How would you work this bull

[Bobcat]

I’m spiked out. It’s just before shooting light on a mid-September morning. A bull responds to my 1st location bugle from about 500 yards away. I’m unsure of his exact location so I respond with another bugle. A bull of bugles back but it seems to be from a slightly different location So I returned with a bugle. Again a bull sounds back from what I thought was the original location. As I start to work my way towards the location of the bugle I realize that it’s two different bulls. They were quiet Except to respond to my bugles. They took turns responding. As I started to get closer one went quiet so I focused on the one that continued to respond, but he was heading away. I could tell he was headed towards his bedding area. I followed him for 3/4 of a mile and seem to stay about 300 yards behind him. I would bugle every now and then to make sure I was still on him and he would respond with a lazy bugle.

He bedded down in a small island of timber in a steep boulder field Choked with Scrub vine maple. I was within about 100 yards of him, but quickly realized I couldn’t slip in.

I decided to back off and hunt/Scout Further up and across the ridge and return later to try to set up an ambush.

Later that afternoon I set up near where I left him. I sat quietly in the timber for a very short period when I thought I heard a Faint bugle from in the opposite direction I expected the bull to be. I sent out a location bugle and received a prompt response. As I started to move towards him, He bugles again and I realize he circling above and winding me. Cow steps out at 75 yards. looks in my direction then back over her shoulder before calmly turning around and leaving.

I tried calling and receive no response. Busted. I went over and found where they’ve been bedded in the open timber about 100 yards from where I was Setup.

Questions:
Is it common for elk to lead you to their bed?
I assume it was a herd bull That I Couldn’t entice from his cows. How do you pull him out.

 

[BK Ammenwerth]

He was prob headed to his bed anyways. I prefer to target/kill a bull after the herd settles down in there beds for awhile. Normally long enough so the wind is stable trying to setup even on the mountain with them so if the wind shifts it either goes back down or up. Every setup is different. Sounds like there was no hot cow. So make one up for them and do a breeding sequence. Did u try a cow call. With 2 bulls in close proximity it’s not a bad idea to act as a lost cow. Without being there and hearing those bugles, knowing the terrain and thermals its so tough to say. But if I find where they are bedded I’m gonna park on em for a while and do a couple calling sessions. If it comes down to it and I feel I def haven’t been busted in anyway sometimes I’ll just smash through the thick brush at em after a calling sequence making a few mews here and there. Luck favors the bold sometimes and if you can’t call em in from 100 yards what do u have to loose?

 

[coues craze]

You may have called more in that one day than I do in an entire season. I actually don’t hunt them that much different than deer. Locate/spot them, get the wind right, get close enough and setup to coax one into range.

 

[RyanCmns]

What I typically do in a similar situation is get the wind in my favor then go after them try to get in front of them (as long as the bull continues to sound off I'll stay silent) they are on their way to bed. When I get close to 100yds from them I'll cow call from somewhere I have good shooting lanes many times the bull will bulge right back I'll cow call again and he will sound off closer I'll setup based on him trying to pick up my wind

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[Bobcat]

That was my original line of thought, but couldn’t seem to close the gap. He was completely silent except to respond to my bugles.

 

[ElkNut1]

Slow Play would have pulled him right to you!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[ndbuck09]

In my experience, most times in the AM you have to be relatively in between where they're going to bed and where they're coming from (hard with the wind going down in a lot of spots). I think a lot of times there's cows around also moving to bedding so the bull moves with them responding. Additionally, I wouldn't bugle so many times after initial response to my location bugle. That 300 yard buffer is what that bull wants because that way he doesn't have to confront another bull and risk losing cows or his pride, but he'll say "whats up bro" all the time. If you can get him excited about an excited cow for some time, slowly move toward him while cow calling, he'll think that a cow is between him and the bull he heard first. After getting him amped, create a situation where the original bull has come in and trying to take that cow, it can be deadly.

 

[mossyhorn]

I killed my bull 2 years ago in a similar situation. Followed him up and called sparingly. Just dogged him until I was able to get up and around on him. Pretty sure he was at his bed. Was 9:30am.

I came in on him at about 100 yards and when he bugled, I screamed at him and started thrashing brush. That’s all it took and he came.

If I can, I’ll follow them to bed. Once they’re at their destination, and your still pestering them, I think they get pissed and are like, ok, that’s enough.

 

[Bobcat]

Thank you all for the good feedback. Ndbuck, regarding The 300 yard buffer, you said I well it was like he was saying “what’s up bro“, But maintaining that buffer. I thought I might be calling too frequently, but my lack of confidence and experience kept me questioning if he was still there in front of me.

ElkNut, Will the slow play Work When the bull is moving towards his bed Or is it better to wait until he reaches his bedding area.

 

[commandoNate]

I had a bull last year that I was following to a bedding area and he was with cows. I'd seen them out feeding at daybreak. I stayed behind them doing a little calling here and there to keep tabs on what direction they were going and how far. Eventually I wasn't getting a response. We took a break to eat and figure out how to set up on them and all of a sudden he was bugling and coming back to us!. He had gone to the bedding area with his cows, then after more than an hour he was backtracking on his path. Bugling quite a bit too, unprovoked. Presumably wanting to settle the score with a bull that was following him and his harem. We scrambled to get ourselves in position and up the hill so that the wind wasn't blowing right at him but he was on top of us in a matter of minutes from when we heard that first bugle. He came in to as close as probably 50 yards but in timber that allowed us to see just a little patch of fur here and a piece of antler there. He winded us and ran off. It actually took some time to reflect on that encounter to realize what had happened. He caught us napping or we'd have killed that bull.

 

[ElkNut1]

Bobcat, I will generally wait or follow a bull to his bedding area so I have a captive audience!

In dark timbered areas it's fairly common for groups to not feed or bed out of Calling earshot, I love those spots & bulls. This means they stay in that area until pushed out or killed. In other areas elk can bed by 9:30 a.m. or at least be in their bedding area. This is the time frame most hunters hunt them since elk are there throughout the remainder of the day!

If you have the ElkNut Mobile App, look at the Slow Play Sequence & learn it well. It will help you to tailor your calling as needed to just about any bull elk encounter!

Check out this Podcast I just finished with Elk Shape (Dan Stanton) It goes into depth about the Slow Play, it may help you out! The episode starts around the 6 minute mark!

https://s113.podbean.com/pb/21c67897d7e0f920a85d67d3a930b7f4/5d41952f/data2/fs186/2240926/uploads/EP_83_The_Elk_Nut_Slow_Play.m4a?pbss=276d1514-8f3c-5406-a55d-8e05f23e4d8d

ElkNut/Paul

 

[Danimal]

Here is what I would have done. First I would have assumed it was other hunters and got super frustrated and let it ruin my hunt. If somehow I did see the elk I would have got super excited but try to play it cool before I messed up by advancing too quickly. Third if I found the bedding area I probably would have messed up a shot somehow.

Sounds like your hunt was awesome even if you didn't connect. Actually a good thread to glean some experience from.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Bobcat]

Good info ElkNut. I’ve had your app for about a year now and find it very useful.

 

[sharpshooter269]

Slow Play would have pulled him right to you!

ElkNut/Paul

Listen to this guy!!!


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