What Week(s) to Hunt Elk This Year

[TX_Diver]

Drew the general tag in WY this year. Will probably be hunting solo for what'll be my 2nd real elk hunt (had a few cow tags in the past).

I already have a few ideas where I want to go and will continue to plan that over the next few weeks/months.

What I'm not sure on yet, but need to figure out pretty quick to coordinate at work, is what week(s) I want to go.

I don't think I can pull off 2 consecutive weeks otherwise it'd be an easy choice and I'd go 9/12 to 9/26.

From a work perspective it'd be good to go hunt for a week, come back to work for 2 weeks, then take another week to hunt. I might be able to pull off 1 week in between hunts but would prefer to be back 2 weeks.

Options would be 9/1 to 9/7 and 9/19 to 9/26
OR
9/5 to 9/12 and come back 9/25 to 10/3.

Other options obviously possible but those seem the most promising. With option 1, the first week is not great from a weather/heat perspective, but with option 2 the last week turns into the rifle season (Which I guess could be nice if I haven't tagged out as I'll have a good idea what's happening by then...?).

Open to peoples thoughts or suggestions. Does one of those seem more promising than the other? Should I be calling in some favors and trying to only be back at work for 1 week in order to hunt 9/12 to 9/19? Cheers

 

[bsnedeker]

If it were me I would do a week of archery and a week of rifle. Go early in archery before the elk get educated. Go late in rifle when most guys are sitting at home. That's when I tend to get into the most elk anyway.

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[CamoPirate]

Depends on pressure imo. I've only hunted OTC units and I avoid the first week to let people tire themselves out and let the crowds go away. I see significantly fewer people later in the archery season as opposed to the beginning, and that goes for both hunters and hikers alike.

 

[Fullfan]

From Sept 7th through the 30th...

 

[TX_Diver]

One thing I didn't catch until today was most of the units I'm looking at have a gap from 10/1 to 10/15 before the general rifle season...

So that makes the last week of the month a little less desireable...

9/5 to 9/12 and 9/19 to 9/27 seem the most promising but I'm not sure I can swing that with work yet...

 

[nettereo16]

Sure hope we're working from home then. Would spend most of Sept out west and hunt long weekends when they are fired up!

 

[wardl_3]

Any1 base their hunting trip around the dark of the moon period? Always hear the elk wont travel much during the darkest nights... making it easier to camp and stay closer to them...

 

[elkyinzer]

For peak rut if you can predict low pressure systems a few months in advance I'd go with the most extreme one in mid September. If your future machine isn't working so good I'd resort to prayer, dice games, and whatever the hell else prognostication tools are at your disposal.

 

[Laramie]

Keep in mind the 5th-7th is a holiday weekend. A lot of areas see extra recreation on top of hunters. Not a great few days to be hunting elk generally. In your shoes I would plan to hunt 3rd week of September. If unsuccessful, come back for rifle.

 

[sneaky]

I hunt every day that ends in Y during elk season

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[TradLife406]

My rule is the first two weeks of Sept for here in Montana regardless of the moon. Where I go it's better early on. The "experts" tell all the non residents to hunt the third week or closer to the 15th or "peak rut".
But early on the big bulls haven't ran down to private. But the big one is it usually won't snow until the third week of Sept.

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[KineKilla]

Mid to late Sept. here in Utah normally. Were I going to base it solely off of your moon calendar, I'd do a 12-23rd sort of thing.

I have no facts to back it up but it seems like you get a bit more morning feeding and movement if it's extra dark at night. If it's a bright, full moon it seems like they feel safer and will spend night hours feeding and then be back in bed super early in the morning.

My $.02

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[Ucsdryder]

I don’t miss the days of figuring out which week to hunt. I hunt pretty much every weekend and turn them into 3-4 day weekends.

 

[Laramie]

For people that know their area well, early September can be a good hunt. For people traveling in that don't have years of experience, later in September is better, regardless of the moon phase. Vocal elk are much easier to locate, period. 10th of September on, bulls should be talking (at least in the dark).

 

[deerhunt1988]

After reading numerous forum threads and talking to folks who've actually been in the same part of WY i'm hunting this fall...I'm gonna go with with Sept. 7 - 19. Miss most of the Labor Day crowd, beat the deer gun hunters, miss the peak rut crowd.

 

[TX_Diver]

In reference to the post about snow... I hope there's no snow. I got into archery hunting after a November hunt in WY actually. Until I moved to Wisconsin those were the coldest temps I'd every seen. 3 weeks later I bought a bow and haven't looked back.

I'm thinking of 9/1 to 9/6 and then 9/19 to 9/26. The first week I'm thinking of taking the family and doing some exploring of the surrounding area as I'd like to consider living there Should be able to hunt a few days and also scout a bit. I'd like to return 9/12-19 but not sure I can swing just being back at work for 4 days.

If I strike out both trips then I'll probably return for a 4 day weekend in October with the rifle (hope it doesn't come to that though!).

Keep the suggestions coming. Interesting hearing people's thoughts on this one. Especially w/ the moon phases this year.

Cheers!

 

[justin84]

I'll be hunting a general area so I'll be there from 9/15 through the end of the month if possible/necessary. This will be my first elk hunt so I'll take every day I can get!

 

[kevine]

This will be the first year I hunt elk. I'm planning on coming out for a week for the late season, OTC rifle in November. I know, not the most ideal but my hunting partner has done it a few times and he's agreed to do the hunt with me. Plus, we'll both be finishing up deer season here in So Cal. (I know...eye roll...I deserve that!)

I've been reading the CO regs. Just wondering if anyone has experience with the OTC bull versus either sex tag. I'm wondering whether the tag for a bull elk is worth it during that late season since this will be a "fill the freezer with meat" trip. I'd obviously prefer a bull, but that's not the first priority. I'd prefer to have meat in the coolers after driving out there for a week. Thanks.

 

[wytx]

Keep in mind the 5th-7th is a holiday weekend. A lot of areas see extra recreation on top of hunters. Not a great few days to be hunting elk generally. In your shoes I would plan to hunt 3rd week of September. If unsuccessful, come back for rifle.

Laramie is right, lots of campers in the woods for Labor Day weekend, however we have hunted that weekend and most are just riding their atvs around the roads and quite frankly they did not disturb the elk hunting unless they stopped at creeks and bugled up into them.
Last couple of years the first week in Sept has had good results getting elk to respond, later in Sept they are educated and more wary but bugled more.
I would avoid opening day of rifle season.

 

[Hey_Bear]

with that moon phase calendar sept 12 to 26 for sure. 1st week of Sept is gonna be tough being a bright moon like that.