Favorite Elk Tactics?

[trophyhill]

I understand you for sure, it's what many have shared above, lots of ways to hunt elk. I'm like you, I flat love elk hunting, I'm not after the biggest bulls around so I can gloat. Give me a 5 point & I'll take him every year. It's the hunt & the Calling for the most part on these OTC bulls. Once in a blue moon conditions allow for a Stalk on a vocal bull but much of the country I choose to hunt does not allow a silent approach, it's way to thick & littered with downfall, calling is a necessity.

Personally, one of my favorite all time tactics is the Slow Play I've used on a lot of bulls, thing is it has to be the Right Bull for best results!

I will use Advertising Sequences.

Breeding Sequences

Challenges

Calling cows from bulls

Cow calling my way to a bull, etc.

I will add, once you get a bull to respond to a cow call you've got him, he's the easiest OTC bull to get into your lap! Sometimes you need to stay with just that cow call & other bulls a course bugle must be injected, it's all up to the bull how the decision is played out. Biggest mistake by hunters is to think the same calling tactic works for all bulls.

All have value & their place as does a well placed Treestand.

ElkNut/Paul

2 takeaways here. 1- there's more than 1 way to skin an elk and 2 - "all elk encounters aren't created equal"

 

[Airborne1]

I've read everything on the app, love the content but a live update is always great! Thanks for the input as always. It'll be used this coming season.

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[Werty]

To the original post, I personally don't think there is just one approach, unless that is all you know.

 

[trophyhill]

To the original post, I personally don't think there is just one approach, unless that is all you know.

When I hunted with a rifle, if I could see em, I could kill em. Not much needed other than a Keen eye and a steady shot.

Hunting with a bow, the more well rounded we are, the better our odds. The stuff Paul puts out there are just more tools to employ. I've heard Paul say many times that a certain tactic doesn't work on every elk. I think some guys get hung up on certain sounds and use them at the wrong times and then claim the sound(s)/tactics don't work when in reality, it's the hunter who screws it up. Kinda like blaming the broadhead for a poor shot.

The whole key is recognizing the situation at hand. When we "recognize" the context of any particular encounter, we can rule out certain sounds/tactics that are more likely to run an elk into the next county and employ tactics that have high odds of drawing your bow, and dropping the string. Things Paul talks about. There are others who talk about and share different tactics and calling strategies as well. But you have to read the situation correctly. That doesn't come overnight. But when it does come, boy it's like a lightbulb turning on and you don't hesitate on your next move. God I love bowhunting and bowhunting elk!

 

[Airborne1]

Last year I was definitely able to read the situations while calling. I was able to successfully call in 3 different bulls and there was that light bulb. It is amazing when what you want to see happen unfold as if it was scripted. I learned more last year than all the others years combined. Between calling sequences, stalking, when to be aggressive and when to wait, it all came together. It was beautiful and so much fun. Looking forward to what plays out this year.

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[westonadkins]

Last year I was definitely able to read the situations while calling. I was able to successfully call in 3 different bulls and there was that light bulb. It is amazing when what you want to see happen unfold as if it was scripted. I learned more last year than all the others years combined. Between calling sequences, stalking, when to be aggressive and when to wait, it all came together. It was beautiful and so much fun. Looking forward to what plays out this year.

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Would you be willing to share more specifics on how they played out? What happened? What made you know when to call or stalk or be aggressive or not? I realize I'm asking you to answer your own question


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[Airborne1]

Would you be willing to share more specifics on how they played out? What happened? What made you know when to call or stalk or be aggressive or not? I realize I'm asking you to answer your own question


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Well the first bull I watched a ways away and seen he kept getting bumped around by all the bigger bulls. There was about 4 bulls in herd. I was going to sit out and let them lay all mid day but when I cow called the herd bull and him would rip off. I moved down wind and set-up actually way to far but figured why not see if he would come in. I started with simple mews and noticed his bugle closing the distance then hung up about 200 yards out. His bugles got more aggressive but I stayed put and threw in a bunch of cow contact buzz sounds (thanks Paul) and it took about 15 minutes but he came to my shooter who was about 60 yards in front. He got a 40 yard shot but whiffed.

Another instance, again mid day, watched the herd lay down and one bull walked away so we decided to simply try and get in front of him and cow call him in. I started with mews and once he bugled I responded with a bugle of my own. Each time I mewed he would respond and I responded with a bugle each time getting a little more aggressive. It didn't take but 10-15 minutes before he walked 30 yards from me. The shooter had him at about 30 yards but had no shot. I could hear that bulls bugles actually change with some more aggression and that was when things actually clicked in recognizing the attitude change of that bull. It was awesome and helped me realize that simply blowing in a tube or on a cow call making the same noise over and over isn't all that practical. Paying attention to simple tone changes from that bull, and thinking about what sound you want to make can help increase close encounters.

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[Ross]

My favorite tactic has been to cover many miles till I find elk and give myself enough days to be successfulonce I find them then I decide on the tactic and run the gauntlet of them including chasing them.....if they bugle we can kill them

 

[ElkNut1]

Airborne1, now you're getting a handle on it! That's how you read & evaluate, in time it will come as natural as walking. Reading a bulls emotion will assist you in communicating with them, not just making some gibberish elk sounds & hope they run you over. (Right Sounds, Right Time) -- As can be seen, most hunters can make elk sounds, cow or bull sounds, yet is it enough! Harvest rates at 10% or less show just making elk sounds is not enough.

This is one reason different Tactics are needed for different bull encounters, there is no one thing that applies to all situations with any degree of success!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[Howard Mee]

RE: high pressure OTC hunts.
That is literally all I hunt. (And so does everyone else around here. Hence the "high pressure" part.)
Let me say this. I ran into hunters. We chased solo bugles. We did what elk hunters do.
I eventually killed my bull waaay late in the season Oct 11th! That is really late IMO.
My bro-in-law and I went back out on Oct 13th and had 4-6 different bulls bugling at us in the same basin. Obviously, not normal, but the point is, pressured bulls still bugle. And in this case, they were bugling A LOT!

 

[trophyhill]

RE: high pressure OTC hunts.
That is literally all I hunt. (And so does everyone else around here. Hence the "high pressure" part.)
Let me say this. I ran into hunters. We chased solo bugles. We did what elk hunters do.
I eventually killed my bull waaay late in the season Oct 11th! That is really late IMO.
My bro-in-law and I went back out on Oct 13th and had 4-6 different bulls bugling at us in the same basin. Obviously, not normal, but the point is, pressured bulls still bugle. And in this case, they were bugling A LOT!

A friend and I were talking about that a while back which dispells the notion by some that elk stop being elk as soon as a few hunters show up. Simply not the case. Bulls can't just shut the urge to breed off just because there are a few hunters in the area. Find where the elk feel safe and you will hear bugling as long as there are hot cows in the area......if they aren't bugling, either they aren't there, or cows aren't ready to breed.