Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: Little Fish on June 26, 2007, 09:44:51 AM

Title: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: Little Fish on June 26, 2007, 09:44:51 AM: 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.
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: Crunchy on June 26, 2007, 10:03:15 AM: 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.
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: jackelope on June 26, 2007, 10:21:32 AM: 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.
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: WDFW-SUX on June 26, 2007, 10:25:59 AM: 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.
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: boneaddict on June 26, 2007, 10:31:42 AM: 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.
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: Little Fish on June 26, 2007, 12:09:08 PM: 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.
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: PolarBear on June 26, 2007, 12:20:59 PM: 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!!!
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: boneaddict on June 26, 2007, 12:30:51 PM: 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.
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: jackelope on June 26, 2007, 12:43:09 PM: thanks for the advice...i'm learning...keep it coming. great thread.
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: Little Fish on June 26, 2007, 01:44:14 PM: Ditto what Jackelope said. Thanks for the advice. I'm all ears.
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: WAcoueshunter on June 27, 2007, 02:52:57 PM: 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?
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: huntnfmly on June 27, 2007, 03:39:09 PM: 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
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: xXx Archery on July 16, 2009, 05:51:58 PM: Quote from: huntnfmly on June 27, 2007, 03:39:09 PM
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
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: zackmioli on July 17, 2009, 09:06:54 AM: this a great thread. keep the tips coming! thanks to everyone for sharing.
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: jackelope on July 17, 2009, 09:12:01 AM: wow...2 years old and resurrected.
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: Elkpiss on July 17, 2009, 09:43:57 AM: I sat on a heard last night till after dark and they were bugling right before dark, first bugles of the year.. It was a beautiful sound, made me get a woody!! :)
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: WAPITIHUNTER on July 17, 2009, 11:43:57 AM: I have found over the years that if you call and you don't get a response it does not mean there are no elk there. The elk are there they are not vocal for a reason.

I watched a cow elk run up and kick the crap out of a calf one time because it called back to me. That heard was on high alert. So the cows also know what's up.

If the Heard is not talking then you should not be talking. In those instances I usually am listening for brush snapping and breaking or the sound of hooves hitting the ground heavily. Then I will attempt to make a silent approach and when I know I am in the bedroom and only when I am really close will I hit the bugle. This will typically bring the bull running in.

Also If the cows are not in heat yet the bigger bulls will be out looking for hot cows just like a big buck. So early on sometimes all you need is the cow call. The last two bulls I called in were very vocal and all by themselves and were busy looking for the cows. There were no cows anywhere to be found so they readily came to the bugle mixed with cow calls. The 5x7 only responed when I mimiced his call which was a very short growly call. When I did that he came on a slow trot all the way in. He did not respond at all to the higher piched call or the cow calls. Another bull also came in to the growly bugle unfortunately my buddy missed his shot.

Another thing is, like Polar Bear said, is to repeat what they say back at the. I did that on the last two bulls I killed and it worked like a charm. If the bulls are raspy or growly you can make that sound by humming while you blow on the tube call etc. Hum deep for a deep growl hum high for a high pitched growl. It may take some practice but it works very well once you master it.Just a few things I have learned over the years. :twocents:
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: blacktail luv on July 18, 2009, 06:14:20 PM: I agree don't bugle when scouting, unless you go somewhere you aren't planning to hunt. Go scare someone else's elk ;) Seriously though, I have bugles in bulls Sep. 1 back when the season use to open then, the second week of our season now is better that the first, IMO. Just watch elk videos and practice on the couch while you are listening to the real thing, the wife will love it. ;)
Title: Re: Westside Elk - when do they start bugling?
Post by: stumprat on July 18, 2009, 07:05:59 PM: While scouting for bear last weekend. The bulls were very vocal in the high country (crest trail).
While the bulls up high get started a little earlier. The worst thing you can do at this point is to mix it up with them right now. Just glass and observe them from a good distance. And listen to them as often as possible. If you can hold out and not alert them you can pattern thier feeding cycle.

My :twocents: leave the calls in the pack till you have a herd figured out. And your ready to put a hunt on. ;)