Early Elk Tips

[goshengrunter]

Hey all! New to the forum and have a question. Not planning on hunting elk this year but am starting to research.

I'm a bowhunter and I love the early seasons. I've read tons on hunting elk during the rut but very little info I've found on pre-rut elk hunting. I.E. August bowhunting in Utah. I'm assuming there is little to no bugling or response to calling, so, how would you hunt? Wallows, water, spot an stalk?

Thanks for the info. Got a few points in a few states and I'll be deer hunting Utah this year, might do a little photo elk hunting while im there!

 

[cowboystl1]

welcome brother yes all three you mentioned is a great start, also might get the extreme elk magazine they are a great reference for tips and techniques, as is this site probably the best elk hunting info right here

 

[MLBowhunting]

Bulls will be vocal that time of season.  They are more vocal come mid to late September. 

 

[MT_mulies]

I would say find where they are because they are usually still in their summer patters. Then you can wait and ambush if you can find what they are doing in the morning and evening. Also they will talk a little bit, but will also come in silent. So if you set up don't give up after 15 min of waiting and then go to the next spot. I've bugled and called for 15-20 min then opened up a snack to eat because I didn't hear anything and had elk standing infront of me 45 min after the initial calling started. I have noticed that the ones that come in are generally smaller. But I also had the biggest bull of my life come in to 50 yards the first weekend last year. It was noon and I had called for about 30 min then took an hour snooze on the side of the hill. I woke up and bugled and he was fired up and only about 200 yards and came charging into 50 yards and I couldn't get a shot. My last two cents are to stay out all day. I've seen plenty of elk walking around from 11 am to 4 pm when a lot of people would head back to camp.

 

[RUTTIN]

My experience in Utah is the first few weeks sit water, active wallows, or know where there travel routes are and ambush them. We usually don't hear any talking until the last two weeks where we hunt. Also the trees are so thick a spotting scope does you no good.


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[wapiti_will]

I actually prefer early season hunting.  Colorado OTC units see a ton of pressure (even deep in wilderness areas), so I actually hear more bugling opening weekend then I do in late September...after getting pressure they don't want to get vocal until after shooting light.  Depending on the timing of the rut you may find bulls screaming all day long during late August trying to round up cows...if so, then I would stay quiet and use it to your advantage in getting set up somewhere without alerting them to your presence/location.  If they're still quiet, and you have the time, spend a few days glassing the herd movements to set up your ambush point.  Keep in mind that the bulls won't likely be in full on rut mode, so the herd movements will be fairly consistent (assuming other hunter's don't screw everything up for you).  However, those consistent patterns will have them traveling into to wind to and from their bedding area (those damn elk time the thermals perfectly).  So make sure your perpendicular ambush point is in the proper uphill/downhill location based on the time of day and what the thermals are doing.  The swirling wind and thermals in one spot I hunt forces me to camp east of the herd's overnight feeding area, then haul butt in the morning and move uphill and parallel to the herd to get set up without getting winded.  It's always a blast and the elk will teach you hard lessons every year.  And like MT_mulies said....try not to get caught with your pants down....wish I could say I haven't had to watch 40 elk walk past me at 60 yards while I ate my lunch with my bow 10 feet away....

 

[goshengrunter]

Great info! Thanks everyone! Keep it coming!

 

[jvanhoy]

Hi new to the forum as well. I have elk hunted now for four seasons CO otc archery. Finally killed my first this past season a big tasty cow. I've had good encounters every trip but last year really focused more on the timber. Its a little intimidating to a eastern whitetail hunter but in NW Co its where they're gona  spend most of they're time. When its hot they will be where its dark and cool. Good luck this is the most addicting thing I've ever known. Already loosing sleep thinking of a rag horn popping sticks on the way in and still 80 some days to go.

 

[jvanhoy]

Thank you. Great site

 

[Renegade]

I've hunted Utah early a couple times and hunted the last week last season.  Each time I've had nice bulls in, just no shot opportunity.

The bulls and cows are more vocal the last week, they're almost silent the early weeks.  Find wallows early and work on cow calling & bugling for later in the OTC archery season.

 

[Marc_350]

Early season is a great time to kill the monarch. It's hard to sneak up on the heard bull once he has his entire harem gathered. I wouldn't bugle much but an occasional cow call over some water won't hurt anything. In colorado I've had nice bulls come check out what's goin on. They came in completely silent.