total silence

[twodot]

Strange year here on the river.
Been outside since daylite and have not heard one bugle.
There is a herd of one hundred plus to the south less than a mile. (could hear the cows talking last nite and evening plain as day)
There is a herd of around three hundred to the north on a pivot field within easy hearing. Not a peep.
Normally, by this date we can't sleep for all the bugling and roaring going on around the house.
Things that are different, water everywhere back in the hills, mosquitoes like no one has ever seen before, 87 degrees yesterday and only got down in the high 60's last nite.
I know it is early in the season, but in five seasons of being here I have never seen it so quiet..

 

[MNElkNut]

Wow, what a place to live! I can only imagine going to sleep listening to elk. I'm sure they will pick up the pace once it cools down a little. I guess I should thank you for sharing, but now I am gonna start daydreaming!

 

[Beartooth83]

twodot - are you talking breaks country or in the mountains?

Any word on elk talk in the belts?

 

[twodot]

breaks country, just south of the UL Bend.
Don't know about the belts but I will be going over to Russian Flats airstrip south of Sapphire Village in the next day or two for a load of poles. I will give a drive by report on the Little Belts then.

 

[Rat Fink]

Big Belts has been dead quiet too. Really weird. Still seeing bulls in bachelor herds.

 

[Horn Seeker]

From what Ive heard, things were going ape from opener on through about the 10th... then as the big high pressure system rolled in to stay, things have quieted significantly... My hunt over the weekend was really quiet. Some bugles, but NOTHING fired up at all.

 

[track1]

I was in the breaks (700) from the 12th until yesterday. Some bugling. Got into a few bulls. When I got up yesterday am and it was 61 degrees at 5am and highs in the 80 or more for the next few days I came home early. There is no way I could get a bull out of the area I was finding elk without losing a bunch of meat to spoilage.

Definitely tons of Mosquitos. Anyone planning on going should buy a mosquito head net and a thermaCell.

 

[Schaaf]

I was in the breaks (700) from the 12th until yesterday. Some bugling. Got into a few bulls. When I got up yesterday am and it was 61 degrees at 5am and highs in the 80 or more for the next few days I came home early. There is no way I could get a bull out of the area I was finding elk without losing a bunch of meat to spoilage.

Definitely tons of Mosquitos. Anyone planning on going should buy a mosquito head net and a thermaCell.

I have never seen Mosquitos that bad in the breaks. When I would stop to look through the spotter they drove me absolutely crazy. From how many times I watched the deer and elk shake their heads I think they had gone crazy too haha

 

[The Hedgehog]

I noticed the mosquitos over there opening weekend. Sounds like a recipe for another good dose of EHD.

 

[mtmiller]

West Nile

 

[Bulldog0156]

It's the damn mosquitos.

 

[wapiti11]

Yes, strange fall for elk talk for sure. The bugs are real bad. Had a horse fly bite me on top of my right hand. Came home early and was in Billings Clinic this morning as my hand looked like a marshmallow. Hope to be shooting the bow by this weekend. Watch out for those dam horse flies....

 

[track1]

Bulls won't bugle cuz every time they do 30 Mosquitos fly down their throat

 

[Wapitifever]

Going ape shit in SW

 

[ERMINE]

I haven't seen any mosquitos. Must be an inside joke. This should be the peak this week.

 

[ID_deerslayer]

Any word on elk talk in the belts?

No talk in the belts yet... I have been in there a few times with no responses or even cows talking. Hopefully this weekend everything kicks into gear for the elk to start responding.

 

[twodot]

Friday's report,
I am right at 1/2 a mile from about 120 elk right now. Have been awake and listening since 5 o'clock.
Not one peep have I heard.
The wife, did say that she heard a couple of bugles in the middle of the night.

 

[chuckyd313]

I was in the pines last weekend here in Az and dint hear anything either but the days have been overly hot. Two weeks prior my buddy heard a few right by camp.

 

[Beartooth83]

Well I hope they get over their stage fright, because starting tomorrow, it's showtime for 8 days. Thanks for the reports guys, I'll give one as well when I get back.

 

[teamhoyt]

I haven't seen any mosquitos. Must be an inside joke. This should be the peak this week.

Its no joke they are ridiculous in the breaks. hopefully this weekend I don't choke when its time for the shot!