With the full-moon on the 23rd, (
Sept.-moon ) it will be a hard year to predict the week they really start to bugle. The August 24th full moon might negate the shorting days of late August(delaying the peak rut?).
I will spit on the dice here and say that if we have many overcast days late August/early September, it will be a slightly earlier rut. A less pronounced start and peak-rut is more likely.
Just plain given the chance, I would hunt the darkest moon phases possible. Hunting the 3rd week of September this year, the evenings will have moonlight with darker mornings.
The 4th week of September will have a lot of moon, with out any overcast days, elk will be more nocturnal.
Plan to have fun, pray for bad weather!
