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Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

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Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby ElkNut1 » 12 11, 2012 •  [Post 1]

How many here have learned the hard way where you did an intentional or unintentional "Blind/Cold Calling Setup" & get up to leave figuring nothing was going to show up after 10min or 30min & low & behold elk go busting out of there or are just standing there a short distance off staring & you are both as surprised as the other! (grin) Even though we try to combat this it seems it still happens every year to us in one form or another!

One of the last times this happened my son & I were on a small rock knob that was semi open with scattered pines around us. Our position was good & felt we'd hear something sneak in or sound off if they did. We were standing up with bows in hand, we had seen a bit of sign earlier that morning so decided to call in that one spot for 5-10min. After 10min or so & losing faith quickly nothing was there my son says "bull right there" I kinda freeze as his tone was like "don't move" my eyes widened & Paul II says nock an arrow, I slowly do this as I'm scanning the area with my eyes but not moving, he says it's behind us, I did not know how far though, I slowly turn & see glimpses of the rear of an elk leaving quickly!! I look at Paul II kinda like how did he sneak in so close without one of us hearing him walk on that rock knob?? Paul II says I thought I heard something unusual 30sec before this bulls appearance but just shook it off as nothing. This bull was less that 15yds away from both of us!! This bull had to spot us from coming over the top at 30-35yds & still kept coming to that 15yd range. Well he lived another day & hopefully we're a bit smarter after that! (grin)

How about you folks, when & how have elk slipped in & you had no idea they were there until it was too late?

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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 12 11, 2012 •  [Post 2]

Yes Sir, I've had many come in completely silent (no response bugles, no nothing) after not waiting long enough in a cold calling setup. It seems each year in WA state for the past 8 or 9 years, I've had at least one "appear" each year without any vocalization before they arrived. They've ranged from raggedly little bulls to a couple of very nice 6 points. In addition to not waiting long enough, not being prepared each and every time I call is one of my recurrent shortcomings. Four years ago I invited a guy from Alaska to hunt with me in WA (he'd recently relocated that summer from AK to WA to work in Seattle's West Marine)... You can track him down on the web.. name is Jeff Varvil... hockey player/moose slayer/fishing guide. Great guy. I think the season started around the 8th of SEPT or something similar. We did one of my favorite wilderness area hunts that morning and with no luck after a nad-buster hike/hunt up into the area, we stopped on a game trail 100 yards or so above a sidehill wallow I know about to take a break and a have a snack (mid day). Packs off, bows laying on on the ground beside us, I told Jeff "well, you never know" and threw out a locater. I really wanted to get Jeff into a bull as he'd never hunted elk before. Within a minute, I glanced down in the small/narrow draw below us (30 yards or so) and there was a very, very nice 6 point walking directly towards us. No sound, not a peep, just a very nice 6 point WA Roosey. I dropped below the log we were leaning on and said "Jeff, knock and arrow, knock an arrow".. We were not remotely prepared and the bull turned and went back down in the direction of the wallow... He was not just silent but double secret probation silent... He had come from the wallow area, over the top of the opposite brushed choked ridge, and was coming to see us without a peep. I tell myself every year to be patient and hold my set up for at least 15 minutes, with arrow knocked, before I move again... I can't seem to remember this for some reason (impatience) and have this silent elk phenomenon occur almost every single year.... Perhaps I need to carry a timer with me :oops:
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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby Swede » 12 11, 2012 •  [Post 3]

I have got up to leave many times and startled silent elk that were coming in. Ya, I know. I am a slow learner. Another problem I have had is not being ready when they come in. Again slow learner.
One time, years ago, I met up with one of my wife's coworkers. He was a young man just starting out bow hunting elk. We met on a forest road quite by chance. As we were talking near noon, he told me he was trying to learn elk hunting, but just wasn't having much luck. I envited him to go with me so we could double team them.
After we ate lunch together at the trucks, we headed out to where we would spend that afternoon. When we got to the edge of the area I planned to hunt, we sat down near an old logging road to wait a short while. It was early, and I knew the elk would be bedded at that time. He was interested in the grunt tube I was carrying and asked if I would make a call with it so he could hear what it sounded like. As he sat on a stump and I was on a blow down tree, I agreed to make a short low volume call. I told him I did not want to announce our presence yet. My bow was laying about 20 feet away when I made the muted, short bugle. After the call, we talked in hushed tones then all at once my friend heard crashing brush and sticks from behind. He asked: What as that? I replied it was a nice branched bull elk. It had to have been nearby and came over to see who made that call. That was mistake number one.
About that time I was calling myself some pretty disguusting names for being so foolish. I was disappointed and disgusted, so I said "let's get out of here and head out aways. "Let's get a fresh start". We had not walked 100 feet when we busted the whole herd that had been bedded just over a slight hill. OUCH! Mistake number two. I forgot that where there is one elk, there are likely more. Did I mention that I am a very slow learner.
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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby ctdad » 12 11, 2012 •  [Post 4]

This year, the problem I kept having was the elk were coming in silent and always managed to get down wind of me. When alone, I would call and then move down wind and it seemed like no matter how far I moved, they came in further down wind. One time, I got caught moving too. When I set up with a shooter, those darned elk swung around out of range down wind. Frustrated me all week.
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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby MT_Nate » 12 11, 2012 •  [Post 5]

A couple of years ago a friend and I went into a area real close to our homes the evening of opening day beginning of September. We knew elk passed through the area infrequently, so were basically headed out to get our gear and process in order for the intense hunts we had scheduled in our honey hole the following week. Rode our bikes back on an old road about 2 miles, got to a ridgebreak where I'd found sign before. We set up for some silent calling for about 90 minutes - it was unusually hot and tough to get in the hunting mode, and our interest waned after the 1.5 hours of calling and sitting quietly. My buddy waved to me from 50 yards out and showed me that he had a few beers in his pack. I walked back to him and we cracked open a couple of "sorta" cold ones and we sat and milled through the various calls in our packs. We were stupid and started playing with the different calls, trying different sounds, and we were basically conversing in full human voice between each call...bugles, glunks, grunts, chuckles, cow mews...the whole shibang. I swigged the last few ounces of my beer and crushed the empty beer can in my hands to put into my pack...and the woods erupt with hooves and antlers hitting the trees less than 20 yards from us.

Yup. We... felt...dang...stupid. We didn't leave our call setup too early...we stuck it out but became stupid in the final moments and blew the opportunity on what sounded to be multiple antlered bulls.

The worst part is, that wasn't the only time this nearly identical order of events happened in the following years. We never learn...
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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby Swede » 12 11, 2012 •  [Post 6]

Nate I don't mean to laugh at your problem, but it is good to know that others have the same problem. I am just thankfut that there are some stupid elk out there also. I am not looking for the genious elk. Just make mine big.
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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby mattstanton » 12 11, 2012 •  [Post 7]

opening day 2 years ago I dogged a herd up the mountain in the morning and lost track of them. Decided to set up and cold call for a bit. After about 10 minutes I decided I did not like my setup. I moved across the cut and just as I got to my desired spot, a bull bugled! I ripped off my pack and nocked an arrow. The beautiful 6x6 bull walked 15yds in front of my original setup!!!!!!! would have been a slam dunk!! The bull never offered me a shot. I dogged this bull for 2 days trying to seal the deal and actually called paul for advice on how to get it done but with no success. Shot a cow later on that season. Once you start. sit it out.
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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby BobcatJerry » 12 11, 2012 •  [Post 8]

First time DIY elk hunting for my buddy and myself, first day, about the 3rd hour of the day. Just entered a wooded area kinda of flat on top with steep drop offs on the sides. Just then a cow with calf pops up in front of us, she is about 40 yards out. Looks frantic. I hit the cow calls like Elknut said to do in his video, she looked as us for a while before walking away. I kept calling and then another calf comes running right at us from the same area the cow and calf came from, on a be-line to run us over. My buddies first time, he get excited, shoots and misses. We stomped around looking for possible blood, nothing. We set down to rehash what had just happened, talking quietly. We argued of how far it was, he said 30 yards I said 18 (I was right). We argued like buddies do, so I pull out my rangefinder and stand up and start walking to the spot where he shot from, then boom, crash, we see antlers and rumps heading away. Two satellite bulls where about 50 yards away watching us discuss the shot, and busted out when we stood up. I told my buddy, that "Elknut says, that most people don't wait long enough after calling" and that "we should have waited longer." So we sat down again and I let out a few cow calls and gave few spike squeals, making sounds like something exciting was up here and they ought to come check it out. It was really kind of a racket, veteran hunter would have enjoyed hearing it for humor. Next thing I know, my buddy says "do you hear that?" I didn't hear anything, but in the next instant I saw a a rack of a 310-320" bull just over the crest of the hill about 25-30 yards away. No body, but just the horns. Everything was below the break of the steep hill except his horns. He cruised by us and stopped, and we were nocked and ready to rumble. He turned and slipped down the hill, and let out several barks, demanding us to show ourselves...if we were elk. I slipped over to the edge and saw him at 30 yards, but he wasn't there very long. Just another one that got away.
Quite the experience first day out for two rookies. Like I always say, "you learn from your mistakes" just seems like I should know everything now with how many I make:)
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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby CrazyElkHunter » 12 12, 2012 •  [Post 9]

That is something that will happen to everyone that spends enough time hunting elk. It's all part of the hunt. It has happened to me more times than I can count. It is so amazing how a animal with hooves and weighs 700 to 900+ lbs. can sneak up to 10 yards, but when you spook 2 or 3, they can sound like 20 when they crash off. I have had many sneak into under 50yds, but had a couple caught me dumbfounded at very close range. One I smelled 1st, and turned around to find him starring at me at spitting distance. Another one I heard wet mud dropping off of him and turned to see what the sound was and he was just standing there totally caked in mud at just under 10 yards. That is what I love about bow hunting for elk. Gett'n close. :o
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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby cnelk » 12 12, 2012 •  [Post 10]

one of my favorite spots to call is named for this topic.
One morning we were calling and upon finishing I had to get rid of some coffee.
I put my bow down, turned around and proceeded to water the lilies.
I looked to my right and there were 3 elk standing about 20yds away!

I hence have named that spot 'Piss n Elk'
Good spot. Taken a few from that area
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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby elkoholic » 12 15, 2012 •  [Post 11]

Unfortunately this has happened to me on more than one occasion. I know his is the elk hunting forum, this has happened to me with any type of hunting that requires a use of a call elk, turkey, predator.... Patience is the key to virtue, and at times I lack patients. I try to learn from those types of mistakes but it still has happened to me. I to feel that it is just a part of hunting, if it was easy everyone would be doing it
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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby 32hunter » 12 16, 2012 •  [Post 12]

This is by far my favorite thread so far. Makes me feel like even the very best of us (Paul) make the same bone head mistakes. this past year on opening day i was at the rim of a big canyon where i have found elk may times before. I let out a locator bugal just to see if anything was around. about a minute later i had a bull answer from accross the canyon. we bail off into the canyon to find a good spot to set up. I set up next to a dead fall and my partner sets up to my right and deeper in the canyon. I call for half an hour and can hear the bull getting closer then he suddenly goes quiet. i call for a while longer and i hear a bugle back up top across the canyon and figure he moved off to some thick timber. I motion to my buddy to come where i was at and when he gets to me we make a plan to circle around and catch the bull in the timber before he bedds. We stand up to climb out of the canyon, take about ten steps, and i look back to say something to my buddy. over his shoulder i see the bull standing there looking at us about 50 yards away. he was gone before i could knock an arrow. Im glad it happens to everyone because that bull has haunted me since. I love hunting ELK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby dotman » 12 16, 2012 •  [Post 13]

I'm working on this thing called patience :). Hoping that the patience I'm learning with my 2 year old also helps with the elk woods. Also one good thing about treestand hunting is that it helps you learn to sit and be patient. But it gets really boring :)
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Re: Leaving A Calling Setup Too Early!

Postby mongopino915 » 12 19, 2012 •  [Post 14]

I have come to accept the rule "Call, wait, call, wait, and wait some more".
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