is the elk rut over???

[monsterxlr8]

I am new to Elk hunting, and hunting in general. I have only got three seasons under my belt. In the past three seasons I have managed to hang my tags on some nice whitetails.... but this year I am trying my hand at the elusive elk. I have been spending my time out west of rimbey. seeing lots of dropings and tracks, but not much in the way of scrapes or rubbed trees. In the last two weeks I have spent 10 evenings out looking and listening, with no results. so i was woundering if some how I have managed to miss the rut this year, or is it going to start up here right away?:sign0176: Getting a little frusterating but as they say if it was easy everyone would do it!!!

[hunter tyson]

thats a question i wish i could answer too, however last week i did get a bull to come to the call, unfortunatly hes somewhwere with a hole in him and not in the freezer

[crashtested]

i bugled in a nice 6 point yesterday but already had one in the freezer

[Scotty P.]

I've been told that the rut happens around the first week of September but just this past Saturday we were out looking for Whitetails just as we started in, we could hear 3 bulls calling back and forth. My buddies father managed to get between 2 of the bulls (only 1 that was legal) but it was really thick bush. I was about 30 yards behind him just waiting for a shot to ring out but he never did get a clean shot. Definately disapointing but never the less a great hunt and rush!

[Grizzly Adams]

I've called bulls as late as Thanksgiving, but I think it's more out of curiosity, than mating desire.
Grizz

[sheephunter]

They were still going hard in Banff yesterday. Likely most of the cows have breed by now so the competition really heats among the bulls. Best time tro bugle from now until early October IMHO.

[pottymouth]

They were still going hard in Banff yesterday. Likely most of the cows have breed by now so the competition really heats among the bulls. Best time tro bugle from now until early October IMHO.

Yup, good call on that one!

[S.C.W.]

Just keep at it and it will happen.

I had two bulls going west of rimbey Sat. Morning. Until the wind shifted from my face to the back of my neck!!! Then game over I lost. Until next weekend perhaps.

Good Luck!!

[monsterxlr8]

well I will keep at it. Are elk very talkative during the day? probably pretty hard to coax them out of their beding area.... so best time is first and last light? just trying to put together a game plan to make the most out of the time I have left.

[S.C.W.]

The best action is morning and evening. Once the heat of the day is on they are less likely to be talkative. I generally get in in the dark, hunt for a while and take the mid day off, then back in for the evening. ( That is in the areas where access isn't a big deal, IE West of Rimbey )

[drthlwsk]

On saturday I was out scouting for a deer hunt when I happened upon a herd of 20 to 25 elk. The cows took off and got about 100 yards when the bull bugled them back. Then I saw the satellite bulls. He was very aware that they were there and his girls were not to get to far away from him.

[rmk800]

The bulls were still bugleing as of yesterday in wmu 358.

[sheepguide]

Watched a 5pt herding cows from a smaller bull and bugling last night. Going in there tonight and see if I can maybe get an arrow in the air.

SG

[TBark]

I'll be back up at Little Smokey tonight, and bugling tomorrow and Thurs.
Weather will be clear and calm over the next few days too.
I'll let you know if they are calling.

TBark

[albertadeer]

We had a very strange rut up north and south of GP. No real peak yet, but im sure the first rut is over, most of the cows have been bred and in a week or so the second rut will peak.

[monsterxlr8]

If there is a pack of wolves in the area will that shut them up? Found a couple of piles of scatt that looked to be full of elk fur. Last night I had a couple of cows sneak in for a peak but never ventured out into the clearing or closer than 80 yards. Seemed to be very cautiouse of the calling, I haven't seen any sign of any ohter hunters or heard any calling either. Very strange.

[Jrbiggamehunter]

I'm out by the block there is a 320 class bull standing off the block on the westside he has his head down stupid if I had a tag he was dead 20 yards off a lease road.

[hunter tyson]

oct 14, siting in the woods, elk buggling all around me, none would come to my calling, today, oct 16 called two bulls to my location,only 12 yards away, the wind was just perfect, one was a 2x2 and the other just had long spikes:( shortly after 2 cows with what i considered a very small calf, another half hour and i saw the rest of the heard walking in the woods near by, looking with the binos but could not confirm if there was another bull there with them, tried cow calling and got a few cherps back from cows but they all kept walking away untill out of sight

[gonefishin]

Was out on the 10th, and seen a big 6x6 with a harem. Out again on the
13th in the same area. Seen some of the cows through the trees from my groundblind (but couldn't see the 6x6, (heard bugling however, coming from the area that the cows were in). A smaller 5x5 and a spike came by my blind kind of on the "outskirts" of where the cows were, and the 5x5 was walking with a bad limp in his back end (assumed it was from a lost-fight).

[pickrel pat]

yes

[hunter tyson]

just back from the morning hike, got there late this morning and there was a truck parked where i walk from, guess il have to get there befor 6 am next time! decided to walk in where i have seen them bed down but nothing, no buggling or calling from any elk, and no gunshots heard from direction of where i figure they were, hope the big guy is still there and presents himself next time i get to hike in, not fussy about hiking in at 5am to wait for daylight but if thats what i got to do then so be it. hope its worth it in the end! :sHa_shakeshout:

[59whiskers]

Seen a 6x6 bull with 2 cow elk in 400 on Oct 15 in a real tough spot real high up. They do not bugle to much with all the hunting pressure in the easy spots where the quads go.