McCall zone rut timing?

[andrew12gauge]

I had planned to hunt the McCall zone for archery season this year but I changed jobs and won't have the time to commit to learning a new area with a bow in hand, so I am going to hunt rifle season in McCall zone this year and treat it as a scouting season for next year with hopefully a (slightly)higher chance for success and a good chance to put boots on the ground in places I've only google earth scouted previously. I guess the question is will there be any rutting activity toward the rifle opener(oct 15)? I know that in unit 39 I have seen and heard bulls bugling well into mid and late October but that seems outside of the norm. Thanks in advance for any insight you guys can give


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[kidoggy]

oct 15 is very late in the rut and the opening of rifle tends to shut em up fairly quickly.
not saying you can't still bugle em in. it can be done just much less likely.I, would stick with cow calls over bugles that late in rut and to be honest I ,myself would probably stick to glass an stalk over calling that time of year

 

[ivorytip]

post ruts will absolutely taking place mid October, if there are any cows that haven't been bred in mcall zone then you will have some bulls looking for them. but id hunt the mid October bulls with a diff mindset than the rut in mind. most of your big bulls will have already exhausted all of their energy and will be held up in thick nasty timber, quaky patches licking away battle scars and eating like crazy prepping for winter. if you hear a bull scream mid October id get to that location as fast as possible and keep eyes open for tines. just cuz you hear them bugle doesn't mean they are still in breed mode. a lot of bulls like to be alone after the rut and bugle to let other bulls to stay the hell away.

 

[andrew12gauge]

oct 15 is very late in the rut and the opening of rifle tends to shut em up fairly quickly.
not saying you can't still bugle em in. it can be done just much less likely.I, would stick with cow calls over bugles that late in rut and to be honest I ,myself would probably stick to glass an stalk over calling that time of year

Honestly kinda what I had planned. Maybe a few sub dominant bugles for location, but mostly just wondering if some bulls might still be talking, I find that glassing up elk that announce their location is easier than glassing up silent ones. I'll also probably try to do some still hunting in dark timber during the mid day periods. Like I said I will almost be viewing this more as a scouting trip for next September when I'll have some PTO saved up to do a 10 day or so hunt and maybe a couple of long weekends.


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[ivorytip]

you from Idaho? lets hear your story, and pics! we love pics!

 

[IDELKFVR]

I have hunted the McCall zone and have heard elk bugle that late before but it depends on the weather. I would Be carful bugling that late as you might bugle in an inexperienced hunter with a trigger happy finger. just be carful. They usually get pretty wise to the first shots of rifle season. Good luck

 

[andrew12gauge]

you from Idaho? lets hear your story, and pics! we love pics!

I tried to post some pics to the Idaho down game thread but for some reason my post hasn't been approved by a mod yet. Anyway I do live in Nampa, been here about 8 years now. Originally from eastern Washington. 32 yrs old with a wife who is starting to tolerate my hunting a little more despite the fact we have 2 boys under the age of 2. I love to archery hunt but have always had something every September(used to work on an onion farm) to keep me from going after elk. Last year I changed jobs so didn't have any PTO at my new company and this was finally going to be the year but I did it to myself again and switched jobs in late July so now I'm relegated to 3 day weekends for hunting this year and the 1st half of my September is jam packed.


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Pics coming as soon as posts get approved by mods

 

[andrew12gauge]

Not really good at backing up pics so I'll post what I have on this phone

last years archery doe

this years spring bear

pic of a pic of my biggest muley to date, a Washington buck


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[ivorytip]

right on, welcome and good luck this fall!

 

[andrew12gauge]

heres a couple that for some reason will post without moderator approval. Maybe my other photos are just too big, I never get good field photos because I'm always solo. Buddy gave me some pointers for this next year though


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[Slugz]

2nd estrus cows ( cows that did not breed and came into heat again) will still be roaming around looking to get bred.....lost cow, assembly mews and whines on the edges is a great way to drag out the true herd bulls out of the dark stuff and move them to within shot range. Think of it as like its 1145 and the bar is closing at midnight. How do we all act the last 15 minutes( at least when we were younger)

 

[ivorytip]

2nd estrus cows ( cows that did not breed and came into heat again) will still be roaming around looking to get bred.....lost cow, assembly mews and whines on the edges is a great way to drag out the true herd bulls out of the dark stuff and move them to within shot range. Think of it as like its 1145 and the bar is closing at midnight. How do we all act the last 15 minutes( at least when we were younger)

hahaha, I love it

 

[tim]

I have shot mulitiple herd bulls with cows in mid October. Some of them where bugling some were not. I think the rut goes late than most people think.