velvet question

coyote456 · Jul 9, 2012

Hey guys when do the bulls usually start stripping velvet I know bigger ones start a little earlier and i know there still growing. Ive ran into a lot of elk rubs from last year and older ones also, do the bulls usually use the same general area for rubbing or do they venture to new areas and last I have some dandy bulls comeing into my water hole without to much people pressure besides a few cattle man so my question is on that if there not to spooked do elk use the same general area for watering? Ive hunted elk my whole life I know there habitat well but ive also only hunted spike so im not a big expert on big bulls ive seen them many times but have waited 7 years to draw my archery big bull tag Thanks guys for any help oh i drew the wasatch tag so incase that helps.

TheFever · Jul 9, 2012

I'm not sure as far as where they rub their velvet as far as it being a different area.
But, last year on the archery opener up on the Wasatch Front I had 3 bulls withing 50 yards. 2 5x5's and one had full velvet and the other had some velvet hanging off his back ends. Then the third bull was a little ways off from them raking an aspen trying to get his off. So it depends on the bull I guess. But hope that helps on the time frame a little.

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For the love of the game

bowhunt3r4l1f3 · Jul 12, 2012

The elk should keep using the same watering holes that they are now. If your seeing bulls right now they should keep showing up even after the hunt starts.

TOPGUN · Jul 12, 2012

+1 If you've found a good spot like that, it should be good through at least the first part of your hunt if the place doesn't get pressured too much.

littlebighorn · Jul 12, 2012

C456,
My son had a Wasatch Archery tag last year. He ended up killing a nice 320 bull over a water hole that we sat several times. It appeared to us that the bulls shed about a week or so before the hunt started. They were still bunched up, but once the hunt was on, all the hunting pressure and the coming rut seemed to change their patterns.
Some of the bulls tended to stay in the same areas, while others vanished, at least for us. We kept our cameras up during the hunt so we knew what was still coming. If it is an isolated water source/wallow, I would stick with it, but have some other options as well. Good luck. We had a great hunt.

theox · Jul 12, 2012

depends on the bull. i have seen some in the last week in july hardhorned. but most or hard hardhorned by mid august. never seen one with velvet in sept. thats my experiences