Elk calling in 2nd rifle?

[Hooverfb]

First time chasing them, and I'd rather not be the idiot blowing all the elk out of the area trying to call Elk if its the wrong time to attempt locating them. Are they just less talkative at this time? Would it be better as a new guy to just observe and stalk? Or is it like Turkey hunting where someone is going to respond eventually, and without it your just running blind.

 

[justinspicher]

I don't do much bugling, if any at all during rifle season. Where I live/hunt everyone bugles during archery so the bulls here seem to be pretty quite by the time rifle seasons get here.

 

[Grant K]

I'm assuming Colorado? probably worth having a cow call to stop a bull for a shot, the odds of locating anything with a bugle during second rifle are right around zero though.

 

[Lytro]

I would definitely pack a cow call. The elk were still pretty talkative during first rifle where I was hunting last year. Cows were mewing nonstop, but there were a couple bulls still bugling as well. I had a lot of cows responding making it easy to locate the heard. It all depends on the location you're hunting though.

 

[Marble]

Cows that weren't successfully bred in September will come into heat again mid October. Almost every year I run into a herd that is in full rut mode, but not every year. You don't need to bugle to them usually as you can locate them and just wait for them to step out.

I've called them in before, watched bulls fight and seen them rub trees in October. But its not a guarantee.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[AaronMColeman]

Cow calling works great during rifle seasons.

Bring a bugle though. They’ll still fire off once in a while and it’s nice to be ready.

 

[tdhanses]

Pretty sure bulls locate bugle year round.

 

[Ross]

Most of my October Bulls were bugling either with me or gave themselves away chasing cows some years the bugling can be very intense for a smaller window of time as fewer cows will come into the 2nd estrus....i Will have calls in hand a week from tomorrow

 

[Bulldawg]

One thing to think about is that the 2nd season is later this year than normal, good chance that any bugling will be decreased further more than in years past. But used to be that I would hear a couple bugles every year during the second season, but none during the third.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I've had bulls in full on rut mode in mid November on a 4th rifle elk hunt. Screaming, fighting, the whole show. You never really know what can change from year to year.

 

[VirginiaBeach]

Your bugle tube can also be used to amplify or throw your cow call in a different direction. I would definitely always have a couple of reeds with me to cow call and take the bugle tube in the pack- it only weighs a few ounces.

 

[Fred]

I will second what been said above. The cows talk year round and having a cow call with a tube will be of value to use. Late season rifle...the chances of a bulge being from a Bull rather than another desperate Hunter decreases each day of the season

 

[edwal]

I don't do much bugling, if any at all during rifle season. Where I live/hunt everyone bugles during archery so the bulls here seem to be pretty quite by the time rifle seasons get here.

You're right Justin EVERYONE bugles during archery!! They get quite real quick in archery as well. Ed

 

[commandoNate]

We woke up to bugling one morning in the pre dawn hours last year in 2nd rifle season while that blizzard was pounding northern CO as a herd crossed the road about 150 yards from our base camp. They certainly could do some bugling but it seems to me that its the exception more than the rule when you get to late october and november.