What was that you said? Episode #2

[WapitiTalk1]

OK, in this VID, how would you interpret and label the sound this elk is making (pretty much throughout the encounter), and what do you think is going on here? Lastly, is there anything you can do as a hunter in this particular situation to potentially get a shot (well, besides not be set up behind cover, in a thicket)?

[Old school]

I would interpret this as the bull coming in and asking you to identify yourself. He's not alarmed as he's hanging around, he's looking for another elk ( perhaps they have been calling to him earlier before they started the video). If you can thread the needle you could bark back to him at roughly the 1:32 mark or 1:48 when he passes through that small window. Or better yet as RJ has pointed out setup in front of the cover and have an easy 10 yard frontal shot.

Thanks for posting these RJ!

--Mitch

[Lonnie]

I would agree I think this bull was asking the guys in the bush to identify them self's. If I had to guess this bull came into their calls prior to the video. He seemed interested but at the same time agitated that he could not see the cow he was looking for. I would have set the caller back further. The shooter should have set him self up in a better shooting spot. If for some reason the shooter got caught in the brush when the bull came in then guy in the back 50 yards away might have a shot. I know sometimes a bull will just show up from no where but keeping your distance from each other has it's advantages. I wouldnt shoot threw the brush,. Might have tried to back one guy up, and let the other do the calling if I was caught in the brush like this.

[Swede]

I agree with Mitch. I have seen this several times and never could get the bull. They had me pinned down so it did not matter where I moved, I was busted. Another shooter might get a shot if they are set up well. In that case you might hold him a little while with a cow in distress call and bull keeping her by screaming or biting her.
The big problem here is that the bull knows where you are at, and he is not going to expose himself to you and your nasty arrows.

[elkaholicid]

This is once again a nervous bark. Notice the nervous bark of the bull is higher pitched than the cow. He feels he should be able to see the elk that was making the sounds and is asking you to show yourself. I would bark back at him and follow with frustration bugles and slowly increase the intensity on the bugles and add chuckles in to the mix. This would be a great time to deploy a decoy. If you are in a brushy area, you can "flash" the decoy at him so catches a quick glimpse of the tan side of the decoy to get him to thing the elk he is trying to see is moving through the brush. I'm a firm believer in using the bark but I NEVER bark first. The ability to bark back and add other elk sounds right after to put them at ease has saved numerous set ups for myself and my hunting partners.

[Wyo67]

Agree that the bull is coming in looking for elk and using the bark to ask them to show themselves. Assuming they were all together, it was a poor setup for a shot. Virtually no shooting lanes. And.... I would have more than a Hoochie Mama in my bag of tricks. Someone had to go there...

[twinkieman]

I'd agree with everyone, this bull is wanting a visual on the cow he heard, I might throw out a couple of cow calls, and then rake lightly, make him believe a lesser bull has her, and that's why she won't show herself. You have to do something, eventually he will just leave. RJ, stop setting up behind your cover

[Beendare]

^Agreed.

I can tell you with almost 100% certainty that bull would come in to a decoy....he needs visual recognition