Do bull elk answer calls after the rut?
Elk
I am planning an elk hunt in Colorado for 2017. I personally would like to go during archery while the rut is on, however my buddies all want to go during rifle. My question is will a bull elk answer a bugle layer in the season? Also is all deer in Colorado draw out?
I have no clue about the Co. deer info, but for your first question. ABSOLUTELY! We have bugled in bulls consistently in Oct. while on youth hunts as well as several times over the past 10 years we have gotten bulls to fire off in Nov. while on a late archery hunt. Mornings and evenings in Nov. can hear a lot of cow/calf talk as they gather up in the colder weather.
Thank you Mt. man. Very helpful. I was a little worried about locating them after the rut
All deer tags are draw except some OTC whitetail-only tags in areas that are almost all private land with difficult access. But lots of units can be drawn with zero points. Check the CPW web page for the draw stats for each unit.
When I guided rifle hunters we had bugling all through October.
There's a few WT only plains OTC tags but otherwise, yes, all draw. And sure they'll bugle and come in during OTC rifle seasons
Lol, Lou and I were typing at the Same time
Soonerdusty, be advised that on CO public land you are unlikely to hear much bugling except maybe during the first couple days of the first rifle season. Remember, by that time they've been called to and constantly since the last Saturday in October. Any bull that bugles will have someone on him pretty quickly. You'll hear "bugle! Bugle! BOOM!" throughout the muzzleloader season.
So your best bet for locating them then will be with your eyes - either glassing or finding tracks if you have snow.
Depends on which rifle hunt you do as to the amount of bugling they will do. Bulls bugle year round, later in the off season not so much and soft a lot of the time.
First rifle in Oct, yes, they are pretty vocal still.
Yes they will answer and come in but calling during rifle season can be very different. In pressured areas it can be silent and overall its usually much quieter. That said, I packed out a bull with a young lady who killed her first bull in third season on pressured public land. That bull bugled all night and all morning like it was peak rut. I also watched two bulls bugling and rutting hard in December on a cow hunt. If there's a cow cycling, there's likely a bull more than happy to stay in the game.
During the first rifle season the "normal" rut is still going as younger cows can cycle a little later and you have some cows that cycled on the early side, didn't get bred, and are cycling again. It can be good but in my experience is much more hit or miss than bow season.
Thank you Mt. man. Very helpful. I was a little worried about locating them after the rut
Thanks everyone very helpful
Glunt is correct. Bulls sound off good if a cow is in estrus.
It is a very rare that you hear many bulls actually bugle during the peak if the rut in many Colorado units during the day. I would think that it is possible you might find one on a rifle hunt that is not a 1st season hunt. More than likely if you are in an OTC area and you bugle you are way more likely to have people show up than a bull. I have had and seen bulls call all year, but they are damn quiet in OTC areas even during the archery season.
The other issue is calling during an OTC rifle season seems awfully risky there are a lot of dumb people with rifles. I always use a cow call to stop elk and if I am near a group of cows who are talking I will talk with them, but I sure in heck would trust walking around in the woods trying locator calls during a rifle season.
I know for damn sure I would not be calling at all unless I could in every direction a good 300 yards...
I got my hunter a decent bull in 3rd season, cow calls pulled them out of the thick stuff for him to shoot. This was not public ground though. Numerous bulls would bugle and talk with us all throughout the various seasons this year- but elk numbers were dismal compared to the norm for around here.
You bet, there's always a chance bulls will bugle Oct. & Nov. Right place, right time & right bull. Your odds increase tremendously with a cow in heat in the area as it does in Sept. I would not elk hunt in Oct or Nov without a bugle & good glass, you never know when an unseen bull will respond in dark timber that cannot be glassed into. Being prepared for both location styles can increase your odds for success!
I took an elk this year Oct 16th & two bulls were bugling at that time. I agree that your first 3 days are critical & the 1st being the best before being pressured too much. After that elk will move away from the pressure & you will most likely have to cover longer distances to locate them or get into rougher country that most hunters shy away from & they can be within a mile of a road or trail.
Cows can cycle or come into estrus up to 4 times a year. Late Aug -- Mid Sept. -- Mid Oct. -- early Nov. -- Right place right time & you can be in bugling bulls or at least ones that can bugle back to you giving away their position. Remember during these late elk hunts you are trying to LOCATE Elk with a bugle as you would with binos, you are not trying to call them to you, once they bugle shut down calling & get over to them or into range, glassing can generally take over then!
ElkNut1
My buddy just sent me his story and pics from second rifle season here in CO. Last weekend of second rifle season, which was the end of October, he got in on two bugling bulls and cow-called one in from 200 yards to 40 yards before he shot it. Public land, in a fairly heavily-hunted unit, though he backpacked in a couple miles to find these bulls.
