Bugle Report

[shannerdrake]

Just got back from South Central Colorado. I was from there from Friday night the 11th and Friday morning the 18th and heard one bugle about an hour after sunset. I was able to call in an kill a nice 6x6 satellite bull, but he never made a sound. I've heard more bugles in October and November hunts than I did last week during a rut hunt.

 

[hank4elk]

NM is going good. Still few before daybreak,not so much @ night.
3 bulls going off around me this morn ,2 on my place. Stopped bugling later during shooting light.
Lil Jack got to 60yrds from him and cows said time to go....he had passed on a closer cow for the nice oddball racked bull. It is a nice big bull too.
All smiles as he walked up to my place with dad............tomorrow he said.
Full write up to come.

 

[AceJiggy19]

Heading to the Gila (16-A) in a few weeks. Reports of no calls has me somewhat excited, that they may be more talkative when I'm down there.

 

[Magnum Sherpa]

Hunted SW Montana from Saturday to Wednesday. Heard bugles the last 2 evenings in the same drainage just before dark. Also heard probably 40 bugles from other hunters.

 

[hank4elk]

Quiet here again for last 2 days & nights.

Lil Jack & his brother came out morning & evenings. Nada. But they were all smiles even without an elk here. It was his 14th B-day yesterday too
He thanked me for the opportunity.

 

[Labman]

MT 700...5 days hunting.
Multiple herds (10+) of 3-10+ cows with no bull attached to them. Occasional small herd of 2-6 cows with a dink raghorn running the show. A few bulls rolling solo or with a buddy. One bull out of over 100 elk on public land that would surpass the 300” mark and qualify as fully mature. A few squeals at night and early morning. Some of the nicest country on earth but the quality of bulls was beyond disappointing.

 

[CTELK83]

Just got back from Eastern Idaho... Almost no bulls going on their own, saw 0 bulls with cows. Was able to get some responses. Called in 10 bulls under 100... Lot of pressure! And they seemed very cautious. 3 diff bulls "alarm barked" at us or whatever u want to call the "show me" call.

 

[Doublecluck]

Last 3 days have been super hot for my local spot in the 6000-7000 ft elevation. Called in 11 yesterday and 6 today. All small 5’s and 6’s. Later than normal. Probably heard 2000 bugles over the last three days. Non stop all day yesterday and today.

 

[MTelkHuntress]

SW Montana. They were going off a week ago but have seemed to slow down. I've yet to see one mature bull. This weekend I saw a small 5x5 that had 25 cows with him. I've never seen so many archery hunters in my life and I'm sure the constant pressure isnt helping.

 

[skyfire]

My son and I spent 3 nights in SW NM this past weekend scouting for his upcoming youth hunt. Had an couple bulls near camp bugling all night long the first 2 nights. They'd start well past dark, get really fired up talking to anyone who'd listen, and continue until about 5:30 AM. Completely silent during daylight. Couldn't get eyes on an elk, but they're there, somewhere, maybe.

 

[Doublecluck]

This guy has been stalking me the last couple days, getting tired of his crap. He @#)(# blocked me on a big bull yesterday, let him pass and he went down wind and barked when the big 330 was 200 out on a string..5700 ft SW mt 11:34 today 9-28-20

 

[Nidart]

Scouting in eastern Idaho this last weekend and didn't hear much

 

[kwyeewyk]

Hunted 4 days in western Wyoming, talked to a local who'd been hunting most the season, said he hadn't heard a bugle in the day time yet, all at night. Also said they're spread out further than normal and more hunters than he's seen since he's hunted there. Spent one day there, 3 days in another spot, no elk bugles the whole time, a couple poor human bugles. Only actually saw 1 group of hunters in the field though.

 

[MTLabrador]

Rutting like crazy in Wyoming. I watched this bull for half an hour.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Rutting like crazy in Wyoming. I watched this bull for half an hour.
View attachment 155921

Nice, guess I should have went hunting with you! Does that area get much pressure? That was what the local I spoke with thought they had shut up in the day from all the hunting pressure, doing their thing at night.

 

[MTLabrador]

Nice, guess I should have went hunting with you! Does that area get much pressure? That was what the local I spoke with thought they had shut up in the day from all the hunting pressure, doing their thing at night.

It’s a limited entry unit so I couldn’t hunt him, but there’s a decent amount of pressure. I’ve seen plenty of rut activity in general areas lately too.

 

[kwyeewyk]

It’s a limited entry unit so I couldn’t hunt him, but there’s a decent amount of pressure. I’ve seen plenty of rut activity in general areas lately too.

I'd say they were rutting pretty good where I was too, most of the cows gathered up, other than those scattered by the opening weekend in the early rifle area, just not much talking in the day, hiding in the thick timber. The timing really doesn't change much year to year so I'm sure it's mostly all about being in the right spot at the right time.

 

[Gila]

I was hoping that the cold front that moved through Sunday evening would excite the bulls and it did. They were bugling in the area I was in until I left at about 9.30am. I couldn't see them and I was not going to chase them. I ended up in an area about 8 miles from the first where the bulls started up bugling around 6:30pm. I left about 7:00pm. I did get a good look at one of the satellite bulls. He was a good 300 but had the left sword broken....still looking.

A side note: Guys, please shut the gates behind you. I know some of you will close the gates when you come out of the fenced areas but that doesn't work out so well. If the offenders would understand what cattle do our public hunting areas, they would take the time to close the gates behind them.