calling question?

[rowdycwby1]

I just got back last night from helping a buddy elk hunt since I didn't draw this year and I'm hoping to get help or advise while it's fresh in my mind. The elk were really quite very little sound and we would see bulls that had cows but a few that were still in bachelor group's so we're trying to figure out is this just pre rut activity? It's been really hot in that area and we finally got rain and it cooled off quite a bit. Sunday night me and my buddy when and helped another friend that was also hunting and we hadn't heard anything but they asked me to let out a bugle and see what happened so I did and no response. They got on a big bull earlier that day in the same area. ...we sat there and just was talking for about 30 minutes and we spotted two bulls so we bugles again and no response again we set up and was watching them so I tried one more time and the smaller bull turned and started making his way towards us from across the valley. We got the 3x3 into 20 yards and had a shot opportunity but decided to try for the bigger one. We had that bigger bull making all kind of noise and watched him tear up trees he would bugle then chuckle but never commit i bugled scraped trees and still wouldn't come up..should we have gone to him in that case? The 3x3 came up and got be hind us and even got down wind of us and never spooked he was making like a barking sound and I'm not really sure what it was any suggestions or opinions would be great and thanks in advance!