How would you hunt these bugles

Jqualls

WKR
Joined
Apr 16, 2018
Messages
334
Location
Colorado
I was hunting a north facing slope that had lots of elk in it early season but they seemed to have moved out with pressure. I had not been in there in a couple weeks and decided to get back in there and see what I might turn up. In the upper end of this basin it transitions from open feeding to light timber to dark timber on the north face. Moving through the transition area of light timber I heard a real light bugle. I was walking the first time I heard it and wasn't even sure what it was. Couple minutes later he made similar bugle real extended growl with very short bugle that was very low intensity. I figured I was probably within 200 yards. I gave a very low key location bugle and he replied back with same growl type bugle. I tried to move in closer and started with some light bugling and worked up a little bit in the intensity. Once I got close I never heard another sound. I worked with him for about 30 minutes before moving along in the direction of their suspected bedding area in the dark timber.

Shortly later get another really light bugle as I am working deeper into the timber. Could be same bull but did not sound anything alike. He bugled again lightly couple minutes later. I worked in a little closer with a good setup and tried cow calling and same thing once I was in closer he completely shut up.

Looking back I think I should have kept working them a bit longer but the location and time of day I figured they were probably moving towards bedding areas in the dark timber and didn't want to keep advertising if they had moved on. How would you have hunted these two bugles.

This area is OTC and the basin has been pretty heavily hunted but I have only seen one other hunter on this particular north facing slope in 4 days of hunting this area.

In general have not heard much talking in this region. One big 6point bull that I heard from the bottom of the canyon bugled with me for 3 hours as I worked up to him. He was fired up and came in to 45 yards but the stars didn't align is about all the noise I have heard in the area. I bumped 2 lone bulls and 2 bulls with a few cows getting to him that I never heard a peep from.
 
My first question would be why you bugled back? You had him pegged and he didn’t know you were there. I would have moved in as quietly as possible and depending on terrain, etc if I couldn’t kill him without calling, I would have started with a cow call and gone from there. He who bugles first is at a disadvantage.
 
That is basically what I tried with the 2nd bull that bugled with the same results. I felt I would have difficulty stalking much closer without knowing exactly where he was visually or knowing exactly where he was headed. I never visually saw either bull just my best guess of distance from the bugle. It is dry, steep, and loud with a fair bit of down fall.
 
The alternative is to get close then charge at him cow calling your way in, breaking stuff and sounding like an elk. Ok’ing in. Risky and wxciting! Better be ready though.
 
There's a reason they aren't bugling at full intensity. Predators or hunting pressure mostly. Seen the same behavior here in MT. Lots of bear and wolf sign and hunting pressure. Respond in kind if you feel the desire to bugle at all. I would cow call, which is what worked today to work a bull. After I bugled, he bugled back but less intensely. Might have been a satellite, or a bull just not looking for a fight.

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I'd let him know that I'm an actual threat to his dominance. If he's a mature bull, he won't tolerate it. If he's a little bull, he'll probably shut up and move on, or sneak around quietly trying to see who you are.
 
Thanks everyone. 5miles just seeing this after getting back. Went with this type of approach on a small 6pt screaming. Got him into 20 and got him down yesterday morning. Thanks
 
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