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Hear much bugling?

I've been bow-hunting for over 30 years, and this has to have been the worst September I've ever had in terms of bugling. The first week of the season I had a few bulls bugling in an area where I usually get elk to bugle every day, but they weren't really aggressive. Granted, I have been spending most of the season since then in areas with few elk, but areas that I always got at least some answers in the past. I haven't heard an elk bugle since the first week. What was the season like for others?

Pretty much the same here; a little, non-aggressive bugling opening week and then little or nothing. Granted, there were some wolves in the area which effects their behavior, but...........

Has not been an issue for me and the friends I ventured out into the Breaks. I have other friends that hunted the mountains and they said they heard bulls bugling everyday where they were hunting. Might just be the location you are hunting (this year).

I've been hunting a lot of locations, but mostly in the west of the state. It's not like the elk aren't there, as I see bulls. Of course in places like the Breaks where there are high elk numbers, there will always be bugling. I have heard bugling on the weekends, but I'm pretty sure it is always other hunters. I guess I need to go somewhere that has more elk as they are not cooperating in NW Montana.

They are talking a little more then past years in Region 1. I am gonna go out on a limb here and say that wolves are starting to learn that they might get stuck with an arrow and its allowing bulls to be more willing to talk. But it could be multiple issues such as bulls who just don't talk, some newbie blowing his Primos bugle every five steps in your area, or the elk are just not there. It was a very wet season with lots of food and water so elk patterns might have changed compared to past year's. Hope this helps!

Must just be bad luck on my behalf. I've been able to get elk bugle just about every time I go out in past years in region one, but no luck this year. I was wondering about the predator issue, and oddly enough, I've had the opposite experience in that I have seen way more predators this year - one grizzly, 5 black bears, 3 wolves, 3 mountain lions. Probably just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time this year for me.

It seems anymore predators out number prey most seasons for me. I am wondering how the pig bomb may effect that. News said feral pigs north of Libby and Siberian Boar spotted on the northeast side of the state. Very curious how that will play out with predators.

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