Bull was Rutting

[sweetnectar]

I went out scouting 2 days ago and came across rutting elk. The bull was hard horned, rubbed off, bugling, and peeing on himself. The cows where churping. Perhaps the rut will be early this year.


Also found some bucks.


Sorry if the pictures are crappy I'm still in the old school with my 3 mega pixel camera.

 

[Wapiti23]

Boy just listening to stuff like that makes me wish I had a tag even more!! Enjoy the music in the mountains!!

 

[ashersdad]

That is awesome! Man, that just makes me wish I had an elk tag even more.

 

[twodot]

We heard the first bugle from the house a couple of days ago. Nothing but cow talk since. Got a herd of about 200 animals along the river less than a mile from here. Quiet as mice so far. Also all the bulls in that batch are still velvet. Neighbor says velvet should be going any day now. Last year it was pretty quiet here until the first week of September. Was up in CMR last night till dark and never heard a bull.

 

[montanadogs]

Went scouting yesterday in the Crazy Mountains. I found rubs all over the place but didn't hear anything. I saw 2 bulls that didn't have velvet on and they were loners. I saw two other groups of bachelors all with velvet still. Should be heating up anytime now. I'm still wondering how I'm going to get one out of the hole I found them in. About 5,000' in elevation change. I go from 3,800' to 7,000' then down to 5,895' to were they are at. It's going to be a chore that is for sure.

 

[Lawnboy]

That doesn't look like ponderosa country. Looks like you have found a spot already.

 

[mconway951]

Man that is awesome

 

[highmountian]

Had a buddy go out this morning and said he saw three bulls and they were bugling!!! sounds like its about time!!!

 

[sweetnectar]

Ya that is a different spot alright. I also saw a small 4 point that was rubbed off. I'm betting things get going early this year.

 

[mdunc8]

Do bulls typically response to bugling in the early season or do you normally rely more on cow calling? Just wondering if bugling will do more harm than good early on.

 

[sweetnectar]

I bugled at the bull above several times and the only harm it did was made him pee on himself several more times. Some of the harm I've see early bugling do is that it calls in other hunters and then they get their dang scent around because they have to take a pee from all the excitement thinking they were stalking in on a nice whatever. Otherwise, sometimes it works great, sometimes the cow talking works better, and sometimes stealth is the way to go.

 

[mdunc8]

Headed to the mountains yesterday to pack some supplies into camp. Found a bunch of fresh rubs, saw a nice bull with a few cows, and heard another bugling in the middle of some mewwing cows. Hopefully the cooler weather they're calling for (at least in Montana) will make for a great opener.

 

[Baerman]

it opens monday here in Idaho and it can't get here soon enough! my neck is swollen and i have pee running down my leg. myself and another guy in my office call back and forth to each other all day long.

 

[Bambistew]

The first cows come in to estrus the end of Aug... the majority come into heat 4 weeks later... i.e. the peak, and a few that miss will come in again the middle of Oct.

 

[manzanomadness]

Elk sounds

Havent heard anything so far. Will be back up in the high country on the 1st. Everyyear is different. It has been getting coller every morning. Canadians started to fly early and so have the doves. Usually they dont start flying till next week. I think it will be and early winter. Just have to listen to mother nature to give you the signs. Good luck this season