The rut is in full swing right now for sure, one of my buddys witnessed to cows getting bred. BUT, you hit it on the nose about calling. By this morning, the elk were mums the word, tight lipped like no tomorrow. The amount of bugling, mostly human caused that I heard in the last three days was mind boggling. Some guys bugled the exact same cadence and the exact same notes every time he bugled. Boy, that'll fool'em. Guys stopping thier trucks along the road, getting out and bugling several times and then getting in and driving down the road aways to do it all again. Another fool proff way of killing an elk!! Thank god black powder season is closed, maybe by next weekend, the woods will be back to normal with a lot fewer hunters, archery and bp included, and maybe, just maybe...it'll be my turn to stick one. So far, 3 guys of 8 have filled thier tags. One cow and two decent 6 X's.