Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: vandeman17 on August 16, 2019, 11:26:59 AM

Title: high elevation elk rut
Post by: vandeman17 on August 16, 2019, 11:26:59 AM: Anybody been out and about lately in the higher elevations and hearing or seeing any really early rut activity. Will be hunting around 8k feet first 8 days of September and fingers crossed that at least a few bulls will give up their general locations to us. Crazy how even just a single distant bugle here and there can keep a guy motivated.
Title: Re: high elevation elk rut
Post by: kselkhunter on August 16, 2019, 11:44:36 AM: Not yet, but it can be herd specific. You're hunting Eagle caps soon right? I'm not familiar with those herds.

I dropped a game camera off early this morning in a wilderness right around 6500 ft (not the Eagle caps), and didn't hear any bugles while up there. Saw a bunch of fresh beds and tracks, which is always encouraging. And picked up a different camera last weekend at around 7000ft in a different wilderness area, and also had fresh tracks but not bugles yet.

Should start getting into early rut the next few weeks though. These areas are typically peak rut mid-September, and that is when we're going in for our trip.
Title: Re: high elevation elk rut
Post by: vandeman17 on August 16, 2019, 11:51:18 AM: Quote from: kselkhunter on August 16, 2019, 11:44:36 AM
Not yet, but it can be herd specific. You're hunting Eagle caps soon right? I'm not familiar with those herds.

I dropped a game camera off early this morning in a wilderness right around 6500 ft (not the Eagle caps), and didn't hear any bugles while up there. Saw a bunch of fresh beds and tracks, which is always encouraging. And picked up a different camera last weekend at around 7000ft in a different wilderness area, and also had fresh tracks but not bugles yet.

Should start getting into early rut the next few weeks though. These areas are typically peak rut mid-September, and that is when we're going in for our trip.

Yep, will be up in the caps. I have only been up that high a few weeks later and the rut was for sure going.
Title: Re: high elevation elk rut
Post by: The scout on August 16, 2019, 02:19:27 PM: Where I hunt up high the elk are vocal all the time. Has more to do with no human pressure than anything else. Rut seems to start earlier and run later than down in the road systems.
Title: Re: high elevation elk rut
Post by: vandeman17 on August 16, 2019, 02:27:30 PM: Quote from: The scout on August 16, 2019, 02:19:27 PM
Where I hunt up high the elk are vocal all the time. Has more to do with no human pressure than anything else. Rut seems to start earlier and run later than down in the road systems.

I hope they are vocal at the least. I am fine trying to sneak in on them or play the ambush game, just want a little assistance locating them. :chuckle:
Title: Re: high elevation elk rut
Post by: The scout on August 16, 2019, 02:43:30 PM: I was up about 2 weeks ago. There was a herd of 60ish. Lots of bugles and cow talk constantly. Not rut activity, just livin
Title: Re: high elevation elk rut
Post by: vandeman17 on August 16, 2019, 03:03:44 PM: Quote from: The scout on August 16, 2019, 02:43:30 PM
I was up about 2 weeks ago. There was a herd of 60ish. Lots of bugles and cow talk constantly. Not rut activity, just livin

Great thank you