Question about locating elk

[Emberglo]

So, after watching all of Randy's videos on youtube about elk, I've got a couple questions. He makes it clear that his recommendations are for finding herd bulls in each of the time periods.

I'm curious what is different about finding cow herds and young bulls like spikes and raghorns during each of those same seasons? Would I be looking for different needs and therefore different areas than I'd find the big bulls?

I'm totally new to elk hunting and fairly new to big game in general. So, I'm interested in finding any legal bull really and not so much on holding out for a large herd bull.

My hunt is post rut to late season. Sawtooth zone in Idaho from Oct 15 to Nov 15ish. I've got some areas picked out that look like they have seclusion, cover, food, and water, and I plan on checking them out soon.

I appreciate any insights you all can offer!

 

[Ryan2782]

You will run into some elk still bugling in October when some cows enter into second breeding cycle after not being bred in September. I would scout your areas towards the end of September locating the bulls and cows. The larger bulls might move away from the herd by the time your season starts, but in my opinion shouldn't be to far away. In addition the spikes and rag horns I have found they hang around the cows or close by. When archery ends, the elk will calm down too with out the pressure, even with it being capped on tags (less people is good when you after them). In addition you'll even find elk bugling into early October and a good time to scout with out other hunters too. If it was me, I'd scout September, locate, and confirm again in October before your hunt. Learn to cow call, and location bugles. Last year I saw an elk bugling and was responsive to calls the last week of October while I was mule deer hunting.

 

[7thgenMT]

We killed two mature bulls Oct 26th in full rut,actually mounting cows.Hot weather in Sept can make for a fantastic Oct hunt,take your calls.

 

[antlerpursuit]

I also saw a herd of about 100 (with 20 bulls or so) at the end of October which still had a couple bulls which were actively bugling. The bulls ranged from spikes to a 320 6-point. Honestly if you're finding cows, the bulls (especially the smaller ones) won't be too far.

 

[Emberglo]

You will run into some elk still bugling in October when some cows enter into second breeding cycle after not being bred in September. I would scout your areas towards the end of September locating the bulls and cows. The larger bulls might move away from the herd by the time your season starts, but in my opinion shouldn't be to far away. In addition the spikes and rag horns I have found they hang around the cows or close by. When archery ends, the elk will calm down too with out the pressure, even with it being capped on tags (less people is good when you after them). In addition you'll even find elk bugling into early October and a good time to scout with out other hunters too. If it was me, I'd scout September, locate, and confirm again in October before your hunt. Learn to cow call, and location bugles. Last year I saw an elk bugling and was responsive to calls the last week of October while I was mule deer hunting.

Thanks for the advice! There's 2 weeks between archery and rifle in Sawtooth and only about 500 archery tags, so the unit shouldn't be too busy. I didn't know that there was a second breeding cycle. That's definitely good to know. I'll plan on scouting in September and spending a few days in October reconfirming.

I got a Imaka Dabull Crazy that I've been learning to use, and was planning on getting a Select A Bull to use as a locator/challenge. I really have trouble with the mouth reeds between difficulty in use and my gag reflex, they didn't work out so well.

We killed two mature bulls Oct 26th in full rut,actually mounting cows.Hot weather in Sept can make for a fantastic Oct hunt,take your calls.

Wow. I hadn't heard of them breeding so late like that. Good to know. I'll follow Randy's advice on finding bulls then. Hoping it works out! haha

I also saw a herd of about 100 (with 20 bulls or so) at the end of October which still had a couple bulls which were actively bugling. The bulls ranged from spikes to a 320 6-point. Honestly if you're finding cows, the bulls (especially the smaller ones) won't be too far.

That's really cool. Sounds like following Randy's advice on finding bulls should still lead me to cows during the time frame of my hunt.

 

[SilverDollars]

Howdy. Find the most remote, UGLY places you don't want to hike into. That's the places the post rut bulls will be!

 

[esracerx]

If you have trouble with diaphragm calls, look into the elk reel by reel game calls. This is personal preference, but calls like the one you have sound kinda funky to me. To me, it kind of sounds like a predator call. Part of the reason for that is the reed is narrow when you compare it to a Carlton's call. It'll work, don't get me wrong. I just don't like the sound d quite as much. The elk reel is like a diaphragm/ bite and blow but super super easy to use and the sound quality is great. They are rather pricey, but it's a great call for people that have trouble with a conventional diaphragm. To help with diaphragm calls, chew on the canvas (not the latex) to soften them up. I'd also try something for a smaller palate and try a tone top as opposed to a palate plate. Tone top calls feel more comfortable against my palate than a palate plate. They really don't need to go that far back in the mouth.

 

[Brian in Montana]

I'm sure you're going to get some different advice on this subject, but in mid-to-late October, what I see in the Pintlars, Highlands, and Pioneers is the cows and calves tend to herd up in big groups - like 100 or so and the herd bulls go right along with them. Their aggressive streak and desperation from the main part of the rut is tapering off so they're harder to call in, but not hard to locate on big grassy slopes, and easier to patern for a potential ambush. As mid-October becomes late- October, the mature bulls begin to separate from the big herds and go to their recovery areas - what Randy calls "sanctuaries". That's when they're holing up in the thick nasty stuff near water. Grassy patches don't have to be all that big to hold them in that phase, but these recovery sanctuaries are remarkably hard to find and easy to miss. One thing I usually have noticed is these places tend to be dark and steep.