Rain & The Bugle... Does it slow down??

[nobull]

Howdy All,
I've always had this question in respects to herd or bull activity during rainy weather. I hunt the west side of Washington State and it seems as if the bugling slows down when it's raining. I'm not sure if this is do to the fact our hearing is limited and or we're not spending as much time in the field as we normally would during dry weather, but our experience has been that is slows down. I've heard from other folks who feel the same way but I wasn't sure if this holds true to all areas around the country or if it's just Western WA, or if we just can't hear the elk during the rain event, or if we just don't hunt aggressive enough as we would if it wasn't raining.

Your input is much appreciated. This topic has always made me wonder what it's like elsewhere during a rain event while elk are rutting.

Thanks,
Nobull

[Swede]

I think your observation about Washington Rosies holds true universally. I see the same thing on the east side of Oregon.

[WA Backcountry]

Nobull,
I have experienced the same issue. I would be curious to see what Elknut says to do in these situations. I only get to spend 7-10 days hunting the early season in western Washington, second week of September, and I dread the thought of rain. The bugle seems to shut down and it is a pain to dry out my clothes in my tent. I have to admit, I tend to hunt less aggressive also when it rains.

WA Backcountry

[WA Backcountry]

Swede,
Do you think it is a Roosevelt trait or are you saying the Rocky Mt. Elk do the same thing on the east side of OR?

[Swede]

When I have been calling and hunting in the rain on the east side it is harder to get a response. I don't care for tree stand hunting too much in the rain, so I go more to spot and stalk. The big benefit of the rain is it allows you to slip in closer without being heard. That is about the only benefit that comes to mind.

[WapitiTalk1]

In my experience, the rain has minimal bearing on the vocalization of elk when it rains (which, incidentally it does a more than quite a bit WA... LOL). Sure, it makes it a bit harder to hear them from any distance but the bigger problem is that WA has cut the season so short, and, ends it before the rut really gets rocking. When WA had it's season during the rut, I had no problem at all getting wapiti to talk to me, rain or not. Now that the season ends (as I mentioned) well before the peak of the rut, one must either throw the early season out the window and just hunt the late season and pick a good GMU which holds a good population to fill your freezer or just accept the fact that the early season in WA is not the way to go. Starting two years ago, I realized that if I wanted to truly enjoy the few weeks I had each year to hunt elk with archery gear, I must go to another state to enjoy any semblance of bugling bull activity. Sad, but true.

[Da White Shoe]

It's usually so hot in bow season, anything to cool the days down is a good thing.
When it rains where I've hunted in Wyoming or Colorado... you get out there fast and hunt.
We've killed a couple really nice 6x6 bulls that were bugling in a pretty good rain storm.

[elkmtngear]

I love to hunt the front and back edges of storms if it means a temp drop. If the temps drop into the 30s or lower in the morning, like after a storm breaks, the bulls seem to get very vocal.

That being said, I have hunted a lot of silent days in a light drizzle. We have watched elk simply ignore our calls in a light rain. It's weird.

Best of Luck,
Jeff

[Swede]

Jeff, I think you are right that it is the continous rain that quiets things down. I see elk move before and early during storms, then right after the storm too. In fact I would often see deer and elk on the move, while driving around in the forest when I was at work. It is during a multiday storm that you observe that the elk go quiet.

[elkmtngear]

Swede,

I have to agree with your observations, makes sense according to what I have seen over the years.

I have observed elk feeding in open areas in light rain situations though, so even though they may be silent, they can still be hunted. And, of course, I always have an umbrella with me

[nobull]

All of what you guy's are stating is about par for what I've experienced as well. Nothing like hunting elk after a good rain/ snow storm in the early season to kick them in the rut. Some of our best days in the field have been after a storm, the temps are cool, skies clear, and the elk sound off like crazy. Thanks for your input.

Btw, the umbrella is cracking me up, you actually carry that thing whie hunting? Makes sense to be for rain shelter and for decoy use, just never seen that approach... Nice work...

[easeup]

rain?

you saw it when?

[Harmy]

During my hunt last year it rained the day before and on opening day (Last week of Sept). The elk were sounding off like crazy. I had never before heard that much activity. Now, I am totally full of crap as this was the first time I had ever been out during the rut (sample size of one teaches me nothing except, wow!). A few years back during the second week of Oct it rained hard for 5 days straight. Not a sound was heard except the squish in my boots. But then, I have never heard them make much of any sound in October. I guess that must be why everyone here can't wait for September... Used to be I was waiting for October. For me, I prefer hunting in the rain. It makes me quiet. But it does make things miserable.

[JohnFitzgerald]

Swede and elkmtngear are spot on with their comments.
My 2 cents

[Buglemaster]

I also agree with Swede & Jeff & John. It's not the end of the world & does make for quiet still hunting, but it is also kinda like us taking a cold shower on the honeymoon....I do get really worked up when the sun finally peeks thru & so do the elk.

[elkmtngear]

Btw, the umbrella is cracking me up, you actually carry that thing whie hunting? Makes sense to be for rain shelter and for decoy use, just never seen that approach... Nice work...

nobull, I don't really carry it....I walk with it. It folds down into an adjustable carbon fiber trekking pole. If I need a decoy I can have it deployed in half a second.

Anybody expecting rain this season should check out the product video at about the 2 minute mark

[>>>---WW---->]

Gee! Am I the only one that has done good hunting in the rain? I remember one hunt in particular. It was just another late September cloudy morning when when I left home. The temperature was in the mid to upper thirtys. But by the time I had driven up the mountain, there was a driving down rain. There were several roadside camps in the area and as I drove past them there was smoke coming out of the stack on every one of them. I suppose they were all sitting around, playing cards, and waiting for the weather to clear up.

My thoughts were, I had driven up there to hunt so I might as well get with the program! So, I put on full rain gear including gaiters, grabbed my bow and headed off for the hunt. I swear, I had enough waterproof stuff on that I could have gone scuba diving.

I hadn't gone 1/4 mile when I heard the first bugle. So I hurried on up the hill in that direction. By the time I reached the top of the rise, it sounded like every elk in the country was just below me. The herd bull was going nuts. He had bugled so much that he was loosing his voice. And I have no idea just how many satalites were ragging the herd, but there was a bunch of them and they were all sounding off. The cows were all mewing and chirping as well.

To make a long story short and save you all from the agony of my two finger search and destroy typeing, I ended up taking cow out of the feasco that was taking place. Unfortunatly, the herd had crossed over into private land by the time I got within range so I decided that the first one that got close enough to me on public land was going to get it.

This was one of the most miserable weather hunts I have ever been on. But the elk sure didn't seem to mind. They were all talking up a storm within a storm.

The only explanation I can come up with is there must have been several hot cows in the bunch to cause that much camotion. So to answer you question, "Rain & The Bugle...Does It Slow Down"??, my answer would have to be, " Throw a hot cow in the bunch and they'll bugle in a tornado"!