Man Were We Fooled!

ElkNut1

WKR
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
2,395
Location
Idaho
Yes sir, while on my sons DIY WY elk hunt we were listening, glassing & calling in an effort to find a respectable bull there. Like usual when hunting timber you are mostly listening & calling, in most cases we can size up a bull by what his response is, not in inches but whether he's a mature bull or not! On our 2nd trip back that month & the first morning of the hunt we hear a bull several hundred yards away bugle on his own. He sounded whiny & immature & was in our way for the direction we wanted to head. We decided to bugle him out of our way so he'd move off & we could continue forward.


I bugled & moved towards him to push him & bugled again, it was working, he maintained the several hundred yard distance everytime I bugled. (3-4 times) On the last bugle we hit a small 5 acre or so opening in front of us & noticed his last bugle was just on the other side of it in the timber. We figured maybe we should see if we could get eyes on him just to see what he was? I stayed well back in the timber & tailored my calling now to pull him our way. Sure enough he cooperated & showed himself at the edge of the opening & timber. I'm 30 yards from my son & he looks at me after glassing the bull & motions to me it's a pretty good bull!


I'm like really, hmm?? I know my son knows a decent bull when he sees one so I decided to pick it up a notch & draw him in. 15-20 minutes later I see my son drawing his bow & releasing the arrow, I felt wow the first morning & he's shooting, must be at least 300" or he wouldn't shoot! (grin) I hear the bull crashing off & I head to my son to get the story on this bull, it was a 20 yard shot.


This bull definitely fooled us by his bugle, I honestly felt he was no more than a 5 point by his bugle, I was wrong! (grin) The bull grossed 345" & some change with 51-1/2" mainbeams! Glad we decided to check him out, I know my son is! (grin)

ElkNut/Paul
 

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Joined
Apr 3, 2017
Messages
1,029
Location
Magnolia, Texas
Big congrats!! I learned that lesson on my very first hunt. Little whiny squeal has us thinking little rag horn. Nope. 340"+ stepped up over the ridge 10 yards from me. About had a heart attack.


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mod700

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
243
Location
Magalia Ca.
Damn nice bull, been there and done that (being fooled).... seems a guy never truly knows. Congrats to your son.
Mike
 

whitingja

WKR
Joined
Jun 24, 2012
Messages
737
Location
Cheyenne,wy
What part of the State were you guys in? I don't mean unit number, but north, SE...? Draw area, because that is a great bull? Congrats.
 

sasquatch

WKR
Joined
Jul 26, 2015
Messages
867
Awesome bull, congrats. That made for a short trip this go around lol


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widnert

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 16, 2017
Messages
177
Location
Three Forks, MT
Great bull there! I, for one, never pass up a bugle. If one answers and engages, I go after him. I wait until I have seen him to decide the size. Been fooled this same way in past. Now, its game-on with every bugle! Good job!
 
Joined
Jul 29, 2014
Messages
1,390
Yes sir, while on my sons DIY WY elk hunt we were listening, glassing & calling in an effort to find a respectable bull there. Like usual when hunting timber you are mostly listening & calling, in most cases we can size up a bull by what his response is, not in inches but whether he's a mature bull or not! On our 2nd trip back that month & the first morning of the hunt we hear a bull several hundred yards away bugle on his own. He sounded whiny & immature & was in our way for the direction we wanted to head. We decided to bugle him out of our way so he'd move off & we could continue forward.


I bugled & moved towards him to push him & bugled again, it was working, he maintained the several hundred yard distance everytime I bugled. (3-4 times) On the last bugle we hit a small 5 acre or so opening in front of us & noticed his last bugle was just on the other side of it in the timber. We figured maybe we should see if we could get eyes on him just to see what he was? I stayed well back in the timber & tailored my calling now to pull him our way. Sure enough he cooperated & showed himself at the edge of the opening & timber. I'm 30 yards from my son & he looks at me after glassing the bull & motions to me it's a pretty good bull!


I'm like really, hmm?? I know my son knows a decent bull when he sees one so I decided to pick it up a notch & draw him in. 15-20 minutes later I see my son drawing his bow & releasing the arrow, I felt wow the first morning & he's shooting, must be at least 300" or he wouldn't shoot! (grin) I hear the bull crashing off & I head to my son to get the story on this bull, it was a 20 yard shot.


This bull definitely fooled us by his bugle, I honestly felt he was no more than a 5 point by his bugle, I was wrong! (grin) The bull grossed 345" & some change with 51-1/2" mainbeams! Glad we decided to check him out, I know my son is! (grin)

ElkNut/Paul

Which kind of calling method did you use to draw the bull closer?


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elkguide

WKR
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Messages
4,607
Location
Vermont
Good stuff for sure.

One of the worst sounding bulls that I ever called in, my hunter actually asked if I might be calling in another hunter, was a 350 class bull. I also called in a beautiful, "would have been a 360 class, that I told my hunter to hold up on, that had one beam broken off 6" up.

Love the vocalizations.
 

Wileycoyote

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 12, 2013
Messages
222
Location
S.E> Idaho
Congrats to you guys! Doesn't get much better, now he can carry a rifle and smack one of you're wolf friends!!! Keep calling always nice to see you're success. You are a great asset to the elk hunters, always appreciate how you share you're knowledge and passion for the wapiti.


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OP
E

ElkNut1

WKR
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
2,395
Location
Idaho
Elkoholic87, sent you a PM


For others who may be in a similar situation here's some info they may help out! --------


First you need to get rid of the Satellites, he will not come to you with those present unless you were inside them & 75 - 100 yards from the herd bull. If that were to happen you do not want to Challenge him, instead you want to Lip Bawl his cows, you may have to Lip Bawl his cows 2-4 times inside 45 seconds while cutting him off. The herd bull know exactly what the Lip Bawl represents, it calls to his cows to come over to him, this is a slap in the face to the herd bull & will piss him off when close! -- You may need to add Pants through your bugle before or after one of the Lip Bawls, this denotes excitement or frustration to them. Too, if he hangs up after 45 seconds of Lip Bawls you now need to tell him to come over to you man to man. This is done by a single nervous grunt followed instantly with a short powerful Round Up Bugle, that one sound will kick his ass & bring him in on the run but you must lead up to it after the Lip Bawls.

p.s. to get rid of the satellites get back to 200 yards or so with wind & cover & bugle your way to them with short high pitched bugles, call to them every 40 yards or so as you head towards them & it should push them away, they generally will not come your way but instead will maintain a distance thus separating them from the herd temporarily giving you the opportunity to employ the above tactic.

ElkNut/Paul
 
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