better rut activity, with the later season. Normally things really start picking up just as the season is ending.

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Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: Orion on June 13, 2015, 05:34:11 PM: Rut activity will be up and people activity will be down. Moving away from labor day will make a difference.
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: scoutdog346 on June 13, 2015, 08:17:08 PM: Yep. I think Labour day passing a week prior might help also?
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: danderson on June 13, 2015, 09:25:38 PM: There's another factor that's affecting the elk this year that hasn't been mentioned, we have just had the mildest winter on record on the east side, the elk are ahead of schedule, they think it July already.
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: haus on June 13, 2015, 10:17:33 PM: The later start is equally helpful, west or east imho. Unless your a west side timber co land hunter and depend on that early rain to lift fire closures. Later start date might be the difference maker this year. I'm assuming the success rate by percentage to be similar to previous, but the total quantity harvested should be higher.
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: buglebuster on June 13, 2015, 10:19:23 PM: I don't think the early summer will affect moon phase and their biologic process tho?
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: scoutdog346 on June 14, 2015, 12:43:36 AM: I wonder if some of them old bulls that would have died in a normal winter survived to see one more season?
Regarding the elk thinking its July not June; I thought elk go off of the location of the moon and sun and all that stuff rather then the temperature and the baseline weather of the geographical location. I figured elk can be triggerd to rut by an early storm or somthing but not b fooled into thinking its a whole differnt month!. Does this mean the rut is going to start in August and end in September? Tell me more about elk thinking its July not June in relation to how it will influence the rut this year PLEASE?
Title: Re: September 12th making a difference?
Post by: buglebuster on June 14, 2015, 01:17:12 AM: Quote from: scoutdog346 on June 14, 2015, 12:43:36 AM
I wonder if some of them old bulls that would have died in a normal winter survived to see one more season?
Regarding the elk thinking its July not June; I thought elk go off of the location of the moon and sun and all that stuff rather then the temperature and the baseline weather of the geographical location. I figured elk can be triggerd to rut by an early storm or somthing but not b fooled into thinking its a whole differnt month!. Does this mean the rut is going to start in August and end in September? Tell me more about elk thinking its July not June in relation to how it will influence the rut this year PLEASE?
It wont