MT Gen Archery Elk-When would you go?

[Z Barebow]

First hunting trip to MT. I have a general elk combo license and plan on hunting SW MT with bow only. Season starts on the 7th. He is the problem. My wife will be out of town on a trip from 16th to the 21st. (And I need to be home with one of my kids as she is too young to be home alone)

Would you hunt early and cut your trip short buy coming home on the 15th? Or would you leave the 21st and hunt until the 5th of Oct. (I can hunt for ~ 2 weeks)

My tentative plan is to head out in Aug for a scouting trip. The area I am looking at is anywhere from 6K to 9K in elevation. My concern is if it is hot early (High likelyhood), rutting activity will be minimal (At least during the day). If I go later, am I missing the peak of the rut as I head into Oct? Water will be key no matter when I go.

I don't really want the added fuel (and time) costs of hunting a week, return home, and return back for another week. Around a 1400 mile round trip. (The cost at home could be high also!)

This area has a mix of public and private, so elk have some place to go if pressured. (And not where I can hunt)

This will be a backpack type hunt. (If it matters)

What would you do? When would you hit the hills?

 

[jryoung]

21st - 5th easy choice.

You get to hunt for longer and have a better potential for the rut (3rd week of Sept). I am trying to convince my wife that I need to head up and "scout" with my bow for three days over the weekend of the 28th-29th.

 

[Lawnboy]

I would go the later dates. Part of earlier season hunting is scouting and knowing an area well enough to know where to glass and look. Early season can sometimes be quiet with bugling but guys that know the areas will spot those big bulls still away from the cows and try to stalk in on them. Some say the best chance at a bomber bull is during this period.
With you coming out and not knowing the area would make me think you will want to be guided by bugles rather than strictly relying on glassing. I'm not much of a trophy hunter and still insist that any bull with a bow is an accomplishment. Your likelihood of getting something to come in to calls (all be it small) is better later IMO.
If you were going on the helicopter hunt with Randy I would say this is one of the best times of year in that area.

 

[JMG]

+1 . . . what jryoung stated.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Go with the later dates to get more time in the field, and just understand how it changes your hunting tactics.

I've been into VERY vocal elk the last week in Sept-1st week in October. You'll find that the bulls that have a hot cow won't leave her to save their life unless you get right in their face.

I am going the 7th-14th, and then again the 22nd-1st if need be.

 

[ida homer]

I would go the later dates. Part of earlier season hunting is scouting and knowing an area well enough to know where to glass and look. Early season can sometimes be quiet with bugling but guys that know the areas will spot those big bulls still away from the cows and try to stalk in on them. Some say the best chance at a bomber bull is during this period.
With you coming out and not knowing the area would make me think you will want to be guided by bugles rather than strictly relying on glassing. I'm not much of a trophy hunter and still insist that any bull with a bow is an accomplishment. Your likelihood of getting something to come in to calls (all be it small) is better later IMO.
If you were going on the helicopter hunt with Randy I would say this is one of the best times of year in that area.

+1 on everything LawnBoy said. I think that September 20th or 21st is the day that the most bulls get killed in North America every year. I heard that from a guy that heard that from a guy... But I do know that that is when I personally heard the most bugles in Idaho last year.

 

[Goldtip]

I would agree with all being said above, I think Lawnboy is correct that earlier may be a better time to connect on an outsized bull, but will take it a step farther and say I think any legal elk (no calves) with a bow on your first trip is a trophy. I also think the elk are more vocal later in the season and you will have an easier time locating them, the weather will be more enjoyable also. My last bull with a bow 2 years ago was on Sept 9th, it was 96F when I left camp at 5:30pm, killed an elk, but was a miserable time doing it and getting it out.

 

[DreaminofMT6X6s]

JR young has it right! Based on last season alone your later dates are a far better option.

 

[ismith]

Better odds at the big bulls before they gather harems.

 

[JWhunter]

So mid-late sept is bad if you're going after a big bull.... by the way I agree late.

 

[havgunwilltravel]

I never focus any rut hunts on dates on a calendar, as each year is cyclic with moon phases and oestrus periods from the females etc etc. What it does do is give you an indicator on when they were vocal the last few years and you can use this as base knowledge to formulate being in the bush when you believe is the peak period for hinds/cows to be receptive which in turn will create increased vocalisation from the males.
All male deer go through similar stages over the rutting period and as has been said it is important to adjust hunting tactics and expectations to what both the females and males will be doing at each of these stages.
Temperature has little to do with vocalisation of males, if there is little hunting pressure, cycling hinds/cows and males nearby they will sing their song just as confidently as in cooler weather. Only exception is often the animals go into heavier cover early on the warm days and hunters simply aren't hearing the vocalisation like they expect it from animals in the rut.
And that second and third cycle period (not many left over come the third cycle) can be excellent hunting as males often get itchy feet looking for the few latter cycling animals and can become vulnerable again.
Typically if any area is 'going off' with rutting activity on a certain calendar date, i would safely say that generally next year will be out by a few days as to the peak period. But there are a huge variety of factors at play with animal numbers, moon, male to female ratios, food structure etc to influence this and there is a big difference in terms of what is defined as rutting activity between a male vocalising on his own on a bench in timber and a mature dominant animal holding females courting them and bugling regularly.

You could always hedge your bets, take your daughter into the bush on the 18th and ask the wife to come get her from hunting camp on her way back into town...heck, its not that far of a drive and it is elk season..

 

[Z Barebow]

Goldtip- I packed one out in NM when it was 80 deg and it sucked. I killed a WT doe one year when it was 97, and it was a race. I wouldn't want to deal with an elk when it is that hot.

havegun- You must have a saint for a bride if you could talk her into that type of arrangement! LOL! My daughter is attending school and wife is flying out in the opposite direction. Won't work in this example.

 

[Festus]

Not to steal the thread, but if you had any 2 weeks to hunt archery in SW MT, are y'all saying that 3rd and 4th weeks would be prefered over 1st and 2nd weeks???

 

[rebel83]

I live in nw Montana and tipicaly have better luck, after the first week, not sure if it is the same as southern Montana, but I only live 10 miles from my hunting spot, and fallow it year around

 

[wingman1]

Go later. I have a feeling its going to be another above 90 degree fall. Good luck and hope you bag a good one.

 

[Redwood]

Last part of sept is when you need to be in the field with a bow. Lots of variables factor for peak ruts but that is a safe date range state wide.

 

[Hof]

My hunting partner and I have killed elk within a day of the 13th the last 3 years in a row.... I think that calling in bulls is best right before they get all herded up. I would go early depending on the heat...

 

[Solitude]

1) I would go with the dates that allow you to maximize your time in the field.
2) See number 1
3) Location is more critical than dates.
4) Do what you can to hunt during the week vs weekends as the mountains fill up fast.
5) Best talking/action I every had was around the 10th of the month in a remote location.....and I have had them simply shut down late in the month as the hunting pressure builds. See 3 above.