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.

 

[Fullfan]

Been in Idaho since the 4th. the first 2 days we were hearing bulls, then nothing for 3 days. We have been covering 7-8 miles a day. Seeing a ton of sign also, and Friday we had 4 come screaming, only 2 left. It is going to get better.

 

[WCB]

Ran into a spot like that in MT a couple years ago. Although I did get a lone bull to come to calling and he was screaming his head off just didn't commit. But 3 days of nothing..in a spot that smelled like elk, fresh crap and trees that look like they were in a high fence enclosure absolutely ripped to shreds for 1/4mile in every direction.

At least in this spot talked to a guy that had a small summer cabin surrounded by the NAtl Forest. He said they were here for 2-3 days and hadn't seen and elk in 6 days. was super hard to do but I moved on. I was also sleeping close enough and woke up at night to listen...absolute silence.

 

[WhiskeyCharlie]

10-4, I’m going to ride it for a few days and do some bush whacking middle of the day and play it by ear. Thanks.

 

[rclouse79]

I have gone seasons where I hardly heard a bugle all month. I went out opening weekend and last weekend and had bulls bugling both times. I am thinking it is dependent on the area, maybe depending on pressure and what stage cows are in.
Based on your area description, I would recommend getting to a likely spot and cold calling. I would be overly patient until moving on. When you think you can't stand it anymore, sit for that amount of time again. I shot an elk opening weekend. Granted I was almost on top of them when I called, but I had two come by silently and I shot the second.
This last weekend I was trying to help my buddy get an elk. We sat down below a nice looking north facing slope, spread out and had a cow party. I was letting him call all the shots since it was his tag. After a solid 30 or 45 minutes he came over and let me know he was ready to move on. We got about a quarter mile away and a bugle sounded right where we had just moved from.
Three years ago, I was beat and sat down for lunch. Before eating I let out an annoying number of cow calls. I was sitting on a log with my bow on my lap. I wimped out and listened to my old aching back and sat on the ground while leaning against the log. Sure enough, an elk walked right through my lane after I had repositioned. I tried to shoot, but my cam hit my leg and launched my arrow right into the dirt.
A different trip my buddy and called our heads off to a bull that wouldn't come in. We finally gave up and worked our way back towards camp. When we got there, we were able to glass the area we were calling and sure enough there was an elk right there. I have spent enough time bumbling through the woods scaring everything away that I am finally starting to learn the value of patience.

 

[Wrench]

I watched a herd bull fight off satellites for two hours yesterday in the panhandle. Not a sound made that I could hear from 80-100yds away.

Hunting with a recurve kept this guy alive yesterday.

 

[trouthunter1106]

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.

Maybe the pressure from the next drainage is what’s got your areas covered up in sign and silent. Been bumped once and trying to stay low key?

I’d give it another day or two, especially with how fresh the sign seems to be.

 

[Idagnome]

I was out last weekend Thurs-Monday in and ID unit. I think think they're just starting to fire up. Up until Monday, they were give maybe 3-5 bugles right at sunrise/sunset, but no response. On Monday after some rain they were firing until 11:30. I'm a new caller, and was a little nervous, but even I could get them to respond. I now understand how amazing calling in bulls is. As other strategies before they were bugling, we got close on multiple bulls by either glassing and trying to cut them off, or setting up an ambush and trying to adjust to what game trails they were actually using.

 

[WhiskeyCharlie]

Thanks all- I have it two more days and I’m relocating. It’s so thick and covered with feed/water/dark benches I really can’t figure it out if they aren’t calling. One super short/low eee-ow bugle at 2100 last night that just sounded like rounding up cows and no response after that. They’re in there, just not that many in big country. Every day I go out I step in fresh crap, just always a day behind. I’m relocating to where I can glass better and cover some ground.