Calling bulls during rifle hunt.

[Matt86]

What is everyone’s experience calling bulls at the tail end of the run in the first week of rifle?
October 17 being opener is late for the rut but what’s the latest you have called bulls in or seen rut activity?

[rick_iles]

With the later opening day, there will still be cows that have not been bred. We have found that the smaller bulls will still be lurking around, as late as the second week. I’ve heard of bulls coming to call as late as the end of October. I called in a big bull last year on opening day. We had been seeing evidence of rutting activity the week previous. Do your legwork and call where there is lots of sign...

[jlmorgan]

The biggest bull I have shot (54"spread) I called in on Oct. 15 1997, I also called in a 48" one on Oct.13 2019 and have had numerous other close calls and answers later in the season, so its never to late to call in my opinion.

[Sam Menard]

Yes, calling will work but not nearly as well as during the rut. It’s been my experience that young bulls are more responsive at that time and will likely approach silently. Larger bulls may come in (very) slowly and all that you might hear is an antler knock (thunk).

[Articcat]

I've called in bulls from the middle to end of October with good success.
Called in some big bulls and young bulls, I find the big bulls are more aggressive with their responding and the young bulls seam to grunt but a lot less.
Last year I shot a young bull opening day and he came in like freight train grunting and smacking trees with his antlers took about 1-1/2 hours when he finally stepped out at the edge of the pond I was shocked to see a 2 year old bull thought it was much older than that from all the noise he was making.

[blasted_saber]

I've called bulls in the third week of October.

[Matt86]

thanks for the replies, always curious about that.
took less points for a rifle bull tag then it did for a bow bull in our area,