Elk encounter scenario/questions

[ahatclif]

2017 was my first attempt at Western hunting, elk hunting & bow hunting. I had never done any of these things and I decided to try them all in one trip to Colorado. I had scouted the area in late July and at that time had observed several groups of cows and 5-6 bulls.

My partner and I put in about 50 miles in 6 days and did not see a single elk. We did have a relatively close bugling encounter and I was wondering how others would have handled it differently.

It was probably Sept 5th. We had hiked to the edge of a ridge/cliff that overlooked a decent sized drainage 1000+ feet below. I don't remember if we did some reed calling/bugling first but right before we were about to move on I sent out some loud whiny cow calls with a Phelps EZ estrus external reed call. Immediately, 3 separate bulls bugled. This was crazy because we had seen and heard zero in the first 5 days. Two of these bugles came from the bottom of the drainage. There was no easy path down from where we stood. The other bugle was on a hill side across from us but there was a small ridge that connected us to that side. We estimated that he was probably 600-800 yards and that it would probably take close to an hour to get there based on terrain.

I called a few more times and got the same responses. We then set out towards that single bugle. We identified an area near the bugle where we could get to and setup. An hour later we were in position. The breeze had been in our face pretty much the whole time. We set up and began calling again and got no response. I estimated that we were probably 100-150 yards from where we had heard the bugles. After probably 45 minutes of calling/waiting we decided that we had either spooked it or had been called in by another hunter.

Since we were in an area that we had not explored yet we decided to keep moving and explore a burn that was nearby. We did some hiking and found some sign but had no more encounters. After about three hours we decided to head back to where we had started the day. Before we left I think a bugled a few more times, nothing. Then I gave a few cow calls and got a bugle response from near where we had estimated the original elk to be. At this point we were probably 300 yards away in thick timber.

The playbook that I had read/heard for a bedded bull was to sneak quietly to inside 100 yards, give a cow call, hit a bugle and challenge him right there. That seemed to be the strategy advocated by Phelps, Jacobsen and most podcasts that I had heard. We did that and got no response. After waiting a while, we decided that we must have actually spooked it this time and we kept moving through the woods. When we were probably within 50 yards of where the bugle came from we heard him crashing through the trees away from us. It is unlikely that he scented us but at that point we backed out thinking that we may have another chance at him the following day.

I have since heard Elknut say that in this situation he will try to heat him up with some bugling that increases in intensity. This was our first and only real encounter and I know we made several mistakes. Impatience being probably the worst of them. How could we have approached this differently either initially or after getting the second response a few hours later?

 

[5MilesBack]

Just a couple things......before you call, have a plan of action if you get responses. If you're standing on a cliff calling, what's the plan of action? Second, in the time you guys made your way down and around, a bull or two could have also made their way and were standing on the cliff where you called from. Third, elk are pretty darn patient......and it's early in the season. They already responded.......they're interested. But a lot of times they tend to come in silent after an initial bugle, or they'll just wait in their beds for the cow to get closer. They'll also sneak in and out without you even knowing they were there.......or they'll bust out of there like a train because they saw you moving or smelled you.

It's hard to say without being there, as every encounter has its own special circumstances that play into the equation.

 

[vanish]

Were you silent while moving into position ( you said about an hour? ) or were you calling occasionally?

 

[Beendare]

... Two of these bugles came from the bottom of the drainage. There was no easy path down from where we stood. ......

Yep thats why they were there. Hunter pressure is the number one factor in these OTC units- plan accordingly. Did you get off trail much? Were you in the spot you wanted to be at first light....and at last light...or back at camp?


Good advice by 5 miles...that bull could have snuck in and spotted you...and you never knew it. Were you hunkered down perfectly still? Probably not....those elk can spot movement 100yd through thick timber.

 

[ahatclif]

The "cliff" that we initially called from was the edge of an alpine meadow. It appeared that elk used that meadow in the offseason but had been pressured off of it in the days preceding our arrival. We spent most of our time off trail.

After the responses to our initial calls we walked in "silently." It took an hour because the terrain wasn't easy or easy to read and we are inexperienced in the mountains.

When we set up initially I thought that we were about the same level as the elk and 100+ yards west. This was based on estimates of the original bugles. Where we later found the elk was actually right down hill from our initial setup point. It's seems likely that he stayed in the same place the entire time even after we moved out.

 

[LandYacht]

Another thing to remember for next year is that they are always closer than you think they are when you hear them bugle. If the terrain is that rough, and especially when there are a lot of trees, 800 yards is going to be a bugle that leaves you both pointing opposite directions and trying to figure out if you really heard a bugle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ross]

Only other thing I will add. This is elk hunting sometimes they don’t like to play by the rules

 

[ElkNut1]

ahatclif, thanks for checking out the Podcasts! Not sure which one you listened to as I did several last year? One thing to note is I talked about many different techniques I use that are specific per situation. In the encounter one you mentioned I would not use cow calling followed by a Challenge Bugle, no reason for it at those distances & a bull who did not show defensive action, not the right method! Those 3 bulls were trying to call you their way, there was no challenge involved & obviously now cows nearing estrus there by their lack of bugling. The right calling sequence there could have put a bull in your lap! (grin) It would have taken patience though for those lazy bugles from the bedding area just giving you a direction to come their way!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[ElkNut1]

ahatclif, Let me share a story with you where we had a similar encounter & how we handled it!

My Son & I had been Running & Gunning calling for bulls in hopes of a response, we'd covered several miles on foot up & down some fairly steep timbered terrain. Around noon we'd decided to take a break & a snack. We no more than relaxed a bit & we hear a bull bugle on the opposite drainage we were on. We estimated aprox a 1/2 mile away but because we were high on this mountain with a huge drainage between us we could hear his bugle, then we heard a 2nd bull bugle in the same area. We sat there for 15 more minutes & listened we heard 3-4 more bugles from them. One was a bull for sure but at that distance it was hard to tell if the other was a hunter. At any rate the bugling sorta died off but we decided to head over towards them as the area we were in generally had few to no hunters!

As we head over there descending the steep mountain we cut this small stream below us about 15' across & no way to get down to it, on both sides of it were 12' high willows as far as we could see to the left & right of us paralleling the stream & in front of us, it looked nearly impassable & was going to take forever to get through it. 30 minutes had already passed & it was going to take even longer to get around it. It was noisy & we couldn't hear anything plus once down in there we really weren't sure where the bugles had come from! Being hot & afternoon we decide to back out & come back early morning from a different direction where we could slip in under where we heard the bugling. We felt that late in the day they were in their bedding area so we should be able to locate them that next day.

The next morning we park on a dirt road that was well under where we'd heard the bugling. We walk up the steep mountain in hopes of getting to the right area. When on the opposite side of the drainage yesterday we'd noticed a huge rock cliff that was just above the bugling so if possible to see out once high enough we knew we had a landmark to go by. We head up this mountain 3/4 of a mile & hear nothing & we haven't bugled or cow called to this point! After about an hour from the rig we happen on this huge rock mass/cliff. We figure this must be the one we saw yesterday. We sit there for about 20 minutes listening in hopes of hearing a bugle. It was a bit iffy since now we were above where we felt these bulls may be & the wind was going down the mountain, we were on a north facing slope.

After the 20 minutes I decide I'm going to give a location bugle & see what happens, I no more than pull the grunt tube out & a bull bugles under us & to our left, we got lucky as he wasn't in our wind pattern. We quickly grab our stuff & hustle down the mountain as quiet as possible but moving quickly, we are getting as close as we can to his same level & a good 300 yards away so no way could he hear us at this point. We get to where we feel we are on his level on a pretty nice timbered bench running east & west, there's a pretty good game trail on it with lots of fresh sign. We sit there 15 minutes as we're not sure exactly where he is from his one & only bugle? We know he's there somewhere but remain patient & do not call yet! Finally he gives a single bugle, nothing responds to him, it was a lazy type bugle where a bull could be sending out his calling card to attract a cow to his position, it was by no means Challenging. With this in mind I know I cannot get aggressive with this bull right off the bat, I will need to play on his curiosity & his possible interest in a cow that I got from his his bugle tone!

First we slip along the bench closing the distance, we are now 175 yards from him but hit another wall of willows, it was a no go so now I need to bring him over to us! There's a game trail of sorts entering the willows & will now attempt to bring him out that way. This bench we're on is 40 yards wide with a 2nd one below us but pretty close, it's kinda like a double stair step where we are on the upper one. My Son sets up 10 yards on the downhill side of the game trail, I setup to call 30 yards away behind a dead downfall log because it's a bit more open than I like, generally I'd be 20 yards from him to start with. With both in position my Son nocks an arrow, I can clearly see him so can read his body language if needed. -- I start with 2 low mews & one louder mew hoping for a response since this is what it appears he is looking for from his bugle. Nothing happens, 3-4 minutes later I repeat, nothing, 3-4 minutes I do it again, this time he gives a short low bugle showing interest in this cow. I answer with one low mew but I knew he could hear it. 5-6 minutes goes by & nothing, then out of no where he gives the same bugle but it's much closer, I answer him again with one soft mew & one mid range mew with a small whine to it. (I'm using a mouth reed) He responds immediately with a bugle with more intense emotion, I now know it's just a matter of setting him up for a shot opportunity! I feel he's just a bit over a 100 yards away now but cannot see a thing, a few minutes goes by & no bugle, I think he may be slipping in silent? But nope! All of a sudden he bugles from the same spot but this time he added a few chuckles at the end, he wants me coming to him, I feel he's getting nervous because this cow isn't coming his way like he's asking her to do!

I know I need to do something to convince him to cut the distance, he's not fired up at all so do not want to challenge him yet! Instead I start raking the dead downfall I'm behind & snap off a couple dead branches, he bugles instantly, I cow call with 2 sweet drawn out whines, he bugles again & now I can hear him coming, I immediately give him a throaty growl through my bugle tube followed by 2-3 pants! (not a bugle) I can now hear the willows breaking & catch movement as the willows start to sway 30 yards from my Son, the bull is not taking the game trail instead he's slowly heading towards the lower bench, I cannot see him yet but I can see the willows moving. All of a sudden I see my Son get up off his knee & parallel the willows for 20 yards, he too knows the bull is dropping just below us. Just before the bull gets out of the willows I scream a Challenge, that really pisses him off & here he comes, my Son is now looking on the lower bench & I see him come to full draw I see the bulls antlers coming right towards me, he's only 35 yards from me & coming quick, the bull gets to a log & has to step over it, in doing so he slows to a stand still & my Son lets the arrow fly, I call immediately to slow him down as he bolts out of there, the bull is out of my sight now, I look towards my Son to see his reaction & he's smiling, that's a good thing! (grin) He waves me over, I get there & he just points down the hill & doesn't say a word, there lies that bull stone dead not 40 yards from us! It was an awesome hunt & outcome!

As 5 Miles said above, you never know exactly what you're going to do until you see things develop & then you still shoot from the hip! Hopefully some of this story can shed some light & aid you on your next elk hunt if faced with a similar situation!


ElkNut/Paul

 

[ahatclif]

Paul,

Thanks for the response and all the time you put into it.

That's a great story/lesson.