Bugle Report

Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
2,830
Location
West Virginia
My first full day in Colorado was Monday a week ago. Heard 3 that morning. Two distant at 10 and 2 oclock. Both bugled twice. Had one rip of a bugle and chucking at my cow calls about 15 minutes later. He was so close. Wind swirled around and he busted. No more that day.

2nd day I head two in the morning in a different area about 4 miles away. One chucked 5 or 6 times and left. I'm sure he had cows. 30 minutes later the second started bugling out the hill the opposite direction and below me. I tried my best to get through the brush straight below me to be level with him. He beat me to it. So, I worked away from him and down until level with him. He bought the bugle and raking routine and came on a dime. Busting brush and screaming. Until the wind swirled. He might still be running. He sure tore stuff up leaving there.


No more bugles until Thursday evening. Bull bugled at my cow call, then answered the next cow call. I moved to get the wind better and started towards him to close the distance. Wind out right changed so I had to boogie away from him. Never heard him again.

Friday I went back to the same area and never heard him.

Saturday was dead quiet. I was beginning to think I had buggered him.

Sunday morning on the way out at 1 pm, I'm guessing the same bull from Thursday bugled and chuckled at my cow calls from his bed. Wind was really swirly and he wouldn't say another word. So, I backed off and waited. Nothing until dark.


Monday no bugles from him so I went on a 4 mile calling hike. Was coming back through and that blasted bull chuckled at me from his bed again. Wind was every direction on the compass so, I backed off and waited for the evening thermals to hopefully stabilize it some. At 5:15 he began to squeal. I pushed within 200 yards and cow called, he chuckled, I shut up and snuck as close as I dared. I'm guessing I was within 100-125 yards of him. I used a diaphragm and a reed call to sound like two cows. Broke some sticks while doing so and he liked it. Full on screaming bugle. I pulled my wing checker out for a final test to see if I needed to scoot one way or the other and the second puff showed the powder blowing right up the hill at him. I checked it a half dozen times repeatedly and, it was dreadful to watch the powder blowing his way. About the last puff he went from squealing to silent. I stood there for 2 more hours and not one sign of him. Never heard him blow out but, the gig was up. I had to try it since that was my last night.



That night after dark while packing up camp, I heard a bull a 1/4 mile from me bugle twice. So, I told my wife if he answered, we were leaving the next day instead of that night. Got my calls out and blew a beautiful bugle. It was answered by barking sheep dogs up on the mountain immediately. They come charging down to my tent raising all kinds of heck. Needless to say the bull never said a word. I still decided to try him n the morning anyways. No dice.




My hunt saw the bulls bugling very little. Had some action the first couple days, then it went quiet then I found one I catted around with for days. He wasn't interested much in bugles either. I do think I would have killed him the last evening if the wind wasn't so erratic. When you get in their wheel house and, it is thick enough they have to look for you, they usually come do so, in my experience.



Weather was ridiculously hot. Highs in the upper 80's and lower 90's. Night time lows in the upper 40's and lower 50's. It limited where I could hunt being I was a solo packer. Lots of sheep that they kept running them back and forth all over the area looking for a piece of parched grass the stinking things missed the first 15 times over it. They came with the hollering cowboys and the herding and guard dogs that barked at everything that wasn't a cowboy herding dog, or sheep. And the wind. It was the most erratic I have ever seen. I can't do it justice describing it.


Here's hoping the elk pick up for those still there and, none of these variables affect your success.
 
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
1,052
Location
Montana
Just got back from the field in central MT and they are HOT right now. Connected on a 5x5 at 12 yds. Lots of bugles and responding to cow calls. Good luck everyone!


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OP
sneaky

sneaky

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
10,112
Location
ID
Just got back from the field in central MT and they are HOT right now. Connected on a 5x5 at 12 yds. Lots of bugles and responding to cow calls. Good luck everyone!


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Send some of that action a little south and west of you lol. Bulls were bugling very little yesterday morning, but watching them it was mostly round up bugles communicating with their cows. We closed in on their bedding area, spotted the cows bedded, went through cow calls, then raking. He responded to the raking. Bugled like a young bull and he gathered his cows and left. Young 6. He wanted no part of another bull.

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Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
1,052
Location
Montana
Send some of that action a little south and west of you lol. Bulls were bugling very little yesterday morning, but watching them it was mostly round up bugles communicating with their cows. We closed in on their bedding area, spotted the cows bedded, went through cow calls, then raking. He responded to the raking. Bugled like a young bull and he gathered his cows and left. Young 6. He wanted no part of another bull.

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I’ll see if I can push some to you. Heading back into the woods Sunday to call for a friend.


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crunchy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 26, 2016
Messages
118
Location
CA
Stumbled upon a bachelor yesterday who bugled once and was coming down to get water.winds weren't in my favor and he busted me. Should I give that spot a rest day or go back and set up around the same time? Only working a cow call as I am new and don't know what I'm doing. Thanks also in MT
 
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
1,052
Location
Montana
Stumbled upon a bachelor yesterday who bugled once and was coming down to get water.winds weren't in my favor and he busted me. Should I give that spot a rest day or go back and set up around the same time? Only working a cow call as I am new and don't know what I'm doing. Thanks also in MT

From what I’ve seen this past week, I wouldn’t hesitate to go back and try. This time of year the bulls are more concerned with finding cows vs common sense. Just make sure you get the wind in your favor and make the shot count when he comes back in!


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Joined
Mar 14, 2013
Messages
1,183
SW Montana. Grinding hard the past 5 days. First 2 days at plan A spot were nothing but crickets despite 10 miles each day. Picked up and ent to Plan B spot. First morning called one right in and I missed an easy 40 yard shot. 1 hour later we were working 3 different bulls at once. Got one to 40 yards again but moved through the lane to quickly. No more shots that morning. Next morning was in the same spot and had one answer our location bugle from his bed at 75 yards. He was timid and and we were too aggressive. He went quite and circled us and winded us at 25 yards. Today in these spot was crickets all day so we puked out and are off to plan C spot after taking a day off tomorrow. 66 miles since Sunday and 3 of those days were in blowdown hell. Glad to finally get some bugle action though.
 

tttoadman

WKR
Joined
Oct 3, 2013
Messages
1,748
Location
OR Hunter back in Oregon
just got back from the Frank on a rifle hunt. pretty quiet. I found a pair of big bulls that were going at it. I got one to come to a cow call, and my brother was able to chase down the other one and connect. Very quiet other than those 2.
 
Joined
Nov 27, 2013
Messages
1,926
Colorado, Bugles all day Mostly in AM but all day. Best bugling I've heard from start to finish. Crazy heat, high 80's, didn't matter. They were bugling from their beds all day.
 

Pelagic

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 26, 2017
Messages
115
Location
Illinois
Was in west central Montana last week. Very quiet. Heard 2 response bugles in 5 days. Didn’t see 1 elk in that time. Daily highs were in the 50s / 60s

Some people say it needs to cool down more before they get more active. But then you hear reports of activity in hot weather. In general, it all seems pretty random.


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crunchy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 26, 2016
Messages
118
Location
CA
In central mt. Rumor has it that they are softer because of the wolves, matches with what I heard a few days ago..one lone quiet bugle. Thought he was way way far away. Hearing. A lot of guys calling this morning with nothing back.all pretty disheartening have yet to see anything male
 
Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
2,830
Location
West Virginia
I'm not sure the heat affects them as much as the hunter. However, when there is little to no water to find to filter and, its upper 80's into the low 90's during the day, long hikes in the heat and mountains, sees my three liters of water rationed before dark. Then I gotta pound water once I get back to camp before bed. Which after several days, I'm always running a deficit on proper hydration. Then I start eating less during the day and at night after dark. Then I get run down after 7 or 8 days. That's the affect of the heat in my opinion. Because as this report shows, when the first cows come into estrous in any given area, the bulls are going to be talking and looking. Regardless of the weather. They know where to find the water. :^)
 
OP
sneaky

sneaky

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
10,112
Location
ID
SW MT, 2 weeks ago when it was hot the elk were fired up. Weather cooled down and so did the elk. Finally got into a pissed off bull today, but he came above me through some thick brush and I had no shot. Worked that bull for a while, had given up on him and was ready to bail out when he came back and bugled at about 150 yards. Closed in and challenged him and less than a minute later he came across.

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jmez

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
7,545
Location
Piedmont, SD
Got back from a week in the Bighorns. Bugling pretty much all day.

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Joined
May 14, 2018
Messages
1
Location
CO
Northwest Colorado, two weeks ago spent a few days at 8500 ft found some scat and wallows but heard zero elk. Thought they may be higher up due to the heat. Last weekend of archery I went up to 10000 ft I heard no bugles and saw zero sign of elk. I did have an encounter with 9 moose though.

Needless to say, I hope I can find them by first rifle.
 

mossyhorn

FNG
Joined
May 14, 2013
Messages
89
Was in Montana units 211, 215 and 321 from 9/15-9/22. Terrible hunt, worst I've ever had in 15 years of elk hunting. No elk seen, or busted or heard on public land. Covered a ton of ground on foot, 10-12 miles a day. Locate bugling into every basin, canyon, draw that we encountered and not a single response. Saw between 6-700 elk on private land though rutting away.
 
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
1,957
Location
Kalispell
West/central Montana - scattered bugles... First day they were going pretty strong but wouldn't leave their cows to commit. After first morning they were quite a bit quieter. Still some bugles in evening at dark and before 9 in the morning.



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