northern nm rut

[swampokie]

Anyone hearing any bulls in north central nm? Headed up for oct 6-10 muzz hunt in unit 52. Hearing a little chatter about a late rut and new moon on the sixth has me a little optimistic. Wondering if anybody has been up there the last couple weeks.

 

[Morrid7]

I was up there for most of the first bow season, including the 13-14th. It certainly seemed like the rut was going to be late based on the activity I experienced. Bulls definitely were more vocal on the 14th than they’d been for the last 2 weeks. Good luck!


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[Whip]

I spent Sept 13-24th packed in to a spike camp. We had bugling nightly and mornings before daylight but it was vet quite during daylight hours. I don't know that means a late rut. Likely more a factor of bluebird warm days and full moon nights. Almost all bulls that we did see were in the company of cows and judging by how fired up they sounded in the dark I'm guessing they were probably getting a little.

 

[Jardo]

I talked to my outfitter today. I’ll be hunting next week near Los Alamos. He said rut has been late and he expects rutting bulls through mid October.

I’ll be hunting on the 13th - 17th. Hope he’s right.


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[Laelkhunter]

My outfitter in Chama said they have been very quiet. Getting some rain, and some snow is forecast soon. That might get them singing.

I will be up there next Saturday, and start hunting on the 20th in 78/81.

 

[hunter4life]

I was just up in Chama last weekend. They were bugling all day long in the dark timber but not really coming into calls. The rut is late this year and it should be great for your hunt.

 

[Jeepers87]

Hunter4lkfe, sounds like good news. I was up near there last weekend but a bit south and I got into a few but figured they were dispersing from the herds. Maybe I was seeing them forming up perhaps? I only heard one bugle at night as well. It should be good for those rifle guys this weekend and into second rifle hunt if this keeps up, especially with the new moon approaching.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I was just up in Chama last weekend. They were bugling all day long in the dark timber but not really coming into calls. The rut is late this year and it should be great for your hunt.

Thanks !! I'm ready to hit the road, but I have another week of work (I hate it when work gets in the way).

 

[Rdog]

I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade and sincerely hope you guys get into some bugling bulls but the rut is the same time every year no matter what, around the fall equinox. It is the perceived rutting activity that we experience that changes. Some elk might be silent except during the early morning and evening hours and going crazy all night and another group of elk 5 miles away might be the complete opposite. The elk were probably not coming into bugles because the herd bulls already have their harem gathered and would rather stick with them than come and investigate calls. During this time it is much easier to call in satellite bulls that are looking for some fun. Mid October is getting pretty late to expect rutting action, by this time it would mostly likely be cows that didn't get bred the first go around coming into a second cycle. Regardless, good luck on your hunts and I hope you get into some screaming bulls!

 

[idahohikker]

Well said. The rut isn't early or late. A lot of activity happens at night depending on weather.

 

[tlowell02]

No report on your muzzleloader hunt, assume no tag punched Swamp? We just got home late last night but the bugling was sporadic throughout the hunt, mainly concentrated around dusk.

 

[swampokie]

Killed a small 6x6 on Sunday am. Bulls were going nuts on Saturday and Sunday. Snow came in on Sunday nite and very few bugles after that. Not sure if that had anything to do with it. My partner also killed a 6 pt on Tuesday am. I’ve never heard bugling like I did Saturday am. Mid October may be late in the rut but it didn’t stop them from screaming. Anyone else smoke one?

 

[tlowell02]

Congrats on the bull!

My fiance connected in the last hour on the last day. Thought we might be going home empty handed for the third consecutive year after a front with heavy fog rolled in Wednesday afternoon. To her credit, she stuck it out and the fog eventually broke to find a bull we had been watching all week just 200 yards below us.

 

[rgrx1276]

Killed a good bull on saturday last week. They WERE bugling until some yahoo shows up late on the day before the opener and spends the next 45 minutes blowing his bugle. All the bulls shut up after that and I never heard another bugle until late the next afternoon. After I got my bull taken apart, I spent the next 2 days in the AO and never heard another call.