Bow hunters over calling

[trophyhill]

100% I've blown out enough elk after 30 minutes that I have a hard rule of rip and run or sit for 45 minutes. I've had them come up behind me and growl like something with long teeth.....I shit my pants and spin, they haul ass and I kick my cat when I get home.

It plays out like a cheap Netflix show.

I had that play out twice this year and that’s the issue I have with blind calling. When it works, it’s great! But when they sneak in silent, and come in behind you like that, it’s very frustrating. Especially when you’ve opened up the door for them to come in on the otherwise perfect set up and they circle around thru the thickest stuff on the mountain lol. I don’t know how they can get so close without hearing them like that.

 

[Pigskin]

I seen guys roll up to the area I was in this year in trucks, 4 of em get out, blaze down the trail a mile and start calling.....bugle, cow call....bugle, cow call....bugle, cow call.....continuously from daylight to dark for a couple days then leave, this happened 3 different times with 3 different groups, ran into 2 of those groups on my way back to camp at dark, they always complained about how hard it was to get back up the mountain to the trucks, I always laugh and shake my head.
If they would just let the elk do their thing and really listen......they might just hear a real elk bugle instead of hearing their own calls.

I think the weird weather might have more to do with with elk staying more quiet this year but I’m sure all the Tarzan bugles coming from oversized wiffle ball bats didn’t help none either.....

 

[NMframed]

Oh man this has been good for a laugh!

Never seen so many grown ass men get their little panties in a twist over the suggestion that running around the woods and over calling like a moron can change the behavior of elk.

These replies pretty much confirm that what Im seeing locally isn't an isolated phenomenon.

Im out
Let the dumpster fire continue

OP was probably just looking for a way to get his
10 posts so he could buy something in the classifieds, so he did the best he could to stir the pot and now he’s done. At least he started a good topic that will probably carry on for a while. Valuable info will be shared

I’m following!

 

[Dr. Rx]

The single greatest challenge in archery elk hunting is other hunters who encroach on a elk you’ve been working.

The excitement is absolutely understandable

Unfortunately, if a hunter is calling trying to locate while encroaching on the elk your working, 100% of the time the wind is not in their favor.

I ask, I beg, I plead.., when you decide to call, double check the wind before you blow.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Josh24wedding]

I’m a new elk hunter ( 2 years in elk woods) but I got a tip for you learn to be better than the rest beat the elk at there own game.

 

[The10%]

I really don't get why everyone is bashing the OP. I have some of the same thoughts. When you have been doing this long enough it really sucks to see some of your favorite areas overrun with internet fanboys non-stop calling. I had 3 different times in ID this season when I was working elk and it was messed up by other hunters, its frustrating. And people saying elk don't get educated haha, you need to spend more time in the woods. Just look at how quick ducks get educated and their brains are the size of a pebble.
Archery equip is better every year, more videos are pumped out on youtube and it will only get worse/crowded/harder.
Ill never stop elk hunting, and as long as I'm able will always work as hard as I need to make sure the freezer is full. But ill still complain.

 

[Deadfall]

Ugh

 

[whaack]

I’m new to elk hunting, only been a few times. That said, last year I was watching an Elk 101 video on YT where when Cory Jacobsen got back to his truck someone had left him a note that he was calling too much.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Deadfall]

Sheesh

 

[tt_johnsclist]

Be careful what you wish for. If those internet Doug Flutie warriors take your advice and start calling and hunting like pros lots of those bulls that they are making call shy will be dead instead. You lose either way, just worse.

 

[Deadfall]

My opinion, its not guys over calling. As saying goes there is a time and place for everything. With so many new hunters looking for information. They are looking at YouTube. All the fancy TV folks are giving out decent information. However the information is only enough to be dangerous not lethal. Just enough information to sell shit.

Elknut is the absolute only guy giving out lethal information. Which. In some ways drives me crazy. I'm also glad he's out there.

The rest are just selling junk.

Lot of guys running around with only part of what they need.

P.s. the only people I know who want more hunters are the ones selling crap.

Free country supposedly do what you want. Just keep in mind most information isn't necessarily the right information

 

[Riflehuntr19]

It’s funny to hear all the explanations for walking around blowing on the bugle all day. I’ve learned it doesn’t educate the elk or make them run away. Good to know.

Where does this idea of covering a bunch of miles covering a ton evolve? It was maybe functional five years ago but in the near future there won’t be bulls that want to play. You’ll just run into piles of hunters and elk will be going the other way.

 

[Praxeus]

I think that the real issue at hand is that guys are being educated from You Tube, Websites and other electronic formats instead of experience in the woods. This creates the illusion that you can step out and let a locator bugle go over and over. I was watching a video of Dirk Durham, world champion elk caller and he bugled and bugled and bugled before leaving an area. No slam on Dirk as I love him and his videos but Im thinking that if a novice/ first time elk hunter saw this, they are the ones being educated. The reality is, nothing can replace boots on the ground and time in the woods. Over calling, IMO is just an indicator of ignorance about other factors.There is a reason why elk have changed their voicing habits. You simply have to learn it and go with it. For me, I have found that elk are vocal but its based on proximity. You have to get close....and that means you have to have the wind, personal control and skill up to date.

 

[5MilesBack]

You’ll just run into piles of hunters

That's the real problem, whether they are calling or not.

 

[AaronMColeman]

My opinion, its not guys over calling. As saying goes there is a time and place for everything. With so many new hunters looking for information. They are looking at YouTube. All the fancy TV folks are giving out decent information. However the information is only enough to be dangerous not lethal. Just enough information to sell shit.

Elknut is the absolute only guy giving out lethal information. Which. In some ways drives me crazy. I'm also glad he's out there.

The rest are just selling junk.

Lot of guys running around with only part of what they need.

P.s. the only people I know who want more hunters are the ones selling crap.

Free country supposedly do what you want. Just keep in mind most information isn't necessarily the right information

I want more hunters! It’s a double edge sword. I want more people to love what I love, but that means more pressure. But i also live in the unit I hunt and even with crowds this year it doesn’t compare to Colorado.

But I think the problem is guys learn a bugle and get a cow call. Two calls that may not make any sense to the elk. It’s like a guy who can say “hi” and “I love you” in another language. In certain circumstances it makes sense. In most it just confuses. Learning to bugle and learning actual calls are two different things. Education and practice...I suck but I’m learning elk behavior and language so I won’t be blowing them out for the rest of my life.

 

[elkocd]

Yes, most are way over calling because that's their only real tool. The end result is they are mostly killing bulls I'm not interested in anyway. Of course not all the time, but it's definitely the norm. People can do whatever they want assuming it's legal. I believe in adapting. Have a large tool bag and you start killing the bulls you want rather than just the bulls that are young and stupid. If you're into all the media stuff out there, watch closely to what bulls are being killed by all the pied pipers and then look at how all the toads are getting killed. Might make you think a bit about calling non-stop.

 

[Sled]

It’s funny to hear all the explanations for walking around blowing on the bugle all day. I’ve learned it doesn’t You’ll just run into piles of hunters and elk will be going the other way.

It’s funny to hear all the explanations for walking around blowing on the bugle all day. I’ve learned it doesn’t educate the elk or make them run away. Good to know.

You’ll just run into piles of hunters and elk will be going the other way.

Ok, new plan. Bring Doug Flutie with me to a high density elk area and give him the big wiggle ball bat. Have him call the long ball and draw in all the hunters while I wait on the escape route. Takes out the competition and puts me in the elk.
Kills two birds with one stone.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

After hunting super hard for elk every day last month I'm really bummed out with how call shy the bulls are getting.
I managed to call one 5 point bull in for my buddy (which he shot) and that was it!
I'm in an area where I used to call bulls in almost every time I go out.

Sadly I saw way way more guys in the woods this year in places that I never have, and one thing I noticed is how everyone is over calling.
If you're new to bow hunting please take this advice, STOP bugling and cow calling at herd bulls that are all cowed up.
They know somethings up when you call over and over again, and you won't bring them away from their cows
YOU'RE educating all of them!

Anyone else noticing this in the woods?

"Sadly I saw way way more guys in the woods this year in places that I never have,..."

It's very possible this doesn't have anything to do with people over-calling, but more that the Elk were blown out and not present due to the amount of hunters in the area you've not previously seen before. You may not be getting responses because the Elk are no longer in the area.

 

[Deadfall]

I guide on public land. This year in bow season not only were there more people, they were camped in ridiculous places. Even had some joker shoot a bull out from under us with a rifle. And not in early rifle area.

Still went 75 percent kill with 100 percent opportunity. If my hunter gets a bull 35yrds or less standing still and not covered by brush, not killing is on him.

Rest of folks i ran into were a perfect 0.0 percent.

Moral of the story. Know your area learn animal behavior and for God sakes stay downwind.

 

[Deadfall]

P.s. keep in mind that world champion callers are being judged by humans not animals