Hello Roksliders,
I'm wanting to discuss late season, post rut, Roosevelt bull behavior. I'm going into Etolin Island Nov 18th for a four or five day period. Historically I've hunted this area in Sept and October. This past September I found two rutting herds in a traditionally unknown area. I was unsucessful with my bow but all things pointed to a fairly active group of elk to this region at about the 1,200 foot level, which is kinda mid mountian for coastal island mountains.
I have another area which is higher in elevation and directly adjacent to cliffy brushy escape cover but has revealed the largest bulls in the Sept-Oct timeframe. I've yet to see a herd develop in this region but the bulls seem to like it.
So my question.....Should I be hunting the region that held the rutting herds or the higher region that has revealed some nice bulls in the past? The weather should be turning cold and snowy and it's post rut. Whats your experience with post rut Roosevelt bulls? Will they maintain their posistion on the mountain post rut simply out of exaustion and maintain some regional connection with their cows? Or would a major geograpical move be more common for a bull? This is REMOTE country so the benifit of scouting is out of the question. I have to base a hunt plan off of sound judgement. One plan puts me about 20 water miles away from the other so it's a one strategy Vs. another sinario.
Thank you for reading this silly hunt rambling. Believe me....I'd rather be sitting behind my optics figuring out this stuff myself. The days will be short so being prepared for agressive daylight hunting will be very important.
I'm wanting to discuss late season, post rut, Roosevelt bull behavior. I'm going into Etolin Island Nov 18th for a four or five day period. Historically I've hunted this area in Sept and October. This past September I found two rutting herds in a traditionally unknown area. I was unsucessful with my bow but all things pointed to a fairly active group of elk to this region at about the 1,200 foot level, which is kinda mid mountian for coastal island mountains.
I have another area which is higher in elevation and directly adjacent to cliffy brushy escape cover but has revealed the largest bulls in the Sept-Oct timeframe. I've yet to see a herd develop in this region but the bulls seem to like it.
So my question.....Should I be hunting the region that held the rutting herds or the higher region that has revealed some nice bulls in the past? The weather should be turning cold and snowy and it's post rut. Whats your experience with post rut Roosevelt bulls? Will they maintain their posistion on the mountain post rut simply out of exaustion and maintain some regional connection with their cows? Or would a major geograpical move be more common for a bull? This is REMOTE country so the benifit of scouting is out of the question. I have to base a hunt plan off of sound judgement. One plan puts me about 20 water miles away from the other so it's a one strategy Vs. another sinario.
Thank you for reading this silly hunt rambling. Believe me....I'd rather be sitting behind my optics figuring out this stuff myself. The days will be short so being prepared for agressive daylight hunting will be very important.
