Elk #-2 - What Would You Do?

[ElkNut1]

OK guys & Gals, here's a 2nd! What I'm going to do is share the stories behind those 8 bulls taken in the Father & Son thread from a week or so ago. We will start with the 1st one shown. I'll leave out the punch line & you folks can attempt to fill in the final outcome of how he was called in & taken. I'll also share the broadhead & arrow used. This one was a 100 grain Vipertrick with a 75 grain brass insert shot at 65#. Complete pass through at 25 yards.

It was Sept. 2nd, my Son & I located this bull across a huge drainage just after 1st light with location bugles. He was 1/2 mile away best we could figure in the dark timber. He bugled randomly but not aggressively as he headed up the mountain on the opposite side we were on. After a couple bugles we had a vague direction of his travel & started to cut the distance & get on his side. We headed for an area well above where we were hearing him just to do our best to be under him a bit or on equal elevation at worst as wind was heading down the mtn. It was a new area to us so we had no home field advantage, just going with our gut & a few years experience! We did no calling as we cut the distance which took 45 minutes.

We are now not far from him, a guess would be aprox 200 yds as we hear him bugle a bit above us so we have great wind & cover. He has no idea we are there. A silent stalk is impossible because of the thick underbrush & dry conditions, waaay to noisy!
Now your turn, what was our strategy here to give him a truck ride home! (grin)

ElkNut

 

[awbowhunter]

First I don't think i would be aggressive with him. Likely he's alone as it's early season. I'd start with a cow call. I say cow call because I am not quite good enough to break down different cow and elk calls quite yet. I wouldn't sound too excited or loud at first. I'll make the guess some light cow calls brings him in.

 

[TagEater]

Start raking!

 

[BullsDeep]

I'd slow play that bull

Orr advertise depending on the situation.

 

[Still Hunter]

probably Do some light raking and breaking of branches. Let him hear that someone is in his area. Try to feel him out and check his mood. Worst case, at a minimum he should come down to see who is in his back yard. See how aggressive he may be. If he bugles, respond with the same level of interests but continue to rake and break branches. If it sounds like he is cutting the distance , have the shooter move up into position.

obviously I didn’t read the first scenario… lol!

 

[Mag_7s]

These are fun Paul, and thanks for putting them together! I think i would match the elevation of the bull on the hillside and start with some light calf/cow talk, imitating cows and calfs headed to bed. I'm assuming the bull is alone. Try to anticipate where the bull is heading to bed, and slowly move in that direction. Hopefully the bull get curious and comes to check out scene.

 

[Read1t48]

Early season. Bull may or may not have cows but the primary rut is still to come. Assume the bull is headed to bed and nearly there or he’s advertising on his way to bedding area.

Once I knew he was in his bedding area, I would likely let out a light bugle and then do some raking, panting, and light grunts to build his curiosity. Just a bull feeling his oats in the early season. I would assume he would come in silent to check out the new bull in the area. I would be ready. I would continue into an advertising sequence and then into the slow play sequence.

I would then get cell phone coverage and call Corey Jacobsen to see what he would recommend. (Apparently people do this. Lol)

In all seriousness, the slow play would likely result in a notched tag. I definitely wouldn’t leave too soon after my sequences. I’ve learned that the hard way by doing a sequence, leaving, and coming back to the same spot an hour later to find elk tracks in my boot tracks, exactly where I did the sequence. Elk are awesome.

 

[G8tor4217]

OK guys & Gals, here's a 2nd! What I'm going to do is share the stories behind those 8 bulls taken in the Father & Son thread from a week or so ago. We will start with the 1st one shown. I'll leave out the punch line & you folks can attempt to fill in the final outcome of how he was called in & taken. I'll also share the broadhead & arrow used. This one was a 100 grain Vipertrick with a 75 grain brass insert shot at 65#. Complete pass through at 25 yards.

It was Sept. 2nd, my Son & I located this bull across a huge drainage just after 1st light with location bugles. He was 1/2 mile away best we could figure in the dark timber. He bugled randomly but not aggressively as he headed up the mountain on the opposite side we were on. After a couple bugles we had a vague direction of his travel & started to cut the distance & get on his side. We headed for an area well above where we were hearing him just to do our best to be under him a bit or on equal elevation at worst as wind was heading down the mtn. It was a new area to us so we had no home field advantage, just going with our gut & a few years experience! We did no calling as we cut the distance which took 45 minutes.

We are now not far from him, a guess would be aprox 200 yds as we hear him bugle a bit above us so we have great wind & cover. He has no idea we are there. A silent stalk is impossible because of the thick underbrush & dry conditions, waaay to noisy!
Now your turn, what was our strategy here to give him a truck ride home! (grin)

ElkNut

What did you wind up doing?

 

[Dennis]

Paul,

Thanks for posting the question, it make us all think!

I would evaluate my set up and get myself and the shooter in position (wind, cover, terrain, shooting lanes etc.) and arrow nocked. He my come quick, but slow is more likely.
I would expect bull to come in silent and to be setup for 30-45 minutes unless something changes
I would start with soft cow and calf calls and wait, then wait some more and increase volume to mid range Then back to limited soft calling, then add a light squeaky bull bugle with maybe light raking 20 minutes in
I would be very, very still and expect a close shot with a pass through and a ride in the truck or to move further up the hill and try again. What fun!

 

[ElkNut1]

Ha Ha, I get the same thing here. 1/2 doz or more hunters call me in Sept. right during their encounter or just after it. I have no issues with sharing insight with them when I'm available.

Some very good responses!

Conclusion!

Once we were in the 200 yd range we chose a solid setup, my Son was the caller, I was setup aprox 30 yds in front & to his left just behind a knoll about 10' high. My Son went into Advertising/Display mode right under this bulls nose near his bedding area. The bull bugled back instantly, my Son kept up his sequence with raking, pants & moans. It only took a matter of seconds (I believe no more than a minute) & the bull was on his way to size up this intruder! He came in between my Son & I, either of us could have taken him but it was my turn this day.

My arrow passed through his lungs & he piled up in very short order.

The Advertising Sequence is killer on those pre-rut bulls as well as throughout Sept.

I rarely cow call unless I feel the situation calls for it. The Bugle remains king for me & is responsible for nearly every elk we've taken, not all but a large majority. OTC DIY public lands. Thanks!

ElkNut

 

[ElkNut1]

I will add why the Advertising Sequence was chosen over the Slow Play or Cow Calling.

The Bull had bugled repeatedly as he came up the mountain, mostly on his own. That in itself in most cases for me excluded the Slow Play as it would have taken twice as long to call him in. The Advertising Sequence will generally pull bulls in much quicker & keep him bugling since he was already doing that. Really, no wrong choice there.

As for cow calling, that's low on my list. In many cases the bull will either show zero interest pre-rut or if interest is shown he will undoubtedly attempt to call you his way. He can do this numerous times. When you don't show he can get nervous & move away, game over!

From years of experience, good & bad, the Bugle along with bull sounds will peak their interest & come to size you up or remove you, he's generally not going to call you over to join him! Advantage hunter!

ElkNut

 

[Jbehredt]

Makes me all tingly. Is it September yet?

 

[Alpineelk]

I will add why the Advertising Sequence was chosen over the Slow Play or Cow Calling.

The Bull had bugled repeatedly as he came up the mountain, mostly on his own. That in itself in most cases for me excluded the Slow Play as it would have taken twice as long to call him in. The Advertising Sequence will generally pull bulls in much quicker & keep him bugling since he was already doing that. Really, no wrong choice there.

As for cow calling, that's low on my list. In many cases the bull will either show zero interest pre-rut or if interest is shown he will undoubtedly attempt to call you his way. He can do this numerous times. When you don't show he can get nervous & move away, game over!

From years of experience, good & bad, the Bugle along with bull sounds will peak their interest & come to size you up or remove you, he's generally not going to call you over to join him! Advantage hunter!

ElkNut

Would u change the sequence if it would have been later in the season but still same scenario like say September 17 ish

 

[ElkNut1]

Alpineelk, no sir. Elk do not know what the dates are! (grin) I do not let dates dictate my strategy of use. It's the attitude for that day that dictates what I will choose. Bugles & other bull sounds are what I reach for first as they are what I call nearly every elk in with.

I do not always use a Sequence either, there are bulls that will be very aggressive any time of the month, when that's the case I get in close & either Challenge their right to keep & breed their cow or Lip Bawl or something similar to call their cow/cows my way. I need to be close for this to work to my advantage! You'll see this in the next story! Thanks!

ElkNut

 

[Still Hunter]

Keep these up Paul! Off season hunting! We are all following along.

 

[Beendare]

I will add why the Advertising Sequence was chosen over the Slow Play or Cow Calling.

The Bull had bugled repeatedly as he came up the mountain, mostly on his own. That in itself in most cases for me excluded the Slow Play as it would have taken twice as long to call him in. The Advertising Sequence will generally pull bulls in much quicker & keep him bugling since he was already doing that. Really, no wrong choice there.

As for cow calling, that's low on my list. In many cases the bull will either show zero interest pre-rut or if interest is shown he will undoubtedly attempt to call you his way. He can do this numerous times. When you don't show he can get nervous & move away, game over!

From years of experience, good & bad, the Bugle along with bull sounds will peak their interest & come to size you up or remove you, he's generally not going to call you over to join him! Advantage hunter!

ElkNut

Great info....admittedly I would have started more subtle....but I have done that and been wrong in the past.

Don't you think the key is that first response...or no?

It seems to me that first response is critical and dictates the followup. I've had them where I challenged aggressively...and they shut up or bugle a quieter call directed away from us [probably gathering] - not good. I've cow called to them and all they do is bugle back, 'Come over here, I'm not budging"

Does the fact he was bugling all the way up the hill dictate a specific strategy or indicate they are hot to trot- or just piping off?

 

[ElkNut1]

Don't you think the key is that first response...or no?

Bruce, in many cases as we start an Advertising Sequence the bull we know is there does not respond back at all; so we basically just go ahead & go through the sequence, in nearly every case the bull shows up. Sometimes he's there in a minute & other times 15-20 minutes but rarely does it require more than that. No matter the time there we keep calling taking enough of a pause to listen here & there for a silent approach. Of course there are bulls as the one in the story that bugled right back, I like those! (grin)

It seems to me that first response is critical and dictates the followup. I've had them where I challenged aggressively...and they shut up or bugle a quieter call directed away from us [probably gathering] - not good. I've cow called to them and all they do is bugle back, 'Come over here, I'm not budging"
Does the fact he was bugling all the way up the hill dictate a specific strategy or indicate they are hot to trot- or just piping off?

Any response at all from the start of the sequence is accepted! No matter his tone it shows he's not happy with us there! We do start off subtle in nearly every case. We are not starting off with challenging tones at all. We then slowly escalate our tones accompanied by a variety of other bull sounds as shown in the Pro version of the App. (video) If the bull engages at any time this is a huge advantage hunter, why, because he generally will continue to bugle as he cuts the distance letting us know where he's at. It makes for an easier call in. -- I will add we do not cow call at all in this sequence, we do not want to be asked to come over as you have experienced. When bull sounds are used tailored to the encounter you will find he wants to come to size you up. I love this Sequence!!!!

P.S. this was the #-1 Tactic that hunters this year were successful with where they shared their stories & photos with me. Thanks!

ElkNut