Utah pre rut calls

Fjstalker · Jun 16, 2015

This year I drew an elk tag starting August 15. What calls would work best, if any at all? Is it too early for the Bulls to start bugling? I have a few cow calls that I've been practicing but don't know if it's to early for those. Any other tips are appreciated too. This is my first archery, and elk hunt. Sorry if something has already been posted on this topic. New to the site and don't know how to do anything

fullthrottle · Jun 16, 2015

Aug 15 is way to early to call in mature Bulls with any calls, they will still be bachelor up, you will only spook them. Usually by the first of September they will begin to establish a pecking order and you can have success with a bugle. Once the pecking order is established cow calls will be your go to call, but that will most likely only be established during the last couple days of the archery hunt. If it was me I would hope it's dry the first couple weeks of the season and find a water source that the bull or group of bulls are using and be patient. After the few days in September if your lucky you will be chasing bugles, but varies year to year. Good luck. What unit did you draw?

Fjstalker · Jun 16, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Jun-16-15 AT 08:55PM (MST)[p]Thanks for the info! I drew the limited entry wasatch. Do you know much about that unit? I'm usually go north slope for deer

fullthrottle · Jun 16, 2015

Awesome. I have spent a fair amount of time on the wasatch unit over the years. You should have a great hunt. Huge unit, but there is a lot of good area's that hold nice Bulls. You should have no problem finding numerous 330 ish type Bulls while scouting, and most likely a few bigger. Most years by about the 8th of September if you aren't hearing lots of bugles you most likely aren't in them and need to relocate. But like I said this is an educated guess and can very from year to year. Have fun, don't get discouraged the first couple weeks of the hunt, that will be a tuff timeframe to hunt mature bulls With all the pressure from the general deer and spike/cow guys, but things will settle down by the first week in September and the hunting will most likely get better the deeper into the hunt you get.

Fjstalker · Jun 16, 2015

Great. Thanks for the help. I'm gonna get up there and find some water. I'll update after the hunt!

woody622 · Jun 18, 2015

Early season pre-rut elk hunting you can spit out a few cow calls in an area you know there are bulls, you won't get an answer but theres a very good chance you will get bulls coming into you silently to check out whats going on. I've had a ton of success getting into an area and doing some cow calling and having them come in. With this years elk hunt starting early and ending early you cannot rely on the rut unfortunately. You may have a few good days right at the end of the season but I would rely on spot and stalk or sitting water. GOOD LUCK

Buglelk · Jun 19, 2015

We hunted that last year and it was blast especially that last week we had elk bugling around us and a ton of chances.
If you are not picky you should have many chances.
If you have any questions pm me.

littlebighorn · Jun 20, 2015

One of the unfortunate challenges of archery hunting the Wasatch is, you are competing with spike/cow hunters during most of the hunt. I think it is important to find pokets of elk away from the roads. Inexperienced spike/cow hunters will be tromping the ridges squeezing their Huchie Momas and that makes it difficult for you.
My son had the tag a few years back and we found some isolated wallows/water sources and set up tree stands. If you want to hunt early in the season, it's not the most exciting hunting, but if you can catch some good bulls coming in on a camera, you will have a decent chance to kill one. That's what my son did.
Any mature bull with a bow is a fine trophy, so I would not get hung up with numbers.
Scout hard, hunt hard and have a blast. It is a fun hunt.

Gator · Jun 20, 2015

Get some Cam's set up and get to patterning them bulls when they come to water, Some will come to water every day and some will be a day or two(using other water) But if you can get a handle on that you will up your chances hunting water around those times and spot and stalk others places during the day.
Bring some good glass.

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Servehim · Jun 20, 2015

Agree, boring as it most often is....sitting water is your best option of actually killing a bull early. That being said every year is different and they can get vocal early. Several years ago while scouting the Gila in NM I heard bugles ( Lots of them) on 8-25. Thought for sure it was a person out there practicing making a fool of himself. Not !!! Real 320 class bull with a dozen cows. I'm 1000 miles south of you up there in Utah. Not uncommon here to hear bugles near the first of Sept at first light and dusk.