ID: Any Signs if the Rut Starting?

[LandDiver]

Anybody have any luck so far with a harvest in Idaho yet? Bulls rutting where your at? Been out 6 full days so far. We've had some close encounters but nothing tip bring home yet. Hoping the rest of you have a great archery season!

 

[elker]

Was in the Lolo area last week. Heard only one bugle in 5 days. The cooler weather should get them going.

 

[choc dogs]

It's cooling down. It's almost time.

 

[tjones]

While weather may make bulls more active in the day, cows come into heat the same time every year regardless of weather. The rut will happen with or without cool weather. Sure makes it more enjoyable to chase them without sweating. I have seen some video from the Bitterroot some hunters have of herd bulls with cows and lots of bugling.

 

[brymoore]

Bulls moved into the cow herds around my house this week.

 

[ida homer]

While weather may make bulls more active in the day, cows come into heat the same time every year regardless of weather. The rut will happen with or without cool weather. Sure makes it more enjoyable to chase them without sweating. I have seen some video from the Bitterroot some hunters have of herd bulls with cows and lots of bugling.

+1

Light to dark ratio. No leaking cows = no bugling bulls. No bugles for me the 7th - 10th, despite getting into a lot of elk.

 

[ardrhi]

Looks like the weather and moon phase just kicked them into it. I was headed through elk country at 4:30pm yesterday. General archery unit, but just 10 miles out of the zone I bought and I come across the scene that you never see when you're hunting. Big bull chasing a probable shooter 6x6 away from 30 cows. Both bulls were bugling despite being in sight of my truck at that time of day.
I turned to my boss (enjoying the scene with me) and officially scheduled the rest of the week off. ...waiting for the last of my laundry to dry because I didn't think I would be going until the weekend.

 

[Elkhunter24]

Looks like the weather and moon phase just kicked them into it. I was headed through elk country at 4:30pm yesterday. General archery unit, but just 10 miles out of the zone I bought and I come across the scene that you never see when you're hunting. Big bull chasing a probable shooter 6x6 away from 30 cows. Both bulls were bugling despite being in sight of my truck at that time of day.
I turned to my boss (enjoying the scene with me) and officially scheduled the rest of the week off. ...waiting for the last of my laundry to dry because I didn't think I would be going until the weekend.

Good luck!

 

[Elkmagnet]

We saw 26 branch antler bulls last weekend. Most raghorns were in bachler groups or with the cows and the average 6pts were running with the cows and acting full rut the only big bull we saw was alone feeding as if it were November, go figure.

 

[CTELK83]

Heading to Idaho next week. Noticed it will be a new moon phase. Also saw weather went from high of 80 to low of 50 to high of 60 low of 30 along with snow prediction and winter advisory this weekend. Am I right to assume this combo should her them going??

 

[Idhikker]

I'm worried the rain and snow will shut them up for a day or two. The cooler weather is definitely good though.

 

[CTELK83]

Well I won't be in the woods until next Friday. Hoping when the weather breaks they come to life big time

 

[Josh Kuntz]

I've put in about 10-12 days so far this year and been into elk most every day. I would say 80% of the bulls were not rutting very hard yet and many were still in bachelor groups. I only had 2 times that bulls came in hot to my calling/raking (that said, I am a mediocre caller).

As others have said, it is all about hot cows and not the weather. Sexual excitement/frustration are much stronger influences than cold, rain or snow.

To me, the hardest decision this time of year is whether to leave elk if they are not "hot" to go searching for others that are fully wound up. Because I tend to not rely heavily on calling and I am not picky about shooting big bulls, I tend to stick around elk once I find them and just be real sneaky.

Final thoughts. Our group went 3 for 3 on OTC public lands tags last week (cows/spikes). Those were the last 3 elk in Idaho, spread the word.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Highground]

Heres some motivation for you guys! This guy was rutting hard had about 20 cows with him. One rag but he wasnt into it really. Anyone wanna throw out a guess on this guy? 8×8 pretty clean.

 

[CTELK83]

That's a giant!

 

[jeremy.b]

I was out yesterday and had a bull half-hearted bugling the night before. Got on him in the morning he had 1 cow and 1 other elk (looked like a rag horn) with him. Did not hear any bugling in the area otherwise, but its pretty pressured right now, so no surprise there. Hit some harder to get to areas as well and didn't hear anything either there.

The bull we saw was a nice 6x6 (320+) and for the area, that's huge, so its surprising that he wasn't cowed up. So either the pressure is keeping the herds broken up, or they just are not coming in to heat yet.

 

[Highground]

The cows have this guy tuckered out. He would need to make a small journey before I could hunt him...but he is a stud!

 

[Highground]

This guy was bugling like crazy and wallowing bit didnt have a single cow. The big 8x8 had all the cows the next drainage over.

 

[Highground]

This bull didnt make a spund nor move for the entire hour I watched him. Sat there and watched and listened to all the bugling/comotion. Never made a peep. The rut seems to be on, but its slow going.

 

[bigharge]

You guys are killing me, I'm trying to work here.......

Wont be in Idaho until rifle season this year, hoping there are still a few raghorns left for us