I'm the guy that's spooking all your elk

[Cfriend]

I have frequently read comments on here talking about how someone had been hunting an elk herd in their secret drainage for several days, when some greenhorn came up over the ridge blowing on their bugle tube and promptly ran everything out. That guy was probably me...

I want to learn how to balance being aggressive enough to get opportunities with still having elk in the area to hunt if it doesn't work out. I generally get into elk pretty regularly and have some close opportunities, but I also burn through a good bit of country while doing it and I've been unsuccessful the last 4 years.

I live in PA, so I don't go out to scout during the summer. When I head in on day one my number one goal is to find elk, and I do that by hiking hard and bugling frequently until I get an answer. Should I be doing something else instead? Looking for the sign and staying more quiet?

Once I find an elk I am usually going all out to get a shot ASAP. I don't generally have a ton of luck calling them to me (still working on that skill), so I am typically pretty aggressive in trying to sneak in close. This means I usually end up spooking stuff. I'm wondering if I should start being a little more patient - if things aren't just right for a stalk, wait until they are. For example instead of rushing in to try to get a shot before dark, wait for the morning when I can set up properly.

Would love to hear your thoughts. Who knows, if I don't get better at this it might be your elk I spook next

 

[Ross]

Nothing wrong with aggressive, but always check the wind and don’t just stumble in willy nilly I used to run into a guy every year in the same basin who blew things out more times than I can recall. Additionally I used to help educate a couple of friends on how to call and kill bulls being in and around them for hours playing the wind, running if it changed and having multiple hours interactions before a shot was presented. I still recall 2000 my tag was for rifle and I took them out. Got a bull to bugle a mile away so I said game time. We took off toward him quickly bugling every ten minutes to see if he was moving. He did not and an hr later we closed to about 75 yds. Told them to setup and I moved back. In he came along with a satellite. Both bulls came in to each of them inside of 20 yds and the talker was a stud. After the game ended their eyes were wide open on how easily this played out. One caveat neither of them setup where they could get a shot and one of them was on the ground This was long before the internet made the learning curve much quicker but some things in this game only come with experience and making mistakes. Slow down at times, learn other methods, become proficient with calls and Go through many bottles of wind checker. If it was easy all the elk would be dead and you would not have any nightmares to keep you motivated

 

[Marble]

I have frequently read comments on here talking about how someone had been hunting an elk herd in their secret drainage for several days, when some greenhorn came up over the ridge blowing on their bugle tube and promptly ran everything out. That guy was probably me...

I want to learn how to balance being aggressive enough to get opportunities with still having elk in the area to hunt if it doesn't work out. I generally get into elk pretty regularly and have some close opportunities, but I also burn through a good bit of country while doing it and I've been unsuccessful the last 4 years.

I live in PA, so I don't go out to scout during the summer. When I head in on day one my number one goal is to find elk, and I do that by hiking hard and bugling frequently until I get an answer. Should I be doing something else instead? Looking for the sign and staying more quiet?

Once I find an elk I am usually going all out to get a shot ASAP. I don't generally have a ton of luck calling them to me (still working on that skill), so I am typically pretty aggressive in trying to sneak in close. This means I usually end up spooking stuff. I'm wondering if I should start being a little more patient - if things aren't just right for a stalk, wait until they are. For example instead of rushing in to try to get a shot before dark, wait for the morning when I can set up properly.

Would love to hear your thoughts. Who knows, if I don't get better at this it might be your elk I spook next

Learning elk behavior and where and what they want to do is key. It takes time.

If you like the area you hunt, keep hunting it. You'll discover what the elk there like to do. This will keep you from randomly bugling/calling in areas/times you shouldn't be.

Keep in mind, whenever you make a call, you're telling an animal where you are. This can lead to all types of reactions. Making the right call, at the right time, under the correct circumstances is what you try for. There is no perfect time or situation generally. Experience will teach you when that is.

A lot of us have hunted elk for decades. Sometimes in the same areas. We were just like you for quite some time.

Cover lots of ground. Mark where you see elk and sign. Dead heads, scrapes, scat, trails, water, bedding areas.

We glass a large area for 2-3 days prior to season and continue to glass throughout. Hunt smarter, not harder (sort of).

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[WCB]

There is being reckless and aggressive. Going after a herd and sneaking in close or dogging a herd until a good opportunity to close in would be aggressive. Banzai charge into the herd as fast as possible and needing to make the shot happen "right now" as the starting point of the stalk is reckless.

There is a fine line sometimes and have had to tell clients or hunting partners "you have to make it happen now or it is probably never". This is normally when someone kind of freezes in the moment afraid to get caught when in reality we already were caught or due to wind or other factors we will be any second. This is different than going into the stalk with the mentality "I'm gong in and getting a shot no matter what"...like guys that never practice letting their bows down. They think if I draw I have to shoot.

There are times for both and experience will make it an automatic response.

 

[5MilesBack]

Do you have goals as far as what kind of bull you kill? If not, just cow call. You'll have company soon enough.

 

[Maverick1]

Nothing wrong with aggressive, but always check the wind and don’t just stumble in willy nilly I used to run into a guy every year in the same basin who blew things out more times than I can recall. Additionally I used to help educate a couple of friends on how to call and kill bulls being in and around them for hours playing the wind, running if it changed and having multiple hours interactions before a shot was presented. I still recall 2000 my tag was for rifle and I took them out. Got a bull to bugle a mile away so I said game time. We took off toward him quickly bugling every ten minutes to see if he was moving. He did not and an hr later we closed to about 75 yds. Told them to setup and I moved back. In he came along with a satellite. Both bulls came in to each of them inside of 20 yds and the talker was a stud. After the game ended their eyes were wide open on how easily this played out. One caveat neither of them setup where they could get a shot and one of them was on the ground This was long before the internet made the learning curve much quicker but some things in this game only come with experience and making mistakes. Slow down at times, learn other methods, become proficient with calls and Go through many bottles of wind checker. If it was easy all the elk would be dead and you would not have any nightmares to keep you motivated

Yup. Sometimes it seems darn near impossible to kill an elk. Other times it is ridiculously easy, especially when they come in on a string.

 

[philson208]

I think the key is to learn when to be aggressive, and when not to be. one of the best ways to learn this is to strike out multiple times on stalks and pay attention to what worked and what didn't. the calling game can be amazing, but you need to key into what sounds will work when. I like the idea of starting small and slow, and building up to more aggressive tactics based off what the elk are telling me. Early sept I will hunt elk like mule deer, spot and stalk with very little to zero calling. As the rut builds so will my calling game, always paying attention to how the elk are responding. Early sept I limit my locate bugles as I have seen elk hear my bugles and actually move into bedding areas quicker. They are not always going to be in the mood, but this changes from drainage to drainage and week to week. Elk goals will change your tactics as well, herd bulls can be harder to kill than a satellite. I struck out heavy for my first four years archery hunting. I had missed shot opportunities from setting up wrong, or just not recognizing and acting on good opportunities quick enough. I have bugled with elk all day thinking I was hot shit only to learn they only responded to put tabs on me so they could keep that 2-300 yard safety buffer. Best of luck with the addiction!

 

[Szwampdonkey]

I'm wondering if I should start being a little more patient - if things aren't just right for a stalk, wait until they are.

The best answer on this thread is your own.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

Once you figure out when to be aggressive & when to be patience is when you'll start notching tags. The problem with that for you is that it usually takes many many years of experience to figure it out. Sure, you may get lucky & kill one but consistent success only usually comes after years of failures and LEARNING from your mistakes. Failing the same way year after year and expecting different results is the definitions of insanity.

 

[Steelhead]

Yea so many variables, including individual bull behavior. I'm an "OK" bugler I suppose but constantly learning strategy.
All of the following situations took place in the same area at the same time of year but different seasons. There's more, but these are more specific reactions I've encountered that can make me insane trying to figure out the logic of these critters.
-I've had bulls return bugles only to find they were moving away from me as they were bugling, like "yea cool I hear you, I got my babes and taking off". But it took me a few miles of patiently bugling and slowly moving in to realize what was going on. He never stopped returning my bugles until that distance bubble crossed into the next zone. Maybe my bugle was too aggressive? Maybe I should have move in faster and bugled weaker and less frequently?
-I've had bulls not bugle at all but come in quietly, 30 minutes later I started moving to a new location, looked to my left and a bull was on it's way to where I initially bugled, taking his time. the "slow stalk".
-I've had bulls come rushing in after my single bugle, first light, opening day, like textbook bugling and chuckling its head off, thrashing brush after a single bugle, very worked up.
-Partner and I dropping into a wooded draw, cautious, slowly, approaching two bulls making crazy ass jungle roars and bugles, lots of cows around, the bulls chased eachother over the next three draws while we stood there realizing they didn't even realize we existed and should have been more aggressive and charged in for a shooting lane. So, not aggressive enough?

Weird and amazing animals. Can't wait to find out what this season will bring!

 

[Sccritterkiller]

As a east coaster myself...learn all you can about thermals and plan you stalk according..

 

[Hnthrdr]

You sort of answered your own question, Have a little bit of patience!

Yes there are times to be aggressive, but with elk, especially rutting elk patience can be key!

I can’t tell you how many times I would have had a shot or a better shot if I just planted myself and waited another 10-30 min. I get that lots of videos show guys calling and then the elk coming immediately, but often they take their time. Shoot 1 day last Sept I moved in on bugling bulls while my buddy called because I thought they weren’t going to commit, all committed and I was in way worse spots than I would have been if I just sat my butt down and let the set up work. I learn from my mistake though and the next day shot a nice bull

 

[FlyGuy]

This is what a I do…. If it’s before 10am, be super aggressive. Those elk are moving and they won’t hang around waiting for you to catch up.


If it’s between 10-4pm, be super cautious. That bull is bedded with cows and he ain’t going anywhere. There are 1000 ways to screw this up, so go slow. Think about what you are doing and weigh your options. You have time. Hours even. If you don’t do something stupid or get winded, then those elk may be back again tomorrow.

The one exception to this is a bull that is hitting a wallow mid day. If you hear him (but aren’t already set up over it) then he will only be there for 5-20 minutes bugling his head off, then gone to his cows. So, sometimes this may require a very aggressive mid day approach.


After 4 pm, I’m sorta in between but lean towards aggressive. I don’t want to run them out of the country, but I know they are headed somewhere soon and I won’t be able to keep pace.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[kcm2]

If you're in an area that could be holding elk, slow down to about 3 steps per minute and look more than you walk. Booting them out of their beds often puts them miles away.

 

[waitforit]

You would really benefit from listening to an elknut podcast on calling. You have to understand the situation and he does a great job explaining what to do in various scenarios.

 

[Behemoth]

ALl good points.

 

[Erussell01]

I think the key is to learn when to be aggressive, and when not to be. one of the best ways to learn this is to strike out multiple times on stalks and pay attention to what worked and what didn't. the calling game can be amazing, but you need to key into what sounds will work when. I like the idea of starting small and slow, and building up to more aggressive tactics based off what the elk are telling me. Early sept I will hunt elk like mule deer, spot and stalk with very little to zero calling. As the rut builds so will my calling game, always paying attention to how the elk are responding. Early sept I limit my locate bugles as I have seen elk hear my bugles and actually move into bedding areas quicker. They are not always going to be in the mood, but this changes from drainage to drainage and week to week. Elk goals will change your tactics as well, herd bulls can be harder to kill than a satellite. I struck out heavy for my first four years archery hunting. I had missed shot opportunities from setting up wrong, or just not recognizing and acting on good opportunities quick enough. I have bugled with elk all day thinking I was hot shit only to learn they only responded to put tabs on me so they could keep that 2-300 yard safety buffer. Best of luck with the addiction!

I found out last year that it's really easy to get them to bugle from 2 to 300 yards across the drainage and much harder to get them to chirp back when you accidentally sneak in closer than you thought and rip a bugle at 60 yards.

Woops

 

[Erussell01]

If you're in an area that could be holding elk, slow down to about 3 steps per minute and look more than you walk. Booting them out of their beds often puts them miles away.

And if you accidentally stumble into their bedding, make sure if you call from a spot you can shoot so you don't get caught between two trees out in the wide open, with your typewriter leg giving you away to the 6x6 that just appeared 35 yards away looking for the cow you were pretending to be.


Now I'll only call if I'm in a position to actually do something about it.
Lesson learned

 

[BCSojourner]

I have frequently read comments on here talking about how someone had been hunting an elk herd in their secret drainage for several days, when some greenhorn came up over the ridge blowing on their bugle tube and promptly ran everything out. That guy was probably me...

I want to learn how to balance being aggressive enough to get opportunities with still having elk in the area to hunt if it doesn't work out. I generally get into elk pretty regularly and have some close opportunities, but I also burn through a good bit of country while doing it and I've been unsuccessful the last 4 years.

I live in PA, so I don't go out to scout during the summer. When I head in on day one my number one goal is to find elk, and I do that by hiking hard and bugling frequently until I get an answer. Should I be doing something else instead? Looking for the sign and staying more quiet?

Once I find an elk I am usually going all out to get a shot ASAP. I don't generally have a ton of luck calling them to me (still working on that skill), so I am typically pretty aggressive in trying to sneak in close. This means I usually end up spooking stuff. I'm wondering if I should start being a little more patient - if things aren't just right for a stalk, wait until they are. For example instead of rushing in to try to get a shot before dark, wait for the morning when I can set up properly.

Would love to hear your thoughts. Who knows, if I don't get better at this it might be your elk I spook next

Don't know about others on here but I have been archery hunting for elk now for 30 years. Used to be that I could do a location bugle and get a response and "game on". That was before YouTube and the guys making a living off it selling gear, bugles, on-line courses, etc. I admire those guys like Corey, Kirk, Phelps, Elk Nut, etc. but they are the exception and some of them get to hunt all fall in multiple states. It (the Corey Jacobsen method) simply doesn't work that way anymore for the average archery elk hunter here in CO. There is so much pressure and so much bugling going on every hour of every day that I believe the elk have become more and more call-shy. We have adopted a do-as-the-elk do practice of simply not calling much if at all until and if the bulls get cranked up. Most callers can't imitate a bugling bull well at all or they simply keep calling incessantly over and over. This just puts area elk on alert. There are way too many wanna-be a YouTube elk hunting sensations out there in the woods. If you want to learn what not to do, just watch the elk hunting videos on YouTube. They are all looking for subscribers. I sure wish folks would just start being quiet and hunting an area slow and methodically instead of plowing through elk habitat sounding like New Years Day parade marching band. Give the elk a chance to crank up or at least cut back on the incessant calling all day long, particularly in hot (70+) weather. They are bedded at these times and you are only going to chase them out. Nothing wrong with bugling, but learn when and where to do it.

 

[TaperPin]

Don't know about others on here but I have been archery hunting for elk now for 30 years. Used to be that I could do a location bugle and get a response and "game on". That was before YouTube and the guys making a living off it selling gear, bugles, on-line courses, etc. I admire those guys like Corey, Kirk, Phelps, Elk Nut, etc. but they are the exception and some of them get to hunt all fall in multiple states. It (the Corey Jacobsen method) simply doesn't work that way anymore for the average archery elk hunter here in CO. There is so much pressure and so much bugling going on every hour of every day that I believe the elk have become more and more call-shy. We have adopted a do-as-the-elk do practice of simply not calling much if at all until and if the bulls get cranked up. Most callers can't imitate a bugling bull well at all or they simply keep calling incessantly over and over. This just puts area elk on alert. There are way too many wanna-be a YouTube elk hunting sensations out there in the woods. If you want to learn what not to do, just watch the elk hunting videos on YouTube. They are all looking for subscribers. I sure wish folks would just start being quiet and hunting an area slow and methodically instead of plowing through elk habitat sounding like New Years Day parade marching band. Give the elk a chance to crank up or at least cut back on the incessant calling all day long, particularly in hot (70+) weather. They are bedded at these times and you are only going to chase them out. Nothing wrong with bugling, but learn when and where to do it.

I‘m easily entertained - listening to a couple of goofs trying to bugle each other in is really fun for some reason. One year I heard a little soft bugle and after moving cross wind 20 minutes later responded - it had to be a guy on horseback - he went way out of his way to get downwind of me, making little noises as he went. We’re 8-9 mi from the trailhead. I’m convinced it’s a dude and get a good vantage point to catch him crossing an stretch of thin trees, but he stays out of sight and has been quiet for two hours. Maybe it’s not a dude on horseback or he parked the horse? I hear a little grunt. I was pretty athletic at the time and went up hill on a ridiculously steep ridge and came down around below him - figured I’d see his horse or at least horse tracks. Then it hit me - all this effort and time wasted - I was the goof, just as much as the guys I’d make fun of