ID Elk tons of sign, no bugling

[WhiskeyCharlie]

In Idaho, no wolves, no UTVs, no cattle, no elk- sit or move? I would have given a digit to have this much sign (50-100 rubs with no sap within 1-2 sq mi, fresh wet crap, etc.) but no elk sighting or bugling. My gut says sit in high traffic area until something moves the needle another way, curious what the consensus is. I’ve hunted other areas with less sign and/or no bugles and moved around a bunch in the past with zero success and I’m fighting that urge to keep moving.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Ross]

If you are into tons of Elk rubs and elk sign, give it another week. Get close at night and listen from distance. Give a few bugles and see what happens. You should be hearing some in another week. Buddy just had 9 bulls give intermittent bugles, but nothing very exciting. Things should amp up in the next week.

 

[cnelk]

Silent elk are killable.
Been there. Done it.

You’re bubble of awareness has to be bigger than your bubble of disturbance

 

[Team4LongGun]

Your hitting some good metrics with no utvs, cattle and wolves. Rubs are a good sign, if this year, but how about scat and tracks being fresh?
Don't mistake rubs as fresh sign. They could have been there heavy, and moved a drainage or 3 over.

Also....where I hunt, elk have adapted to wolves and youtube hunters bugling at every ridge. Don't discount them being quiet for a reason.

 

[mtnbound]

In Idaho, no wolves, no UTVs, no cattle, no elk- sit or move? I would have given a digit to have this much sign (50-100 rubs with no sap within 1-2 sq mi, fresh wet crap, etc.) but no elk sighting or bugling. My gut says sit in high traffic area until something moves the needle another way, curious what the consensus is. I’ve hunted other areas with less sign and/or no bugles and moved around a bunch in the past with zero success and I’m fighting that urge to keep moving.

Thanks in advance.

I would move to a different area and check what's going on there. It's the 15th, so some bulls should be talking a little, especially with no pressure.

 

[WhiskeyCharlie]

Responding to all - thanks for the confirmation. @mtnbound next drainage has hunters not hearing anything and 5x more people (recent report from other more mobile hunters), I don’t have any backup areas that I know have elk/sign so I’m inclined to give this a little time. I’m willing to kick rocks it just hasn’t been successful in the past and -I don’t think- there’s a ton of daytime movement with this moon so I’m willing to bet on tracks/sign that indicates movement in last 24 hrs.

 

[Randle]

They will fire up shortly, in the meantime I would hang in there and keep your head on a swivel, they come in silent and catch you with you pants down , Dont ask about that one....
I did have a 2 hr bugle battle with a 4 pt but when he finally came into 40 yards he stopped in the brush with no decent shot op.