Archery season - What week do you hunt and why?

[live2huntelk]

Curious to hear what is the most popular week to hunt in archery season and why?
Have you tried other weeks?
Success rate of the early vs mid vs late weeks.

 

[beran_10]

I've never tried the first two weeks. I'm from Wisconsin. I can only hunt elk for about 10 days each fall. (That's all I can take to keep some peace at home). But seeing how warm it is during the third and fourth weeks, I have no intentions on going any earlier. I feel there is a better guarantee of the bulls to be screaming the third and fourth weeks. Just my opinion and when I like to hunt. Good Luck!

 

[nclonghunter]

After the last three years I wish you could archery hunt into the first week of October in Colorado.

 

[beran_10]

I hear you nclonghunter. I feel the same. Hopefully this fall will be more AVERAGE!

 

[turbo1967]

3 or 4 days per week for all 6 weeks of the season, but my best weeks are in the middle of the season mid to late September the rut is started but they are not in the big herds yet so they are allot more active.

 

[wapiti_will]

I focused on late September for the first few years and came across plenty of hunters and not much for elk.  Even back in wilderness areas the outfitters get in there and push elk to private land as the season goes on.  So I started hunting early season and had a major increase in contact with elk and almost never run into other hunters. 


If I was hunting a draw only unit, then I would expect late season to be great, but OTC unit elk herds get pushed out pretty quick and bulls don't like to get vocal during shooting hours. 

 

[decoste77]

I prefer the earlier season because of low pressure and more relaxed bulls but it mostly depends on the moon & tempreture will affect how the elk react all season.

 

[Montana_BackCountry]

I prefer the 3rd week in Set cause it just seems like that's when the bulls go nutty.  This year I'll be out the 4th week in July into the 1st week in October however due to my sister in laws wedding... darn family obligations. 

 

[Jeremiah Johnson]

I have the opportunity to hit all weeks so the days off start in 3-4 day blocks from the 12th on...the early estrus kiix off in this neck of the woods from about the 9th on, with the height and majority of cows in from19-21st...

 

[wyoelk300+]

I prefer the 2nd or 3rd week of Sept.  The final deciding factor is the moon phase.  I try to avoid the full and/or new moon.  The full moon seems to turn the rut into a nocturnal audio show, and from what I've experienced, the new moon shuts the bulls down.  Hunting the waxing or waning moon phase usually makes for the most and best evening and morning opportunities.

 

[Fullabull]

I live in WA so we never get a chance to hunt after the 20th and that is only about 1 year out of 5 or so. We only hunt about 13 days in early Sept. We do get more days in Nov. Dec. but I would give that up in a second to hunt another week into Sept.