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Chuckles & Grunts, The Difference!

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Chuckles & Grunts, The Difference!

Postby ElkNut1 » 06 23, 2013 •  [Post 1]

Key factors are, chuckles are an invitation or a come on over this way used by any bull, size of bull or matureness is irrelevant! Generally done in 4-6 per series & rapid with no hesitation between them & softer in volume than grunts, almost ape like in sound. (I've heard up to a doz) This tone can become quite demanding at times as encounters get closer as a bull trying to call you his way to your cow calling. Other times a bull will quickly try & gather a harem together with a "round-up bugle" it's a short lip bawl scream/bugle (one note) followed by 5-6 chuckles, he may do this more than once depending on urgency! Chuckling is not used for intimidation! Read this situation correctly & you have a chance with quick action, read it wrong & the herd is long gone!

Satellites will also you chuckles as an invite to other satellites too!

In this situation if you bugled & this chuckling was a herd bulls response he possibly has cows and is quickly calling them together for possible escape, you'll know if he has cows if he gives a series of chuckles 2-3 times inside a minute after your initial bugle, this denotes urgency for his harem to gather & possibly shows he has quite a few cows to gather! Do your best to get inside 70 yds & give a short urgent scream, (one note) this is a sound bulls use to call cows their way, this herd bull will not want to share & most likely will see red & come over to push this intruder bull away.

Grunts are used for intimidation or challenges, there is short hesitation between each grunt as he sucks air in when compared to chuckling & have a base type sound. Grunts generally never exceed 3-4 & many times you will find bulls give a grunt or two in front of a scream/bugle or just behind a scream/bugle & at times both depending on encounter. Bulls & cows know the difference between the two & we should too! It can make or break a hunt!

Don't worry about being great at either one of these, more importantly be able to identify these sounds from a distance & therefore you can form a strategy before your next move, this will help out more than being a great grunter or chuckler yet not knowing the difference between the two & using them at the wrong times when needed! Grunting or Chuckling is not needed to kill elk as there are other sounds elk use to accomplish the same results & are easier to master for us hunters but if possible chuckling is more important between the two to master! Key is to "IDENTIFY" what you're hearing, now you will know what this bull is asking for or is getting ready to do, it's all in reading a situation & adapting to it!

ElkNut1
ElkNut1
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