Elk Tip #9

[ElkNut1]

When Elk Sounds are being referred to with a name association, take note why this is! It's much easier to share what sound represents what & tag it with a name so all understand. To say change a sounds emotion to different levels can be confusing to most especially newer elk hunters when sharing info via the Internet.


For instance, a Bulls message is being sent by the emotion of his bugle. Is he talking in a social environment, is he getting frustrated, is he getting upset, is he pissed off & on full tilt! His bugle will be less aggressive in passive situations & getting more intense as an encounter progresses. For instance, If you cow call & a bull bugles he's calling you to him, if you do not go & you continue to cow call from your setup because you want him to come he starts to raise his voice/bugle out of frustration & even to a level of being upset because you are not doing what he is asking after several bugles on his part. This can take place between hunter & bull in a variety of situations! The key to communicating with Elk is to recognize their emotional change as the situation unfolds!

The same goes for Cows, they too have social mews & chirps to keep track of one another. These mews or chirps will change in volume & concern when not responded to by others, their emotion can be noticed from social to separated to regathering the group back together if scattered or wandering to far off from the group.

All these Tones come into play when working a bull or cow through their way of communicating through emotion & intensity. This is why these Tips being shared have such a high success rate in calling elk in close!


Please feel free to add any comments or ask any questions!


ElkNut/Paul

 

[Whiskey_Fish]

In the scenario of a bull being frustrated with your... lack of compliance, is it better to attempt to close the gap? Or would there be a way to modify your side of the conversation to persuade the bull to make the move?

I’ve experienced this before with a bull moving up the opposite side of a draw from us with two cows in tow. Some heated cow calls slowed him down just enough for us to catch up, but he never stopped. It was almost like he was telling us to hurry up or get left behind.


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[ElkNut1]

Yes, we've all experienced that scenario at one time or another! The bull was definitely calling for you to catch up, you would have if you were a real elk! He was most likely leaving feeding area & heading to bedding. There are sounds that can be used to coax a wary bull over but they are best utilized once he gets to his destination. Once there they do not like to leave & it's much easier to get him to come over to you.

I have gotten close enough to the bull as you did then bugle aggressively to the bull for him to back off from calling my cow away! This shows defensive action on my part that represents I have a cow in or nearing estrus, it can provoke the bull to want to come closer to check out the reality of it but you need to be inside 100 yards for best results, if this cannot happen then dog the herd to their bedding area & work him from there!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[ElkNut1]

Whiskey, In addition to the last post I'd also say there's a good chance you, your partner or both were spotted dogging this bull & 2 cows. With the bull in the lead & moving quickly it appears he saw something that made him nervous & he was putting distance between it. Good chance you guys were made for him to be in front!

If looking for specifics on what to do once in the bedding area just ask! It's my favorite place to put bulls down!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[Whiskey_Fish]

Appreciate the insight Elknut. I don’t believe we had spooked him, but there was another hunting group at the bottom of the drainage that may have. Impossible to determine at this point. We’ve had some luck with the bedding areas in this particular location, but once they hit the back of that drainage it’s a very steep climb on scree and deadfall. The bedding areas are sitting in the center of a low elevation saddle with tight walls north and south, some open meadow in the center and very steep drainage east and west. It’s a hard all day climb to get in there, and no where to camp up top without being right on them. Our best tactic has been to try to get them in between water and the beds. I’ve got that classic problem of not being an elk again, haha.

The best encounter on this bed was my partner executing a 30yd stalk dead quiet to get within range of a bull who was dozing, only to have it blown by the mountain lion I assume was following us. He walked right through the bulls bed. Bizarre and very uncomfortable.


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[Whiskey_Fish]

We’ve got a pretty decent no bugling agreement, since the unit gets so pressured and everyone else out there just waits on them all day, but maybe I should brush up just for very specific scenarios like these.


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[ElkNut1]

Yes, anytime you can Spot & Stalk elk especially in heavily hunted areas then I'd consider it too!

I would not hunt elk if I couldn't call them in! That's the biggest reason I hunt them! Ha Ha! Calling can be effective where you are hunting you just need to tame it down & use sounds that fit the area & situation, no need for bugling unless you are responding to them to seal the deal when you already know where the elk are! Check out the New Elk Tip #10 that I'll post later today, this is the Tactic you would want to use! I think you'll find value in it!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[Maverick940]

I would not hunt elk if I couldn't call them in!

ElkNut/Paul

I'm glad you posted that. I hope a jillion permit applicants catch that. As a guide who's trying to get permits, that really helps me out a lot. Thanks!