It seems like 9 out of every 10 guys want to archery hunt elk in later September to get in on the best rut action. While this may be true in most years to hunt bugling bulls, hot cycling cows, and have a lot of wild rutting action, I’m not convinced it’s the best time to actually kill bulls, especially big bulls. Don’t get me wrong, it is definitely the most fun and exciting time in the fall to hunt elk, but being able to seal the deal on that trophy bull can be challenging. With 20+ sets of eyes and noses to try to deceive, your odds of getting busted increase substantially. If you are a great caller, you can sometimes seduce that herd bull to leave his cows for a sexier, hotter cow or to maybe run off a challenging bull or a sequence of convincing bugles, but more often than not, he will just gather the girls and move into the darker timber.
There are actually a lot of advantages to hunting early season/pre-rut elk. One being all the bulls are still available for the taking. You can’t harvest a bull that is already in someone else’s freezer. It can definitely be a grind and somewhat frustrating at times, but there are some strategies that will help your chances of being successful. I have four main strategies that I use to increase my chances of success during the pre-rut period.
Number one and my favorite is using silent calling. This is where you call (usually cow calls) in an area even though nothing is responding to you vocally. Oftentimes, bulls will become curious and sneak in to check out the new girls. I will try this strategy for one to two hours at a whack in an area as it often takes that long for a bull to engage, if he does at all. Stay patient and periodically kick out cow call sequences. You will be surprised at what will show up. I can’t count the number of times I have tried this and become impatient and got up to move just to spook a bull that had snuck in. While it definitely doesn’t work every time, it’s a sound strategy, and every once in a while, it will trigger a bull to start bugling.
Another angle I like to try in early season is sitting water/wallows. Although this may be frowned upon in some states, it’s a great strategy if you can find a water source with frequent elk activity. The weather is usually hot this time of year, prompting elk to visit waterholes more often to drink as well as wallow and cool down. This requires serious patience but will more often than not result in a shot opportunity if a hunter sticks with it.
A third strategy is hunting the transition zones between feeding and bedding areas. If bulls are not talking and not responding to calls, this technique is worth trying. You will need to figure out the favorite route the elk are using. Undisturbed elk will often stay pretty consistent with their daily routine. If you can find a good ambush spot along this route where the wind is in your face, you will have a chance of arrowing a pre-rut bull.
Spot and stalk is another strategy I like to use on early season bulls. They will be bachelored up, or if you’re really lucky, a big bull may be alone. I love my chances of a one on one with any bull. One nose and one set of eyes is much easier to get around than multiple sets. This is usually my go to for early season when bulls are not vocal. It’s also a sound strategy any time during the season when bulls are not responding to calls.
Hunting early season bulls will likely challenge you and can test you physically as well as mentally. However, if you go into it with the right frame of mind and you are ready and willing to adjust your hunt strategy, your odds of success will increase exponentially. Just keep hunting and grinding it out because there is no better feeling on earth than when an archery hunt all comes together.