Calling during rifle season

[tmaggie50]

I've read a number of the posts on here and watched several of the videos provided by the forum for calling elk. I always get the sense that these are referring to bow season or at least not to rifle season.

During the rifle season, if the elk aren't bugling/talking anymore, does it help at all to still call or is that counterproductive? Any thoughts on the matter is appreciated.

[saddlesore]

Maybe not full blown 3 note bugles after the rut, but elk talk constantly. In Colorado, during the 1st rife season,it is common for elk to still be bugling as rut is winding down and there are still cows not bred.
I have heard elk do a two note bugle or even a squeal in the 3rd and 4th season. Of course a lost cow or calf call works about any time.

[tmaggie50]

Maybe not full blown 3 note bugles after the rut, but elk talk constantly. In Colorado, during the 1st rife season,it is common for elk to still be bugling as rut is winding down and there are still cows not bred.
I have heard elk do a two note bugle or even a squeal in the 3rd and 4th season. Of course a lost cow or calf call works about any time.

Once it gets to be rifle season, are elk still in herds or have the majority been broken up by then? Would you assume the cow/calf calling would attract stray bulls, or would you more expect a herd bull trying to add to its group and telling you to come there? I know every scenario can be different, just looking for some common elk actions during the different times of the year.

[saddlesore]

In my experience, you won't see the big herds but more than likely, 3-7's with maybe smaller bulls trailing along. (I'm not talking migration here) I doubt if herd bulls would be trying to increase his harem, but he might be looking for those cows that came into heat the 2nd time around that did not get bred the first time.
Cow calls can be effective with bulls to calm them down if maybe they get busted by a hunter.Not saying that once they see or smell one,they don't leave the country, but moving thru timber,you can give the effects of a lost cow or such .

One thing is for sure,you can't put hard and fast rules to elk hunting. If you say bulls don't bugle in rifle season,you will at times hear one.Then if you say they bugle, the woods will be quiet.

It' s like guy on another well forum that professes to be an elk hunting expert, saying bulls never bugle back over their shoulder. After several guys posted photos of bulls doing exactly that, he shut up,but never admitted he was wrong.

[tmaggie50]

Is it at all counter effective to start making cow calls if you havent been seeing/hearing anything? Is a locator call what you would go with typically if you've not been seeing elk movement?

[saddlesore]

You can never tell what is over the next little knoll.I don't do a lot of it,but if I happen to make some noise that I didn't intend to,I might give a chirp, but I don't go hiking thru the woods calling. As Paul advises, get up and call at 3-4 O'clock in the morning with that locator call. A lot of times they will answer that,and be quiet all day long, but it has to be the right time of the year for that tn work . Generally if the elk are quiet, so am I.

A person can hunt an area 5 days in a row and not see an elk,then see 50 of them the next day. You should be able to tell if the area holds elk,well before you start calling. Trails, droppings,evidence of feeding, rubs, wallows. They might not be there right then,but unless they have been spooked badly, they are not far. But not far,might be in the next drainage.

I hunt one area where it seems a herd of 80 or so make a big circle, passing thru maybe once a week where I am hunting. A person has to think in terms of square miles, not acres, when hunting elk.

[2MANY]

The elk change drainage's often if you are in wolf country.

[Indian Summer]

In my experience it can vary from one area to another. In Montana the season opens around October 25th. Usually there are a few bugles to be heard during the first few days but then it shuts down. I would look at calling as a means of locating.... not expecting to call bulls to me. Like Saddlesore said... no full blown bugles though.

In Wyoming the season in one unit I hunt opens around September 26th so the elk are still going good and you can call them in. Another unit opens October 15th and again... the bulls are still bugling pretty good. But they are very herded up and reluctant to leave their herds at that time of year. I will call to locate and then I make my move instead of waiting for one to come my way.