muley69

I have traveled to my #1, #2, and #3 spotsa and seen or heard alomost nothing. Last week end I hooked up with Montana Bob and called in one cow, and saw 5 others. All of the traditional areas I have always gotten into elk have produced nothing, no tracks, rubs, bugles I mean ziltch. So bad was it here, that last week somebody even wrote a letter to the editor in the local paperabout how the wolves have pushed everthing out. I don't know if it is the wolves, but something in my areais screwy, as I am still in the location phase of the hunting. I have heard a grand total of 2 bulls bugle all season. I've had several going at the same time for day after day in the past. I am intrested in hering what others Montana folks are expierencing out there.

smokechaser

was extremely slow in the soutwest part of the state till last weekend. just to warm i guess but last weekend we called in a spike and stumbled onto a 4 point with 7 or 8 cows one morning then that night had at least two bulls goin. next mornin we got another bull goin right away. i think this cold snap finally got them rutting things seem like they are going to pick up now

tangozulu

Rut activity is both normal and high in BC. Lots of Bulls being taken and many more seen.

slee

I just got back from the Idaho Panhandle last night, and I actually cut my trip short because we were finding NOTHING. Weather was terrible for the first few days, then turned cooler and off/on rain. Places that looked like there should be elk sign were empty or had old sign. We had a total of 3 different bulls bugle over the 5 days we were there. We did hear 2 wolf packs in the area, but I actually had a bull bugle while the wolves were howling. Not sure if theywere responsible for the decreased elk sign or not. Talked to a few locals, and they said the bulls weren't talking as much. We drove over 100 miles on FS roads and did not cut a single fresh track. Tons of deer, but no elk. Just seemed weird. Moral of the story, do more homework before heading out of state to a new spot.

Montana Bob

This is somewhat true however, Both Muley and I live at the base of some fineareas to hunt in and are in the mountains more than most for locals and see plenty of elk and know the spots where they are found.
Elk were abundant a few months ago now they have almost disappeared. Area's that have held Elk in the past have just dried up.
However thanksto ELKCRAZY8who gave us a great callingtip ( Ancient Chinese Secret) we had 2 bulls screaming and wanting to come in but would not. They seemed to have bedded for the day still bugling so we backed out to return for an late afternoon hunt.
Our bad luck again, seems the Elk would have come in but were stopped by an sheer cliff preventing them from doing so. Our bad though as this was an area we had not prevously scouted and did not know the terrain.
We covered some very (Elky) areas with no recent sign. They seemed just to have vanished.This late in the game however it is difficult to try and scout and hunt new areas as we could encounter more of the same situations as above mentioned.
It's a tough and challenging game. Elk can be here today and gone tomorrow.We willtry again next weekend.

slee

That's the problem. I start my new job on Oct 16th, so this was to bemy only trip over. If I could have made more trips, I wouldn't be so bummed. Elk are where you find them, and we didn't. Live and learn. That's why they call it hunting I guess.

MTdream

grown up hunting in MT and know the areas I hunt VERY well...have NEVER had such quiet elk in my life!!!

Have never heard of such a quiet rut!!!!!!

we did get a bull, but we only heard the two bugles for 10 days of solid hunting....

muley69

Ironically, Montana Bob and I decided this morning that there simply must be several bulls that heard us, but simply wouldn't answer. I too, have never seen a rut like this. My concern, however, is the lack of overall sign this year. I've hiked several miles, taken the four wheeler hundreds of miles, even got up at night and drove around or 4 hours listening for bugles, nothing. I've seen a few tracks, few rubs, and just one wallow. We got into a couple bulls yesterday, and another one today, but it required extensive leg work just to locate them. My unfimiliararity with the area, and elk patterns there, probably cost us a shot at a bull on both mornings. Today we snuck down an old road to close on a bull, and inadvertantly bumped him because I just wasn't familiar with the area. That's what happens when the elk abandon the core arewas and send you on the lookout for them. Damn it's frustrating this year.[:@]

MTdream

yeha in our situation, the elk were in the area...we saw them each night (would head up top and glass cuz we werent hearing anything) and then hunt that area or near there...

but there was just NO talking!!! I mean not even cows...is incredible...

I am guessing you guys are hunting the missoula area (south) by your addresses that is...

we were in the Bozeman area...have also heard same thing from others in the Crazies...

it is amazing...and have heard it where there are not loads of wolves...

we did have a griz move in two days after we took the one bull...normal I guess...

BareBack Jack

I spent a week in the Little Belts and I heard just one bugle.It was dificult week just trying to find elk.I did see some cows and some small bulls but nothing I wanted to pack out 7 miles.
The one good bull I saw he was with 20-30 cows about a mile away,but I had 9 miles behind me and it was 6 that evening,so I left him alone.
It's been a very diffrent year,I guess I will go out next weekend and hope the elk have moved in.
BBJ