Str8Shot Report post Posted September 19, 2016 Most of Alpine is in 27 ... Just stay south and west of 249 and south of the 180 to the border and you are fine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigorange Report post Posted September 19, 2016 403 road is always crowded, but sounds even moreso this year. I've had good luck both north and south of that road, but you have to hike a bit. But there's a lot more to 27 than that road... Agree if you're not hearing bugles you gotta ambush them coming into the meadows at dusk or heading back up at dawn. Hopefully the moon and weather improve things for you. Don't give up and enjoy it man...there are a lot of us not hunting that would love to be in your boots. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted September 19, 2016 Hunt them like you are hunting course. Use good quality optics to glass them on the North facing, burned out, slopes as the head for bed in the morning. Move into position for the afternoon. If you have a buddy who can stay behind the glass; it is helpful. The wallow fire changed he rules! Before the fire you could hunt elk all season in the Cayote Creek drainage(403, 403f), and never push them down into the Campbell Blue. Now, they see all the hunters and vehicles and bail off pretty quick. There are hundreds of North facing, burned out ridges. Spend sometime picking them apart and bulls will materialize. Good luck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJMauro12 Report post Posted September 19, 2016 I've been getting into elk the last couple days. Friday was rough and I never heard a bugle or seen an elk. I've never hunted the unit before and didn't scout it so I've pretty much been using this first week as my scouting. Thursday night before the hunt I was woke up by bugles they screaming in camp at 130AM and they were still screaming when I left camp at 330AM but then they shut off. Saturday morning I spent checking waters and glassed up an average bull with a Few cows. Saturday night I had Bulls start screaming about an hour before dark but didn't get a look at them before dark. Sunday morning we were in bugles until noon but only got to see the satellites. Sunday night a good bull came out of his bed screaming on a trail just out of range and he didn't have any cows. I've found 16 wallows so far. Never seen so many wallows before. Haven't seen any cows yet really. It can only get better! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BeardownAZ Report post Posted September 20, 2016 27 isn't what it used to be. As said, the fire changed things and for some reason, the rut seems like it starts later there. Was up there 2 years ago for a rifle rut hunt and they did exactly what yours are doing, bugling at night and shutting off at day break. Mean while unit 1 was going crazy. Still not sure why. Just keep at it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trphyhntr Report post Posted September 20, 2016 27 isn't what it used to be. As said, the fire changed things and for some reason, the rut seems like it starts later there. Was up there 2 years ago for a rifle rut hunt and they did exactly what yours are doing, bugling at night and shutting off at day break. Mean while unit 1 was going crazy. Still not sure why. Just keep at it. No elk units are like they use to be thanks to the over allotment of tags. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BeardownAZ Report post Posted September 20, 2016 This is true, deer as well in a lot of units too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Notime2hunt Report post Posted September 20, 2016 I was in 27 for opening weekend of Archery(last weekend) friend of mine has the tag. We too encountered tons of hunters. Only way to enjoy that hunt is to be in great shape and be able to hike deep into the country or have horses. I believe its very difficult to drive roads and blow a location bugle in unit 27. all areas that allow you to do this are over ran with ppl. The mindset of - I need to hear them before I go walking into the forest needs to be thrown out. Get into the deepest areas you physically can and stay all day. We had bulls bugeling at us but they were not coming to the call. So we just kept them talking enough to slip into their bedroom. Most bugles we encountered were just light rut action. They were calling from their bed but not fired up enough to come join the party. we kept them talking enough to slip into bow range on a solid bull. just not quite what you are looking for on opening weekend. Persistence is the biggest thing. I think everyone(my self included) thinks that these archery rut hunts are a guarantee because of how hard they are to draw and because the "RUT" is going on. When in reality it can be a very difficult hunt. Especially if you are a trophy hunter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJMauro12 Report post Posted September 21, 2016 Found a huge shed yesterday before I had to come back to town to work a couple hours. On the road back up now to hopefully make something happen. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost85 Report post Posted September 21, 2016 i have heard that 27 is really tough this year. i keep hearing that they are rutting well but big bulls are few and far between. I'll be up this weekend helping out a couple friends Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJMauro12 Report post Posted September 21, 2016 i have heard that 27 is really tough this year. i keep hearing that they are rutting well but big bulls are few and far between. I'll be up this weekend helping out a couple friendsI guess that's good to hear. Since I'm new to 27 I've felt like I'm just doing something wrong at times. It hasn't been all bad though because there have been days I am in elk most the day. I've learned this year that knowing a unit is a huge advantage and I'll stick to my regular places from now on most likely. The grass isn't always greener. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost85 Report post Posted September 21, 2016 yeah, 27 is intimidating. it's a unit where you can really get your @ss kicked if you're not familiar or prepared. i love it and hunt it almost exclusively anymore. i've set foot or laid eyes on pretty much every square foot of it at one time or another and still get beat up in there all the time. good luck and keep at it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jim Report post Posted September 21, 2016 I had not been in the unit since the fire. I do know that there are large chunks of country that there was no sign in that usually hold good numbers of elk. I had to run a lot of spots to help my friends get into elk and was shocked how quiet it was. With that said where we did find them had a lot of sign and with patience they will do fine and hopefully kill a good bull. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted September 21, 2016 yeah, 27 is intimidating. it's a unit where you can really get your @ss kicked if you're not familiar or prepared. i love it and hunt it almost exclusively anymore. i've set foot or laid eyes on pretty much every square foot of it at one time or another and still get beat up in there all the time. good luck and keep at it Very true. Unit 27 has kicked my butt for close to 40 years. I love every minute of it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AzBuckCHaser1 Report post Posted September 21, 2016 I appreciate all the advise me and my son have put many miles a day on our boots. Seems to be getting a little better. Having a good time never less Hope we find a decent bull Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
