Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Muzzleloader Hunting => Topic started by: tritt007 on September 26, 2017, 09:09:10 PM


Advertise Here
Title: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: tritt007 on September 26, 2017, 09:09:10 PM
So , who thinks the elk will still be talking come the muzzy opener next weekend ? I think a cow call may be the ticket but im no expert . any other thoughts ?
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: cougforester on September 26, 2017, 09:31:05 PM
I'm not counting on it personally.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: ghosthunter on September 26, 2017, 09:36:14 PM
I spent a entire day and night in Both Nile and Bethel sleeping in a tent cot both nights, put 300 miles on gravel roads between the two units got into elk, but no bugles. :dunno: :dunno:
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: Mfowl on September 26, 2017, 10:30:09 PM
For permit hunters, yes. General guys, no.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: tritt007 on September 27, 2017, 07:11:49 AM
Well thats comforting to hear lol . Im just going to tell myself there going to come running right in lol
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: mitch184 on September 29, 2017, 09:52:47 AM
I'm guessing if they are going to talk, it's going to be in the middle of the night during that full moon on the first couple days of the season.

Although I'm not banking on them talking.  Not to say they won't come in to check out a bugle or cow call, but I kinda doubt they'll respond.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: tritt007 on October 03, 2017, 04:02:15 PM
Its only 4 days away , anybody seen or heard anything . I was around centralia yesterday and saw a small herd with a bull .
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: zwickeyman on October 03, 2017, 04:19:15 PM
They are screaming in Snoqualmie Valley big time. Bulls are really searching for the one cow

Muzzy guys are going to do well

Cow calls will be your friend

Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: tritt007 on October 03, 2017, 06:52:28 PM
Thats the best news ive heard all week zwickeyman ! Im hoping its a good season .
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: ghosthunter on October 03, 2017, 08:15:42 PM
Leaving about six hours. Be at Eagle Rock by 5 or 6.

Good luck all.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: JL on October 03, 2017, 08:33:17 PM
I got a response using a cow call as a sort of immature bugle/scream on Saturday 8:45PM.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: tritt007 on October 04, 2017, 04:57:07 AM
More good news haha . good luck fellas hopefully we can all get it done ! Ill be leaving friday so hopefully my spots open lol
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: RatRodMike on October 04, 2017, 05:17:25 AM
Good luck to all you pumkin slingers out there.  I'll be in the woods Saturday and I'll have a cow call in my pocket.  Who knows?
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: adamR on October 04, 2017, 11:03:11 AM
Leaving about six hours. Be at Eagle Rock by 5 or 6.
Good luck all.

Not sure where you are going but if its Maloy canyon rd at the beginning of the rattlesnake its closed
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: Cervid on October 04, 2017, 04:37:02 PM
Called in at least one bull with a cow call last weekend, never put eyes on him though. Lots of bugling too.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: floatinghat on October 05, 2017, 07:15:20 AM
Quiet from what I have heard in the SW area where I normally go.   
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: dominknows on October 05, 2017, 08:13:14 AM
There's been a few talking on the wetside since last weekend.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: tritt007 on October 06, 2017, 03:16:57 PM
Tommorows the day ! Good luck everyone !
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: 3dvapor on October 06, 2017, 05:11:40 PM
Spent all night between Carson and yacolt.   Not one bugle.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: pd on October 06, 2017, 08:23:31 PM
Tommorow's the day ! Good luck everyone !

Good luck to all the muzzleloaders.  Boy, I wish I could be with you.

Early archery was (mostly) a bust, just too dry, a lot of private forest closures or fire closures.  This past week has been clear at nighttime, with a beautiful full moon.  But today (in western WA) a cold front blew through, and the animals should be packed up for the night.

Tomorrow morning is going to be golden.  With the poor success of the bow hunters, I think the ML guys are just going to kill it tomorrow.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: cryder on October 07, 2017, 03:37:35 AM
One more time !! Elk don't talk , or mew , or bugle , or grunt , or squeal anymore , it's just sounding the dinner bell and they have adapted to it , IN 90℅ OF THE TIME , Again with the Wayne Charlton thing , lost calf call is all you need anymore , or your just scarring them away , or telling them how lost in your own mind you are . So get out there before they raised the parking rates , or that slacked jawed yokel gets back from the dentist . Course if they were talking it wood go something like , hey Willber , that sounds like a good place to stay away from , yep Jedd , you and Clive stay away never know whatcha might catch , at least in my delusion .
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: bobcat on October 07, 2017, 06:45:08 AM
We hunted a unit near Challis, Idaho from October 1st through October 6th and there was absolutely zero rutting activity. Found a couple bulls and they were both by themselves, with no cows anywhere nearby. We bugled in the areas where we knew the bulls were and never got a response. I'm not sure if it's due to the early snow in mid-September? Or is the rut earlier at higher elevations? (We were hunting at 7500 to 8500 feet.) I was quite surprised that the rut was over after reading on here so often that our muzzleloader season gets the tail end of the rut.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: tritt007 on October 07, 2017, 09:04:44 PM
I didnt hear squat today . tried cow calling and some mild bugles and chuckles .
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: Mallardmasher on October 08, 2017, 09:17:43 AM
I saw one masher on a Rayanier RLU, leased unit, that I did not have access to. Five small groups of cows with no Bulls, and to small rag horns, munching I. A clear cut. No rut activity where I was on the coast
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: tritt007 on October 08, 2017, 04:56:50 PM
Saw some cows with a couple spikes today that's about it .
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: CLARKTAR on October 08, 2017, 07:30:59 PM
I haven't heard a squeak since the rain on Friday night. All the elk seemed to vanish that I knew about also. Back to square one

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: Chukarhead on October 11, 2017, 03:48:37 PM
Between morning and evening, I sat through five hours of bulls screaming bloody murder on Saturday on public land.  My buddy had to walk down a ridge after dark on Saturday night to help me pack meat, and he was all bent out of shape upon arrival because he had to walk for two miles with bulls screaming from the canyons on both sides of the ridge.  Over the course of the day I saw a few big bulls with harems of 6-12 cows and calves, and one group of 50+ head with a HUGE herd bull.  I also saw big bulls solo, and quiet.  If you didn't hear anything over the weekend, you may not have been around many elk.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: gee_unit360 on October 11, 2017, 07:33:04 PM
Bugled in a 6 point with 30 cows yesterday. East side. Wish I had a quality tag instead of spike only...  :yike:
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: tritt007 on October 11, 2017, 07:35:21 PM
Chukarhead , you hunting east or west ? I almost sealed the deal on a nice 5x5 today thanks to the dropping snow level but couldn't quite make it happen :( . Other than that I've seen spikes and cows and haven't heard a peep hear in sw Washington!
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: Chukarhead on October 11, 2017, 08:38:49 PM
Chukarhead , you hunting east or west ? I almost sealed the deal on a nice 5x5 today thanks to the dropping snow level but couldn't quite make it happen :( . Other than that I've seen spikes and cows and haven't heard a peep hear in sw Washington!

East this year.   :tup:

My buddy hunted upper Winston and Lewis River and had plenty of bugling, too, so it wasn't just an eastern thing.  It's a bull density thing.  Lots of bulls, lots of bugling.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: Harleysboss on October 12, 2017, 07:42:45 PM
We hunted the east side of lewis river unit. Not a peep. Did call in a bull but alas we needed two more steps to clear for a shot and he did not comply. No shot. Really snowed heavy last night and today. The bull responded quietly to cow calls. Not alot of sign either. Not sure whats up with the elk numbers in the area we hunt.
Title: Re: Opening weekend elk talk ?
Post by: WSU on October 13, 2017, 04:53:03 PM
Just spent Saturday, Sunday, Thursday and Friday hunting the west side. Weyerhauser property with lots of elk. We saw bulls and cow and killed a bull. One other close call.  I did not hear a single bugle and was in the woods from dark to dark except for today.
SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal