Screaming Bulls!
 

For all you guys who hunt elk during the rut.......... on average, what dates in Sept. do you find the bulls really starting to get cranked up? Thanks

RE: Screaming Bulls!
 

Aug. 25th thru Sept. 8th, then again from Sept 17th to Oct. 10th.
There' s no guranttee that it' s like that every year, but it' s more common than not here in Idaho. elknut1

RE: Screaming Bulls!
 

If I were planning a hunt during the peak or the rut around here. I would hunt the 3rd week of sept.

RE: Screaming Bulls!
 

About Sept. 15 around here is when peak bugling generally starts. Builds up to that from the end of August and lasts about 2 weeks then drops off into the middle of October. These are rough dates it varies a bit from year to year based on weather, hunting pressure and other factors.

RE: Screaming Bulls!
 

First and second weeks in September. Give or take a few days.

RE: Screaming Bulls!
 

Depends on the pressure and weather.
In low pressured areas I have heard them going nuts as early as Labor day weekend. Also if you get a cold snap early it will increase bugling activity. In high pressure areas the last week of the month is probably the best for hearing bugling activity. Which makes bulls easier to locate but not necessarily the best time to call one in. It generally takes an experienced hunter with a bag of tricks to call in a big bull at this time of year after they have already gathered their cows.

Just because you do not hear bugling activity does not mean the rutting activity is not still going on.

I think the first week of September is your best chance to call in a big bull, also a very good time to find an active wallow with some cover around it and sit on it after mid morning.
The big bulls tend to gather their cows first and tend to come in silent to cow calling early in the month. Later in the 3rd and 4th weeks the big bulls have generally already gathered their cows and are more often than not likely to head the other way when confronted with bugling.

Seems to me the peak bugling period has been moving more into October here recently. The last two years they were still bugling quite heavy in my area in Idaho on the opening day of rifle season on Oct. 15th.