Archery Elk

FamousAddiction · Jul 20, 2009

Well it's about time to put in vacation time for the upcoming Archery Elk season. I'm having a litle trouble trying to decide which week I should put in for. I'm thinking either the week of Sept 7-11 or Sept 14-18. I'm just curious to see what everybody else is going to do. I know the week of Sept 14-18 Muzzy season will be in full swing, so I was thinking I would take the week of Sept 7-11 but want to make sure the rut will be peaking during that time. Anybody have any thoughts or opinions? Will the week of Sept 7-11 be to early?

marley · Jul 20, 2009

I'd do the week after the muzzleloader if you can. It seems like the rut here tends to be later in September.

Waygoner · Jul 21, 2009

I agree, week after muzzle loader.

inarcher · Jul 21, 2009

I agree with the others. I would hunt the last week of season if possible.

FamousAddiction · Jul 21, 2009

Thanks for all of the replies, I'll have to keep that in mind. Just seems they'd be getting a little spooky after the smokepoles start flinging lead at them. So is that when you generally have your best archery hunt, at the end of September?

Rem308 · Jul 21, 2009

It all depends how I am going to hunt.Either the first week or the last week of the season.
If it has been a dry summer,I hunt the first week and hunt close to water.Take a stand with good sign and wait,just like hunting Whitetails.
If the summer has had good rains and water is everywhere,I hunt the last week of the season and try to hit the rut.Mostly Cow calling.
Also have had good luck hunting wallows thru out the season.

Knockmdead · Jul 23, 2009

I have been trying to figure out that very same thing. Before the Muzzy or after the Muzzy. I would like to go after to try to get into the rut a little more but I wonder how skiddish the elk will be after being chased and shot at for a week. Whats your guys experience with this. Do the elk seem to calm down quickly or are they pretty skiddish for the rest of the fall?

Jeff

Rem308 · Jul 23, 2009

If they are rutting they get less cautious to hunters and just looking for a girlfriend.

WoodMoose · Jul 23, 2009

have the same dilema and am going the week of ML - and I am archery hunting. Have a archery pronghorn hunt in WY 20-26 Sep with a buddy, so kind of knocking two hunts out

marley · Jul 23, 2009

I usually hunt the entire season but have always had better luck after the ML season. They don't seem to be any more worked up after than before. I killed my bull last year one day after the ML season. He was bugling up a storm when he came in looking for a lady friend.

FamousAddiction · Jul 30, 2009

Thanks for all the advice, I'm going to have Sept 18th-27th off, 10 days of hunting. I can't wait!!!! Good Luck to everyone else, season is less than a month away.