Scenario; you hear a bugle

[Beendare]

We play this game on another site, "What do you do, or where do you shoot?" To play, give a detailed account of your actions...just saying "I bugle" or " I cow call" is not instructional....important to include your thought process.

Scenario; Colorado archery elk season, up above Steamboat, Sept 9th, OTC unit. So this happened to me a few years back, I hiked in to a timbered ridge about 2 miles from a road just as it was getting light. I hit a saddle where a long ridge comes up from hayfields [2 miles off] and dips over into another drainage with a confluence of elk trails with sparse cover....a good looking spot. They are using it for sure- fresh sign. Its a little more open here in the saddle but still timbered. No wind, thermals still drifting down.

I have not uttered a call, just listening. All of a sudden a bull bugles towards me not 200 yds down that finger ridge. ....could be another hunter but he sounds pretty convincing. It sounds like an "I'm here" type bugle.

So in detail.....what do you do here?

______

 

[Marble]

There are questions and things I would consider.

1. Am I in a spot where he is going to walk by with me doing nothing? Nothing is for sure, but if I believed he was going to come that way, all on his own, I would get in a good vantage point and get ready without calling. It kind of depends on where I think or know they will actually bed.

2. Have the bulls been more responsive to bugles or cow calls?

3. Do I have a caller with me?

Since my archery stuff is almost always solo, I would get my cow call out and move 50 to 100 yards to where i think he wants to go. In other words, if he is going through the saddle to a bedding area, hes probably just behind is cows and or pushing them up the hill. I would do some standard, regular sounding cow calls, the kind I hear when they all are getting together to move or arrive. I would then move 50 to 100 yards in the direction of the bull and watch for cows. Nock an arrow, take off pack and start ranging.

If i immediately introduce a foreign cow to the situation and I hear a cow respond and the bull responds again, now I know where everyone is. If I can get between them, or I'm pretty close to that, I'll introduce a bugle. Moderate in volume, right in the direction of the bull. If he responds the fight is on.

 

[NJDiverDan]

I'll take a stab...
I would quickly pick a spot that I can get to quickly and quietly that is 30-50 yards closer to where the bull is. Then find a branch and do 15-20 seconds of raking. Then move up to the spot and sit tight.

 

[Wrench]

Thermals still moving down tells me this is early enough that they should be on the move....and likely up. I'm looking hard for movement and planning on where I can cut them off.

I'm not making a peep yet because I have the drop on them given the setup. If I do not see them on the next few minutes, I'll rake a tree and listen......but given the situation they're likely moving in my direction for now.

 

[Beendare]

I can clarify since it Is a bit oblique....but i had never been in this area before so its all a guess to this point on how they use it.

you are at a small saddle at the head of a valley below that goes for at least a mile downhill. you are 30 yds from where the small saddle rolls over the ridge, but the ridge itself just keeps gently climbing and doesnt stop there. Its real thick north facing timber in the cut below you. You can see about 60yds where you are standing but below you its maybe 1/3rd of that.
Wind is good unless he cuts into the valley below you.

give it a shot boys.... you can’t do any worse than I did- grin

 

[Wapiti1]

Whip out my phone and consult the Elknut App. Get confused and decide to just try some shit 'cause what the heck.

Cut the distance in half trying to stay at the same level as I think he is. Let out a lone cow call. Just one. See how he responds. I'll see how he likes a sexy cow, and may introduce a rival to stir the pot. Take it very slow and camp there for at least an hour. Sparse calling, work on curiosity as much as anything.

Since it's Sept 9, I'm thinking lone bull, working out the pecking order, no cows.

Jeremy

 

[Gapmaster]

I’m slipping in quite, he bugled on his own. If I don’t hear elk moving up the ridge or talking back and forth, I may give a lost calf call. The wind is the most important thing here. If I can keep at least a somewhat accurate location on them I will be patient and play the thermals. If they bed...I got him.


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[cnelk]

Daylight = thermals are going downhill.

1) Nock an arrow

2) Find a decent size stick and thrash a tree - see what happens.
My bet he will bugle.
Wait until he bugles again to pinpoint his location. Then adjust accordingly to cut the distance.

3) If he doesnt bugle...
If you're above him, you cant move toward him.
If youre at the same elevation, move toward him.

4) You've moved up - in a spot you can see/call
Cast a mew behind you and see if he responds

5) He responds and is closer

6) Mew again.
You see legs coming thru the timber heading diagonal toward you.
You're scanning for a shooting lane he will cross.

7) He's 30yds and coming into the lane
You draw and find your pin.
He's in the lane and you grunt "Unngh"

8) Bull stops and the arrow is on its way
Dead bull

Easy Peasy - all in about 60 seconds

 

[Billy Goat]

I thought we didn't mention spots around here.

Honestly I'd be afraid to talk to a bull I thought was that close already. I'm assuming if he is down a finger ridge he is going to be down wind of you in the morning, but I'd be moving to put the wind in my favor the best I can and fast as I can while trying to also put myself into a position that I think he might walk by to give a shot.

So I'm saying I'd be silent on the calls, play wind and stalk.

 

[tttoadman]

I get blown by wind most of the time so I would be inclined to get out from on top of him.

Put out a cow call and immediately move to one side and drop to get level with him or closer.

Assuming I now sound like the rest, I should be able to get on the roll of the hill and see If I chose the correct side. If not track sideways tooting a cow call every so often to keep them calm.

Hoping he has stepped up higher than the cows, I should be able to find him on the roll of the hill before he or the cows see me.

Now I step on a stick and they all run away.

 

[Whiskey_Fish]

I thought we didn't mention spots around here.

Honestly I'd be afraid to talk to a bull I thought was that close already. I'm assuming if he is down a finger ridge he is going to be down wind of you in the morning, but I'd be moving to put the wind in my favor the best I can and fast as I can while trying to also put myself into a position that I think he might walk by to give a shot.

So I'm saying I'd be silent on the calls, play wind and stalk.

I’m pretty sure half the elk hunting posts on the internet are about OTC just above Steamboat.

Also, I’d cow call back. Pretty heavy. Then get ready to move down and slightly across the slope.


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[WYCFM1]

I would wait to see if he bugles on his own again in the same spot and just let him locate me to him. Get you at least within 60 yds if there’s some cover. If I get an eye on him in and he’s in on the open. Give em a bark send one in the pump house from 40-60 yds


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[WYCFM1]

But that’s a perfect world scenario


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[trophyhill]

I'm gonna immediately cut the distance in half and hope he's not closer than he sounds. Then I'm gonna move slowly and methodically toward the bugle with head on swivel. Hopefully I'm gonna see him before he sees me and get an arrow thru the vitals.

 

[WYCFM1]

^^^happened to me last year bugled me right to himself and shot him at 50 long ones


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[Billy Goat]

Normally when they bugle within 200 yards and I didn't have a clue they were around, I crap my pants.

 

[Beendare]

Well here's what happened....

I have to preface this by saying I'm NOT one of those bugle every 100 yds guys up the trail. I typically listen first...and when I do call, I get setup...especially when in a pair.

Here I was solo...and I got lazy. I pulled out my diaphragm turned away and gave a couple cow calls. I wasn't 100% sure it was a bull vs hunters as this area had some heavy hunter pressure.

Coming up the ridge like a freight train, here comes a solo bull....fairly heavy 5x5 trotting towards me. He must have been a lot closer just sounding further due to the thick vegetation. I drop to my knees, pack still on no arrow knocked which I am now frantically trying to do as he is closing fast.

I get the arrow knocked right as he is in the clear coming right to me at 40 yds with nothing between us. I decided not to draw as he would have seen me for sure. My hope now is that the bull was coming so hard he would go past me and I could swing on him and shoot.

No such luck....he came roaring in and skidded to a stop at 5 yards...and we had a stare down for what felt like 20 minutes but in actuality it was 2- then he bogeyed off.

I drew and tried to stop him with a bark- nope, just kept going. To this day I've had them come in hard on me, one I shot at 6 steps.........but never as hard as that bull.


Now I NEVER call unless I am setup in a good spot.....

___

 

[Beendare]

I'm a firm believer that ....We learn more from our mistakes than our successes. I should have been ready....I wasn't.

I was just trying to share tactics as its instructional.......not give away Johns secret spot- grin. I didn't mean for this to initiate a big bitch session.



in hindsight,
I misjudged how close he actually was...probably 150 yds when he bugled.

There are a couple strategies that would have probably worked calling wise...if I had just setup right there with an arrow in the string ready. Anything dilly dallying probably wouldn't have worked as he was so close coming my way and he would be on me in no time anyway.

A guy trying to get closer probably would have been busted as this bull was coming right up the side of the ridge to where I was. It appears he was bugling down into the thick valley looking for elk much like a hunter.

A buddy told me of a similar scenario where he was walking a road cut into the side of a steep mountainside where he walked up to the edge and bugled every 300 yds. on one of those bugles, a small bull peeks around a tree about 35yds downhill- busted. He just didn't expect to have a bull that close.

 

[Beendare]

Actually, I had another one that was similar.... in Oregon. I was walking a closed road and had just got done talking to another hunter that had walked the road from the other direction. I figured that since he just walked it I probably wouldn't see anything....but hey...I was in the woods.

Not 200 yds from that other hunter I look downhill and see the top of a small aspen wagging around about 40ds off the trail I was on and a ways in front of me. I bailed off quick, trotting actually and got 30 yds from that tree with a small 6x6 just tearing it up. From the time I saw the tree wagging to when I shot the bull was probably under a minute.

Anyway....I think its probably time for me to take a break from this forum BS....its not relaxing anymore....too much pettiness.


_____

 

[MtnOyster]

Daylight = thermals are going downhill.

1) Nock an arrow

2) Find a decent size stick and thrash a tree - see what happens.
My bet he will bugle.
Wait until he bugles again to pinpoint his location. Then adjust accordingly to cut the distance.

3) If he doesnt bugle...
If you're above him, you cant move toward him.
If youre at the same elevation, move toward him.

4) You've moved up - in a spot you can see/call
Cast a mew behind you and see if he responds

5) He responds and is closer

6) Mew again.
You see legs coming thru the timber heading diagonal toward you.
You're scanning for a shooting lane he will cross.

7) He's 30yds and coming into the lane
You draw and find your pin.
He's in the lane and you grunt "Unngh"

8) Bull stops and the arrow is on its way
Dead bull

Easy Peasy - all in about 60 seconds

^^^^^^ I would try and do this^^^^^^....I think..