Cyrus

One of my buddies was down at the local pro-shop and heard from a few guys that had been out scouting, that the bulls were already calling and aggressively coming to the call.
This is a little early for around here. Usually they don't get really cranked up for another week or two. I know cows coming into estrous is based on light levels and this changes very little from year to year but I guess the cooler weather might be giving the bulls the itch already. We haven't even had a good frost yet either.
Has anyone else experienced any early responses?

I've got a week to go until we leave for our hunt. This news just makes it harder to wait. If the bulls are getting all cranked up, I want to be out there NOW!!

corey006

I hear the same kind of stories every year...usually by hunters who said they couldn't get a Moose because the rut was over.


I heard much of the same talk as you did last year around the 2nd week in Sept. I think weather has also very little to do with the timing of the rut.

Last season I didn't receive any response to calling in 3rd week in Sept. and called in my first bull on the 28 of Sept. but didn't get a shot at him. Called in 2nd bull 2 days later and arrowed him at 25 feet.

Later that season my father in law called in Bull on Oct 18 in rifle season.

I actually think the calling is better in latter part of rut. Most cows have been bred and the bulls are really competing and searching out those LAST few cows that haven't come into estrus. Also IF cows do not get bred in this period they will come into estrus again in 21 days.

So as far as I am concerned you can call in bulls for at least 3 weeks usually the best time(for me) has been last week in Sept and first 2 weeks in Oct.


I leave in 3 days for Archery and also cannot wait....

Good Luck.

sudsy

moose, deer, etc rut at exactly the same time every year. the weather changes whether most of the activity happens at night. warm weather moves the activity to nighttime. hope for a cold snap and hunt at high tide , the phase of the moon means nothing.

Cyrus

Yes yes, I know the actual time the females come into heat doesn't change from year to year. What I meant was, that for around here, that kind of aggressiveness by bulls seems early.

Ha ha Corey!! I usually here guys without any moose meat blame the weather!
I agree that the best week is usually what ever week straddles the end of September, beginning of October. That's why I'm leaving next Sunday!