What do you when they hang up.

[Elkhunter0229]

Last year this happened mutlipe times when I thought they were going to walk right to me I had a prefect set up. I just can't make is happen what are something I can try?

 

[cramer2603]

Speaking from fairly limited experience here (successful guided hunt in 2012 and almost successful diy in 2018). My brother and I were hunting some public land last year and found a nice bull at the bottom of the slope with a half dozen cows. He had the elk tag, so he got set up to shoot and I called for him. This bull answered every call and made his way closer but never committed. Kind of dumb luck I hid myself in a small evergreen with a standing dead tree right in front of me. We got to the point of not knowing what to do, so I just started kicking the crap out of the dead tree, busting as many branches as I could. This fired him up enough to leave his cows and come uphill right to us.

 

[Elkhunter0229]

I did try that last year had it work and missed the 30 yard shot then I tried it again and it spooked the bull.

 

[cnelk]

Its probably too open and they are trying to see the elk that aint there.

Try heavier cover

 

[Elkhunter0229]

Its probably too open and they are trying to see the elk that aint there.

Try heavier cover

Thank you. I will give that a try. The hard part is where I hunt is mostly clear cutted now which makes it 10 times hard. I might try a decoy this year too.

 

[Skerhunter]

Agree with CNELK! Every animal I call to (not just elk) I assume they know the exact location of the call. If they can see that spot and not what's making the noise, they will probably hang up (maybe circle down wind depending on critter). That's why people use decoys (not saying it will work for elk as well as deer/predators/waterfowl - no experience decoying elk).

 

[Elkhunter0229]

Me too. I havent had experience usimg decoys for elk. But have for ducks coyotes etc. I am going to give it a try. Might make the difference between getting a shot and not.

Agree with CNELK! Every animal I call to (not just elk) I assume they know the exact location of the call. If they can see that spot and not what's making the noise, they will probably hang up (maybe circle down wind depending on critter). That's why people use decoys (not saying it will work for elk as well as deer/predators/waterfowl - no experience decoying elk).

 

[5MilesBack]

The hard part is where I hunt is mostly clear cutted now which makes it 10 times hard.

I'd find a new forest to hunt.

 

[Phaseolus]

I’m going to get some decoy experience Sept 3. I’ve bought Carltons Butthead, I’ll be the caller, not the hunter. I’ll let you know how it works out.

 

[cnelk]

Think of it like this:

You're laying in bed and you hear a crash inside your house, presumably the kitchen based on the direction.
You know your house well enough to that you're not going to check the bathroom for something that fell.

And when you get to the kitchen, you expect to see something broke yes?
If you dont see anything broken, you're going to keep searching for the source of that noise.


Also, clearcuts are a real elk magnet. especially the edges near heavy cover

 

[Daniel0307]

Google the elk nut... Paul Medel

 

[trophyhill]

I struggled with many hangups early on. It's all about your set up for sure. If you/they can see great distances, it's probably not a great set up. Now I only call from areas the elk would have to search. I will also move after I call at times If elk are vocal and I know what direction they are coming in from.

Blind calling can be tricky when elk are silent because you never know where they will pop in from so your head, eyes and ears have to be alert

 

[Swede]

I agree with what cnelk and trophyhill wrote. When elk hang up they suspect something is wrong. It is unlikely you can convince them to continue to move ahead. They will walk back and forth behind a screen then run off. I hunt fairly open country and setups are very critical.