WV Mountaineer
WKR
My first full day in Colorado was Monday a week ago. Heard 3 that morning. Two distant at 10 and 2 oclock. Both bugled twice. Had one rip of a bugle and chucking at my cow calls about 15 minutes later. He was so close. Wind swirled around and he busted. No more that day.
2nd day I head two in the morning in a different area about 4 miles away. One chucked 5 or 6 times and left. I'm sure he had cows. 30 minutes later the second started bugling out the hill the opposite direction and below me. I tried my best to get through the brush straight below me to be level with him. He beat me to it. So, I worked away from him and down until level with him. He bought the bugle and raking routine and came on a dime. Busting brush and screaming. Until the wind swirled. He might still be running. He sure tore stuff up leaving there.
No more bugles until Thursday evening. Bull bugled at my cow call, then answered the next cow call. I moved to get the wind better and started towards him to close the distance. Wind out right changed so I had to boogie away from him. Never heard him again.
Friday I went back to the same area and never heard him.
Saturday was dead quiet. I was beginning to think I had buggered him.
Sunday morning on the way out at 1 pm, I'm guessing the same bull from Thursday bugled and chuckled at my cow calls from his bed. Wind was really swirly and he wouldn't say another word. So, I backed off and waited. Nothing until dark.
Monday no bugles from him so I went on a 4 mile calling hike. Was coming back through and that blasted bull chuckled at me from his bed again. Wind was every direction on the compass so, I backed off and waited for the evening thermals to hopefully stabilize it some. At 5:15 he began to squeal. I pushed within 200 yards and cow called, he chuckled, I shut up and snuck as close as I dared. I'm guessing I was within 100-125 yards of him. I used a diaphragm and a reed call to sound like two cows. Broke some sticks while doing so and he liked it. Full on screaming bugle. I pulled my wing checker out for a final test to see if I needed to scoot one way or the other and the second puff showed the powder blowing right up the hill at him. I checked it a half dozen times repeatedly and, it was dreadful to watch the powder blowing his way. About the last puff he went from squealing to silent. I stood there for 2 more hours and not one sign of him. Never heard him blow out but, the gig was up. I had to try it since that was my last night.
That night after dark while packing up camp, I heard a bull a 1/4 mile from me bugle twice. So, I told my wife if he answered, we were leaving the next day instead of that night. Got my calls out and blew a beautiful bugle. It was answered by barking sheep dogs up on the mountain immediately. They come charging down to my tent raising all kinds of heck. Needless to say the bull never said a word. I still decided to try him n the morning anyways. No dice.
My hunt saw the bulls bugling very little. Had some action the first couple days, then it went quiet then I found one I catted around with for days. He wasn't interested much in bugles either. I do think I would have killed him the last evening if the wind wasn't so erratic. When you get in their wheel house and, it is thick enough they have to look for you, they usually come do so, in my experience.
Weather was ridiculously hot. Highs in the upper 80's and lower 90's. Night time lows in the upper 40's and lower 50's. It limited where I could hunt being I was a solo packer. Lots of sheep that they kept running them back and forth all over the area looking for a piece of parched grass the stinking things missed the first 15 times over it. They came with the hollering cowboys and the herding and guard dogs that barked at everything that wasn't a cowboy herding dog, or sheep. And the wind. It was the most erratic I have ever seen. I can't do it justice describing it.
Here's hoping the elk pick up for those still there and, none of these variables affect your success.
2nd day I head two in the morning in a different area about 4 miles away. One chucked 5 or 6 times and left. I'm sure he had cows. 30 minutes later the second started bugling out the hill the opposite direction and below me. I tried my best to get through the brush straight below me to be level with him. He beat me to it. So, I worked away from him and down until level with him. He bought the bugle and raking routine and came on a dime. Busting brush and screaming. Until the wind swirled. He might still be running. He sure tore stuff up leaving there.
No more bugles until Thursday evening. Bull bugled at my cow call, then answered the next cow call. I moved to get the wind better and started towards him to close the distance. Wind out right changed so I had to boogie away from him. Never heard him again.
Friday I went back to the same area and never heard him.
Saturday was dead quiet. I was beginning to think I had buggered him.
Sunday morning on the way out at 1 pm, I'm guessing the same bull from Thursday bugled and chuckled at my cow calls from his bed. Wind was really swirly and he wouldn't say another word. So, I backed off and waited. Nothing until dark.
Monday no bugles from him so I went on a 4 mile calling hike. Was coming back through and that blasted bull chuckled at me from his bed again. Wind was every direction on the compass so, I backed off and waited for the evening thermals to hopefully stabilize it some. At 5:15 he began to squeal. I pushed within 200 yards and cow called, he chuckled, I shut up and snuck as close as I dared. I'm guessing I was within 100-125 yards of him. I used a diaphragm and a reed call to sound like two cows. Broke some sticks while doing so and he liked it. Full on screaming bugle. I pulled my wing checker out for a final test to see if I needed to scoot one way or the other and the second puff showed the powder blowing right up the hill at him. I checked it a half dozen times repeatedly and, it was dreadful to watch the powder blowing his way. About the last puff he went from squealing to silent. I stood there for 2 more hours and not one sign of him. Never heard him blow out but, the gig was up. I had to try it since that was my last night.
That night after dark while packing up camp, I heard a bull a 1/4 mile from me bugle twice. So, I told my wife if he answered, we were leaving the next day instead of that night. Got my calls out and blew a beautiful bugle. It was answered by barking sheep dogs up on the mountain immediately. They come charging down to my tent raising all kinds of heck. Needless to say the bull never said a word. I still decided to try him n the morning anyways. No dice.
My hunt saw the bulls bugling very little. Had some action the first couple days, then it went quiet then I found one I catted around with for days. He wasn't interested much in bugles either. I do think I would have killed him the last evening if the wind wasn't so erratic. When you get in their wheel house and, it is thick enough they have to look for you, they usually come do so, in my experience.
Weather was ridiculously hot. Highs in the upper 80's and lower 90's. Night time lows in the upper 40's and lower 50's. It limited where I could hunt being I was a solo packer. Lots of sheep that they kept running them back and forth all over the area looking for a piece of parched grass the stinking things missed the first 15 times over it. They came with the hollering cowboys and the herding and guard dogs that barked at everything that wasn't a cowboy herding dog, or sheep. And the wind. It was the most erratic I have ever seen. I can't do it justice describing it.
Here's hoping the elk pick up for those still there and, none of these variables affect your success.
