New hunter intimated to call elk.

[Waddi]

Good afternoon everyone just a quick tactic question from a new hunter. I’m doing my first real backcountry muzzleloader hunt in unit 66 this year. I’ve been practicing bugling and elk calling over the summer and I think I’m starting to get it. I was curious on everyone’s opinion if I should break out the bugle or not this September. For context I’m hiking 5 miles deep into a wilderness area and the area seems to have low hunting pressure with 0.04 hunters per square.

 

[CobraChicken]

Better to have it that not need it.

Just send it when you do bro. Elk don't sound perfect all the time. Sometimes they aren't as vocal though

 

[Waddi]

Thanks for the advice, I’ve been doing my homework and pretty excited to give it a try

 

[6.5x284]

Break it out! Real elk sound like crap most of the time. Cows seem much more picky than bulls with regards to sounds being correct. If you have trouble finding them, I'd throw a few night bugles off a ridge or two and see if you pinpoint where they are feeding at night and then try to locate bedding areas from there. But, I wouldn't be afraid to bugle just because it's your first time.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Agree definitely bring the bugle just avoid the temptation to over use it.

I'm curious about the stat you gave of .04 hunters per square. As in square mile?

 

[cnelk]

“For context I’m hiking 5 miles deep into a wilderness area and the area seems to have low hunting pressure with 0.04 hunters per square.”

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I wouldn't risk it man. Elk are pretty unforgiving and if you sound like crap they will make fun of you and tell all their friends Have fun and let it rip, only one way to get better...

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

As a guide, I have a bugle tube but use it 1% of the time, bugling is my last resort, or only at night to locate. Otherwise it’s cow calls only or ambush hunting. To many people in many units walk around blowing bugles like a tuba in the back of the band. My experience even though I’m in an OTC unit, guys bugle, bulls go
Silent gather cows and walk out.

Social media and influencers have ruined the dream of bugling bulls in the rut. Unit 66 may be different as it’s a draw tag and I know guys in that area that call several bulls a day. I will say in a less pressured area even bad bugles can bring elk, but I prefer techniques like rubbing, stomping, soft cow calls, over bugling. The RMEF bugle competition isn’t IMO how elk actually sound. It’s a competition to make the “perfect” bugle but like I said sometimes my worst bugle has brought in the biggest bulls. Elk all have different bugles, and honestly if you are going to bugle learn what every bugle means! There’s 15 sounds bulls make that all mean something different and throwing a challenge bugle out at the wrong time can ruin the hunt. If you don’t know what the bugles mean in each situation ur basically arguing with someone in a different language.


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[built4hunting]

Go for it man! I remember being nervous the first time, but nothing beats getting that first ever bugle back! Have fun!

 

[Jethro]

You can never be sure what tactic will work best, but you have to be ready to do whatever is needed. How will you ever know if bugling works if you don’t blow it? Nobody going to know if they sound bad, but you.

I like to bugle. They don’t all sound good, but they all sound good enough.

 

[mtnbiker208]

I prefer they never even knew i was there.

 

[Waddi]

“For context I’m hiking 5 miles deep into a wilderness area and the area seems to have low hunting pressure with 0.04 hunters per square.”

Agree definitely bring the bugle just avoid the temptation to over use it.

I'm curious about the stat you gave of .04 hunters per square. As in square mile?

Yes sorry I meant per square mile, was riding in a vehicle while I typed this post so excuse the typos please. That stat was per the OnX research tool.

 

[Waddi]

As a guide, I have a bugle tube but use it 1% of the time, bugling is my last resort, or only at night to locate. Otherwise it’s cow calls only or ambush hunting. To many people in many units walk around blowing bugles like a tuba in the back of the band. My experience even though I’m in an OTC unit, guys bugle, bulls go
Silent gather cows and walk out.

Social media and influencers have ruined the dream of bugling bulls in the rut. Unit 66 may be different as it’s a draw tag and I know guys in that area that call several bulls a day. I will say in a less pressured area even bad bugles can bring elk, but I prefer techniques like rubbing, stomping, soft cow calls, over bugling. The RMEF bugle competition isn’t IMO how elk actually sound. It’s a competition to make the “perfect” bugle but like I said sometimes my worst bugle has brought in the biggest bulls. Elk all have different bugles, and honestly if you are going to bugle learn what every bugle means! There’s 15 sounds bulls make that all mean something different and throwing a challenge bugle out at the wrong time can ruin the hunt. If you don’t know what the bugles mean in each situation ur basically arguing with someone in a different language.


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Appreciate the reply, I just downloaded the Elknut app so I’m hoping to learn the language as much as I can in the next few weeks. The idea of locating elk at night with a bugle is probably one of the main reasons why I bought one. Prior to this hunt I’ve only hunted OTC where I mainly just still hunted, really just want to add another tool to my arsenal that I can use when appropriate.

 

[Waddi]

You can never be sure what tactic will work best, but you have to be ready to do whatever is needed. How will you ever know if bugling works if you don’t blow it? Nobody going to know if they sound bad, but you.

I like to bugle. They don’t all sound good, but they all sound good enough.

Great point, my main concern is spooking the elk with a poorly performed bugle.

 

[Waddi]

“For context I’m hiking 5 miles deep into a wilderness area and the area seems to have low hunting pressure with 0.04 hunters per square.”

Probably should’ve proof read, oh well

 

[Scoot]

You're going to hear all kinds of answers to your question. There isn't a right answer. Some people prefer to be silent and sneaking like a ninja and kill them. Some people only want to call an elk in. Some people want to sit at a water tank and never move. No one correct way to hunt elk... Even if you are an elk caller there's a thousand different approaches.

 

[Jethro]

Great point, my main concern is spooking the elk with a poorly performed bugle.

Don’t worry, they’ll vacate fast and silently. You’ll never know you spooked them.

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

You're going to hear all kinds of answers to your question. There isn't a right answer. Some people prefer to be silent and sneaking like a ninja and kill them. Some people only want to call an elk in. Some people want to sit at a water tank and never move. No one correct way to hunt elk... Even if you are an elk caller there's a thousand different approaches.

Sure but ask those hunters if they are constantly successful or not. I can prefer to hunt bulls by doing a mock scrape and rattling antlers from a tree stand, but may also say been doing it for 15 yrs and killed one elk…. Cause I fell asleep in the stand lol. 10% of the hunters kill 90% of the elk. So 90% of hunters aren’t constantly successful, which proves their tactics obviously aren’t working or they must be hunting a unit with 0 elk


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[Jaquomo]

Learn to make a good, nonthreatening locator bugle. You can usually get away with that without sending the bull packing while you learn other bull sounds. You might only get one opportunity, and blasting out an aggressive challenge bugle at the wrong bull at the wrong time can send your elk to where you may never find them again.

If you do use a challenge bugle, try to mimic the bull as closely as possible, and if he answers, cut him off. Keep sounding exactly like him.

I sometimes tell newbies that they only need to learn three bugles - a locator bugle, a challenge bugle, and the "shut the hell up and keep it in your pack" bugle. Way too many guys bugle way too much without having a clue what they're saying. They are only educating the elk.

 

[3forks]

“For context I’m hiking 5 miles deep into a wilderness area and the area seems to have low hunting pressure with 0.04 hunters per square.”

Are you going to tell him or wait for somebody else?