Bugling intensity Sept. 2 - 9 ???????

[Richie Nell]

Whatcha think the bugling will be like in SW Colorado September 2nd-9th at 10,000 feet???

Input is appreciated.

[L82HUNT]

It wil be limited, if your camping high you'll hear some at night.  You will also be dealing with a full moon then which will limit day movement.

[snag]

The week of the 15th seems to be the best time for rutting activity...that's what I have noticed anyway.  But then again the week before those bulls are still looking for cows. If they aren't with a bunch of cows there is less eyes to contend with!

[Elksong]

Richie,
   It is really impossible to say what it will be like.  I have had Elk going completely nuts and screaming like banshee's on opening weekend before.  I have also not heard a single bugle until well after labor day. They are elk and they will do whatever they want when they want.  Just hunt and have fun.

[kadbow]

The hunters will be bugling intensely that week, other than that, what elksong said.

[Richie Nell]

Fortunately where I am going there will be noone but me, another hunter and a guide.  There is zero pressure in the area every year and alot of bulls.  I have just never gone the first week of September.

[Whip]

Hit and miss from year to year in my experience.  Seems to have quite a bit to do with the weather.  If it gets cool, especially with some rain, that seems to set them off a little earlier some years.  Last year for me in northern NM the first good bugling I heard was on September 12th.  Very quiet before that day, and that seems to be more typical.

[Elksong]

To be quite honest the Elk are ALOT more responsive to a call BEFORE the rut actually kicks in.  The may not bugle alot, but the come to a call much more readily.

[Canyon]

I woke up to a few bugles this morning. Really early in my experience here in AZ. If it works here is a link to a short shaky video I took of the herd passing thru just after sunrise. None of our big bulls in the herd but still promising to a guy holding a tag for September.
   

[Elksong]

Bulls will bugle all year long.  Especially in a big herd setting.  That is just how they show excitment and communicate with other elk.  I have seen big herds in July that were making all kinds of noise.  As far as rutting, it means nothing until they are hard horned.

[Canyon]

Elksong I too have heard bugle like squeals all year long but the multi note classic bugles seem to only come just before or around rut time.

[sagebrush]

Another thing to watch is the quaking aspen. It seems to me for some reason that when you first see the yellow start to come on the quakies is when they start bugling the most. Gary

[Elksong@WORK2]

Several times I have shadowed large herds in July, just for the purpose of listening to them talk.  They were made up of mostly cows and new calves with a few younger bulls mixed in.  Twice I had these groups really start talking to each other, mostly calves playing, then the cows started making a bunch of noise. Then the bulls, much to my surprise started to bugle, not squeal, bugle -grunts and all. Both times it only last about 20 minutes, but they were screaming and calling just like they were in the middle of Sept.
I have also seen this in the winter months when the Elk are grouped up.
I had a friend tell me one time on the 4th of July, rode horse back into the high county for the weekend and had a 5x5 (still in velvet) follow him and his horses for a 1/2 mile and bugled at him 1/2 a doz. times.
Elk are Elk and they will do crazy stuff.

[elkbreath]

elksong, good advice.  You just never really know.  

That first week can be incredible, as far as response.  Sometimes they get going alone then, but in general it is in response.  You can really get a group of bulls fired up though, then they feed off each other.  

The biggest bull we took last year came into me screamin his fool head off, on the 4th.   The year before that on opening day we had them going really good right at morning, etc...   SO, you never know.   Before the bigger bulls have a bunch of cows to get herded up, get in there and call him up.  He'll be responsive as he's been waiting for this for a month.   Rattling also works VERY good that week.  Start slow and create excitement and the bulls will respond.  

Speaking of hard horned, I  caught a bull rubbing on wednesday!  The time is near.