Archery Elk mt

[elkhunt2434]

As a general rule can you judge an elk for age off of a bugle

 

[bighornbor]

Well if he's screaming his head off choking on his own bugles it's probably not a spike and worth a closer look

 

[Laramie]

As a general rule can you judge an elk for age off of a bugle

Generally you can tell 1st and 2nd year bulls from older bulls but it doesn't always hold true. I have heard spikes bugle that sound old and raspy and a 350 class bull that was a squeaker.

 

[Ross]

Kind of, sorta, maybe, occasionally…..IF they are Lip Bawling there is a high % chance he is Big.

 

[Golt199]

No. Absolutely not. If you pull up on a bugling bull and try to judge his age by the sound coming out of his mouth, you are going to make a very expensive mistake.

 

[WoodDuck]

The better question: has anyone not chased a bugle because it sounded small? I know I haven’t…

 

[Indian Summer]

I certainly head toward the deeper raspier bugles over the squealy ones. But I have seen big bulls that squealed like a raghorn for sure so you can never be certain.

 

[Laramie]

I certainly head toward the deeper raspier bugles over the squealy ones. But I have seen big bulls that squealed like a raghorn for sure so you can never be certain.

The Mike Tyson of elk are out there for sure... lol

 

[SleepyJones]

Generally, a big one can sound small, but it's rare to find a small one that sounds big. I'm equating size to age.

 

[bz_711]

In general it can hold true once you've heard enough...but I've also been very surprised once I laid eyes on a bull. Luckily any bugle is good enough for me to chase

 

[mt terry d]

It's easier to differentiate between a real bull and a human bugler.

Not to say you need to sound like a real bull. They aren't fussy.

 

[Beendare]

Generally, a big one can sound small, but it's rare to find a small one that sounds big. I'm equating size to age.

Agreed.

 

[elkliver]

Had a bull start bugling on the ridge across the canyon. We were sure that it was a person because it sounded like blowing on a Pepsi bottle. I occasionally answered and he kept bugling.. he was covering enough ground that I decide it was an elk and went after it
Ended up being a decent 5 point.

 

[Arrowbuck]

In my experience, what SleepyJones said nails it. I would add that sometimes you'll hear a bugle that is so bad, you just know it is a first timer from Florida with a Primos "blue reed" bugle, that arrived at his door from Amazon the day before he left for his hunt. Then it turns out to be an absolute toad of a bull that you wish you had slipped up on more quietly (been there, done that!)

 

[Arrowbuck]

However, the reverse is also true, been a couple of times I've been "called in" by a hunter who sounded like a monster bull. Wish I could bugle like that!