Predators and bugling

[Takeem406]

Growing up in Western MT I've heard several people tell me that the wolves are impacting rut activity. They say that bulls won't bugle because it attracts the wolves. Is there any truth to that? Seems a little far fetched. Thoughts?

 

[Ross]

Yes indeed it is fact..the wolves have learned as well as the elk...if they bugle knowing the wolves are in the area they may just become a meal...the wolves can and will key in on a bugling bull if close.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

In my experience, yes. In the past decade I have noticed a decline in elk rut activity. I do not know what caused the increase in wolf populations as I have always known they were there. My grandpa has always told me stories of seeing a huge "yote" and seeing them in packs but never called them wolves. About a decade ago we started noticing more and more activity with a decline in the deer and elk numbers (in the areas we hunt(Ed)) but could not figure it out. It's like the wolf populations ballooned overnight. Also, this has something to do with droughts and other climatic events. During the last decade there has been a decrease in bugles heard. I remember years ago being able to camp out and wake up to a spike squeal or walking through a patch of timber to hear a cow/calf call. Fast forard to a few years ago. I am not sure if I have a picture or not but that year we saw a group of elk, around 300 in a heard. While this may not seem unusual, it may be when I say the date. This was in September. September 3 or 4. What the heck? I have seen this every year now. Occasionally you will see a couple stragglers but most are grouped up and stay grouped up. I have my theories about this but I do attribute this to survival in numbers. I no longer hunt elk with bugles and calls. To honest, I no longer hunt elk because I cannot locate them.

 

[Manosteel]

yup, its a fact. as little as 4 years ago my area was like a primos video during the 3rd week of September. Wolves moved in and every year less bugling. Last year I called in more yotes and wolves than elk. Now I can throw out a locating bugle, get a response bugle back, and that's it. I am off to the races to get in tight and then cow call from then on, if at all.

P.S. it doesn't help that every tom dick and harry has a hochi-mama handheld call they like to sqeeze every 2 mins.

 

[Takeem406]

I was out by Lincoln MT, not sure elk numbers get much better than that. Walked 10 miles and not a single peep. I'd walk a half mile bugle and listen. I'm not close to the elk caller Weston Clark is but I figured something should answer. I even tried calling blind a few times with the wind in my face. Nothing. However I did see what looks like wool poop a few times along the trails. On another note my buddy shot a bull west of Helena, I think around McDonald pass and he had several bulls screaming. I know there's that Avon pack over there... Not sure... Having an elk curse doesn't help. God seriously doesn't want me to shoot an elk in my life time. Weston Clark could guide me on an elk farm and I'd go the entire hunt without seeing a single elk! It's that bad lol!

 

[Jarrod Renaud]

Last year, just south of the Bob, we called in a pack by first bugling and then mewing. Counted 4 dogs but heard more than that.

 

[airlocksniffer]

We were south of Big Sky last weekend. On the second night right around dark the wolves started howling and didn't stop for 30 minutes or so. A short time after they stopped, the bulls started bugling and didn't stop all night. We counted 9 different bugles from within 1/4 mile of camp. One was actually about 10 yards from camp in the timber, so close you could hear him breathing. So in my limited experience, elk will still bugle in wolf country. My buddy thinks the wolves were howling because they got a kill, which gave the elk in our basin some time to bugle.

 

[GOnDEEP]

I know in my neck of the woods guys are calling in wolves all September. A few days ago a guy I know cow called in 3 adults with 6 pups. Lucky for them his client was shaken up and missed at 18 yds. This happens at least 4-5 times an archery season with the few guys I know and believe, so you better believe that the elk are changing their ways. I know I've seen a big change over the past ten years for sure.

 

[lintond]

I do agree that the wolves affect the bugling. What I don't understand why they now bugle at night. It seems like it would be safer to bugle during the day compared to at night because they could see wolves coming in. Anybody have any sounds theories on this??