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Bull advertising sequence

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Bull advertising sequence

Postby chipick » 08 09, 2017 •  [Post 1]

So I have been thinking about last year and all the times my partner and I got in close with lone bulls, we would throw a location bugle, and hear a bugle in return, we would make our way close the the bull to where we were +- 50yrds and the bull would start to rake trees, so the caller would rake and after 10-15 minutes of this and nothing noticeable changing, shooter would try to slip around for a shot, and something would go south and the bull would either bust out or just wonder off. we are new at the whole archery elk hunting, this is my 5th year and I am curious to know how others work these bulls to get them to come in or at least show them self. We are looking to fill the freezer not the wall so looking for any legal animal wich is 3pt+ For our unit
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Re: Bull advertising sequence

Postby elkaholicid » 08 10, 2017 •  [Post 2]

This is a great situation to be in. This bull is callable for sure. I would stay set up how you were and have the caller a good 50-75 yards behind the shooter if the terrain allowed for it. The shooter needs to stay put and not move.

Once set up I would start with a lost mew, assembly mew mix in a soft calling sequence. Once the bull bugles back at me I would add in a demanding mew and a basic contact mew to the assembly mew. The basic contact mew will show the bull that you've accepted him and he is now within your circle of friends.

Be patient! As long as the bull is bugling back to you, he is showing he's aware you're there. You don't need to do a ton of calling. Just enough to keep his interest and keep that curiosity level high with him.

You could also add in some grunts and whines later in the set up to make it appear that a smaller, less experienced bull and slipped in the back door and is trying to win over the cow. Have the caller throw their sounds in different directions to make it sound like that elk is moving around back there.
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Re: Bull advertising sequence

Postby Swede » 08 10, 2017 •  [Post 3]

A big part of your problem could have been your setup. If the bull can see where you are before he gets into shooting range, you are in trouble. They expect to see an elk where they hear the elk sounds coming from. If there are no elk to be seen, you have blown that opportunity. You either need to call from a location where the shooter is in shooting range before the elk sees where the call is coming from, or you need a decoy to make him think he is seeing the elk that called.
I am going to guess that you had a bull(s) walk back and forth in front of you out of range, looking your way before they turned and left. That is a sure sign of a poor setup.
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Re: Bull advertising sequence

Postby cohunter » 08 10, 2017 •  [Post 4]

Don't listen to Swede! He's a tree-stand hunter ;) Actually, Swede is EXACTLY right. If you were calling within 50 yards and it wasn't a crazy thick jungle or there was no rise or hill between you and the bull you were too close. Elk can pinpoint the location of a sound with remarkable accuracy. Raking antlers can be one way of saying, "show yourself" if I'm remembering correctly from the playbook. When an elk didn't appear near the sound of your call, the bull most likely got nervous and moved off. He might not have seen or smelled you but something wasn't right. Have the caller well back. If you were hunting alone, it's much more challenging. You've got to call and then quickly and very quietly move up. If you're making noise walking in this scenario, the elk will assume that you are an elk too and will be looking for the elk he heard where he last heard those footsteps. Then you're back where you started. Sounds like you were communicating ok but need to work on your setup.
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Re: Bull advertising sequence

Postby Swede » 08 10, 2017 •  [Post 5]

I recognize chip's problem because I was such a slow learner in the setup area. Actually it was Elknut that got me turned around on that issue. Paul talked to me several times, but that was probably the most important thing he ever explained. If I had known ten years earlier, I would probably have been an elk hero instead of just an elk nut.
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Re: Bull advertising sequence

Postby cohunter » 08 10, 2017 •  [Post 6]

We should mention, it's best to call from as close as possible IF there's no chance an elk should expect to see another elk from their point of view. Chris Roe calls it the doorway principle (I think). Primos talks about having their caller trying to call the bull PAST the shooter and it always works (Of course the thousands in trespass fees help too)! :? I make lots of mistakes so I learn faster ;)
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Re: Bull advertising sequence

Postby chipick » 08 10, 2017 •  [Post 7]

The area we hunt is NW Oregon and it is thick the bull in my profile pic I got from less then 3yards and there was almost no shot a lot of what we hunt is 0-20 year old timber cuts, and last winter they went through and thinned most the reprod and left everything down and unlimbed so it is noisy and thick as all get out
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Re: Bull advertising sequence

Postby Swede » 08 10, 2017 •  [Post 8]

Chip, set ups are always critical. It the elk can see you from 100 yards away as in parts of eastern Oregon or if 5 yards are a stretch around your neighborhood. Plan your shooting location so you or your partner can get a shot without being detected. That may mean the caller is far away from the shooter or just a few yards. Your area is challenging. You have brush, tough ground and this hundreds of thousands of acres closed for fire danger. You can predict the brush, the steep ground, but fire closures come after you have done all of your scouting and planning. Can you get permission to hunt the private land on Deer Island?
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Re: Bull advertising sequence

Postby chipick » 08 10, 2017 •  [Post 9]

I have some folks that will but I hate to bother them last minute because they get pounded from every other hunter already
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