Bugling From Road Question

[TX_Diver]

For those of you that drive then bugle from the roads to locate elk what exactly do you do?

People make it sound like they stop, open the door, bugle, then roll on if there's no response, but I'm imagining that you'd want to stop and turn the truck off for a few min, then bugle and wait a few min?

I've found a few elk so far and had a small bull come in from across a meadow to my calls but he was downwind. I'm not hearing much during the day so curious to try it as this trip is mainly scouting for when I come back in 2 weeks. Not that elk I find now will be in the same spots but so far found 2 good areas and don't want to hit them again tomorrow so interested in trying to locate some more elk.

Thanks!

 

[ElkNut1]

I know you have the ElkNut Mobile App, It mentions to turn your motor off so you can hear a return bugle!

ElkNut

 

[TX_Diver]

I know you have the ElkNut Mobile App, It mentions to turn your motor off so you can hear a return bugle!

ElkNut

I do! I’ll have to look for it again. It’s windy and dry and the elk are quiet but I know they’re out there!

I used some advertising bugles and raking to call the little bull yesterday. Really wanted to go back today but your 3 day advice is in my head... I’ve been listening to your old podcasts and stuff as I’ve been driving between spots too. Was actually on the app rewatching some of the sequence videos again when I got the email notification for the thread haha.

 

[Ucsdryder]

@ElkNut1 , Paul will you expand on the 3 day deal?

 

[HighUintas]

I turn the engine off for 5 minutes, then bugle, then wait 5 more and go.

I don't want them to start associating car engines with my crap bugling

 

[wytx]

Every elk and hunter knows what's going on when you bugle from a road.
Walk in a bit then bugle.

 

[RO1459]

I would be very careful with doing that from a road. If you have a rifle in the truck/car, a game warden could charge you with hunting from the road. I would walk in the woods and then call.

 

[ElkNut1]

Ucsdryder, over the years we've noticed an elks memory span is about 3 days long before we can work/call to him if it doesn't work out the first time. If we go back the next day or two then forget it, he doesn't buy it! The same holds true if this same bull is being pressured by other hunters. When that happens other Tactics must be considered for the more pressured elk.

ElkNut

 

[Ucsdryder]

Ucsdryder, over the years we've noticed an elks memory span is about 3 days long before we can work/call to him if it doesn't work out the first time. If we go back the next day or two then forget it, he doesn't buy it! The same holds true if this same bull is being pressured by other hunters. When that happens other Tactics must be considered for the more pressured elk.

ElkNut

Thanks Paul! I’ve wonder this many times. Going into an area I was in opening morning. Got close to 4 different bulls but couldn’t close the deal! Let’s hope they “forgot”!!!

 

[Wapiti1]

Thanks Paul! I’ve wonder this many times. Going into an area I was in opening morning. Got close to 4 different bulls but couldn’t close the deal! Let’s hope they “forgot”!!!

Give them hell!!

I've changed up reeds and tubes and had them going the next day with success. I could see 3 days if you stick to the same tone/voice. Paul has more experience than I do, but that has worked for me. I have a couple of tubes, more diaphragms than I need and several different open reed cow calls in the truck just for this. The other part of this is to not call from similar positions. Go at it from a new direction and be a different animal to the elk.

The elk don't know you are you.

Jeremy

 

[ElkNut1]

Guys, just remember just because you get a bull to respond the next day in the same area doesn't mean you can call him in! No question if the elk stays in the same area you can talk with him, but are you killing him! That's my point.

You will find after many years of doing this that calling in a herd bull or a mature type bull a 2nd time + is no easy task, if Rags then you have a chance as they are more vulnerable. The country hunted also has a lot to do with it. The hunter may have to resort to other tactics to pull it together but you better not have thick/brushy country or you are in for some real issues. The more semi open the country you may have a chance to keep a bull vocal as a shooter tries to ambush him by getting in front of him.

I've used the different bugle/calls stuff as well but have found my odds increase significantly by leaving them be for 3+ days. My intent is to kill them not to just get into a bugling match. (grin)

No doubt encounters are situational but if the bull/his cows are buggered good by you don't go back too early as you will lose the 2nd go around as well. I'm only offering advice here but do as you please, I hope it works out for you!

I will add I'm talking about OTC bulls here not draw units.

ElkNut

 

[wapitibob]

I bugled a bull from the road Monday night, chased him Tuesday morning then left him. Parked my truck next to the gate Tuesday afternoon at about 4 with the intent to ride the bike up over the hill so I opened and closed the tailgate, 4 doors got slammed shut, talked to myself about lashing the bow to the pack, and that bull bugled when I was about ready to go, from maybe 100 yards away. I've had bulls bugle at my atv as my partner was bringing it down the road, had bulls bugle from spitting distance before I could get off my atv.
In areas of roads, people, vehicles, etc, and they're not getting shot at 365.. they don't give 2 shits about you, your truck, or your atv.

 

[ElkNut1]

Please read what Wapitibob just wrote, he's 100% spot on! Elk could care less about motorized traffic. Why guys think this is beyond me, it's not from experience, it has to be from internet chatter.

I feel another issue is guys come upon elk while on ATV's & start calling as they see the elk, the elk run off & they blame their ATV's. Elk don't care!

ElkNut

 

[wytx]

Hummm, I've watched bulls sneak away silent when trucks or atvs stop on a road. I've also watched bulls that were screaming go silent after a vehicle stops and bugles at them.
Just never know.

 

[11boo]

Listen to Elknut. This bull was taken 600 yards from a heavily used forest service road, and closer to our camp. By a first time elk hunter from out of state In a very popular OTC unit. The elk just don’t hate vehicle traffic noise like we think.

 

[Deadfall]

Guys, just remember just because you get a bull to respond the next day in the same area doesn't mean you can call him in! No question if the elk stays in the same area you can talk with him, but are you killing him! That's my point.

You will find after many years of doing this that calling in a herd bull or a mature type bull a 2nd time + is no easy task, if Rags then you have a chance as they are more vulnerable. The country hunted also has a lot to do with it. The hunter may have to resort to other tactics to pull it together but you better not have thick/brushy country or you are in for some real issues. The more semi open the country you may have a chance to keep a bull vocal as a shooter tries to ambush him by getting in front of him.

I've used the different bugle/calls stuff as well but have found my odds increase significantly by leaving them be for 3+ days. My intent is to kill them not to just get into a bugling match. (grin)

No doubt encounters are situational but if the bull/his cows are buggered good by you don't go back too early as you will lose the 2nd go around as well. I'm only offering advice here but do as you please, I hope it works out for you!

I will add I'm talking about OTC bulls here not draw units.

ElkNut

This right here is the stuff....to bad most only hear and not listen. My experience is real similar

 

[Deadfall]

Elk get used to noise. Back in 90s you could go drive around all the pumper stations in Eastern utah/western Colorado and elk would all around them. They adjust to noise. Just like other ungalates. Same is true of roads. Places I hunt in Wyoming are covered with roads and people driving them non stop. Harvest mature elk there everytime I hunt it. Now there are new guys having success doing same thing. Doing it less then a mile from roads.

Have found certain tones and pitches work better then others

 

[trophyhill]

Good stuff. Back in ‘08, my first year hunting elk, I had found a valley and bugles all around lit up just before dark. My buddies showed up the next morning and we drove in on the logging road. I showed them where to stop the truck and we’d walk in. Well, trying to be as quiet as we could, we sat for a few moments before getting out after shutting that loud diesel off. After we all got out and quietly closed the doors, I attempted to open the locked door which set the truck alarm off and the horn started beeping. A bull started bugling immediately right above us about 100 yards. My buddy shut the alarm off and needless to say, 3 of us each armed with Hoochie Mama’s could not coax that bull to the truck. But it was a great learning experience and story we still laugh about as somewhat experienced elk hunters now

 

[trophyhill]

Listen to Elknut. This bull was taken 600 yards from a heavily used forest service road, and closer to our camp. By a first time elk hunter from out of state In a very popular OTC unit. The elk just don’t hate vehicle traffic noise like we think.

Great.......now I’m going to see hunters in my secret spots which are, you guessed it, 600 yards off the nearest roads

 

[elkocd]

I know you see this kind of chit on youtube (BTW you should notice how bad it actually works for killing an elk), but seriously anyone that is too lazy to get away from the road and away from their truck before trying to locate deserves the 10% success they will average. It's exactly this sort thing that has made elk hunting harder for the masses. If you have never seen the difference between elk that get called from a road and elk that don't even know people are around I'm sorry for you.

#f-ingbuglingtrucksand4wheelers