2025 Bugle Report

[waspocrew]

North central Wyoming - getting more rutty but not quite there yet. Definitely bugling. Curious to see how it goes when I’m back down there Wed - Sun.

 

[Phatfisher]

SW MT

Had one bull go off at 9am and went back and forth with him for a good 10 minutes to pin point where he was. Went in silent and let a few cow calls, and he came in trotting in silently. Bull was shot shortly after.

Had another bull going off that same evening around 6pm while packing out meat. Lots of cows all by themselves still, as I bumped 3 different cow/ calf that same day.

 

[fatlander]

First week in MT was spotty. Couple afternoons they were really fired up, rest of the week was pretty quiet. We went 3 for 3 on bulls. One never made a peep, one bugled exactly once, and the last did the whole dog and pony show. Good luck to everyone still chasing bugles.


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[go_deep]

I went bear hunting last night and had 3 bulls come out on a hillside a few hundred yards away. 2 5 points, and a 6 point, all fairly nice bulls, no cows, just those 3 bulls. They fed around for over an hour together like it was post rut and made they're way into the timber over towards water, never made a noise, just eating like there was no tomorrow.
It was weird, Southern Wyoming.

 

[Laelkhunter]

North Idaho yesterday two bulls going off inside of 100 yds. Buddy was set up waiting and them going for 20 minutes. Two guys heard us, they moved in and I saw one of them at 100 yds he saw me. They then tried to skirt us, blew some crappy elk calls, made a racket and poof both bulls moved off like ghosts.

They're probably from Louisiana. Sorry, no relation to me.

 

[drrice]

Hunted Northern NM all last week and heard 3 bugles

 

[grndslam]

Just to piggy back Drrice hunted Northern NM 5 days. One lazy bugle (he ended up winding me) 1st 4 days. Got into a good group Saturday am. Was pretty awesome until about 8.15. Unfortunately wasn't able to hunt yesterday.

DA

 

[Usi05]

Got quieter last few days in western Montana. I don’t think big boys are out playing yet.

They have been screaming all night long night but little slower during day.

I’ve noticed the quick rains really seem to get them revved up.


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[tkhuntsman]

Opening weekend was decent here in MT. Saturday saw a bull with cows he bugled a couple of times but they were on the move and I couldn't get in front of them before he stopped talking and made the thick stuff. Sunday got on a good bull first thing played cat and mouse until about 10 when he went to bed. had him in range twice in the thick and couldn't get a shot. Backed out had some lunch and a nap. He got up and started bugling at 2 pm I worked around him to get the wind right and called him into 18 yards, super thick tried hard to find a shot but the wind swirled and he got me. Didn't get to hunt again until Thursday didn't hear a peep until 1 pm while I was having lunch and had a bull bulge from his bed 300 yards across the drainage. Worked around the basin to get the wind right and started working him went back and forth for half an hour and he finally broke and came in. He came through broadside at 30 and I got drawn but before I could settle the pin and release he saw something he didn't like and whirled away giving no shot. Went out again Saturday heard a few bugles but they weren't responsive at all nothing called in and no excitement. Went out today switch has been flipped every bull on the mountain was fired up. Spent all day fighting swirling winds and getting backdoored by non target elk no shots but heard hundreds of bugles all day.

 

[Banded_spooney]

Been north of Flagstaff since Thursday. Haven’t heard a bugle. Toughest hunt I’ve been on

 

[patagonialuke]

It's continued to be unusually quiet in my part of western CO, relative to last year. Gonna check out some new areas in the unit this weekend to see whether it's just the particular zones I've been hunting that have been tight lipped.

 

[wyohayes]

Southern Wyoming. Amount of pressure has been crazy this year. I'm able to hunt every day of september and this is the third year doing so, nearly 20 years hunting this area. My notes from last year said that on the 16th there were 2 camps with people in the area, this year, that number is 20+ and doesn't matter if it is a weekday or weekend.

1st - 4th, was crazy. Summer herds were still breaking up and all the bulls were acting like peak rut. We are talking running in to multiple 50+ herds bugling constantly from sunrise to noon. 5th-18th things are nearly totally silent and most elk have pushed off. I have a suspicion that they have gone to limited quota units which, while happens every year, the sheer number of elk that seem to be gone is rare. Run in to small herds (1-6) almost every day though nothing is talking. Lone cows with spikes, groups of 6 cows with no bulls, groups of 2-4 bulls hanging out, All absolutely silent. All people i've run in to have anecdotally also reported the same thing (minus the limited quota suspicion).

I strongly suspect that a large part has to due with the hunting pressure which is several times what i've noted in any previous year. However, summer herd breakup typically happens mid august, not early september. So, some chance there is a degree of lateness on activity due to that.

 

[Rimrocks]

North west Arizona. Few bugles in the middle of the night. Almost non during the day. The one bull we called in bugled half heartedly and took a long time coming a short distance. Have seen bulls hanging out together at night. Tough year.

 

[Fullfan]

East central Idaho has been slow. Seeing cows 5-8 feeding alone. Hearing some lazy bugles just before dark. Last bull to answer my calls was 3 days ago. Covered 7 miles yesterday and not a peep.

 

[svivian]

It's continued to be unusually quiet in my part of western CO, relative to last year. Gonna check out some new areas in the unit this weekend to see whether it's just the particular zones I've been hunting that have been tight lipped.

My understanding is it’s been quiet all over CO… where I’m at they don’t even want to rut. Bulls still in bachelor groups and only a few of the really big bulls with cows.

 

[patagonialuke]

My understanding is it’s been quiet all over CO… where I’m at they don’t even want to rut. Bulls still in bachelor groups and only a few of the really big bulls with cows.

Yeah, it's been a mixed bag around me. Haven't seen bachelor groups for weeks and have found a few mature bulls quietly moving cows, but I've so far only had a single bull bugle back to one of my mediocre calls. But friends hunting a drainage or two away have reported lots of vocalizations on certain days. As always, elk continue to confound me...