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What Should You Do 2018; Scenario 1

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What Should You Do 2018; Scenario 1

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 03 15, 2018 •  [Post 1]

It's the last day of your archery elk hunt... September 25, 20??. The night before (after dark) you received a response to your locator bugle above a skid road you'd walked in on approximately 1/4 of a mile. As you walk in before daylight on the last morning of your 7 day hunt, you hear the same bull above you on the side hill of an east/west flowing basin. As it starts to get light and the bugling persists, you've decided you'll move as close to the bull as you can before making a peep. He continues to sound off as you move to within 100 yards of where he's singing. Four, five, seven bugles echo throughout the basin from the same bull and you hear cow mews as you get closer. Nobody seems alarmed. It appears the elk are moving from feed to bed right after daylight hit. The thermals are flowing steadily down and you smell elk! As you're hunting alone, you throw out a couple of subtle cow calls and move rapidly up/downwind and toward the elk immediately after you call. As you set up and wait for an indicator, something, anything..... you hear and see movement above you. There is an elk, possibly "the" bull, standing with his head completely covered with Fir bows less than 30 yards up the slope broadside. It's a bull (3 point or better) area. You draw back, drop the pin in the "V" and let off (you don't touch off the arrow). You're not sure of the target (legal animal) so you do the right thing and let off. Less than seconds later, a very nice, thick beamed 5 point moves away from the fir and walks (not bolts) back uphill to what you assume are his cows. At this point, what do you do? The cover is relatively thick but is littered with elk trails. Do you:

a. Stay put and continue cow calling hoping the bull comes back down?

b. Figure the bull is not leaving his cows again and move rapidly (as quietly as possible), planning an intercept route to get a better angle on the herd that you figure is heading to bed?

c. Have a smashed PB&J sandwich and take in the mountain side scenery, enjoying your last day of the year in the elk woods?

d. Charge uphill into the elk, attempting to scatter them, causing confusion and scream a challenge bugle trying to tick off the herd bull?

e. Other?

f. Wonder why RJ posts these silly threads.

What say you elk hunters?
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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario 1

Postby Swede » 03 15, 2018 •  [Post 2]

I would start with option A. Sometimes you can get a bull to come back if they are completely unaware of your presence. You might move a little closer before you cow call again.
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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario 1

Postby Mathewsz7-elkridge » 03 15, 2018 •  [Post 3]

E. Cow call and then advance another 20 yards. Keeping in mind he may use the same trail he just used.
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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario 1

Postby Tigger » 03 15, 2018 •  [Post 4]

First let me say that "C" is always a good choice and I would start with that. Once finished with this culinary delicacy, I would reposition and then do "A". I would reposition so that when he comes down again I have the best opportunity for a shot I can given the terrain. Should "A" not work to my satisfaction I would repeat "C" again and then move on to plan "B".

Mmmmm. I am getting hungry for some reason....
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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario 1

Postby >>>---WW----> » 03 15, 2018 •  [Post 5]

C and F : Eat my Sammy and wonder why RJ even posted this thread! :o :lol:
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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario 1

Postby Roosiebull » 03 15, 2018 •  [Post 6]

i'm a "B" kinda guy, and will have a "C" while waiting my 45 minutes to start tracking (even though I saw him tip over, because i'm hungry now :D )
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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario 1

Postby otcWill » 03 16, 2018 •  [Post 7]

I'll let him move off a bit before rolling some rocks cracking a few branches and hitting him with a few aggravated mews followed by an assembly mew or two with a short flat note mew (some refer to this as a demanding mew) at the end. Done deal
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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario 1

Postby Tigger » 03 16, 2018 •  [Post 8]

I had a thunk after reading otcWills post. What would people think about just rolling a rock, stomping and breaking branches. No verbal at all. Would that entice him? I am thinking in heavily called areas, that may really work good.
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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario 1

Postby ElkNut1 » 03 16, 2018 •  [Post 9]

You've been made/spotted, game over with that guy, he possibly gave a Round Up Bugle as he left to gather the cows & vacate the area! Your next option would be to concentrate on the other bulls (mostly satellites) you heard, they could still be workable if that herd doesn't take everything in the area with it.

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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario 1

Postby Swede » 03 16, 2018 •  [Post 10]

In these word pictures it is easy to relate to some hunting events that have happened in our past. Each of us can envision something a little different. I have had the same bull return when I called again. Like Paul explained, I have had other bulls come in to look around. My concern would be not to get caught moving and blow the herd out of the area. They know something was calling them from your location. Guess where they will be watching? Raking and throwing rocks can work, but be absolutely sure no elk is going to pick up your movement when you do. I have been surprised when I made that mistake.
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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario 1

Postby lamrith » 04 10, 2018 •  [Post 11]

Mathewsz7-elkridge wrote:E. Cow call and then advance another 20 yards. Keeping in mind he may use the same trail he just used.

Ditto,
If there is little response, I might get a bit whinier or throw some estrus buzz in over my shoulder.
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