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first calls

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first calls

Postby bnsafe » 04 27, 2013 •  [Post 1]

ok, so when do you guys start calling elk. i know some of you make cow calls from opening day but bulls arnt buglin then. so when do you guys start getting serious bout callin. do you wait to hear elk bugle or is there a date your waitin for.
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Re: first calls

Postby CrazyElkHunter » 04 28, 2013 •  [Post 2]

I have heard bulls bugle every year just before opening day (archery) while scouting and sometimes a few the first couple of days before they get pressured. I do not go right out and start bugling, but ease into calling when needed. Blind calling works every year through out the entire season. They do not all come in silent early in the season. 10 years ago I found a bull screaming on Fri. evening before the opener. I went in opening morning, spike squealed and he went nuts. For some weird reason he was in full rut. A 308 6x6 came in screaming and I shot him at 4yds right at daylight. That's what I love about elk hunting, you just don't know. It's like a box of chocolates? :lol:
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Re: first calls

Postby bnsafe » 04 28, 2013 •  [Post 3]

guess i just always heard it was to early for the run on the opener. last year we heard several bugles while ml hunting in co sep 8-16 but only heard one bugle during the daylight. i figured they would heat up later in the year. had a friend a few years ago come out for the opener and he never heard a bugle.
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Re: first calls

Postby >>>---WW----> » 04 28, 2013 •  [Post 4]

I try to let the elk dictate how I'm going to do my calling. However, I do start every hunt with a location bugle as soon as I feel like I'm in an elky area. If I get a response, it's game on. If not, It's covering a lot of ground, doing a lot of glassing, and using the silent calling routine.
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Re: first calls

Postby buglmin » 04 28, 2013 •  [Post 5]

Elk season always startw the last week of august here in colorado, and we always hear bulls bugling when we are hunting mule deer up high. Usually, the bulls are sounding off trying to see who's around, so when i bugle, its not a threatening sound, just a sound saying thatbim new in the area and just trying to see who's around. But we do run into a bull or two that is aggressive and will come in hot and screaming...he wants cows, and cow and calf calls is all i will give him. It seems we kill our biggest and best bulls the first week of the season, and thats why i love the high country...
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first calls

Postby JohnFitzgerald » 04 28, 2013 •  [Post 6]

I call for elk the entire season. Not as often during the first part of the season but I do throw out some reed rips.

The location bugle is a good call to use all season.
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Re: first calls

Postby welka » 04 28, 2013 •  [Post 7]

We listen each morning, but when they are quiet we have already planned out at least 3 locations where we can do cold calling set-ups. Since we stay 45 minutes for each set up, we usually stop after 3 set ups as elk are usually at bedding locations by then and a herd making noise at mid day is likely not a "normal" sound in the woods. Only calling mid-day is if by wallows (very little if any) or just a little cow chirping if taking a mid day nap. Usually also have 1-2 areas pre-planned for afternoon hunts if we don't hear or see elk. If the elk are quiet, we tone done the calling sequence during set-ups. Good luck.
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Re: first calls

Postby Indian Summer » 04 28, 2013 •  [Post 8]

>>>---WW----> wrote:I try to let the elk dictate how I'm going to do my calling. However, I do start every hunt with a location bugle as soon as I feel like I'm in an elky area. If I get a response, it's game on. If not, It's covering a lot of ground, doing a lot of glassing, and using the silent calling routine.

Thanks WW.... I like it when someone else saves me some typing! :-)

Elk are bugling by August. I stick with WWs routine. Welka also has a good game plan.
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