Elk

[lightfoot]

Has anyone heard elk bugling in southern alberta?? We were up near Sundre and a few distant bugles in the area.

[Hubbard]

i spent the 8th and half of the 9th in 404 but didn't here any bugles not in the morning evening or all night. a pack of wolves had moved into my area cause i could here them all night.

[tecspec]

:smile: 8) :smile:
Haven't heard any bugling yet.
On the plus side, there's snow up on the YA-HA-TINDA ranch, and if it continues it'll push 'em down off the high meadows.
Years ago, I used to hate snow, but then I started elk hunting!!!!!!!

[Top Dawg]

I have a friend who lives in the south Bowzone by Red Deer Meats and the Elk are all around his place rite now he sais the cows are chirping more than anything... Little bugle here and there but nothing major... Man I need too get out there...... Good luck all...

[Top Dawg]

OK I stand corrected rite after my last post I got a call and a hunting friend of mine call too inquire what I was up too apperently he downed a 6X6 Bull Elk so here I sit at 1:45am pooped... He was saying the Elk cam a runnin too the cow call... Nose down and stupid but did bugle a couple times along the way so I guess they are making noise mabey not as they will be here in a few weeks but it's starting and he had a prettty good layer of fat on him also once we had him skinned.... Well off too bed and dream on when I get that chance here this weekend.... Later all....

[hunterkiller]

I was out in 304 & 305 on the weekend and heard quite a few bugles, lots of tracks. I've been drawn in 305 so maybe my luck will change this year.

[Grunter]

hunterkiller - I'm hoping that name is supposed to be two adjectives, not one word!

I was in 305 in the Porcupine Hills and we heard nothing, albeit that the winds were at gale force pretty much the entire 14 hours we were out there!

Were you in 304 or 305 when you heard bugling? didn't see much elk sign out there either but there was loads of deer sign!

[hunterkiller]

I was in 304 on Thursday night when I firs theard them. I was in 305 on Friday morning and heard a couple but, ya , Saturday nite I though I was going to get blown off the hillside.

[lightfoot]

We were in 305 on Saturday and never heard a darn thing other than the howl of the wind. We were talking to a rancher in the area and he had said that he has not seen elk in the area for about 2 weeks know.

We were you that you ere hearing bugles?? could have been other hunters maybe? :wink:

[hunterkiller]

It was bugles for sure we came across no other hunters until Friday afternoon. I thought that perhaps it was hunters but the other boys heard the same thing and swear they were Elk and not human

[C_Fisher]

Hey Guys,

Our group was in the 305 from the 8th until dusk on the Saturday.

We were able to bugle between a couple bulls on the hills on the E/SE hills on Thursday evening.

And although Saturday was a heck of a wind storm the guys went out off the Skyline on the north hill and saw a handful of bulls fighting and later that day were able to track a couple of herds in the same area. No one got a shot at them, but they figure there were about 120 head in the 2 herds....and some nice looking bulls....

Good Luck - They're out there.....

[fishnutz4ever]

Sounds good to me. I was driving around on Sunday, I never saw any elk but I found some tracks and lots of Mulies. I'm heading out tomorrow (Friday) until next Sunday to try my luck. I'm still hoping to bag my first Elk. Only one more sleep and 8 hrs at work!! Later.

[T-man]

Just rolled back into town from 4 days in 304-305. Not a peep out of the elk. Wind was blowing non-stop. Even the mulies were jittery. Saw one doe high tail it for what seemed like forever, never did figure what she was running from, I was glassing from across a valley.

Picked up some fresh elk sign this morning, but could not locate them. Wihout making any noise they were difficult to pin down.

[BlueNorther]

The elk are just screaming up north where I've been hunting.We never did see one but know of two bulls that were taken.

[Grunter]

sounds like the elk in 305 are outside the forestry boundary and on the burke creek ranch... good luck getting in there! The forest reserve boundary along skyline road is 2.4km beyond crown land that isn't leased. We chose to stay south of that 2.4km limit to make sure we didn't make problems for ourselves. Trouble is that not even 500 yards beyond that safe-boundary is where we've seen elk and some nice mulies. :twisted:

[lightfoot]

We were out this past weekend and there wasn't a sound out of the elk anywhere :?: :?: And let me tell you we put on the miles about 15Km on foot and my feet are still feeling it. In all of our travels we saw only 1 deer and about 15 grouse. We need the cold weather and it doesn't look like we are going to get and as of now my season has ended as I have entered the last phase with my wife for having the new little package 4 weeks to go and she won't let me leave the yard now.

Until November, good luck to everyone

[Grunter]

Yup, we put on some good miles this weekend in 304 thinking a change of pace would be beneficial. Saw only once some real old elk sign. Couple of nice mulies and a black bear. All the game we saw was REAL high on top of the ridges, the elk must be flyin with the angels!

Likely those bugles heard were real but doesn't sound like they were in the same area the huge herds of elk were spotted. Sounded to me like the elk were on the far side of the Heath Creek towards Buffalo Jump...

[BlueNorther]

The elk are all in 308 and will stay there till the snows push them out :lol:.

The porqupines are so hot and cold when it comes to elk,some years they throw themselves at us and other years you couldn't buy an elk.

[Top Dawg]

Good too hear I have a Cow Elk Draw in 308...... My luck they will move B4 it opens..

[lightfoot]

I have been granted one last weekedn by my very pregnant wife to head out for elk, Has anyone heard anyhting or been out and about, I appreciate your input guys

[T-man]

Was out in 305 yesterday. Picked up a group of about 6-8 cow/calfs and one good 6x6'ish bull (couldn't confirm all the points through the trees, his horns were nice an long though) first thing in the morning. Got the cow call going and the cows were talking back right away and started to make for my locale. About 65-70 yrds through the trees I could see the bull cut them off and start pushing them back up the hill. He never did respond to my calls. Last I saw they were headed southwest.

[Grunter]

T-Man, were you on or near Skyline, or further south towards the rec area? Were the elk headed towards Heath Creek or West Sharples Creek - I can't believe how wonky these freekin elk are this year!

Everyone I've been talking with says they're (bulls) keeping real quiet.

:evil: :twisted: :? :(

[Gumby]

Must be a common problem Grunter because the bulls here in Manitoba were unusually quiet last week when we were out too. They'd come in quietly or give a short bugle and that'd be it. They sure weren't very aggresive.

[jackal]

Well I'm not sure where everyone is hunting in 305 but since opening day I have called in 4 different bulls and have harevested a 6+5 and every time I have been out the elk have been screamin at my calling but some days they just dont come in to bow range. I think the elk in 305 are in full rut right know so if you get the chance you had best be out for the elk because it wont last to long about a week and a half or so .GOOD LUCK

[Grunter]

Geez Louise!

the only place we haven't been yet in 305 over the past few weeks is the rangeland east of the forsesty boundary. Either the elk are extrememly high up on some of the ridges we haven't hit - or they're bottom feeding valley dwellers, I sure haven't been able to figure it out but I'm guessing we have to hit the hills on private land from east in towards the forestry. We haven't been entertaining the idea of private access, haven't had much luck in the past...

AND I STILL CAN' T FIND STEEPLES ROAD!!!

[fishnutz4ever]

We had the same problem Grunter. We just got back from a week trip in the Porcupine Hills. Only saw one Elk, a 4 x 4 bull that I called in and then screwed up the shot. He came right to my treestand and was sniffing my tree! What a rush! Then nothing the rest of the trip. That was Monday morning. We hunted the Forestry in 304/305. Nothing but Mulies, lots of bachelor groups of bucks. I managed to arrow my first Mulie buck, a 4 x 4, not the biggest I saw but I'm happy all the same. Couldn't find the elk anywhere. We kinda got frustrated at the end of the trip. We packed up on Friday and went home, never even hunted the a.m. Elk kicked our arses AGAIN! It's a tough place to hunt with all the thick bush and steep, steep coulees. We thought they'd be up high, never really went into the depths of the coulees. Plus, there were cattle everywhere we turned. I know you were looking for Steeples Road, all we saw was East and West Sharples Creek Road, Heath Creek Rd, Beaver Creek Rd, East Trout creek Rd., Skyline Rd, etc. I'd sure like to have known where in 305 Jackal was hunting. Oh well, that's hunting.