Colorado Rutting Activity

by **CurlyTail** » 08 31, 2016 • [Post 1]

Here is a thread to update Rut progression in Colorado.

I will start.

August 27-29 No Bugling heard all weekend. Cows were in small groups, and herd Bulls either smallish or absent. Rut had not started as far as I could tell. No wallow activity observed. I was hunting about 9000 feet.

by **BRazz** » 09 01, 2016 • [Post 2]

I like this thread.

I was up the morning of the 29th and I know there were elk around (fresh sign and smell), but no rutting activity at all. My main two wallows were not used much, but there's been so much rain up there ... who knows - maybe they've been used but tracks get washed away. Hard to say. I was up around 10.5-11.8k feet in South Central CO.

by **t_jones98** » 09 01, 2016 • [Post 3]

Southwest - 9500-10K ft

No activity. Short "squealy" bugle Sunday morning. Have found more sign this week though.

by **TennMatt** » 09 01, 2016 • [Post 4]

A friend that lives in Golden near Apex Park reported hearing bugling last night from their home.

Matt

by **Navesgane** » 09 01, 2016 • [Post 5]

i was at 10.5k at 5am, didn't hear a bugle, saw a small group of cows at sunrise. SW co

by **poisonarrow** » 09 01, 2016 • [Post 6]

I was at 11400. One lazy bugle in response to mine. It sounded like he was in bed. I was out from Tuesday until Thursday. I will be out again next week.

by **Navesgane** » 09 01, 2016 • [Post 7]

Went to a totally different area this afternoon at 9.5k'. Spotted a small herd of cows in a high meadow that stayed there for hours. They were being vocal and I was hoping for a bull to come in but no such luck...
I guess they're waiting for the full moon party.

by **Scrap_Iron** » 09 02, 2016 • [Post 8]

NW CO about 7,000 feet: Haven't been in the elk woods yet but I did hear a young bull attempting to bugle two nights ago from the cabin. Sounded like he was just figuring out how to bugle.

by **bald9eagle** » 09 02, 2016 • [Post 9]

Keep those updates coming guys!

by **Elkhunttoo** » 09 02, 2016 • [Post 10]

Idaho- hot and dry.... It should start cooling off today and be good for the next week or so.
I was out the 31, and 1st and didn't hear anything... Trail cam had some cows and calves but no Bulls. I guess a few spikes... I forget there Bulls

by **Sean D.** » 09 02, 2016 • [Post 11]

Just got back from SW CO. Elk seemed to be lower than years past. Bulls still in bachelor groups, heard a few bugles Wed. Lot of elk out there this year

by **BRazz** » 09 03, 2016 • [Post 12]

Heard a handful of bugles in the dark and early in the morning yesterday. Nothing fired up but some action going on, which was cool. Up around 11k in central CO. Some were unsolicited but it was windy (storm moving in) so it was tough to pinpoint their location. We moved in to what we thought was close before setting up and calling, but never called an elk in. Either we guessed proximity wrong or they weren't yet interested in what I had to offer.

by **bald9eagle** » 09 04, 2016 • [Post 13]

Sean D. wrote:Just got back from SW CO. Elk seemed to be lower than years past. Bulls still in bachelor groups, heard a few bugles Wed. Lot of elk out there this year

PM sent

by **Mike_Parson** » 09 05, 2016 • [Post 14]

looks like the weather is drying up and cooling down at the same time. maybe good news for those heading up in a week or so???????

by **six** » 09 06, 2016 • [Post 15]

Sept 1st. Had a bull respond about 730 am. He was in one of those he!! holes. I asked 2 newbies if they wanted to go after him. Of course they said YES!!! He answered me several times while we were trying to pinpoint his location. We went silent around 8 and he kept on bugling until we came face to face with one of his satellites and a cow an hour later. The satellite busted me so I took the cow on the second to the last day of our hunt.

by **Dr. Rx** » 09 06, 2016 • [Post 16]

Dude I love this Post..keep em coming

Kris

by **BGarey6120** » 09 06, 2016 • [Post 17]

East of Clark, camped and hunted around 9,500. Deathly silent in the mornings and throughout the night, and very warm (45-50 overnight). Had 3 cows make a brief appearance while headed for timber to bed down for the (hail) storm around 2pm Sunday.

Engaged a bull around 6:30 pm Sunday and had him coming in from way out, but timidly, and slowly until 7:10. He may have been trying to get downwind on me, but he stopped responding and I didn't have enough daylight to try and circle around him. He didn't respond to any return bugles that were slightly aggressive.

I'd say we are a 1-1.5 weeks out from getting to full rut.

by **CurlyTail** » 09 06, 2016 • [Post 18]

Nice job Six. Any Elk with a bow is a trophy in my book, and the meat should be spectacular. Don't forget to post in the meat pole.

I am heading back out Thurs., and should be able to do another update early next week. Weather looks normal for September - cool (but not cold) and dry.

by **BRazz** » 09 07, 2016 • [Post 19]

Went up yesterday morning again. Hiked in way farther than I should have for a day trip: I was hoping to hear them in the dark and move in closer by first light but was late getting to my bench. By the time I was where I figured I could get a response it was 6:30. Listened first for a few and nothing. Finally I blew a locator and had two responses. One was pretty close - maybe 300 yards out. I hustled downwind a ways and setup, listening some more. The farther off bull sounded off one more time, and I did some subtle cow calling down there, expecting these were lone bulls looking for some cows. Didn't pan out so after 15 minutes I added back in some bull sounds. Didn't hear nor see anything more... Either they didn't like my calling or had better things to do.

It was windy and tough to hear very far, but it seems like a little bit of action going on. Nothing crazy yet where I was (south-central CO). But it still beats sitting at home!

by **adamds22** » 09 09, 2016 • [Post 20]

North Central CO bull bugling every 5-10 minutes the morning of Sept 3rd and 4th, stopped shortly after first light both mornings.

by **BGarey6120** » 09 09, 2016 • [Post 21]

adamds22 wrote:North Central CO bull bugling every 5-10 minutes the morning of Sept 3rd and 4th, stopped shortly after first light both mornings.

What elevation were you at?

by **adamds22** » 09 09, 2016 • [Post 22]

10500-11000 ft or so.

by **ak32** » 09 12, 2016 • [Post 23]

pretty quiet here in the elk mountains where I'm at. Called in a bull to 10yrds the other day, came in fast and silent. Haven't heard 1 bugle which is weird.

by **nrocchio** » 09 12, 2016 • [Post 24]

From Sunday, Aug 28th - Sept 7th I have hunted a few trips totaling around 8 days at a 10,000 - 12,000 ft elevation range. I spent all of my time in the same general area in N. Colorado, working different locations that I know fairly well in that area. I have only seen one herd of cows and spikes over that time. I could only get within 70 yards (outside my comfort zone). I had a spike bugle unsolicited, but have not had any vocal responses to any calling. I have heard a lot of the same from other local hunters, that the elk have been quiet. I talked to the local meat processor and they have only had a few deer come through so far this season. The deer hunting has been good. I have had a few very fun close encounters. I'll be back out this coming weekend, and plan to start learning a new drainage. Hopefully the elk hunting heats up a bit.

by **BRazz** » 09 12, 2016 • [Post 25]

Last weekend I saw a batch of ~30 elk way up high at 12.5k elevation. They were working their way down a ridge into some dark timber about 730 in the morning. Looked to me like they were all cows/calves, though there must have been some bulls nearby. Usually the harems during the rut here are 6-12 cows, so I don't really think they were getting after it yet.

They were too far for me to hear if they were bugling, but I never heard anything in two mornings nearby (I also didn't have any fresh sign, so I wouldn't say I feel confidently that they aren't bugling at all - just not where I was... typical).

by **CurlyTail** » 09 12, 2016 • [Post 26]

Hunted 3 days this weekend. One close encounter, sighted Elk daily.

Bulls have showed up in our area but were mostly silent. Had some spontaneous Bugling on Saturday morning, but mostly got the cold shoulder to my calling. Did not get any responses to location Bugles despite seeing Elk in the area later. Rut is just getting going, certainly not peak yet. Fall colors just beginning.

by **poisonarrow** » 09 13, 2016 • [Post 27]

12th and 13th morning. Nothing, they are mighty quiet. Unit 81

by **Mike_Parson** » 09 16, 2016 • [Post 28]

North 81 has ben silent since the 13th. Game warden said he has heard no bugles at all in the area and the elk are all at timberline still. Saw one hunter the last three days and he said he has seen 3 elk all single and only one shootable bull.he was hunting everything 10k or higher. No bugles heard either.

by **saddlesore** » 09 16, 2016 • [Post 29]

Just got back, bugling was sporadic,but they were pretty vocal last night

by **bald9eagle** » 09 18, 2016 • [Post 30]

Bugling hasn't picked up here near Pagosa Springs. One local at archery shop said they weren't high. Talked to some guys yesterday that got one at 10-11k and one of our members here that heard 2 at 10k+. I haven't hunted over 9200 so far. Guess it's time to go for the sky.

by **Old school** » 09 18, 2016 • [Post 31]

Hunted all last week - we heard one bugle yesterday at under 100 yards, but we never saw him. Have logged over 30 miles so far and have cast out many location bugles in the dark - have yet to see an elk and have got zero responses to our bugles. Hunters everywhere. Have run into 16 of them so far while hunting - can't get away from them. GMU 15. Hoping this coming week the switch gets flipped on.

--Mitch

by **Backyard** » 09 18, 2016 • [Post 32]

Hunted all last week in GMU 14 between 9,500 and 10,500ft, didnt hear a single bugle. And the bulls I did encounter did not react at all to any calling (or Im real bad at calling).

by **bald9eagle** » 09 18, 2016 • [Post 33]

Heard my first bugle today. Couldn't get a response from him though. Currently around the 10k mark.

by **Mathewsz7-elkridge** » 09 18, 2016 • [Post 34]

Very few bugles the past two days. Did have a satellite come into 80 yards but lost light. That was one the 15th.

by **TonyOI** » 09 18, 2016 • [Post 35]

Pretty quiet so far in Central Colorado. Had 1 bugle a few times about 20 minutes after shooting light today. Maybe another hunter? Maybe not?! Either they aren't talking or I'm not where the elk are... Unit 28.

by **Kessler10** » 09 19, 2016 • [Post 36]

called in 2 different bulls ready to fight on Set 16 and 17th. Not getting responses to cow calls. Bugle is working well though. Called them from a long way away to 27 yards and 15 yards. Tree issues both times. I am out refueling now. Heading back in tomorrow morning. SouthWestern Colorado

by **nrocchio** » 09 19, 2016 • [Post 37]

It has been a pretty discouraging season so far. I have covered a lot of ground in a lot of different locations. It has been quiet, and from what I am hearing when asking around, I am not the only one that is off to a slow start. I'll head out for one last try Friday.

by **TennMatt** » 09 19, 2016 • [Post 38]

I was in Marble, CO over the weekend for a race and did some listening. It was all quiet and very warm up to 11k feet or so. I didn't see any animals other than the ones in the backs of a few trucks on I70 so someone's having success.

Matt

by **BRazz** » 09 20, 2016 • [Post 39]

Usually when I say "the elk are quiet" it could be that I just can't find any elk.

In this case, I can confidently say that the elk are silent. We spent the last four days in the backcountry with lots of elk sign in several different drainages. Saw zero other hunters (likely due to where we go). Spent each night on a different ridge that would straddle two different drainages so we could pinpoint vocal elk overnight.

First night, heard nothing ... so before first light we started to hike around to the opposite ridge to glass the adjacent drainage. In the dark (but full moon) I spotted a couple cows on the horizon (over 12.4k elevation). After a minute a beautiful big 6x6 crested the ridge also. He was less than 300 yards from where we slept - never heard him all night long. Tried to follow him but never could see where they went. Got to the opposite ridge and glassed for about 10 seconds before spotting another bull (also a 6x6, but not as big). We dropped down into the drainage to try and head him off, and as we rounded a little knob we ran into another bull (seriously). This bull saw us too and walked into the trees. We also saw some cows/calves milling around. Can't believe that these elk were so quiet. Eery, really.

Next morning we were up a different drainage trying to find some rutting activity. The evening before we had one chuckle out of nowhere from about 100 yards away - had we not been in the exact right spot at that exact time we'd never have known there were elk in there since he never sounded off again. It was too dark to make a move so we went after him in the morning. He bugled back around midnight so we knew roughly where to go in the a.m. On our approach we heard zero elk sounds and never got him to respond again. I was fairly confident he had left the area, but we were seeing lots of fresh sign. Suddenly a thunder of hooves erupted and I see black legs racing in the timber as two yearling cows almost run us over. They stopped less than 5 yards from my us and stared for a few seconds before continuing, then a minute later crashed back toward the direction they had come. Still no vocalizations, but worried these cows would spook other elk around, I let out a bugle - and I was cut off by our bull from probably 75 yards away!!! I immediately cut him off, realizing in an instant that we were right on top of his (silent) herd. He crashed toward us a few paces but our setup was not really planned and we were in too thick of trees. We were able to get few good glimpses of him (decent 5x5) as he paced around, but he obviously wasn't having it and walked after a minute or so.

Long story short ... I've never had so many encounters with elk during September but had so little vocalization. Maybe just need to wait it out... but sure is frustrating not being able to get any help with finding them, and not even being able to call in a dumb satellite.

We left, planning to give them a couple more days to fire up a bit more. We'll be back on Thursday-Saturday for the finale...

by **BGarey6120** » 09 21, 2016 • [Post 40]

How active is it reasonable to expect them to be this weekend. I was out for the first three weekends, missed last weekend, and I'm heading out tomorrow evening through Sunday. The rut seems to have started settling in this week but now we're staring down the barrel of some miserable weather. Will the hormones be pumping enough to get the critters out and about or will they hunker down despite the rut?

by **Navesgane** » 09 22, 2016 • [Post 41]

Hiked into a spot early this morning and called in three different bulls. one presented a shot that I drew on but my peep sight was twisted... Attempted to take a nap around noon only to be waken up by a bugle. Got my stuff together and went after it. After about a half mile hike I finally spotted him- a nice 6x6 with 5 cows that he was pushing downhill aggressively. I made some cow calls first which he responded to but kept moving. Then I tried an aggressive bugle/chuckle call which he also aggressively responded back but kept moving down. It was terribly windy all day and I can only think that I heard a fraction of the bugles that were out there. Hopefully tomorrow I can release an arrow.

by **bald9eagle** » 09 23, 2016 • [Post 42]

I was right there with them on two separate occasions and never heard a peep. The one bull and cow we did see never checked up when I cow called. They didn't spook and we had the wind. Two other hunts I heard them walking around in the dark timber but never heard any vocalization. Disappointing to say the least.

by **CurlyTail** » 09 23, 2016 • [Post 43]

Just got back.

No Elk harvested after my Spike in the first 20 minutes of the season.

We missed a cow at 8 yards, and had 5 or 6 40 yard opportunities mostly on raghorns, but the Elk kept picking us off at the last second.

The Elk in my area are now Bugling with moderate intensity. There are some larger herds with rutting Herd Bulls and a few satellite Bulls. There were other areas that had Elk but they were mostly silent. Overall, this season has had the least Bugling activity that I can remember.

The weather has been unseasonably warm. I don't think we had a night below 45 degrees .

by **poisonarrow** » 09 23, 2016 • [Post 44]

Strange year. We were at 11,800. A new area for me but it looked good. The first evening we heard one bull one time a long way off. During the night a herd came right through camp mewing as they went. Fresh elk poop five feet from my tent in the morning. It was raining until noon and cold. I have never been in an area with more sign. Fresh poop everywhere.

The next morning we were on a ridge and heard a bull below us in the next drainage. Two bugles and that was it. By the time we got down to him he was gone. No response to cow calls or bugle. Hiked out that afternoon more rain. A cold wet time with elk everywhere with no noise.

by **Navesgane** » 09 23, 2016 • [Post 45]

Cold rainy/snowy all morning today. Headed out about 10 and the sun came out for a few huts then it got overcast and windy with some flurries. Saw a small herd trotting south of me at about 100 yards with a decent bull at the end. They wouldnt slow down to my cow calls. That's all for today. Was hoping to see some fresh tracks in the 2" of snow from last nite but nothing...