Small Response to Bugle - How Do I Get This Bull?

[TX_Diver]

Chris Roe has talked about this scenario on various podcasts but I'm unclear as to how to react. This happened to me last week and I never saw the elk although I heard him walk off. Scenario - At about 2PM I throw out a small/level 1 contact/location bugle from the top of a North facing slope and get a TINY bugle back (I figure 150 yards away downhill) basically acknowledgement but nothing to evaluate him by. Per Chris Roe I understood this to indicate he heard me and was paying attention. Chris has said multiple times THAT is the bull he wants to hunt. I waited about 10 minutes and tried some lost mews, then with no further response moved downhill trying to get 100 yards from him and stay downwind. Ultimately I accidentally ended up about 15 yards from him and just heard a slight huff in response to my footsteps. I found the first spot I could to get hidden and waited even throwing out a few quiet lost mews, I never saw him but after another 5 minutes heard him walk off. Next time in that scenario, what is the correct response. It seems weird that I get a response to the bugle but then am supposed to switch to cow sounds? Do I get closer again and then throw out another contact bugle? Dominant bugle? Or get close then try assembly mews? I'm headed back at the end of the month and if I can get into a similar situation I'd prefer it to end better for me. Thanks!

 

[Laramie]

When you go to the bar to pick up a girl, will the same approach work with all?

There is no playbook that works on elk every time. The hunter needs to adapt strategy to each individual elk and learn through many failures. Enjoy the frustration.

 

[Read1t48]

I like these threads because it gets me thinking about what I would do in these particular situations. It is just so difficult without actually being there because of all the little nuances and details that are picked up when it’s actually your boots on the ground.
Based on the time of day, I would assume you got that bull to bugle from his bedding area. He probably actually bugled from his bed while laying down and that was why it sounded wimpy. But you definitely have his attention and at 2o’clock in the afternoon he probably isn’t leaving anytime soon. I would have probably bugled one more time with a few chuckles in a non-aggressive way and invited him over. if he didn’t come, I would scout a good set up spot, confirm that the wind will be steady, and start a slow play sequence. it works! If you started the sequence with raking he still knows you are a bowl that is there and you have his attention. Later on in the sequence when you let out a couple cow calls he is going to think that you’re raking needed up attracting cows. Whether it’s others on the landscape or his cows, he is going to come investigate especially after you take your time to work through every part of the sequence. It will definitely raise his testosterone whether to defend his territory because you were there or because he wants a piece of the action and wants those cows. If he already has cows, you’re slow play sequence is not going to push them off. They may actually come investigate thinking you are a better bull to breed with which will further infuriate the bull you are trying to kill.

I have had situations where my cow calling resulted in those cows doing everything they could to get their bull out of there. They were saying, “this is my bull“. I was like the hussy in the bushes.

One more tactic...
If you know the bull has cows, and you have his attention, I would only talk to the cows by giving a bull calling cows bugle. Those cows want to be bred by the best bull on the mountain. You may very well call them over with that pissed off bull in tow.
Keep us posted on your season and good luck!

 

[Deadfall]

First...those light responses are way closer then you think.

Second don't call to that bull. When a cow is in heat it's the bulls that let everyone else know there's a cow in heat. What the fancy folks call a estrus cry is not that. Those energetic long mews you hear is a cow telling another elk to get back to her. They make those sounds scolding kids. Bringing young elk back to herd. Also inviting a bull over.

That location bugle is not what your told it is.

When making that kind of bugle it's either a bull looking for cows. Or it's a bull displaying for a cow. Most often it's a bull that is displaying. As such there is other things the bull is doing to display for a hot cow. Ie. Raking, grunting, scraping. Growling, which you immigrate without a Reed.

So what that fella is really saying is he's on display. The reason he wants to hunt the lazy bugle bull, is because he's peaked that bulls interest. Although initially lazy that bull is now contemplating if it's worth getting up to go find some porno time.

He switches to cow call to sell the scenario. It's not just one call. It's several little chirpy sounds.

His scenario is a few cows who have a bull in tgere that's convinced one of them is ready for sexy time.

In this deal you are not talking to the target bull at any time. You are selling him a vision and trying to play on emotions.

DO NOT move towards this bull. Nor initially anyway.

As the scenario plays out you need to have already figured out your shooting spots.

Once target bull gets going and sounds like he's coming, hopefully at this point you have started inserting a energetic cow that is inviting both bulls to her.

When your target bull sounds like he closing in. Shut down all other calling. Move about 40 yards towards him making the so called estrus cry. Tgen shut up and move another 10 or 20 yards away from last call.

By this point the bull should be screaming his head off. If he is be patient. Probably he will shut up tge last 50 yards or so.

Above all else make sure that bull has to come close to see where your last call was from.

 

[dingle]

OP, excellent responses from @Read1t48 and @Deadfall. I'll throw a word in.

What time of day did your approach your closest? Was there any cow chatter in the area before or after your sequence? If you never saw him, you might have been dealing with a lone raghorn surprised that two+ elk, including a new cow of a class that hadn't shown any interest in him yet, had moved into his zone. Satellite or raghorn, you wouldn't expect a bedded bull without cows to be anything but silent within 100-150 yards.

Whatever kind of bull or bull mood you were speaking with, if you really got within 15 yards and he huffed and moved off, it sounds like the main things you did wrong were 1) having a bad doorway/shooting setup and 2) not believing he was as close as he was when you got there. He probably heard you, didn't see an elk at point blank caution range, and scooted.

Did he stay in the area the next day or two?

 

[MallardSX2]

I would have gotten the wind right put on my stalking slippers and snuck right in on him.

That’s just me though.

 

[trophyhill]

If i can pinpoint the lazy bugle i want to move in as close as possible and be in a position to hear the activity once they get up and start feeding around. Then it's go time! The scream is what i like in this situation. If i can call his cows away from him, he aint gonna be very happy when he comes looking.

 

[P Carter]

As said above...I'd get on his level and slowplay. At some point in time, he'll come over to check things out. Might be out of curiosity or of rage. It might be an hour or three. You'll have to read his responses to figure out when and why. But if the wind is right and you don't ramp things up too quickly or otherwise bump him, he'll come over and check you out!

 

[ElkNut1]

So basically the 1st week of Sept. If a silent ambush/stalk was out of the question due to terrain & noise issues then I'd give The ElkNut Slow Play consideration but my Tactic of choice without a doubt would be the Advertising Sequence, hands down!

Get to 150-200 yards & go into action! It has proved to be money on bulls as this for many years now!

ElkNut

 

[TX_Diver]

So basically the 1st week of Sept. If a silent ambush/stalk was out of the question due to terrain & noise issues then I'd give The ElkNut Slow Play consideration but my Tactic of choice without a doubt would be the Advertising Sequence, hands down!

Get to 150-200 yards & go into action! It has proved to be money on bulls as this for many years now!

ElkNut

Thanks! So essentially ignoring the response, getting setup somewhere close, and then continuing to advertise myself as a new bull? Presumably he'd slip in quietly within the next hour or so?

 

[wildwilderness]

Thanks! So essentially ignoring the response, getting setup somewhere close, and then continuing to advertise myself as a new bull? Presumably he'd slip in quietly within the next hour or so?

No, you have to STOP Calling!!!

Once you know an elk is there just be quiet! Move and locate the elk, wind, and kill it!

Learn that and you you kill way more elk.

(Of course there are exceptions on limited draw units, private land, etc with callable elk, but any pressured elk LESS is more)

 

[ElkNut1]

TX_Diver, yes sir, that's it exactly! Most bulls will show within 15-20 minutes!

WW, I 100% agree if you're hunting terrain where a silent stalk is possible. I recommend that everytime when terrain conditions suit it. Biggest issue is that the majority of bulls we come across are in the crap. A silent stalk is virtually impossible. When this is the case the Advertising/Display Sequence is very deadly! Don't knock it until you've given it a chance.

ElkNut

 

[TX_Diver]

TX_Diver, yes sir, that's it exactly! Most bulls will show within 15-20 minutes!

WW, I 100% agree if you're hunting terrain where a silent stalk is possible. I recommend that everytime when terrain conditions suit it. Biggest issue is that the majority of bulls we come across are in the crap. A silent stalk is virtually impossible. When this is the case the Advertising/Display Sequence is very deadly! Don't knock it until you've given it a chance.

ElkNut

Thanks! A silent stalk did not work on this one. I got fairly close actually but it was so crunchy I don't think I had a chance. Wish I had that opportunity (and some others from this season) back though!

 

[Behemoth]

Great info.