I just received this & wanted to share a very cool Early Season Success Tactic!
I’m stoked!!!!
So I’ve been re-reading and preparing to call bulls from your app and podcasts. I’m in Utah, and the hunt started Aug 21. Haven’t had a chance to go out til today.
My daughter’s boyfriend had asked if he could go and hunt with me… he has never bow hunted elk before. I was hesitant, but he’s young and I could use the help to pack one out if I get one.
There’s a hillside with a nice shelf in the timber on the other side of a river not far away from my house. Nobody thinks to try there. I’ve been itching to go there and see if the elk are hanging out there. I’ve been there before, and it’s a brutal hike for a mile. I figured I could show him the ropes of hiking and working for a bull.
About 1/2 a mile up, we were just at the first little shelf. I let out a somewhat quiet location bugle. No reply. So we went up a little rise to the next bench-ish spot and I sent out a louder locator bugle. Almost immediately we got a response bugle. It sounded harmonic and perfect—the kind you’d expect another hunter to send back.
“It’s just another hunter”, I told Ben. But the more I thought about it, that just didn’t make sense. There were 2 giveaways that said it was a real bull. First, what idiot would make the hike to that location and hunt? Second, he didn’t keep sounding off, as I would expect 99% of hunters to do.
Thinking this, I thought we’d better close the distance. It was only 6:45 am, so I hoped he wasn’t on the move much. This bench is typically covered with beds. I figured he was near his bedding area as he had a full moon all night long.
Anyway, we made our way towards him for about 200 yds. I kept looking for a good setup spot to do some advertising. Finally I found a good spot with a little rise with a few trees on it. (This wasn’t dense dark timber. We could see probably 80-100 yds.)
So I told Ben to stand up there by those trees while I drop behind and downhill. The bull would have to almost crest the top (right on Ben) before he could see me.
So I started with a little bugle, following like you teach for the advertising sequence. Started raking, stomping just a little here and there, and basically following how you show. About a minute into it, I looked at my watch for a reference of how long I would be calling. I figured we’d give it up to 45 min.
About 5 minutes in, Ben turns to mee and points like he sees the bull coming. I had coached him on the drive up this morning a few things that he needs to do if he’s the shooter. One is that he has to draw when he can.
About 20 seconds later, I heard some sticks breaking. He was coming in! Keep in mind, I don’t have any kind of visual on the bull.
So unbeknownst to me, the bull was coming in on a string right towards Ben. I hadn’t even nocked an arrow.
All of a sudden, I see his antler tips. Then his head, and he stops at 9 yards from Ben a d starts raking a tree!!! (The raking was icing on the cake for me with the whole experience).
I looked at Ben and he hadn’t drawn yet! Ugh! Rookie! Haha. I thought, “draw back now while he’s raking!” He didn’t. The bull looked towards me and Ben slowly drew back his bow. The bull noticed some movement and jumped to the side where I couldn’t see. (Mind you, when insane that Ben didn’t draw, I loaded an arrow and thought I might have to shoot him if I get the shot.)
When the bull jumped to the side, I screamed a quick bugle. It was funny. I had no idea that the bull had just jumped to the side and was broadside at 12 yds Ben drew back.
While I screamed the bugle, Ben shot him! Perfect double lung shot! What’s funny is that I never saw him draw, nor shoot—nor heard the shot.
I put my arrow away and was frustrated. I thought he didn’t shoot! I went up to him (he was about 15 yds in front of me) and said, “you gotta draw back and shoot!” He said, I did! He hit him perfectly. I bugles a couple more times to try to stop him, but he was stumbling his last steps. He tipped over and crashed about 100 yds away!
Everything about it was “ElkNut” textbook! Thanks for putting out your knowledge!
Before the app, I would try strategies that sometimes worked. In fact, I killed 8 bulls in 8 years with my bow. Last year I called in a bull with the breeding sequence and messed up a 44 yard shot. Hit him in the shoulder blade. It would have put me at 9 for 9…but oh well.
I got the app right at the end of our Utah season 2 years ago. I’ve now called in 4 bulls with it! I can’t wait to call more! I’ll probably head out tomorrow, and if nothing tomorrow, then we’re going on our annual back country horse trip next Thursday.
Thanks for all you do!
ElkNut
I’m stoked!!!!
So I’ve been re-reading and preparing to call bulls from your app and podcasts. I’m in Utah, and the hunt started Aug 21. Haven’t had a chance to go out til today.
My daughter’s boyfriend had asked if he could go and hunt with me… he has never bow hunted elk before. I was hesitant, but he’s young and I could use the help to pack one out if I get one.
There’s a hillside with a nice shelf in the timber on the other side of a river not far away from my house. Nobody thinks to try there. I’ve been itching to go there and see if the elk are hanging out there. I’ve been there before, and it’s a brutal hike for a mile. I figured I could show him the ropes of hiking and working for a bull.
About 1/2 a mile up, we were just at the first little shelf. I let out a somewhat quiet location bugle. No reply. So we went up a little rise to the next bench-ish spot and I sent out a louder locator bugle. Almost immediately we got a response bugle. It sounded harmonic and perfect—the kind you’d expect another hunter to send back.
“It’s just another hunter”, I told Ben. But the more I thought about it, that just didn’t make sense. There were 2 giveaways that said it was a real bull. First, what idiot would make the hike to that location and hunt? Second, he didn’t keep sounding off, as I would expect 99% of hunters to do.
Thinking this, I thought we’d better close the distance. It was only 6:45 am, so I hoped he wasn’t on the move much. This bench is typically covered with beds. I figured he was near his bedding area as he had a full moon all night long.
Anyway, we made our way towards him for about 200 yds. I kept looking for a good setup spot to do some advertising. Finally I found a good spot with a little rise with a few trees on it. (This wasn’t dense dark timber. We could see probably 80-100 yds.)
So I told Ben to stand up there by those trees while I drop behind and downhill. The bull would have to almost crest the top (right on Ben) before he could see me.
So I started with a little bugle, following like you teach for the advertising sequence. Started raking, stomping just a little here and there, and basically following how you show. About a minute into it, I looked at my watch for a reference of how long I would be calling. I figured we’d give it up to 45 min.
About 5 minutes in, Ben turns to mee and points like he sees the bull coming. I had coached him on the drive up this morning a few things that he needs to do if he’s the shooter. One is that he has to draw when he can.
About 20 seconds later, I heard some sticks breaking. He was coming in! Keep in mind, I don’t have any kind of visual on the bull.
So unbeknownst to me, the bull was coming in on a string right towards Ben. I hadn’t even nocked an arrow.
All of a sudden, I see his antler tips. Then his head, and he stops at 9 yards from Ben a d starts raking a tree!!! (The raking was icing on the cake for me with the whole experience).
I looked at Ben and he hadn’t drawn yet! Ugh! Rookie! Haha. I thought, “draw back now while he’s raking!” He didn’t. The bull looked towards me and Ben slowly drew back his bow. The bull noticed some movement and jumped to the side where I couldn’t see. (Mind you, when insane that Ben didn’t draw, I loaded an arrow and thought I might have to shoot him if I get the shot.)
When the bull jumped to the side, I screamed a quick bugle. It was funny. I had no idea that the bull had just jumped to the side and was broadside at 12 yds Ben drew back.
While I screamed the bugle, Ben shot him! Perfect double lung shot! What’s funny is that I never saw him draw, nor shoot—nor heard the shot.
I put my arrow away and was frustrated. I thought he didn’t shoot! I went up to him (he was about 15 yds in front of me) and said, “you gotta draw back and shoot!” He said, I did! He hit him perfectly. I bugles a couple more times to try to stop him, but he was stumbling his last steps. He tipped over and crashed about 100 yds away!
Everything about it was “ElkNut” textbook! Thanks for putting out your knowledge!
Before the app, I would try strategies that sometimes worked. In fact, I killed 8 bulls in 8 years with my bow. Last year I called in a bull with the breeding sequence and messed up a 44 yard shot. Hit him in the shoulder blade. It would have put me at 9 for 9…but oh well.
I got the app right at the end of our Utah season 2 years ago. I’ve now called in 4 bulls with it! I can’t wait to call more! I’ll probably head out tomorrow, and if nothing tomorrow, then we’re going on our annual back country horse trip next Thursday.
Thanks for all you do!
ElkNut
