WYO Wapiti

[DreaminofMT6X6s]

Welp this season has been nothing short of brutal! Seven days across the month of September hunting NF and Wilderness areas some of which held elk and some held absolutely nothing. In the end I thinknive already seen the rut come and go without any real success calling.

The 1st Id seen lights bugling and bachelors as well as lone cows as expected. The 4/5 of the month of seen big Bulls bugling all day with 20 cows but that wouldn't come in to calls. Last week it was as if the rut had passed and all I got were fired up Bulls that wouldn't come within 200 yds then like a switch it went to nothing. Friday it was dead with very quiet elk and one line spike.

Anyone having any luck out there and seeing some real rut action?

 

[hardscrabble]

Nope. Just got back from a week in Wyoming with no rut action. We tried everything with no luck. Not sure what is up this year.

 

[havgunwilltravel]

Hang in there.

The rut for many species in many regions can be cyclic and also sporadic. Obviously vocalisation is influenced heavily by females in oestrus and if you think it has come and gone either hunt elsewhere or be ready for the second cycle/or cows that never got mated with first time round. From memory red deer females are 18-21 days for their cycle and elk being a close relative i would assume they are very similar with this period.

I always like hunting red deer in the rut in the ten days after a full moon has cycled, meaning the waning moon after the full moon and i find this often sees a lot of females cycling.

We are coming up to a full moon period and i would assume it be no different for you over there for the females.

Sometimes when things seem to be early, i just stick with it as sure as hell it will start up again as often the early action is only brought on by a handful of early cycling animals.

Even going to separate drainages, mountain ranges, areas can be enough to get you back in the game for cycling females and rutting males. We don't have a set plan when we are hunting red stags in the rut, always prepared to be very mobile and open minded as to what is going on.

 

[DreaminofMT6X6s]

Thanks guys! There's some good info here. Coworkers of mine have seen a whole variety of rutting in our state the last few weeks but this past week was pretty bad for pretty much everyone. I think the first full week of September was really the rut here which lined up exactly with what guys had seen in MT over the weekend of the 12/13th. Too bad I had to work that weekend...dang it!!

 

[havgunwilltravel]

Thanks guys! !

It might not be deadly accurate, but you said that first week of september was when you seen a lot of rutting activity, i assume that is bulls mating cows?

August full moon was on the 29th and that puts the following 10 days in line with what i have found.

Keep an eye on it and see if it swings around soon following this full moon.