AZ Elk movements

[no_draws]

Need some help with my late archery Elk tag in AZ (7m). We have seen plenty of elk but only a few mintes before dark each day. Thursday night they were bugling like crazy but haven't made a sound since. My guess is that the moon is playing a big hand in keeping the elk awake all night. My question is, where are they during the day if they are up all night? We walked all over the place morning and afternoon. The only time we see anything is again, just before sundown. If anyone has any advise or suggestions regarding my observations that would be great.

JG >>-------->

 

[jameister]

Just back from our Oct 1-6 muzzleloader hunt in 3B. indeed bugling became much more crepuscular as last week wore on, and as moon waned, and as more hunters were calling too much to each and every bugle moving through the woods. We decided to travel from bedding area to bedding areas, and catnap in car for half hour wiht windows down, or walk into different areas and catnap until a bugling elk woke us up. then hustle double time toward bugling elk, especially if you hear a pair in confrontation, which we did every day about mid day. the late night bright moon makes for an early morning quit, but also for an afternoon activity period.

Looked for bedding areas to house calling elk during midafternoon, these bugling elk may just bugle once and shut up and wait, or they may set off a real bugle contest for an hour or more, enough time to get a sneak in.

Wherever you last heard the morning elk bugles is where the bedding areas are: they will bugle right to their beds, and then will bugle from there a time or two up to 7-8-9 am or whenever the morning shuts down.


I was able to sneak a 6X6 on Sunday (yesterday) who just could not resist moaning and graining for my cow call, but would absolutely not leave his lady friend to come to where I was. finally hands and kneed it to 56 feet from his bed and shot him when he stood up..

I ended with a young, but really wide rack (48" wide).

Best advice I received is move if its quiet where you are. keep moving until you locate bugling bulls... that is the advantage of the early hunt, so use it.
Jameister

 

[AZNative]

I had the same results, with the bulls not calling in 7M. I might head back up the end of the week to see if it picks back up. Let us know if anyone is in Flagstaff hearing the bulls tearing it up again. Right now all is silent!

 

[roimike]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-07-04 AT 04:19PM (MST)[p]Just got back from my 23 south Muzzlelaoder hunt. The heat, moon and too much water shut the bulls up. Nothing to do but glass, glass, glass.

I spotted my bull just before sunset on the 5th day. He was a half mile away, but with a good stalk it only took one shot.

 

[buckfever69]

hey roimike
I have a late archery tag in 23. How was the south end of the unit? Did you see any size down there? I know that the south end can produce some great bulls but it can also prove very difficult to hunt, especially the late hunt. I have a couple of spots. Do you mind sharing where about you where hunting? If so, let me know. The more info the better. Congrats on your bull. How big was he?

 

[buckfever69]

jameister,
I was up helping my dad and brother in 3B last weekend. We saw some really nice bulls. My brother missed a 340 6x6 on opening morning. He ended up taking a 300 class 6x6. My Dad finally took a 6x7 on the last day. We saw a couple of 360 class bulls at a distance but there was not enough daylight to hunt them. We also saw a Giant 380+ but weren't able to get a shot. Bulls shut up early and started late. They wouldn't bugle until about 30 min. before dark. Evenings sucked for us. Anyway, two nice bulls and a whole lot of fun. Can't hardly beat that.