Quiet elk in idaho panhandle

[gaggiffin]

Has anyone else noticed that the elk have been unusually quiet this year? I haven’t heard anything from a bugle to a cow chirp. I know they are in the area I’ve found fresh tracks and poop. I’ve played the wind, I’ve sat quite waiting for hours, I’ve tried cow calling and bugling, I’m about to go bugle at night just to see if I can get any response at all.

 

[arthur1034]

I'm also in the Idaho Panhandle, and I had a bull bugling constantly yesterday. However, I faced the same dilemma as you last year. I only heard elk one time. My guess would be that you are in an area where wolves are prevalent, and they are staying quiet. The place I was in yesterday has people around it frequently, and it is not too far from people's homes. Also, I saw no wolf sign around; however, that bull was in a thick, thick jungle and didn't want to leave it despite my best efforts.

 

[Randle]

Our area up here is always pretty quiet for the first couple weeks of season . We stay mobile move alot and try to get in tight on the areas we hunt to locate by sign and sight. They eventually want to play around the 12th or so ., stay with it

 

[rclouse79]

I can’t figure out central Idaho. I have had years when they are bugling their heads off on the opener. I don’t know how many miles I hiked over three days but it was enough to drop 7 lbs and I brought a lot of snacks. I did not hear or see an elk. I tried sitting water, glassing, calling and just listening. The places I tried are all areas I have found them in the past. Hopefully it will be better in a couple weeks.

 

[Huntnfish89]

Same deal for me here. The only bugles that I have heard have come from other hunters. I've had one that was possibly an elk, but that's it. Here I thought I was the only one.
I have yet to see an elk in season. I was able to put a stalk on a cow moose and her young this afternoon for fun though.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Had a bugle yesterday morning and fresh tracks in 4 wallows. Give it another week.

 

[Huntnnw]

I'm also in the Idaho Panhandle, and I had a bull bugling constantly yesterday. However, I faced the same dilemma as you last year. I only heard elk one time. My guess would be that you are in an area where wolves are prevalent, and they are staying quiet. The place I was in yesterday has people around it frequently, and it is not too far from people's homes. Also, I saw no wolf sign around; however, that bull was in a thick, thick jungle and didn't want to leave it despite my best efforts.

i call BS on that. I hunt ground zero for wolf re introduction and have seen 0 evidence thats true. I have elk bugle like any other elk clear into late October every year. Id put too many people or people calling having more of an effect than anything. Hell just this weekend I saw wolves and had 4 different bulls bugling in the same area

 

[Ross]

Year to year is different in the panhandle for sure if wolves running close by it likely will shut them up….this weekend heard no bugles till I was within 2 dandy sixes at 400 yds and they fired up in a very nasty jungle played with them for an hr brought both in to 30-40 yds and seen two cows…..in same area….things will get better in the next week….bounce around till you find a hot bull

 

[gaggiffin]

Same deal for me here. The only bugles that I have heard have come from other hunters. I've had one that was possibly an elk, but that's it. Here I thought I was the only one.
I have yet to see an elk in season. I was able to put a stalk on a cow moose and her young this afternoon for fun though.

I had a bull moose thrashing around about 150 yards up a brush hill side. I thought it was an elk cause he started right after I started calling. But once I sneaked into about 70yards I got to see him. Fun stuff!

 

[gaggiffin]

Year to year is different in the panhandle for sure if wolves running close by it likely will shut them up….this weekend heard no bugles till I was within 2 dandy sixes at 400 yds and they fired up in a very nasty jungle played with them for an hr brought both in to 30-40 yds and seen two cows…..in same area….things will get better in the next week….bounce around till you find a hot bull

Yea I’m hoping it will pick up as we get a little closer to the rut. I feel like most the elk in the panhandle hangout In the thick nasty jungle stuff. I like hunting elk in this stuff, it’s very technical and requires a great deal of strategy compared to hunting high desert or text book elk country.

 

[mtnbiker208]

I was mountain biking saturday and got a text from my wife saying she heard a bugle and then some dogs started barking. I heard some cow chirps sunday night. typical panhandle activity.

 

[Randle]

Yea I’m hoping it will pick up as we get a little closer to the rut. I feel like most the elk in the panhandle hangout In the thick nasty jungle stuff. I like hunting elk in this stuff, it’s very technical and requires a great deal of strategy compared to hunting high desert or text book elk country.

Yep it is anything but text book. I would venture to say most would only hunt one year up hear if coming from open meadows and aspens

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Yep it is anything but text book. I would venture to say most would only hunt one year up hear if coming from open meadows and aspens

This is the reaaon I quit getting so worked up and annoyed with NR, I've come to realize they aint built like we are and they'll be road hunting shortly after day 2.

 

[Ross]

This is the reaaon I quit getting so worked up and annoyed with NR, I've come to realize they aint built like we are and they'll be road hunting shortly after day 2.

There are a few anomalies though I like to think I am a resident was at one time met my wife cruising in Sandpoint in 1983 my father born and raised in Sandpoint and lives their now along with several other family members….through four decades in the jungles have met many who have said how do you hunt this shit this is nothing like Colorado

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

There are a few anomalies though I like to think I am a resident was at one time met my wife cruising in Sandpoint in 1983 my father born and raised in Sandpoint and lives their now along with several other family members….through four decades in the jungles have met many who have said how do you hunt this shit this is nothing like Colorado

Lol we ran into 1 saturday sitting on a stump with a brand new mathews across his lap, who said something similiar

Pretty bow

 

[Huntnnw]

I was helping some guys from OH on a really tough unit near the panhandle... they had 15 days to hunt. day 5 I get a message headed home very discouraged lol

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

I was helping some guys from OH on a really tough unit near the panhandle... they had 15 days to hunt. day 5 I get a message headed home very discouraged lol

Shame on you

 

[Buglebrush]

There's way more country than elk. You may be in the right general area, but not in the right specific spot. Get within a couple hundred yards, and they'll answer.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

There are just way more guys running around the woods of North Idaho now during bow season.
Last year I had people miles and miles back where I've hardly seen a sole in the past, I witnessed some of the stupidest shit I've ever seen in the woods.
Groups of 2-3 guys bugling and chirping at each other from ridge to ridge without regard to what the wind and elk were doing
Sounded like a herd with extra chromosomes..

The bulls went stealth mode from the pressure and completely changed their habits.
I stalked one that bugled so quietly you wouldn't hear it more than 100 yards away, wolves are only half the problem!

I haven't bought my A tag yet cuz I'm thinking about going back to rifle after last seasons craziness.
I have managed to get a few bulls bugling last weekend just scouting around though, getting them to come in is a different story

 

[gaggiffin]

There are just way more guys running around the woods of North Idaho now during bow season.
Last year I had people miles and miles back where I've hardly seen a sole in the past, I witnessed some of the stupidest shit I've ever seen in the woods.
Groups of 2-3 guys bugling and chirping at each other from ridge to ridge without regard to what the wind and elk were doing
Sounded like a herd with extra chromosomes..

The bulls went stealth mode from the pressure and completely changed their habits.
I stalked one that bugled so quietly you wouldn't hear it more than 100 yards away, wolves are only half the problem!

I haven't bought my A tag yet cuz I'm thinking about going back to rifle after last seasons craziness.
I have managed to get a few bulls bugling last weekend just scouting around though, getting them to come in is a different story

I know what you mean!! Last year I hunted by McCall, and I shit you not I witnessed one guy driving a truck with another guy in the truck bed bugling as they drove down the road at about 5mph.

for being 30 my hearing is shot, but there was a few times I thought I heard a very quite bugle or squeal but brushed it off assuming it was nothing. I’m questioning that decision now. At this point I have stopped calling complete and now trying to hunt them like I would deer. Still hunting roads and sitting on water holes.

seen more moose and deer than I have elk.