Western ID Rut Activity

[WhiskeyCharlie]

I’ve been pretty much all over 31 for seven days and have not heard a real bugle yet. One guy I talked to said he heard one chuckle but the only bugle and chuckle I have heard came from the road at noon and 1500 on the 13th (after a utv shut off). Have seen pics of one bull with cows opening weekend, the two times I’ve seen bulls 9th and 13th in different areas they were with other bulls and no cows.

Slow start this year or am I just deaf and in the wrong spots? I’m in fresh sign in the timber, cows were reported in different areas to be in herds of 75+ on hay/private recently and another area a ways away on the opener. Water is pretty scarce in many of these areas and/or full of beef. I’m happy to keep kicking rocks but it’s a lot of steep ground to cover by foot and glass is only picking up animals first and last hour, would like to let the tube do some work.

Anybody willing to share some insight or general info I would appreciate it by pm or however is appropriate.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bjon8912]

I'm east of you in 48 and we are getting very light bugles from bulls and pretty much only if you are sub 100 yards. They aren't fired up yet.

 

[Matt5266]

I hunted that area for years. We've killed several and saw many more , It has gone way down hill and the amount of a$$holes hunting that place now is about enough to catch a murder charge. I'll never hunt it again for archery elk....

 

[BackcountryIdaho]

Bulls and cows are really, really quiet for us so far this year. Mainly calves giving away the herd. We snuck into a herd yesterday morning after hearing the calves talking. Never saw or heard a bull and decided to back out figuring there were no bulls and we had put a cow in the freezer the day before. Then a bull let out an unprompted bugle just a few hundred yards away. He was a nice 6, and we got him to 43 yards, but no shot through the thick timber.

 

[Titanmoose]

as a rifle hunter going to 45 to kick off the season in 2 weeks. I am not sure I am happy to hear this news or not lol

 

[Bjon8912]

as a rifle hunter going to 45 to kick off the season in 2 weeks. I am not sure I am happy to hear this news or not lol

I got a buddy about to start the same hunt. It's possible. There are a ton of bulls in that unit usually. Getting them off private will be the hard part

 

[Titanmoose]

I got a buddy about to start the same hunt. It's possible. There are a ton of bulls in that unit usually. Getting them off private will be the hard part

I feel this.... and have been told, and have about 0 calling experience soooo LOL

 

[Customweld]

That unit gets hit hard. I would imagine the elk have bugle fatigue. You may need to do a bit of glass work and move in on them once you find them.

 

[WhiskeyCharlie]

You called it @BackcountryIdaho - got lucky in right spot tonight and a calf started chirping about 1915, cow answered, bull bugled one time at 1920 and I guess that meant giddy up because they started moving and he didn’t respond to anything. Calf responded to every cow call and could have followed it anywhere, but I tried to get around in front of them and they were moving with a purpose so I’ll be trying again in the am.

I had been bugling around that area since 1700 with no response and none after.

 

[Bjon8912]

I feel this.... and have been told, and have about 0 calling experience soooo LOL

Ha, don't get overwhelmed. I've hunted that unit for 5 years so far. I've called bulls onto public in late November using cow calls. It's doesn't take much. The unit is big with lots of resident elk and a larger population of migratory elk. It all depends on the hunting pressure coming from 43/44/48. Usually the migratory bulls are smart since they have been getting chased for 2 months already. It also doesn't help that IDFG went through and shot a large number of elk using helicopters a few years back. The herds haven't been the same since.

Like stated before, do lots of glassing.

 

[Titanmoose]

Ha, don't get overwhelmed. I've hunted that unit for 5 years so far. I've called bulls onto public in late November using cow calls. It's doesn't take much. The unit is big with lots of resident elk and a larger population of migratory elk. It all depends on the hunting pressure coming from 43/44/48. Usually the migratory bulls are smart since they have been getting chased for 2 months already. It also doesn't help that IDFG went through and shot a large number of elk using helicopters a few years back. The herds haven't been the same since.

Like stated before, do lots of glassing.

Got any insight on pack out help available in the unit? Pm me separately to not overwhelm this board

 

[BackcountryIdaho]

You called it @BackcountryIdaho - got lucky in right spot tonight and a calf started chirping about 1915, cow answered, bull bugled one time at 1920 and I guess that meant giddy up because they started moving and he didn’t respond to anything. Calf responded to every cow call and could have followed it anywhere, but I tried to get around in front of them and they were moving with a purpose so I’ll be trying again in the am.

I had been bugling around that area since 1700 with no response and none after.

In the heavily hunted units, I think the elk act more like whitetails than most folks would believe, In my experience, they really don't like to give away their position unless necessary. It's fun to watch the bigger bulls get mad at a calf for yapping, and throw it right back next to momma as if to say "shut up."

 

[WhiskeyCharlie]

In the heavily hunted units, I think the elk act more like whitetails than most folks would believe, In my experience, they really don't like to give away their position unless necessary. It's fun to watch the bigger bulls get mad at a calf for yapping, and throw it right back next to momma as if to say "shut up."

It’s been rough, getting in range of a bugle 30 min after/before sunrise/set is bad enough, trying to get in range of a calf call seems more difficult. The calf was extremely responsive though and fairly easy to track until it went quiet and it got dark. I’ve been hitting the tube 2hrs before and 2hrs after sunset in multiple spots and yet to get a response.

 

[Broadhead]

I’ll be headed to this unit on Sunday with hunt starting Monday since it’s 14 hours from Denver. Will be in there for a week. Hope they start piping off for both of us @WhiskeyCharlie

 

[WhiskeyCharlie]

I’ll be headed to this unit on Sunday with hunt starting Monday since it’s 14 hours from Denver. Will be in there for a week. Hope they start piping off for both of us @WhiskeyCharlie

My advice - learn to tell the difference between cattle and elk tracks on the fly (I can’t except the big ones), bring plenty of water because what little there is is generally rotten with cattle and I’ve found three kinds of fresh turds and tracks in respective abundance - cattle, elk, lion. I’m usually pretty meh about cats and bears but I’ve found enough kitty poo and tracks here if I’m going to be out late in the steep country I’m bringing a pistol and spare headlamp. For all of above note that I’m 100% on foot or pedal power, fwiw.