My name is T.R. Michels and I'm on my second year of elk research, on over 700 elk, with almost 200 bulls. I just had an article on elk calling and the rut in Petersen's Bowhunting. I'm also talking to Larry Jones, Judd Cooney and Dwight Schuh on-line, trying to figure out the elk rut. I also guided in Chama, New Mexico on-and-off for 9 years. I'd like to think I've learned a few things as a result of my experiences. Anyhow, here is what I've found.

Bugling in Minnesota and Idaho starts around August 21-27. Peak bugling in many areas occurs during the second week of September, but may peak anytime during September. Dwight Schuh thinks peak bugling/breeding occurs Sept. 20-25 in Idaho. Larry Jones says peak bugling/breeding occurs Sept. 25-Oct. 5 in eastern Oregon. Biologists say Sept. 14-21 in Montana. From guiding in New Mexico I think peak bugling occurs mid-Sept in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.
I've found that peak breeding will occur at aproximately the same time each year; that bulls bugle more times per minute at 60 degrees/windchill than at 40 degrees; but when temperature/heat index gets higher than 70-80 degrees they will bugle less. Larry Jones agrees with the high temperature.
I've found that there is an early bugling peak (when the bulls get with the cows and while the cows are in heat), then a lull in bugling for 1-2 weeks until the unbred cows come into estrus again, and then another bugling peak. This may not occur were there are a lot of 1-2 year old cows, because they breed 1-3 weeks later than 3 year or older cows.
Bulls bugle most often when cows are in estrus, because when the cow won't let the bull breed, he bugles to reinforce his dominance. So, when cows, come into estrus the second time, bulls that were subdominants start to hear the dominants bugling, and they bugle more. The bulls also try to out-bugle each other, which causes peaks in bugling. Last year I had bugling all the way into November. I heard 90 bugles in 5 minutes two days age; two weeks ago I heard 265 bugles in 5 minutes.
After listing to over 500 bugles a day for over 60 days, I can tell you that it is almost impossible to make a mistake on an elk bugle. Not all bulls sound alike, some scream, some sound like they are being strangled, some sound like a flute. If you have any questions on elk, feel free to ask here or e-mail me; I'll try to answer. Good hunting, and put somebody put one on the ground for me.

Let's all take time out to think about the pain and sorrow the Sniper back east has caused. I don't like the fact tha they are refering to him as a "hunter." He's something, but not what I consider a hunter.

T.R. Michels




Edited by - trmichels on 10/13/2002 14:32:41