What's your next move?

[UtahJimmy]

First week of September in the archery elk woods...

A bull it's sounding off every few minutes in a draw. Your partner and you work up the ridge to get a better bead on where he's at. With the wind already moving down canyon you circle down below him, hearing his cows on your way.

He hasn't moved in the hour you've been stalking in but you think you're within ~100 yards with no visual. Light is fading and you've got maybe 20 mins left before darkness sets in. He has no idea you are near...

How do you proceed?

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[bguitierez]

First week of September in the archery elk woods...

A bull it's sounding off every few minutes in a draw. Your partner and you work up the ridge to get a better bead on where he's at. With the wind already moving down canyon you circle down below him, hearing his cows on your way.

He hasn't moved in the hour you've been stalking in but you think you're within ~100 yards with no visual. Light is fading and you've got maybe 20 mins left before darkness sets in. He has no idea you are near...

How do you proceed?

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SLEEP THERE! Jk.

Hey that’s why they make woobies right?Haha. Shit if it was the partner I took this last season, he would have looked at the ridge and started crying...guess I’m still mad.

Anyways, this is a cool thread. What would you do? Kinda left me hanging.


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[ElkNut1]

This is a very common scene in the elkwoods, it happens nearly every year to most of us.

You don't mention if you had cow called at all & if so this bull was most likely calling you to the group, that's a good thing! I doubt you bugled him as you closed the distance, again you don't say?

To cement this deal I would have done pretty much what you did by closing the distance with no calling, no need to as he was vocal enough. It sounds like this bull was Advertising himself in hopes of adding to his existing harem, hence his continuous bugling/advertising from same area. (you don't mention of other bulls were also bugling)

Once I'm in that 100 yard or so distance with good cover & wind I will locate a good tree or brush & start raking loud enough for him to hear, many times he will bugle it, this is good, I then would toss in 3-4 whines from a cow, this will get his attention very quickly if he hasn't bugled me yet, why, because he knows I'm Displaying for this cow & the other cows he can hear as you did. He will bugle aggressively, I listen to his intensity/emotion & bugle over him telling him to stay back but not with everything I can muster, yet! He will bugle again & should now be closing the distance. Another bugle from me & raising my emotion with each bugle or two along with raking & stomping the ground & he will be on top of you! (no place for wimpy bugles here) -- Have an arrow pre-nocked & bow at the ready, this bull can come fast! When I know he's coming I will re-position left/right & sometimes forward 10 yards so when he shows there's a good chance at a broadside shot thus avoiding a frontal if possible, if not I will take the frontal inside 25 yards.

You'll notice I prefer calling over a silent approach and ambush him, calling is way more exciting & gives me that huge adrenaline rush! (grin) It's rare not to put a bull down in this situation!

Here's a bull from this year I called to 5 yards for my Son with nearly your exact description on an OTC Idaho elk hunt. He was put down with the method I just described!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[JonS]

I'd do what Elknut said, but can't yet. Learning and listening is what I'm after. Who can argue with that little bull he let his son shoot?!

 

[UtahJimmy]

This is a very common scene in the elkwoods, it happens nearly every year to most of us.

You don't mention if you had cow called at all & if so this bull was most likely calling you to the group, that's a good thing! I doubt you bugled him as you closed the distance, again you don't say?

To cement this deal I would have done pretty much what you did by closing the distance with no calling, no need to as he was vocal enough. It sounds like this bull was Advertising himself in hopes of adding to his existing harem, hence his continuous bugling/advertising from same area. (you don't mention of other bulls were also bugling)

Once I'm in that 100 yard or so distance with good cover & wind I will locate a good tree or brush & start raking loud enough for him to hear, many times he will bugle it, this is good, I then would toss in 3-4 whines from a cow, this will get his attention very quickly if he hasn't bugled me yet, why, because he knows I'm Displaying for this cow & the other cows he can hear as you did. He will bugle aggressively, I listen to his intensity/emotion & bugle over him telling him to stay back but not with everything I can muster, yet! He will bugle again & should now be closing the distance. Another bugle from me & raising my emotion with each bugle or two along with raking & stomping the ground & he will be on top of you! (no place for wimpy bugles here) -- Have an arrow pre-nocked & bow at the ready, this bull can come fast! When I know he's coming I will re-position left/right & sometimes forward 10 yards so when he shows there's a good chance at a broadside shot thus avoiding a frontal if possible, if not I will take the frontal inside 25 yards.

You'll notice I prefer calling over a silent approach and ambush him, calling is way more exciting & gives me that huge adrenaline rush! (grin) It's rare not to put a bull down in this situation!

Here's a bull from this year I called to 5 yards for my Son with nearly your exact description on an OTC Idaho elk hunt. He was put down with the method I just described!

ElkNut/Paul

I did not bugle and there were 2 other bulls in the drainage. All 3 fired up right after a hail storm.

Anyone else wanna chime in?

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[Skull10]

This is a very common scene in the elkwoods, it happens nearly every year to most of us.

You don't mention if you had cow called at all & if so this bull was most likely calling you to the group, that's a good thing! I doubt you bugled him as you closed the distance, again you don't say?

To cement this deal I would have done pretty much what you did by closing the distance with no calling, no need to as he was vocal enough. It sounds like this bull was Advertising himself in hopes of adding to his existing harem, hence his continuous bugling/advertising from same area. (you don't mention of other bulls were also bugling)

Once I'm in that 100 yard or so distance with good cover & wind I will locate a good tree or brush & start raking loud enough for him to hear, many times he will bugle it, this is good, I then would toss in 3-4 whines from a cow, this will get his attention very quickly if he hasn't bugled me yet, why, because he knows I'm Displaying for this cow & the other cows he can hear as you did. He will bugle aggressively, I listen to his intensity/emotion & bugle over him telling him to stay back but not with everything I can muster, yet! He will bugle again & should now be closing the distance. Another bugle from me & raising my emotion with each bugle or two along with raking & stomping the ground & he will be on top of you! (no place for wimpy bugles here) -- Have an arrow pre-nocked & bow at the ready, this bull can come fast! When I know he's coming I will re-position left/right & sometimes forward 10 yards so when he shows there's a good chance at a broadside shot thus avoiding a frontal if possible, if not I will take the frontal inside 25 yards.

You'll notice I prefer calling over a silent approach and ambush him, calling is way more exciting & gives me that huge adrenaline rush! (grin) It's rare not to put a bull down in this situation!

Here's a bull from this year I called to 5 yards for my Son with nearly your exact description on an OTC Idaho elk hunt. He was put down with the method I just described!

ElkNut/Paul

That's a great tutorial and an awesome bull.

 

[elkguide]

I too like closing the distance silently. Once I get as close as I'm comfortable being, where I'm not spooking him or his cows unknowingly, then I will issue a challenge bugle, not an overly dominant or aggressive but strong enough to let him know that I have come for him and am ready to see what he is made of.
Once to that point, as the caller, I will move behind my hunter to try and get the bull to approach at an angle best for my hunter. My calling at that point will often times be just mimicking the bulls calls and frequently cutting him off. Depending on the bulls tone and reaction, I will break limbs and rub a tree as well. I am not against throwing in a cow call at most any time during this bulls approach. But most important, is to have your hunter ready for some fast action as the bull that has had his space invaded can come to clear out his space very quickly.

Don't you just love elk hunting?!?!?