Unit 38 Colorado, sorry for the lack of clarification! Around the evergreen area/lookout mountain area down into Idaho Springs and Highway 40
Too bad you only have a spike tag, or too bad you're hunting in a spike only unit? LolHeard a bull bugle several times this morning and evening. I threw out some bugles as I was heading back for the night and each one was met with a response. Too bad I only have a spike tag. Location: Utah.
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Popping grunt is what ElkNut would call that. Not a nervous bark, but means he could hear you but wanted you to show yourself. Also a surefire way to get one to stop in its tracks. Way better than a cow call.Got a few to respond this weekend in Colorado (Resident elk at 8500ft, near Steamboat). They are just starting to herd up but seeing a lot of lone cow-calf pairs still. Got one bull to respond to some cow calls when I was pretty close (200 yards or so) and then he started raking a tree hard for like 5 minutes making a ton of noise. Heard a few half bugles. Also had a strange response, almost like a high pitch bark, in response to a couple bugle calls from a hunting partner.
Got a few to respond this weekend in Colorado (Resident elk at 8500ft, near Steamboat). They are just starting to herd up but seeing a lot of lone cow-calf pairs still. Got one bull to respond to some cow calls when I was pretty close (200 yards or so) and then he started raking a tree hard for like 5 minutes making a ton of noise. Heard a few half bugles. Also had a strange response, almost like a high pitch bark, in response to a couple bugle calls from a hunting partner.
Heading into that general area, hoping to have the elk fairly active early.. We will be 9500+ for 5 days
With the moon only being up for an hour or so is causing them to be fairly active in waning daylight, but it is stupid hot. Was 82-85 deg on Sunday. They are popping out of the timber the second the sun goes down to get as much feeding in as possible. Even on the cooler areas (what Aron Snyder would call an 'eco-thermal corridor') they were done moving by 9:30. The biggest group I found was making a lot of noise, but not really any of the others.