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What do you do? Scenario 13

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What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby cnelk » 02 19, 2013 •  [Post 1]

You called this bull in across the meadow.
He is now hung up at 65yds - looking for that elk [you]
He hasnt moved for a couple minutes.
He isnt responding to your calling

Now what do you do?



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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby Swede » 02 19, 2013 •  [Post 2]

It is common for a bull to hang up out of range for a bow hunter. He is looking for the elk that he heard. If he does not see it he will likely pace back and forth a couple times then leave. Your only hope is to convince him there is some reason for not being able to see you. If you can, move back and call again. If you have opportunity, then move back up. The call you made brought him this far, so I would continue with that. When I have been alone, I have seen this scenerio many times. The end for me is always the same. Good-bye Mr Bull. It would have been a good idea to have a decoy behind you, but as Tanya Tucker said in her song, "It's a little too late to do the right thing now."
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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby easeup » 02 19, 2013 •  [Post 3]

Swede wrote:It is common for a bull to hang up out of range for a bow hunter. He is looking for the elk that he heard. If he does not see it he will likely pace back and forth a couple times then leave. Your only hope is to convince him there is some reason for not being able to see you. If you can, move back and call again. If you have opportunity, then move back up. The call you made brought him this far, so I would continue with that. When I have been alone, I have seen this scenerio many times. The end for me is always the same. Good-bye Mr Bull. It would have been a good idea to have a decoy behind you, but as Tanya Tucker said in her song, "It's a little too late to do the right thing now."


LOL!

hey thats right.
I am going to assume that you have set up very near the edge of that meadow. so you cant move back without being noticed. and you cant rub on a tree either because you will bet identified. I will also assume you have the wind.
the choices available to you are:
a) turn and call away behind you if possible; very quietly.
b) deploy that decoy you got stuffed in the backack if possible
c) sit it out: when he turns to leave, draw and make an awesome 65 yd shot
d) let him go when he leaves and dog him aways; set up in the timber and try to call him back.
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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 02 19, 2013 •  [Post 4]

I don't hunt in country this open normally but if I were in this situation (with such a nice open meadow) I probably wouldn't be calling so close to an opening. I'd set up well off the edge of the meadow for many reasons. If I were in this situation, to stay with the theme of cnelk's thread, and this occurred where I had such a nice bull come in and hang up in the middle of the meadow, I'd do as Swede mentioned pretty much. Run back, making noise (crunch, crunch).. set up and throw out some sweet cow sounds. See what he does from there. This guy is so tuned in to the edge of the meadow (me) that there's not much I could/would do to bring him farther without retreating into some cover/concealment and try to make him think I'm moving away. Some back and forth movement, stomping, and even raking may peak this dude's curiosity and pull him out of the meadow into the timber. Just my thoughts.
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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby elkmtngear » 02 19, 2013 •  [Post 5]

I guarantee you if I got anywhere near the meadow's edge, my decoy would be open out front (I always walk with it as a trekking pole, and can deploy it in a second if needed). I never get close to the edge of a park without shielding myself with the decoy first.

If I had called him in, this would mean I would be either behind the decoy, or ahead of the decoy behind a tree.

It would now be a matter of trying to get the bull to commit to you, since you have visually and audibly become a hot cow. This is a good situation to be in.
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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby ElkNut1 » 02 21, 2013 •  [Post 6]

As a lone hunter I would stay patient & wait! Allow the bull to remain in search mode. From experience if you now call from your position which is right near the meadows edge while the bull is standing & staring the area down at 65yds you could be in big trouble! No need to give away your position, let him think this elk he heard earlier may have possibly moved deeper into the timber. Too, if this bull already came this far chances are his interest is peaked to continue forward or turn broadside for a a good shot angle unless you move or give him a reason that something may be wrong, 65yds is not out of the question for me personally! If the bull turns to leave I would be ready to draw & nervous/popping grunt him at the same time. That would be last resort.

One thing to note is as I saw the bull coming to my calling from across the meadow I would watch him get to a point where eye contact could not be seen by either of us & turn left, right or behind me & call to direct him where I wanted him to go. As he pops back into view coming my way this gives him new interest that this other elk is still close by. I've done this when in that exact situation & it works very well.

If two hunters were there, a shooter would be at meadows edge motionless & ready to draw if not already drawn & waiting for his shot as 2nd hunter/caller gives his sounds as he retreats away from shooter & bull deeper into the timber, this has put many a bull on the ground as the bull attempts to catch up.

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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby >>>---WW----> » 02 21, 2013 •  [Post 7]

Setup, Setup, Setup!!! In the first place, you are lucky you were able to call this bull across an open area like that. Ya, it happens, but not that often. In this case, since he did come out in the open, he wants to find you for sure. The reason he is hung up is probably because elk have an uncaney ability to pinpoint where your calls are coming from and he does not see what he is looking for there. Thus, a hang up, just out of bow range. You should have made your setup back in the brush or someplace where he has to come looking for you.

Another thing that is very seldom mentioned here is the ability to cast your call. Make them sound like you are farther away than you really are. This is easily done by turning your head away and muffeling your call. Covering your mouth with a cotten glove works great. Give it a try, you'll see what I mean. If there are two hunters, the caller should be moving farther away so the bull has to come looking for him .

Also, this would be a great time to have one of Jeff's decoys to pop up. I just got one and can't wait for September to play with mine!
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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby cnelk » 02 21, 2013 •  [Post 8]

Now the bull is beginning to bugle...

And your response/action is?


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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby elkmtngear » 02 21, 2013 •  [Post 9]

>>>---WW----> wrote:
Another thing that is very seldom mentioned here is the ability to cast your call. Make them sound like you are farther away than you really are. This is easily done by turning your head away and muffeling your call. Covering your mouth with a cotten glove works great. Give it a try, you'll see what I mean. If there are two hunters, the caller should be moving farther away so the bull has to come looking for him .


I like this idea

>>>---WW----> wrote: Also, this would be a great time to have one of Jeff's decoys to pop up. I just got one and can't wait for September to play with mine!


And I REALLY like this :lol:
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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby cnelk » 02 21, 2013 •  [Post 10]

Couple of things...

If you move too fast or make a mistake in your calling, this bull will make you.

If you don't reply or make a sound he is about to get bored or sense something.

I'm thinking this scenario is going 'south' very soon...

And if that happens (and it does) we chalk it it to one of those times that the elk came out on top...
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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby Swede » 02 21, 2013 •  [Post 11]

This bull is hung up. He will come no farther unless you can convince him you are a real cow. Elknut says he has called then in from situations like this. I haven't. WW says muffle your call and turn to make him think you are farther away than real. That has not worked for me in this situation. You are set up all wrong here, so unless you can make a 65 yard shot, I would just wait. There is a very slim chance he will continue to move ahead. If I can move back into the forest without being seen I would try to sound like a cow walking away, then hurry back about 20+ yards and try a new set-up. Don't call elk where they can see your location and where you are from long distances.
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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby flystrait » 02 21, 2013 •  [Post 12]

I would watch him walk away and blame myself for the set-up I chose. If he walks back in the timber on the other side , which looks like the direction he came from I would skirt around and be in a more favorable area/ or spot to call from. You peaked his interest once and you can again. I prefer to call and set-up in areas that are thick where the visability is less than 25-30 yards. I have called in and killed more elk in brushed choked areas than not..

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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby cnelk » 02 21, 2013 •  [Post 13]

Thanks to Swede and fly strait we are now getting somewhere!

Yes. In a haste, the hunter made it to the edge of the meadow.
Realizing this, the hunter should have eased back when then bull was coming across the open.
The hunter would have had plenty of time to do this without being spotted...

Just a bit of a reminder.... ;) slow down and think
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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby Da White Shoe » 02 21, 2013 •  [Post 14]

I don't ever like to backtrack once I've called. Then you have to pull the bull right through the scent you just left on the ground.
If you need to backtrack, keep this in mind and move back and to one side so that he doesn't have to cross where you've walked.
Once I saw this bull coming from across the clearing, I would have shut up and let him search for me. They will still hang up sometimes.

If they do hang up, out of range, I use my secret weapon....

my brother, 50 yards behind me. :D
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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby Pop-r » 02 22, 2013 •  [Post 15]

Set up may be bad but that's just part of it. I think it's very important here to really read deep into what Paul said.Basically, try to keep the bull from hanging up to begin with. At your last possible chance that the bull couldn't make you he gave that "directory" call. They are much easier to keep moving than to make them start. Hope that makes sense.
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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby Trophyhill » 02 22, 2013 •  [Post 16]

Da White Shoe wrote:I don't ever like to backtrack once I've called. Then you have to pull the bull right through the scent you just left on the ground.
If you need to backtrack, keep this in mind and move back and to one side so that he doesn't have to cross where you've walked.
Once I saw this bull coming from across the clearing, I would have shut up and let him search for me. They will still hang up sometimes.

If they do hang up, out of range, I use my secret weapon....

my brother, 50 yards behind me. :D


i'll keep that in mind as i mostly hunt alone
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Re: What do you do? Scenario 13

Postby ElkNut1 » 02 23, 2013 •  [Post 17]

There is no cut & dry response to this particular encounter. Yes setups are important but there are times we are be bopping through the woods & come to the timbers edge staring across a meadow into the opposite timber line & decide to call before we cross. Wham!! A bull bugles our bugle or cow call just on the other side but still inside the timber line. There's no time for the perfect setup here! Cnelk gives a great "what should we do here" example. We've been caught where we stand & must act quickly to give us the best possible opportunity at this bull showing interest.

Within 15 seconds this bull appears at the meadows edge on the far side & decides to go towards the calling, you see him, this means you cannot move until he walks into a depression in the landscape or behind some obstruction.This is your chance to make your one & only move & it better be the right one! (grin) There will be times that there's not enough cover to retreat behind you & call as you make this bull believe this elk is leaving. Other times there will be enough cover! If enough cover & you're alone & you decide as cnelk favors to retreat & call softly as you put distance between you & the bull with intentions of drawing the bull your way then you'd best only go so far so you can return as quickly & silently as possible, why? So you avoid the bull getting to the furthest spot forward where you first stood in contacting him. If you can get to bowrange before the bull does to this spot you have a chance of killing him before he scents that spot! All this is a high risk move with little time to think it out!

Like cnelk & others I too have been in this situation of cat & mouse, in most cases when alone I prefer the stay put at timbers edge & accept my medicine! Hopefully as this bull closes the distance he passes some obstruction where he's hidden long enough for me to cast my call in a direction that misrepresents where I really am, hopefully further back. Too, I may choose not to call at all. (grin) As the bull closes the distance as illustrated & bugles or nervous grunts this elk (you) to come over or show itself you cannot move a muscle!!! DO NOT CALL HERE! He will pinpoint you & game is over even after a stare down. It's very possible he will still come forward some as he assesses the area for this elk. We've taken several bulls as we exercised extreme patience here.

Bottom line, when in this situation evaluate it quickly & come up with what favors your encounter best! There are many variables in these types of situations, past experiences & outcomes will help us to make the right ones in crunch time!

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