Colorado Rut Timing This year?

[Hnthrdr]

In what felt like a fitting end to a weirdly quiet season for me, the elk here flipped a switch for the final 2 days of the month; multiple herds with all bulls bugling throughout each day. Wasn't able to seal the deal, but was grateful to be chasing bugling elk during the final seconds of the season.

Yep every year is its own thing, lots of guys who wait for the last week might not have had the rut fest they hoped for, the bulls were rocking Sept 1&2 by me but super quiet during muzzy and then my neighbor told me they turned back on for 20-24 and then quiet for the seasons close, it is what it is. Every time when I think I know how the season will go they will flip the script

 

[patagonialuke]

Every time when I think I know how the season will go they will flip the script

100%. This season reinforced that I just need to keep getting out there as much as possible, and then adapt to whatever they happen to be doing on a given day. I can always attempt to rationalize their behavior after the fact, but predicting it in advance is a whole different story.

 

[Hnthrdr]

100%. This season reinforced that I just need to keep getting out there as much as possible, and then adapt to whatever they happen to be doing on a given day. I can always attempt to rationalize their behavior after the fact, but predicting it in advance is a whole different story.

Yep and like clockwork there will be 5 posts every June-August on the best week to target them, answer is no one knows the elk don’t even know yet haha this was one of the wettest/ coolest Septembers I can remember in recent years for sure and I thought the conditions would have them going wild, yet I got a total of one bugle, I mean I killed the bull that made it but not what I’m used to. It is what it is

 

[taskswap]

I went out in muzzleloader and without sharing my GMU (let's say central-south-ish) it was "late". Muzzleloader is one of those lottery-ticket timing things. In the first half of the week I heard nothing at all. In the second half they started bugling a lot, but it was all at night. The season ended Sunday the 21st which was around the new moon so before then they were just very active at night. On the last day, they were becoming active in the morning, and shut up around 10am. I ate tag soup this year, but it was a great zone and trip so no regrets.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I texted someone I will be hunting with for 2nd rifle OTC. He said he hasn't heard much and didn't think the rut had started full blast yet. This was Monday Sept 29. Maybe things will heat up (when it gets cold).

 

[Hnthrdr]

I texted someone I will be hunting with for 2nd rifle OTC. He said he hasn't heard much and didn't think the rut had started full blast yet. This was Monday Sept 29. Maybe things will heat up (when it gets cold).

It’s been plenty cool, they are rutting just not where your buddy is at. I would not expect to be chasing bugles during 2nd. I have heard bugles all the way into 3rd rifle, heck about year round but it’s not the norm

 

[Laelkhunter]

Last year we heard an occasional bugle for 2nd rifle (78/81) but it was obvious the rut was over.

 

[codym]

In NM this has been the worst I’ve ever experienced. I’ve been out a total of 22 days this month and haven’t heard one bugle. This is in a wilderness unit 10-15 miles in limited entry and subsequent scouting/bear hunting trips. I’ve hunted it for going on 15 years and I’ve never been shut out like this. Hurt my ego quite a bit. Wife has a rifle tag in the same unit in a couple weeks so we will see how that goes

 

[wardl_3]

Quietest, no call response hunt i have had in 7 yrs… i had an idea the unit was not good but it proved far worse than expected. Last 10 days have been great til this season.

 

[5MilesBack]

I didn't go out most of the season because my hip has been giving me fits (torn labrum). But I made it out for the last two days Mon and Tues. Normally in this unit I don't see much for fresh sign but always find quite a few elk (which I've always thought was odd). This year I saw more fresh sign than I've ever seen in my life. But I couldn't even "bust an elk out of the woods", just couldn't find them. No responses at all. Did see a big bull all by himself above timberline. Looked like it was post rut and he was up gorging that mid-morning. I shot a big bull up there where he was a few years ago, and I didn't want any part of that pack out this year. So I let him be. That spot is a solid 4.5 miles from the truck, and LOTS of deadfall to navigate.

 

[BigHink66]

Quietest last week of September I have experienced in the past several years. I'm still wondering if it was just timing or if there was more pressure early in the month before we got there. Same experience from 4 other groups I know that were there and usually have success. SW Colorado

I hunted Unit 15 wilderness the last week up till Saturday. There was barely anyone there compared to last time I was there in '23. Sign was old and only heard a couple of bugles. I don't know what pressure there was early, but there was very little late.

 

[IdahoElk]

In NM this has been the worst I’ve ever experienced. I’ve been out a total of 22 days this month and haven’t heard one bugle. This is in a wilderness unit 10-15 miles in limited entry and subsequent scouting/bear hunting trips. I’ve hunted it for going on 15 years and I’ve never been shut out like this. Hurt my ego quite a bit. Wife has a rifle tag in the same unit in a couple weeks so we will see how that goes

How are the elk numbers? why do you think it's quiet?

 

[codym]

How are the elk numbers? why do you think it's quiet?

elk numbers in that unit were awful compared to my experience in past years. In the 22 days out I’ve only seen 10 elk. For comparison I usually see/bump/ call in that many a day. I think a reason there were so few elk this year was lack of water. It’s a wilderness unit and no cattle are ran in there. The man made or natural tanks were all dry and had been since the spring, most of the creeks and springs were dry as well. The major rivers were very low. I think a bunch of elk probably pushed out to the neighboring units were there are permanent man made water sources. That being said I was still finding sign. The moon was huge the first two weeks of September so I’m sure the few that were still in there were basically nocturnal. I have no idea what caused them to be so silent, I heard no bugles although I was usually asleep by 10pm and up by 4:30-5. I talked to some outfitters that blame wolves but I have a hard time believing this. Like I said last year I was in elk everyday with the normal bugling build up and saw wolves consistently and heard wolves every day and night and it didn’t shut the elk up then. I’m at a total loss at why it was so quiet this year. I always hear people complain that the elk aren’t talking but I’ve never not been able to get a response or hear them at night minimum… I was packed in 10 miles and made 10-12 mile loops everyday. Only saw one group of hunters 8 miles south of me that came in during the middle of the hunt, so pressure seems unlikely. Last weekend I was glassing and found a big bull in a burn that had a few cows. He seemed uninterested in them, no checking, no hearding, definitely no bugling. He let them get pretty strung out while they grazed. This is 9/26, should be peak rut. So all that to say I have no clue.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

Feels like deja vu... every year I hear the same thing, the rut is weird or not happening or late, etc.

 

[codym]

Feels like deja vu... every year I hear the same thing, the rut is weird or not happening or late, etc.

Same. I’ve just never experienced this much silence for the entire month in this area. Be very interesting to see what things will be like in a couple weeks.