Taboo

[trophyhill]

I know I'm not supposed to hunt bedding areas because if I screw up those elk will leave the county and may end up in Canada. But I can't help myself. I don't go back to camp and hope I can find them later. However I have played it rather cautiously and still ended up packing elk to camp or to the truck well after dark.

If I hear a bull do one of those lazy bugles from his bed, my odds have just went up. Tell me how you've had success in bedding areas, and why you target these areas?

 

[Jimss]

ELk (similar to all game) are on high alert when bedded. They can see and hear predators easier when laying down rather than when feeding or chasing cows. Not exactly my choice!

You may be able to locate bulls bugling in their bed but will you be able to close the distance and get a shot? If you are bowhunting it makes it even tougher. I'd rather get in as close as possible, take a nap in a spot they can't smell or see me, and wait for them to get up and present a shot.

 

[wyosam]

Taboo or not, I kill a lot of elk in bed. I’ve not really experienced any mass exodus from the area when bumped. Slipping through the woods slowly and quietly, keeping track of the wind, and glassing A LOT has always been a very productive tactic for me. No sense wasting the middle of the day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[FlyGuy]

I’ve never tried this technique. On average, how long would you say it takes you to move in on that lazy bugle? Are we talking 45 min, or 4 hours?




You can’t cheat the mountain

 

[Jimss]

I'm sure it works good but depends upon the area , hunting pressure, and a lot of factors if you blow the elk out of the area when spooked. If there is lots of hunting pressure you may not find the herd again. Once elk are pushed they usually go to areas with the least amount of hunting pressure. Sometimes this may be private land.....bummer if you do this! It would likely be totally different if hunting thick lodgepole forest vs wide open sage, rimrock country vs aspen stands vs dense oakbrush. The time it takes to move in on bedded elk varies considerably as well. It may be quick and easy in open sage while take hours to get in close if stalking an area where fallen aspen leaves are crunchy...etc, It's pretty easy to tell if this isn't working.....fresh running elk tracks!

 

[asbates318]

Interesting question. I was hoping for more input on this.

 

[Coveyleader]

One of the biggest factors working against you is the wind. In the early AM, and late PM, the winds are pretty reliable in a lot of areas. I've found that when I hear those elk bugle or even seem them in their beds, the wind on the way to them is always changing and for me, the areas I've hunted, it's always given me up, or I just didn't count on it all the way in.

It happened to me last year on a nice bull. M partner couldn't stand the wait, and wanted to go as the bull was bedded going off about every 5-10 minutes. We moved in got close, but the bull finally winded us. I ended up killing another an hour later as we were catching back up to them but if we would have waited another hour, I'm sure we could have played with him a bit more.

FYI that bull never bedded on that bench after that, and we had been on him 2 days straight. I'd rather hunt elk, than hunt for elk!

Disclaimer, you're hunting a heavily hunted area, and have seen guys around, I'm going in no matter what.

 

[ElkNut1]

I've shared this numerous times & will again, that's a bull you Slow Play! Pull him out of his bed right to you, no need to go in & accidentally bust him out, if you do he's gone for good! Nice thing about the Slow Play is if he doesn't show (He will) he's still there for another day, no harm no foul!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[trophyhill]

I’ve never tried this technique. On average, how long would you say it takes you to move in on that lazy bugle? Are we talking 45 min, or 4 hours?




You can’t cheat the mountain

Depending on when I hear that bedded sound and the end of daylight. What has worked "for me", is waiting them out til dark if I have to. Only an occasional cow sound is needed to get him to respond with another lazy bugle about once an hour or 2. Just to keep tabs. All kind of ways to keep tabs on them though, whatever works "for you".

Initially to locate, it could be just a locate bugle or 1 loud whiney "cow plead" from the right spot at the right time.



When the elk get up for an evening feed is when it's time to go to work.

This has worked best "for me", when elk are less active in the "earlier" phases of the rut. Later in the rut when activity picks up changes everything.

 

[LostArra]

I know I'm not supposed to hunt bedding areas because if I screw up those elk will leave the county and may end up in Canada. But I can't help myself. I don't go back to camp and hope I can find them later. However I have played it rather cautiously and still ended up packing elk to camp or to the truck well after dark.

If I hear a bull do one of those lazy bugles from his bed, my odds have just went up. Tell me how you've had success in bedding areas, and why you target these areas?

rifle hunting or bow hunting?

 

[trophyhill]

rifle hunting or bow hunting?

Bow

 

[adamantine]

Stalking in on bedded elk has worked (and not worked) for me in CO and ID. I’ve bumped groups in both places and they didn’t go more than a mile. Granted I backpack into less pressured places.

I’m a perfectionist too, but the reality is you’re not guaranteed a good shot if you wait for them to get up and move. The number of “at bats” is really important in archery season. I’d rather take 3 slightly lower odds scenarios than wait a few days for a one slightly higher odds situation.

Agree 100% with whoever said it’s about the wind. The ultimate decider if it’s a good idea or not.

 

[BradNSW]

I still hunt the thick stuff (my choice as I believe it's where all the pressured elk migrate to). Mid-day (10AM-2pm, for the last 3 years, I've seen nice bulls grazing at a leisurely pace up to 30 yards away during this time. AM and PM I'm calling and have about the same amount of encounters as mid-day (but they are much more alert). Just my 2 cents based on what I've seen in my short 3 years. Not sure how helpful that is.