Is calling the most over rated way to hunt elk?

[Bar]

Truth is i've never needed a call to take an elk personally. My answer seemed to get right to the point.

Now, I have used a call to help others get an elk, but that was their choice and way to hunt. I was bored to be honest.

I prefer my way for myself and it doesn't need a call to work. As a matter of fact it would bring down my success rate if I called. It's hard to be sneaky if I blast a call off.


btw If you missed it in another thread. My internet connection will be shut off today and I can be cut off at any moment. They just told me today sometime. I'm going to live in a primitive cabin in the high mountains from now on full time. Mountain man style.

Cya guys.

 

[Ross]

Timing and type of terrain. In the jungles of nidaho and nwst Montana calling is one of your top options due to the amount of timber. If they ain't talking it can get rather difficult..in semi open terrain cutting them off at the pass may be your better option but I don't hunt in that type of country so it is running and gunning in jungles on otc hunts

 

[ElkNut1]

Yes, there's Public Land & then there's OTC Public Land! Two different worlds!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[307]

I may be mistaken but I believe Bar hunts with a gun rather than archery so that would certainly factor in to preferred techniques.

 

[Bar]

I may be mistaken but I believe Bar hunts with a gun rather than archery so that would certainly factor in to preferred techniques.

I hunt with a flintlock or a crossbow. Both at what a bow hunter would call the same range. 45yds max.

 

[HookUp]

Since you mentioned Dan and his trophy room, I gotta share this. I was messaging with him a couple years ago and asked him about the bulls he's killed, as he used to have them listed on the trophy taker site. Here was his response...

"All my bulls are self-guided, all except 4 are on public land. Here is the current size breakdown:
41 bulls with my bow
35 over 300"
23 over 350"
15 over 365"
7 over 380"
1 over 400"

I have also killed a few other bulls with a gun, but those are not included in this breakdown."

That was in spring 2015, so I'm sure there are a few more to add to the list. Those numbers are stuff of legend.

The point I'm trying to make is if you want a herd bull its doubtful you will be calling him in. Sub dominant 5 and 6 points and raghorns will be your target species if you commit to the call. I will be packing a bugle this fall, but I will only use it if the elk are being vocally aggressive. Thanks for the feedback and lively discussion!

 

[bud]

Dammit Bar, good luck man. That's been my dream to do what your doing just never had the guts to pull the trigger.

 

[307]

I hunt with a flintlock or a crossbow. Both at what a bow hunter would call the same range. 45yds max.

Range isn't the issue, speed of deployment is quite different, however.

 

[Bar]

Range isn't the issue, speed of deployment is quite different, however.

LOL..my connection still works. Charter shut my TV off, but the internet still works. I'll do their job for them and send them the modem. I'll be gone in a aday or two anyway.

As for the speed of the weapon. I used the same method with a longbow when I first started to hunt as a youngster. I posted that picture once, but PB went belly up, so that pic is lost now.

If you'd like to duplicate what I do throw all your calls away and then get close with your bow. No tree or any other stands either. You move and the elk is still. If you already do that you'll know using a bow won't matter over a gun. Any weapon will work. The animal doesn't know you're there. It relaxed and not ready to jump. Elk don't jump the string. There's not much difference in an xbow and good compound bow in speed in a 40yd shot. The shorter xbow arrow slows down much faster.

I give credit to bow hunters if they hunt in a fair method. You do have a bit of attitude that what you do is above every other weapon. It gets old and isn't always true.

 

[Brendan]

The point I'm trying to make is if you want a herd bull its doubtful you will be calling him in. Sub dominant 5 and 6 points and raghorns will be your target species if you commit to the call. I will be packing a bugle this fall, but I will only use it if the elk are being vocally aggressive. Thanks for the feedback and lively discussion!

I don't agree with this. You just have to know what calls to use, and how to use them, what distances you should be, etc as opposed to just blowing away on whatever call you feel like. I haven't hunted all that long and have had multiple herd bulls come in both to cow calling and challenge bugle sequences, but I was trying to "say" something specific in a certain situation. Public land, OTC / general tags in Montana and Wyoming - so no special tags.

Sealing the deal and getting a shot on those herd bulls - well, still working on that one

 

[307]

LOL..my connection still works. Charter shut my TV off, but the internet still works. I'll do their job for them and send them the modem. I'll be gone in a aday or two anyway.

As for the speed of the weapon. I used the same method with a longbow when I first started to hunt as a youngster. I posted that picture once, but PB went belly up, so that pic is lost now.

If you'd like to duplicate what I do throw all your calls away and then get close with your bow. No tree or any other stands either. You move and the elk is still. If you already do that you'll know using a bow won't matter over a gun. Any weapon will work. The animal doesn't know you're there. It relaxed and not ready to jump. Elk don't jump the string. There's not much difference in an xbow and good compound bow in speed in a 40yd shot. The shorter xbow arrow slows down much faster.

I give credit to bow hunters if they hunt in a fair method. You do have a bit of attitude that what you do is above every other weapon. It gets old and isn't always true.

I didn't say speed of the projectile, I said speed of deployment. IOW, it's a lot faster, quieter, and far less movement to bring a gun to your shoulder find your target and fire with a gun or crossbow than it is to draw a compound bow, find the anchor, settle the pin, and fire. A trad bow is better in this regard than a compound from what I understand, one of 3 significant advantages I think the trad hunters have over the wheel bow hunters.

I never said a damn thing about archery being better than any other weapon, but it is different than gun/crossbow hunting even within the same ranges.

 

[Bar]

My flintlock weighs 10lbs. It's not like i can hold it shouldered for very long. I'm sure you could hold a compound drawn longer.

I didn't mean to point the attitude comment at you, but in general. Although your response still shows some of it. You think what you do is harder. You can't even put them equal.

No matter. I don't concern myself with what others think, but sometimes it's better to say nothing if you haven't stood in their boots.

I'm done.

 

[307]

I've obviously done a poor job at making my point or it was falling on completely deaf ears. I think I'd have a more productive conversation with a fence post.

 

[Bar]

I felt the same way.

 

[realunlucky]

I've obviously done a poor job at making my point or it was falling on completely deaf ears. I think I'd have a more productive conversation with a fence post.

Haha so true

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[5MilesBack]

The point I'm trying to make is if you want a herd bull its doubtful you will be calling him in. Sub dominant 5 and 6 points and raghorns will be your target species if you commit to the call.

Everyone assumes that you have to "call them in". I rarely ever call them in, but I use calls all the time. I do "call in" lots of silent satellites, but I'm not really interested in them. And also, depending on the situation and where you hunt........a 5 point might be the "herd bull". And early in the season before the mature herd bulls cow up, bugling can be downright exciting when you get into their territory.

 

[DEHusker]

If it's so overrated, then it really wouldn't matter if your state's wildlife board changed elk archery season to November...right? Does that change your perspective? LOL.

Another way to look at it is this: Calling elk is part form, part function, part art. Once you master "function" you'll call in some elk. Once you master "form and function", you'll call in more elk in more situations. Once you master all 3 you'll be reluctant in all but the most dire situations to try to hunt them any other way! Watch the Corey Jacobsen and Randy Newberg recent day by day film. It's a great example of how Corey loves to call them but finally tags his bull with some of his "non trad" hunting methods. I'd be willing to bet that 80% or more of all elk are tagged by archers or early rifle hunters every fall using some form of calling to either locate or bring in their animal. Distressed calf calling is killer for calling in cows...BTW.

 

[chindits]

A Nov bow hunt now that sounds like a bummer to me. Unless you are talking a buck tag in late Nov.