What to excpect first week of Sept?

[Broken arrow]

This will be my first time elk hunting have plans to leave the 1st be home on the 9th what can I plan on action wise?
Will it still be pretty quite?
Bulls still in groups?
Bulls beginning to collect cows?
Plan for mostly spot n stalk or blind calling?
Will elk be where I found them in late May pressure pending of course? (8500 to 10000k)
I'll be in Colorado wilderness area mainly aspen with some dark timber and little parks as well as a couple big parks several nice streams that I'd believe would be running all year long.
Thanks

[Goneelkn]

This will be my first time elk hunting have plans to leave the 1st be home on the 9th what can I plan on action wise?
Will it still be pretty quite? probably
Bulls still in groups? maybe some
Bulls beginning to collect cows? little ones
Plan for mostly spot n stalk or blind calling?yep
Will elk be where I found them in late May pressure pending of course? (8500 to 10000k)maybe
I'll be in Colorado wilderness area mainly aspen with some dark timber and little parks as well as a couple big parks several nice streams that I'd believe would be running all year long.
Thanks

You never know from year to year. A couple years ago, full moon, bulls were screaming first week. That's part of the fun!

[elkohalic]

Will it still be pretty quite?-----------------quiet in the daytime and talking at night, also depends on hunting pressure
Bulls still in groups?-------------------------I see a lot of smaller bulls grouped up at this time
Bulls beginning to collect cows?-----------yup I have seen that to in the first of Sept
Plan for mostly spot n stalk or blind calling? ---find a good water hole, Dad lives in southwest Colo. and he said It's drier he has seen in a long time.
Will elk be where I found them in late May pressure pending of course? (8500 to 10000k)----------North facing slopes where it's coolest during the day, It will be bright at night with the full moon just ending, so I would look for them to feed all night in the open and move into the dark timber right at first light.
Good luck

[mattstanton]

The first week can be a great time to kill bulls. They are generally more quiet but I have had bulls bugle on the way in on opening day. This is a great time to call in bulls that are starting to look for cows. They generally come in quiet but fast and often one bull racing another bull he is traveling with to get there first. Big bulls are more common at this time because they are not cow'd up yet but are looking for herds to call their own and will come to your calls to start his harem.

I can post up my calling routine that I have used successfully over the past few years to get bulls within bow range in the early season if anyone is interested.

[elkohalic]

The first week can be a great time to kill bulls. They are generally more quiet but I have had bulls bugle on the way in on opening day. This is a great time to call in bulls that are starting to look for cows. They generally come in quiet but fast and often one bull racing another bull he is traveling with to get there first. Big bulls are more common at this time because they are not cow'd up yet but are looking for herds to call their own and will come to your calls to start his harem.

I can post up my calling routine that I have used successfully over the past few years to get bulls within bow range in the early season if anyone is interested.

I would love to hear it Thanks

[Swede]

Early season is more quiet, but it can be productive too. The key is patience. There are several things I like to try. One is the whiney bull routine. Sit and call like a whiney little bull that has been told to go to his room and not come out until he is ready to apologize to his sister. He knows his sister started the scuffle. Talk to yourself like a whiney bull for about 5 minutes and wait anothr 15. Go through that routine every 20 minutes for an hour. Another idea is to call like an excited cow. Give long cow 1-2 second cow calls for a couple minutes then set up nearby and wait. Throw in a calf call if you like. Do that routine every 10-15 minutes for an hour then move to a new area. Remember be patient and vigilant.

[easeup]

sweat!

It wil be warm in the afternoons.

[WapitiTalk1]

This will be my first time elk hunting have plans to leave the 1st be home on the 9th what can I plan on action wise?
Will it still be pretty quite?
Bulls still in groups?
Bulls beginning to collect cows?
Plan for mostly spot n stalk or blind calling?
Will elk be where I found them in late May pressure pending of course? (8500 to 10000k)
I'll be in Colorado wilderness area mainly aspen with some dark timber and little parks as well as a couple big parks several nice streams that I'd believe would be running all year long.
Thanks

Just curious. Why have you chosen the first week in SEPT for your elk hunt brokenarrow? Is this the only time you can swing with your job, schedule, other huninting commitments, etc.? The first week can be good.. I've killed a few elk at this time but later in SEPT is better IMO... RJ

[CrazyElkHunter]

I am very fortunate to be retired and have the entire archery season to hunt elk. The area I hunt has a lot of pressure, and the elk react to that. This will be my 9th year of hunting the entire season. Each week is totally different, and the dates you are going will be the 2nd week of the archery season. You will also have a bright moon most of that week which meens the elk will be feeding more at night and bedding early. Good time to sit on a water source during mid day when they need a drink or a mud bath.. From the experience in my area, the elk are more plentiful the 1st 4 or 5 days because they are still in there summer routine and not traveling long distances. On occation, small bulls still in batchler groups and weather can be warm. I either spot and stock or I sit on wallows and water sources. .As pressure picks up the elk tend to stay in dark timber more or move into the thick oak covered canyons. 2nd week I see less elk and with sighns of the pre rut , I change my hunting routine. Bulls and cows start responding to cow and calf calling more. Around the 9th, when you are leaving, will be the start of the the 3rd week and the opening of muzzle loading season. Bulls start reacting to more calling and start to get more vocal. I have taken most of my elk during the 3rd week even though I am bowhunting and muzzleloaders are also hunting. Biggest problem is when you get a bull into a screaming match, the next thing you know you have 15 hunters in your lap. The last week is a blast. By Wed. things have settled down from the muzzy season ending and the elk seem to come out of the nowhere and bulls getting more agressive. Wish the archery season sarted in Sept instead of Aug. Now this is the usual in the area I hunt, and it can be different in other units. I've had friends hunting at the same time in another unit and had bulls screaming the 1st week, and we had never heard a peep. I usually get to elk camp 3 or 4 days befor the opener, and sometimes have had bulls bugling up til Fri and on the opener go completely silent. Modern day elk have learned to keep quiet when they start smelling campfires and hearing ATV's. Blind calling has become more popular and bulls can slip in and check you out and leave without you even knowing it.

[CrazyElkHunter]

This picture, I was sitting in the tree stand and there were 9 elk. You can see a few of them in the back ground. It was the middle of the afternoon on the 30th of Aug. 7 were cows and calves and 2 small bulls. (1 spike and a raghorn 4x4.)

[Broken arrow]

Phantom my reasoning is that I have the extra day for labor day and also trying to avoid some of the hunting pressure. I am not picky cow or bull will do fine

[mattstanton]

here is that routine boys. I got this from a calling cd by jim horn. Let me explain the sequence. You start by sounding off with general herd talk. This is letting any bull in the area know that there is a herd in the area. Then you let out some excited cow sounds. This lets that bull know that within this little herd, there is a cow that wants some more attention. Maybe even use a pre-estrus call. This gets the bull more interested. Then I do an immature bugle, no grunts, no growls, no chuckles. It is natural that a herd of cows will have an immature bull with them all year sometimes and this lets this other bull know that another young bull is already there so he needs to get there now to swoop up this possibly hot cow. This sequence is a progression that increases the bulls interest and intensity. Pause for 5-10 minutes and repeat for 45 minutes to an hour. This part is crucial as this bull may be across the draw and it may take him some time to get to you. Works like a charm for the first week of season.

http://soundcloud.com/mattstanton-1/ear ... ng-routine

[eltaco]

here is that routine boys. I got this from a calling cd by jim horn. Let me explain the sequence. You start by sounding off with general herd talk. This is letting any bull in the area know that there is a herd in the area. Then you let out some excited cow sounds. This lets that bull know that within this little herd, there is a cow that wants some more attention. Maybe even use a pre-estrus call. This gets the bull more interested. Then I do an immature bugle, no grunts, no growls, no chuckles. It is natural that a herd of cows will have an immature bull with them all year sometimes and this lets this other bull know that another young bull is already there so he needs to get there now to swoop up this possibly hot cow. This sequence is a progression that increases the bulls interest and intensity. Pause for 5-10 minutes and repeat for 45 minutes to an hour. This part is crucial as this bull may be across the draw and it may take him some time to get to you. Works like a charm for the first week of season.

http://soundcloud.com/mattstanton-1/ear ... ng-routine

This is PRECISELY the calling sequence we use opening week and it produces a lot of encounters if there are bulls in the area. Opening week is my absolute favorite, and this calling sequence and its effectiveness is the primary reason I love it so much.

If you choose to use thus calling sequence, stay the course! A bull could show up or respond within 2 minutes or 45 minutes. Maintain your setup and focus and I promise if elk are in the area this will yield results!

For the record, I shot 3 bulls 3 years in a row on opening week, all using this sequence. Last year I called for my dad and uncle for opening week and my dad had a couple great opportunities on bulls with the same tactic.

Man, opening week simply can not get here fast enough!!!!

[ElkNut1]

Will it still be pretty quite? >>>>>>>>> Yes, until around 7th-8th things can start to pick up! Night bugling is always an option! Covering 20-30 miles at night or 2 hours before daylight can be golden for locating! You must look area over in daylight times to pick out best night calling spots!

Bulls still in groups? >>>>>>>>> Yes, bachelor groups of bulls can be found together throughout all of Sept, herd quality bulls will be the ones chosen by the cows to be & stay with!

Bulls beginning to collect cows? >>>>>>>>>> Bulls will start to collect cows as early as late Aug, they do not have calendars so they go by their urges which is dictated by hormone change, this can affect different bulls at different times!

Plan for mostly spot n stalk or blind calling? >>>>>>>>>>> If possible early in your hunt, consider going high & glass, glass, glass, find the bull groups, pattern them, ambush! There's always water & wallows in those areas, they are "destination spots" -- More on blind/cold calling at the end!

Will elk be where I found them in late May pressure pending of course? (8500 to 10000k) >>>>>>>>>>>>> In most cases no. Elk are now in their Summer range, bulls are generally higher than the cows! Bulls will start making their way to the cows late Aug early Sept, they can hold in transition areas a few hundred away or further until cows start showing signs of estrus! Once they do elk will move to their "Breeding Areas"


More on Blind Cold calling setups that was written 12 years ago & I added too a few years back, incidentally, this info is good through all Sept & Oct.!

Excited Herd Talk--This is the most commonly used Elk Calling sequence known to many hunters! It's popular because it works! The hunter or hunters are merely representing a small band of cows/calf with such calling, the sounds will vary in tone & length of mews, chirps & whines along with foot stomping & rustling the brush & like foliage imitating elk movement & browsing around of multiple elk! You will normally exhibit these sounds for 5-7 minutes, wind it up & wind it down, wait 5- 10 minutes & repeat 3 or so times. After the last sequence wait 30 - 45 minutes before moving on! Bull sounds are optional here but not needed to be effective, if you decide to inject one make it an immature bull in more of a whining bugle than a majestic one, one or two is plenty in the course of this setup! If more than one hunter get 30yds or so apart from one another to promote realism to the calling. If 3 hunters get in a triangle 40yds apart or so in semi thick country but up to 60yds or so in more open terrain, all 3 will use cow sounds mixing up a good range of herd talk varying pitch, tone & volume. When an elk approaches one of you then that guy stops all calling while the other two keep it up in a natural sequence, the other two will realize there's only two of you calling so odds are elk are approaching the non-caller. It just takes a bit of creativity guys to fit in & work as a team!

Here's a couple bulls with this Cold/Blind Calling!

ElkNut1

[Broken arrow]

So all the responses bring up the question, for a rookie would it be better to go 3rd or 4th week to increase his odds of success?

I should add its a backpack hunt in a wilderness area and is largely aspen with some dark timber a couple of big parks and several small ones with several streams

[elkohalic]

So all the responses bring up the question, for a rookie would it be better to go 3rd or 4th week to increase his odds of success?

I should add its a backpack hunt in a wilderness area and is largely aspen with some dark timber a couple of big parks and several small ones with several streams

I have had the best luck on Sept 19th calling in elk. Don't know why, but that seems to be my day. Maybe I just hunt smarter that day!!! LOL