When to hunt archery elk?

[WapitiTalk1]

Ahh, the age old question. I see this question all the time on ours and various hunting forums. It usually goes something like "when is the best week in September to hunt archery elk to maximize my success/opportunities in (insert mountain elk state here)"? I certainly understand hunters wanting to maximize their valuable time off from work and days spent in the elk woods with stick and string. What's the answer? It depends as each phase of the elk rut offers various and unique opportunities. It seems lone bull encounters are more prevalent in early September as the boys are cruising for the girls (herding up activity). Testosterone levels have risen in the bulls and they gravitate towards the gals (suddenly, those ladies don't seem all that bad and just perhaps, they are worth hanging out with). A few cows may come into their estrus cycle (early) during this period. This can certainly be a very exciting time to be out with your buddy, attempting to call in bulls. As the second week rolls around, herding activity is really somewhat settling down as the "initial" herd bulls have established their groups, love sick juvenile bulls are engaged in covert cow stealing operations from established herds, and challenging/advertising bugles ring throughout the drainages. Again, a few more cows are coming into their estrus cycle (and as we all know, the rut is all about the ladies). The third week is when the majority of the cows come into their estrus cycle; this means "hot cows" which can launch serious competitive encounters with the boys. It is oftentimes during the third week that I see some of the big honkers come in and kick the former herd bulls to the curb; the former herd bulls now become satellites on the prowl for either their former group, or, a new group to tend. The fourth week in September brings activity similar to the third week but not at quite at the same level. All this said, what do "you" feel is the best time (if there is such a thing) to be in the elk woods for a week to maximize your odds? Anything you wish to add to my weekly breakdown of activity, perhaps something different that you've observed in the state you hunt?

[Gypsumreaper]

Looks pretty good to me personally my main suggestion of when to hunt archery elk is during the archery season. Ha but good info. I've seen big bills, little bulls and cows killed every single day of the season. You could be in the middle of 5 bulls screaming their heads off and going nuts, but mainly it's up to the decisions you make. You could be on a private ranch with elk that have never seen a person before and your actions could run them to the other side. So besides hitting the rut for your best chance, you also have to have an idea of how to hunt the elk that are there or else it's most likely going to be a bust for you


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[Swede]

As a retiree and mostly a tree stand hunter, I enjoy the whole archery season. Still my favorite week is the first. Here in Oregon it generally begins the last Saturday of August and runs for 30 days. The last week of the season has been good too. The second and third weeks are the slowest where I hunt.

[ElkNut1]

That's why I prefer 10th through 25th the best times for us! Nice evaluation Rory!

ElkNut1

[Swede]

No doubt the third and fourth weeks can be good in the right area, but what difference does it make if the cows are on a ranch or are 8 miles back in some deep hole? I can't pack that far. Effective hunting is area specific. You can expand your effective area if you have a packer, access to some horses, or some motorized means of accessing a place where very few others can go. e.g. There are a few people that can get access to a helicopter. This is a good thread to see where people are at, but not necessarily useful for Joe Newbie to help him or her decide on when to hunt.
Someone said awhile back that people kill elk where I hunt the later part of the season. This is true. I have too, but in the 25+ years I have hunted the area, I have experienced more weeks when I saw no elk, than the number of times I killed elk. My party of three took two elk this last season. We were, for all practical purposes, done by the end of the third day. Stringunner and his dad were skunked in this area too. The hunting was over except for an occasional foray by some lone elk.
I see people ask every year, the general question of when to schedule their elk hunting vacation. One way or another you need to find out what fits best for your area and style of hunting. Don't hunt the first week because I like it best. Don't hunt the last either because others prefer it.

[N2mywake]

With the exception of a few rifle hunts in CO and Idaho, for the most part we have always hunted during the Muzzleloader week in CO either with a ML or archery tackle. My assessment is usually things are ramped up for the first few days and then we hit a lull the first of the week until near Thursday when things tend to pick up only for us to pack out a few days after. I equate that lull to the bright moon we experience during those days most years. It's those last few days we've hit the most receptive Bulls. We're changing things up a bit this year and plan to pack in the last few days of ML season and hunt the last of archery season 15-24th. Needless to say I'm excited to try that time period.

[Lefty]

As a public school teacher Im stuck hunting a very limited Saturdays I have taken days off towards the end of the season because /I hadnt made a kill.
So my answer is " every chance I get"

[Tigger]

I have always read these threads with interest. I have a number of random thunks on this:

1. I am not 100% convinced the peak rut happens the same across all elk states. I kinda think the northern states start a wee bit sooner, on average, than the southern states. I don't have any evidence, just my gut feel.

2. I think the real question behind the question is "when is the most likely time to hit that magical day when the bulls are going nuts"? To me, that is the day I want to be in the woods. I have experienced it and I want some more of it!

3. That magical day may not be the best time to auger a bull. I know that we ping-ponged back and forth between bulls that magical day once. It was fun, but exhausting and we didn't kill a bull until things settled down and we worked one bull later in the day.

4. Those darn weekends! Or better stated, those darn workweeks! So many of us have to utilize the weekends to maximize our days afield; especially given long drives. So this year, I see that it works out pretty well (I think and hope!!). Leave either Thursday the 14th or Friday the 15th and be back Sunday the 24th.

5. I have always felt that September 18th is a magical day. That is the day I hear most often with regards to ".....if you had one day to hunt elk....", I shot a nice 6X6 with my bow on that day in 2015, and just coincidentally, it is my birthday!

6. Weather plays a role in the elk activity we see. However, I don't think it plays much of a role in the biological processes of elk whoopee, but is does in daylight elk activity. You can lump the moon in with this too. Cloudy days, rain, snow, moonlit nights vs cloudy nights, heat, etc play a huge role in it. One question I have, photoperiodism drives elk (and deer) breeding activity.....so what if we have a string of cloudy days especially at dawn and dark....does this bring about the rut earlier due to less hours of daylight? I bet if you charted the weather conditions every year in September, you would see a pattern. My guess is something like this: Following a string of cloudy days with windy conditions, the first sunny calm day after September 15th the bulls will go wacky. Probably even more complicated, but I bet there is a pattern.

[BrentLaBere]

I love opening weekend. Next best time for me would be around the 18th to the 20th.
Weather plays a big part in it all. Access issues along with getting you cold, wet and tired. Harder to get up in the mornings. I would take nice sunny days over anything.
Although, being from out of state, I have to say the best time to go is the time that works for you. Really is that simple. If I could pick and choose like I do for whitetail in my home state my answer might be a little different. Its the convenience factor.

[cohunter]

Being a weekend warrior, I've gotten the chance to hunt through the season - here's my opinion:
Late August: Awesome hunting on wallows, bull hide-holes.
Labor day weekend: The potential for some great encounters as bulls begin to cruise checking out the area.
Second weekend of September: maybe the best bugling action, great time to see a lot of elk, but their patterns are very unpredictable
Third weekend: Probably peak bugling, but I haven't really found that elk are the easiest to hunt here. Yes you'll hear them and see them, but getting into bow range might not be quite as easy as earlier in the season - they've been hunted longer, herd bulls have a group of cows which means more eyes and ears to fool, not to mention that bull wants to keep those cows away from the competition.
Final weekend: Elk really rutting, but the dominant bulls have established harems and it's actually harder (in my opinion) to find the elk; they're not as widely dispersed.

They all have their advantages! The strategies that are effective the 1st week are not going to be as good the last week. The best bet in my opinion is to aviod the weekends! Less pressure, fewer boots to compete with... but I wouldn't actually know about this

[saddlesore]

I have a friend who is an avid fisherman. I asked him one time if he pays attention to the lunar tables about when is the best time to go fishing. His answer was," I go fishing when ever I can. If the fish are not biting, that is their problem".

You can carry that over to elk hunting. It's nice to be able to go when you think it is the best time, but never stay home because you can't go on that particular time. When you look back on your hunting career,you will remember those days when you wished you would have went more so than when you went and didn't punch a tag.

A person should be enough of an elk hunter to able to adapt to any time table. Although I am a rifle hunter,I have hunted in Muzzle Loader season, special seasons, and all four of the Colorado elk seasons. I have taken elk in every one of them.

[Indian Summer]

I've had some incredible action from unsuspecting bulls on the opener. But that's a crap shoot. 10th to 25th most places. In Wyoming though I'd have no problem hunting the 15th to 30th if I had to. Those bulls aren't calling it quits as fast as some in other places. Would you?

[bowhuntermojo]

I agree with Lefty. I too am a public school teacher so for me it is every chance I get. Here in Utah, I have found my best success and most exciting archery elk hunts over the Labor Day weekend. I believe this is typically around the 3rd week of the Utah archery hunt. I enjoyed your information Phantom16. Thank you.

[TimeOnTarget]

excellent info Phantom.

I've yet to get in on the screaming bull action. I spend archery 12-25ish of September in ID. I've honestly heard more bugles when im in WY the last 2 weeks of rifle than i have in ID in sept.