Just Back From Dutton

338magblaster · Sep 15, 2009

I just returned from the Dutton last night and I have been catching up on the posts about the bulls bugling their heads off...

In the three days I spent hunting hard on the unit, I saw two bulls... one shooter (I'm not the tag holder and he wasn't with me) and one smaller one, neither of which was bugling and both were with cows.

I am sorry to call BS on those who are posting here that say that the bulls are going off like crazy. Don't believe everthing you read. I am just saying...

It will start, it just was real QUIET as of yesterday.

All who wander are not lost.

theox · Sep 15, 2009

+1 i dont think they are gonna fire up like normal tho. ithink the gerneral unlimited archery spike put a damper on things on a few units! thant my opinon on the shi77y rut this year
?It takes a genius to whine appealingly.?
Mr.Whiny

wildarrow · Sep 15, 2009

Here goes the whinny a$$ rifle hunters again! Everything isn't going perfect for them to see bulls off the road! What"s going to be their excuses This year? Y'all used the weather, moon, dwr, no water, and they were in the timber last year! Let me guess, it was the archery hunters fault!

LowCountryElk · Sep 15, 2009

You shoulda been with me on Sept.2 then....
But then again, just like it always goes in elk hunting, it was different on the 3rd, then different on the 4th, etc., etc., etc. Thats why you don't predicate what is going to happen tomorrow based on what happens today doing this game.
Overall, they weren't all that turned on, especially the big boys. The ones that were sounding off were those that are going to be getting their butts kicked around here pretty quick when things really start heating up. Typical early season hunting....

Smallcaliber · Sep 15, 2009

Wild arrow I think you are missing his point. He is calling someone out about what really is happening on Dutton. The elk are quiet and not being vocal in any sense of the word. If some one says different they are not speaking the truth. I has nothing to with the previous hunts it is calling a spade a spade.

Bucksnbulls08 · Sep 15, 2009

I was on the Dutton during the archery season. I was not a tag holder but helping a couple friends. I did not see very many spike hunters and those I did talk to were not comprimising other hunters. I had 5 bulls working in one canyon on Sept. 10. Granted they were not the king of the mountain, but the rut was definately beginning. The weather turned colder after archery season closed. Some of the rifle hunters I encountered were rude and inconsiderate of the bowhunters. They were driving vehicles through closed areas very near good elk hunting. Some were stupid enough to sight in there rifles where they were planning to hunt. Don't blame the archers for disturbing the elk.

Bucksnbulls08 · Sep 15, 2009

I don't know about other Units, but the Dutton was a zoo with all the people this year. With the deer hunters, the few spike elk hunters, the recreational campers and the rifle hunters scouting, there were more people on the mountain then I have ever seen in over 40 years of being on the mountain. There were many campsites taken by assumed rifle hunters that moved travel trailers in at least 2 weeks prior to the rifle hunt and were not at their camp at all during the last 2 weeks of archery season. I hope the USFS gave them citations for overstaying the alotted 16 days.

spotit1st · Sep 16, 2009

I will have to agree the only hunter in the State that is hearing anything is stinkystomper. I think he is hunting from camp and watching videos of bulls that he would like to shoot. Can't wait to see his 340 bull he ends up shooting?

ttj · Sep 16, 2009

My dad has a Peaks rifle tag. I spent 4 days last week/weekend and am headed back down tonight for the duration. The best bull I saw last week was all alone, with velvet still hanging from his right side. Most of the bulls were alone or with other bulls and the ones that were with cows were not talking much. I finally saw a nice bull Sunday morning that had 8-9 cows and was fired up but he didn't have any satellite bulls around him at all. I did talk to my dad last night and things are improving. They saw 15 bulls yesterday morning and the ruttting activity is picking up. I am just hoping he doesn't fill out before I make it back down tonight. TJ

ktc · Sep 16, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Sep-16-09 AT 10:42AM (MST)[p]When slamdunk and stinky say they are bugling then they are. They have been down there for 10 days not 3. They have been scouting and hunting the entire unit until recently when they focused on one area. Maybe the other guy was in camp and in his truck? When I hunted it I heard hardly any bugles, but guys in other areas of the unit and surrounding units said the bulls were going nuts. Hard to call a guy a liar when they are not there nor do they know the people involved. Talk about stupid threads.