Early Season Luck

[MTLongdraw]

With the season just a few weeks away how many of you have had luck in the first week or so? What tactics did you use? Am I wrong to think they won't be very vocal until about the 10th of September?

[CrazyElkHunter]

I took last years bull from a tree stand over my favorite wallow on the 30th of August. Out of the 25 elk I have taken, 4 have been in the month of Aug. Then I spend the rest of the season calling for my buddy's. I had 3 different bulls talking on the Fri before the opener, but they got quiet from all the hunters on Sat.

[mongopino915]

Early season or opening week is great if you know the area well and know that the resident elk are there. Don't really expect to engage in a bugle fest but should not be surprised to hear some soft bugles early in the morning. Look and find fresh elk signs and you basically have elk within hearing range. Blind cold calling in the right location with lots of patient has yet to not bring elk in silently. Be realistic in your presentation and ready at all time as you never know when the elk will show. We typically set one shooter down wind from the caller(s) as the elk do prefer to come in with the wind in there nose.

This is also a great time to hunt areas that are readily accessible to all and you know hold elk but have no intentions of hunting later on in the season. This is by no means deliberately driving the resident elk out of the areas, but it is OTC public land and I would rather be the one pushing, trying to get one down rather than showing up to old elk signs.

Water holes/wallows are great spots for killing elk if not already occupied by someone else, especially this year being so bone dry. I do know of some active remote water holes/wallows but have not yet develop the interest in hunting from a tree stand as I still like running/gunning too much. As soon as my body tells me, I will not hesitate to set up tree stands over water source.

I will say that the number of elk coming in to calling during opening week is the same as any week later in the season, they are just not as vocal. If you think that you need to hear elk to find elk, you will have a hard time during the early season. Most folks prefer the last two weeks as the elk are a more vocal, thus, making them easier to locate.

Good Luck.

[eltaco]

^^^^ Could not possibly agree more!! This statement is almost exactly what I have experienced.

I will add that you can find some very vocal bulls opening week... its rare, but you catch them in the right mindset and they won't care what the calendar says. I've shot 3 bulls opening week and all three were extremely pissed off. Not the norm, perhaps, but we get into a few screaming matches every year during opening week.

[foxvalley]

My experience during the first week or so is that the bulls are interested in your calling,but instead of being vacal,lots of time they will make some sort of other noise ie.crash, hoof beats, raking, a branch breaking,etc. I believe they get so exited,(paceing back and forth)that they can't help but make some sort of noise. If you hear anything that sounds different than squirrels after cold calling,a great way is to leave the shooter up front, and have the caller leave while cow calling. Pleads would work good.

[otcWill]

My favorite time to hunt is the week before muzzy. I find that BIG bulls are much easier to pattern in the early season and will often come in like lost puppies to some basic, subltle calling and raking. After the rut kicks in the big guys are far less predictable and thus tougher to kill.

[ElkNut1]

Either glass to locate then hunt, or sit destination spots such as any active water source or actively used trails with fresh tracks!! Avoid bumbling through the woods & bumping non vocal elk out of bedding areas. If you do bump them out of those bedding areas they most likely will not return doing your hunt!

ElkNut1

[CrazyElkHunter]

Either glass to locate then hunt, or sit destination spots such as any active water source or actively used trails with fresh tracks!! Avoid bumbling through the woods & bumping non vocal elk out of bedding areas. If you do bump them out of those bedding areas they most likely will not return doing your hunt!

ElkNut1

Totally agree! Every year I have hunters blow elk out of the area from crashing thru my favorite bedding areas. Those elk move on to other areas.