Early season elk hunt dates vs full moon

[Mike76]

Everyone has their opinion on the Rut. I will continue to say Bulls do not rut at the same time every year. My opinion. I have hunted the foothills outside a major Ranch that hold a couple hundred head each year. Those bulls within that herd stay together Bachelor'd up as the cows and calves are off on one side of the ranch. We have patterned a huge herd bull for 3-4 years. No pressure on that ranch at all. Those herd Bulls wonder around through the cows and back and forth those rags stay tight together feeding sparing now and then water then lay right back out in that hot sun in sage all day get up water a time or two. Every year those bulls never rut at the same time ever. Like I posted I have seen it when they rut early and again when they rut later on. But when that first cow comes in and its always that huge 7x8 That leaves that ranch away from all the other bulls as they were vocal for 2 days all Nite long quit early morn.
On the second Nite same the third morning he is gone off the ranch with 8-10 cows sometimes more sometimes less. Once he leaves within a few days all those animals are off the ranch wondering very vocal. The half dozen herd bulls have the cows first and start leaving trying to get away from the rags. The ranch is Big all open hay fields very little cover, Sage and Hay fields so they leave the ranch or bothered by other bulls coming and going from the ranch.
This is one ranch in OR but all the other places I have hunted I see similar activity early in the season. We have killed our better bulls early wondering looking for that first estrus cow.
So, in my opinion and only mine I 'm not into science and do not believe those bulls rut the same time every year. Only my opinion once again. I/we seem to kill our share of Bulls and rather hunt the early season trying to pattern a bull before he gets into the rut. Thanks guys

 

[Ucsdryder]

Everyone always says, full moon doesn’t matter. Personally, I hate hunting a full moon. Maybe it’s psychological but when I can hike into my hunting spot without a headlamp at 3am, then elk can do the same, plus more. Why would they be dicking around at 8-9am when they can rut all night and sleep all day. Give me a dark moon any day…

 

[Mike76]

Understood, I seem to always hunt the dark moon. We drew a 16B NM archery tag and have a dark moon for the first 8 days then the last 6 slowly moves to a quarter moon. They are out a little later in the morning and come out a little earlier in the evening. So, we have them on their feet a little longer each day.
I think a lot of guys feel that the first full moon in September is when the bulls kick off the rut. That too is BS in my opinion. Weather is always what I have went by and seen those bulls get a little more vocal on the first frost. But not into the rut.
I have seen as mentioned bulls rutting right from the start with cows and also not until October so go figure. When that first cow comes in its a kickoff in my opinion.
But u are right, I feel the same way! as those Elk/bulls sleep all day and wonder all nite belowing that is why guys say they are moving to their bedding at first lite well dah. I hate the full moon but hunters like it because those damn bulls wonder and are vocal all nite long looking for a first estrus.
Thanks for that reply at least there is 2 of us. I have killed a lot of bulls and my best bulls have always come first season.