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cold calling solo application....

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cold calling solo application....

Postby quarbles » 11 20, 2013 •  [Post 1]

i'd like to get banter going about solo cold calling, especially if it pertains to attracting elk from one area that is unhuntable (for legal 'boundary' reasons not geographical) to another that is... tips, tricks, good experiences and bad.....
i've read several similar topic'd threads on this forum and was wondering if there were fresh points of view out there or if others' methods had evolved/ been revamped....
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Re: cold calling solo application....

Postby flystrait » 11 20, 2013 •  [Post 2]

I hope Troy from Glacier Country Hunting Calls chimes in as he has called in and killed several bulls solo hunting. He is probably one of the best get it done callers I have ever met. And I have met some pretty high profile elk callers and killers.
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cold calling solo application....

Postby JohnFitzgerald » 11 20, 2013 •  [Post 3]

I just texted Troy about something different but will notify him he has a request.

This year cold calling was very unproductive for the Oregon boys. ChukarNUT was able to call in a lone cow but that's about it. But, we spent most of the 7 day hunt chasing vocal bulls. Bad weather shut us down for a few.

Here's my list of successful cold call setups that have produced.

1) Three man triangle setup with simple herd talk ramped up to excited.
2) Repetitive location bugles with lots of ground noise and raking.
3) Breeding sequence with lots of ground noise.
4) Battling Bulls with lots of ground noise.
5) Simple raking.
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Re: cold calling solo application....

Postby JohnFitzgerald » 11 20, 2013 •  [Post 4]

Dang, sorry I missed the solo part. 2,3 and 5
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Re: cold calling solo application....

Postby Wapiti » 11 20, 2013 •  [Post 5]

I wish I could help answer your question but here in Alberta with an over the counter tag you can hunt any area/zone you want. We have private land though and I have been lucky enough to call elk in from the private land.

The first way is to pattern them and be there when they cross from private land and you can get a shot that way.

It would be hard to call a herd bull over with his cows............but you could run into a bull on the move and looking for cows. This kind of bull will come in on a string !! Some times with only a single cow call.

I hope this helps and look forward to hearing more from others.
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Re: cold calling solo application....

Postby cnelk » 11 21, 2013 •  [Post 6]

You are walking a thin line when hunting near private boundary.
To call an elk across can be done, but I think the biggest risk is that the elk [upon being shot] will turn and run back to where it came from.

I know of a few ranch boundaries that you dont ever want to be caught inside their fence.
They wont let you keep the elk, and you are fined.
So I dont chance it

As far as calling elk across a boundary, I believe if you find where the elk like to cross a fence, that would be the first area to concentrate on.
Look for repaired barb wire as the fences are always being broke from elk jumping them.
They typically only cross a fence in a couple favorite spots

Once you find a favorite crossing, You will need to pattern the elk to determine WHEN they are in that area.

I would set up ~150yds from the boundary and do a cow calling/small bull squeal sequence. But only after using the intel gathered from scouting

Remember:
Most cold calling techniques work when you know that elk are frequenting a certain area.
It is going to be a long day of hunting if you just charge in blindly and cold call - even next to private land.
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Re: cold calling solo application....

Postby otcWill » 11 21, 2013 •  [Post 7]

I wouldn't reccommend hunting anywhere near ( within 1/4 mile) of private or unhuntable land but if you must; Get within 100 yards and cut him off when he bugles. Make a ton of ground noise running around and thrashing everthing in sight. I called in two bulls this year with two bugles. The importance of being close when you hit the first call cannot be overexaggerated. When it works, it works. That said I'd be pretty surprised if you have any success calling a bull off private or his safety zone, especially if it is accessible and others have tried it. Might bring in a rag or two though.
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Re: cold calling solo application....

Postby JohnFitzgerald » 11 21, 2013 •  [Post 8]

I didn't read anything in the post about hunting near private property, although that could be the case. In Oregon we have legal boundary units divided by small gravel roads and small creeks.
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Re: cold calling solo application....

Postby otcWill » 11 21, 2013 •  [Post 9]

Guess I jumped to conclusion when I read "legal boundaries" and assumed that could be private land. Either way, unhuntable is unhuntable but I do admit that calling a bull across an unmarked unit boundary would be far more feasible than calling one off his homebase private parcel. Here in CO, we have quite a few large herds that migrate towards private land starting at the first of archery season. My experience has been that once the big boys make it to these spots, they are virtually uncallable.
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Re: cold calling solo application....

Postby >>>---WW----> » 11 21, 2013 •  [Post 10]

Go to the top of this page and click on (Archived Tips). There are several tip post on cold calling and silent calling. Also, you can purchase a CD by Jim Horn on how to do it. I think it might be called Early Season Elk or something like that. Anyhow it is probably the best how to CD I have ever listened to on the subject.
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Re: cold calling solo application....

Postby quarbles » 11 21, 2013 •  [Post 11]

thanks for the tips!
allow me to articulate upon my particular situation, just to clarify for clarity sake. the yukon has a decent population of elk, originally from elk island (alberta). they are encouraged to flourish in an area just outside of whitehorse called the inclusion area. the inclusion area annually has a lottery for several tags, mostly cows. there is a huge amount of peeps that put in for these and, needless to say, they don't come easily. there is, however, an either sex exclusion tag that anyone may get. most peeps here don't even look to elk outside of the lottery as there are a host of other options here that are both abundant and more know (both location wise and behavior wise), such as moose, carribou, bison and sheep. and for some, these option are more accessable. therefore, there isn't alot of experience (both good or bad) that i can derive from locally. in fact, i don't think its even widely known that exclusion tags are so available. there are several areas that are within proximity to elk populations that are very doable in regards to getting to them. the boundary between the inclusion and exclusion isn't based off of geographical locations nor fences, its simply a line on a map.... so its basically whether or not they range into the exclusion at points that leave enough room to work with. i understand that scouting is the biggest tool to utilize here and can easily access the area, but was seeking some info on the cold calling methods. i'm also not dillusional in thinking i'd get to see a huge bull (although there was a 9x10 that had a gross score of 451" several years ago) but i'd like to try and pique a little(r) bulls curiosity....
as for the other threads here and elsewhere, i've deffinately gushed over them! there is a lot of info there, i was just wondering if the methods had been since refined or if there were other experiences out there pertaining to the subject.... i utilized solo in the thread title because i've had a few bad experiences with hunting partners and want to go it alone , unless i happen to meet someone with the same intentions, ambitions and expectations of the mountains.
i will definately keep my eyes peeled for the jim horn cd online, it doesnt seem to be easily had however....
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Re: cold calling solo application....

Postby Glacier Country » 11 22, 2013 •  [Post 12]

So it sounds like the elk don't know there is a boundary? How far from the boundary do you think that the elk range from the boundary?
1. Bugle to locate herd bull.
2.Do whatever it takes to get the wind right on him If the wind is switching or because of the boundary you can't get the wind in your favor...Do not hunt him.
3.Get as close as you can if he is bugling on his own before you bugle--> this is a gift. ... bugle get closer rake some trees ... Bugle again.
4. Once I bugle at him I try not to let him bugle more than 3 or 4 times without answering him back once he has answered my bugle.
5.I do whatever it takes to get close... 150 yards or less --> but less than 100 is better Solo. IMO
6. Bugle Rake a tree get cranky with my bugle move up if I have to.
7.I'm not afraid to use cow calls as well and when I do I paint a picture in his mind of whatever scenario I want him to believe.
8. Believe it will work and lots of times it will.
Hope this helps----> Troy
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