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Popping/Nervous Grunt

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Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Heartwood » 04 15, 2018 •  [Post 1]

Just curious about how you guys and gals have used the popping grunt in some of your elk calling and hunting adventures. Our crew has used this amazing call in many ways to stop elk in their tracks. This is a sound that I never would have used on purpose without first learning about it from an elk calling expert.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Wyo67 » 04 16, 2018 •  [Post 2]

Quite a lot. Like you said, it's an excellent call to stop an elk. Even at distance during rifle season. For those that have trouble with it, I'll throw a shout out to one of the sponsors, The Elk Calling Academy has a YouTube video on how to do it.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Swede » 04 16, 2018 •  [Post 3]

I expect some pushback on this; but the popping/nervous "grunt" is the exact same sound as the alarm bark. I have heard both many, many times and the only difference is seen in the actions that follow by the animal. I am satisfied that if there is a difference, it is all attributable to the different voices of differing animals, and the environment they are in. Even that seems imperceptible to my slightly tone deaf ear.
Learn to make the bark and you have the popping grunt. Just know when to use it.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Heartwood » 04 16, 2018 •  [Post 4]

Absolutely Swede. I can't tell the difference by sound only, just by the context of the situation and actions by the particular animal. I'm more curious as to how others have used this sound (nervous grunt) to their advantage in hunting and calling situations. Before I knew there was a difference in meaning between a bark and a NG. I would never have used this sound in a calling situation. Now it is my and others go to sound to stop elk and sometimes to stop the same elk up to 3 times in a given encounter. Our crew keeps finding new ways to use the NG to buy more time in various elk encounters. I think it works so well because elk only hear it from other elk and they "trust" it. It also asks an action from other elk. The use of this sound at the right time has proven to be a huge advantage in many encounters. We have used the NG to simply stop an elk at the desired spot for a shot, to stop an elk again for a second arrow, to stop an entire herd at 300+ yards for rifle shots and follow up shots (3 times in a row), to convince a hung up bull to come closer or to show himself. There are a few other ways that we have seen this call help an encounter also. So for those that have tried this call, what ways and scenarios have you had the NG help you to either get a shot or buy time or otherwise help you in calling situation? For rifle hunters this may be the single most useful elk sound to use!
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Swede » 04 16, 2018 •  [Post 5]

Heartwood wrote: I can't tell the difference by sound only, just by the context of the situation and actions by the particular animal. I


For sure. :D If the animal sticks around it is a nervous bark. If you hear the beat of hooves and see elk butts heading out, it was a panic bark.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 04 16, 2018 •  [Post 6]

Heck ya! A nervous bark is always in my elk tool kit, at the ready to throw out when in close, always......
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby ishy » 04 17, 2018 •  [Post 7]

I use it after I get barked at and put some chuckles immediately after. This has calmed very spooked elk and kept them in the area considerably longer than they normally would after a bark/NG. My 2016 bull came in after being within ear shot of me and a cow exchanging multiple barks and chuckles for about 20 minutes. She was anywhere from 50-100 yards away the whole time. Dirk from Elk101 did this multiple times on land of the free during the Wyoming videos to keep nervous bulls hanging around and curious.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby ElkNut1 » 04 18, 2018 •  [Post 8]

Having a mexican standoff with an elk trading Popping/Nervous Grunts is entertaining but will net you little. We need to adjust our thinking & turn it to an elk down situation! It's no different than trading bugles & having bulls go the other way after tiring & being suspicious of this imposter! When situation is right & the hunter can lead off with this Grunt/Bark his/her odds just climbed radically for success. When the elk leads with it your odds are best to go right at that elk without hesitation when cover & wind is in your favor, go right to them as they are asking! This is another reason I like hunting dark timber!

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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Swede » 04 18, 2018 •  [Post 9]

ElkNut1 wrote:This is another reason I like hunting dark timber! ElkNut/Paul


I think this is a valuable point. I hunt open timber and the jerks hang up out of range, or in some brush and start barking. They move around and watch where you are so you can't even back out to make a different approach. I think hunting in pairs would help here too. I have always been alone when this happened, and once the elk was alerted and started to bark, the game was soon over.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby ElkNut1 » 04 18, 2018 •  [Post 10]

Yes it is a good point! I do everything possible to avoid the Nervous/Popping Grunt from other elk, this means not calling to elk out in the open such as in meadows & such. I wait for them to get into good cover before doing any calling that may be needed! Timing is everything!

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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Trophyhill » 04 18, 2018 •  [Post 11]

I want to add to what Paul said earlier. The bark or grunt or whatever you want to call it can and did bring bulls running in to me last year. Most callers are afraid to use this call unless it's to stop an elk.

My scenario last year in a heavily pressured OTC unit in CO. Set up in the quakies surrounded by dead fall choked black timber. Elk are silent but lots of fresh sign so I knew elk were moving through frequently. Time for a little blind calling. I called 10 bulls in blind. The other 6 I called in with the "nervous grunt" preceeded by a few loud calls from my Long Ranger. This sound brought them in quickly too! Can't wait to get out there and do some more barking ;) point being, this sound is used by the elk, between each other alot more frequently than most think and doesn't necessarily mean there's a threat involved. Unless of course you make the sound and become that threat on the unsuspecting elk ;)
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Swede » 04 18, 2018 •  [Post 12]

Trophyhill wrote:The other 6 I called in with the "nervous grunt" preceeded by a few loud calls from my Long Ranger.


I have never heard of calling in bulls using the nervous grunt. I was pinned down by a bull bunch of four shortly before the season opened. I was on a scouting trip. The one bull made several 6-7 nervous barks, and the others just continued to forage on the tall grass in the open hillside. The one bull was nervous and kept an eye on me, but the others were more interested in getting some good grass. I suspect the others took the nervous bull aside when they were out of sight, and reminded him that hunting season was still a week away.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Trophyhill » 04 18, 2018 •  [Post 13]

Swede wrote:
Trophyhill wrote:The other 6 I called in with the "nervous grunt" preceeded by a few loud calls from my Long Ranger.


I have never heard of calling in bulls using the nervous grunt. I was pinned down by a bull bunch of four shortly before the season opened. I was on a scouting trip. The one bull made several 6-7 nervous barks, and the others just continued to forage on the tall grass in the open hillside. The one bull was nervous and kept an eye on me, but the others were more interested in getting some good grass. I suspect the others took the nervous bull aside when they were out of sight, and reminded him that hunting season was still a week away.


The reason you don't hear about it is, nobody does it. Hell, I never tried it before last year other than to stop an animal. On one occasion I had a bull come in screaming on opening morning to my Long Ranger cow calls. He stopped at 30 yards with his vitals covered. After standing there looking for that cow he heard, he turned back and went back up onto the ridge from where he came.

I'd cow call, he'd bark. I'd cow call, he'd bark. I'd cow call, he'd bark. After a few moments of silence, I barked, he barked back. I barked my way to him back and forth until I got to 20 yards. When his head was behind a tree and I thought he couldn't see me, I started to draw, and he saw the movement and bolted. But it taught me something ;)
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Swede » 04 18, 2018 •  [Post 14]

Very interesting David. I would never have tried a bark to call a bull, since it has been my observation that it either stops a bull for a short time only, or it will put them on the run if used when they are spooked. I have preferred a small bull bugle or cow call.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby ElkNut1 » 04 19, 2018 •  [Post 15]

swede, this is why I prefer to use Popping /Nervous Grunt over the word "Bark" it confuses hunters even though they sound similar! The Nervous or Popping Grunt asks for a satisfying response, visual or come over & show yourself, this is why there's good application for it's use at the right time! Don't confuse the two, they are different! Just as there's a right sound for the right time there's a wrong sound for the right time!

David, I've used the grunt to call bulls as well or run right at them while using the nervous/popping grunt, the difference I've found over the years is once I hear the single Grunt of nervousness I cow call my way straight to them & give them what they are asking for in that situation. The reason I've done it this way is to show them I'm a cow responding to their wishes. A cow shows no intimidation to them! If I stay with the nervous grunt which is made by all elk, cow or bull, then the bull is not sure what to expect as he's unsure what you are therefore possibly making him nervous at your aggressive approach. Use what works but cow calling your way to a bull asking for a showing of your presence is much safer & higher odds of success to a close encounter.

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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Swede » 04 19, 2018 •  [Post 16]

I am always reluctant to argue with someone's experience. If you say you called in elk by yodeling, I will accept it as an experience. It is like barking at elk to call them in, I would be very cautious before trying it. Maybe after my tag was filled, I might try something like that to see if it works. Paul's argument makes sense, but I have been slow to call the same sound by different names because the elk responded differently. I think the nervous elk causes the different reaction by how they individually behave. If they run, they all run. If it sticks around; no one panics.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Trophyhill » 04 19, 2018 •  [Post 17]

Swede wrote:I am always reluctant to argue with someone's experience. If you say you called in elk by yodeling, I will accept it as an experience. It is like barking at elk to call them in, I would be very cautious before trying it. Maybe after my tag was filled, I might try something like that to see if it works. Paul's argument makes sense, but I have been slow to call the same sound by different names because the elk responded differently. I think the nervous elk causes the different reaction by how they individually behave. If they run, they all run. If it sticks around; no one panics.


Now don't get me wrong. I'm not gonna go running and gunnin and barking every 50 yards. And may not use the sound at all. But after some blind calling, and nothing coming in that I know of, and elk are silent, and before I leave the area, I will use the sound to test the waters. Nothing to lose at that point and everything to gain. In my mind's eye, I could be telling an unseen and un heard elk in ear shot to show himself. That's all I'm saying. I was in a great situation last year too. 14 of those 16 bulls we're called into the same quakie patch. That's like one if those fishing trips where you catch fish on every cast. Not likely to happen again lol

Oh and every elk came in silent accept that first one on opening day in CO. And he came screaming. August 26 I think it was.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Swede » 04 19, 2018 •  [Post 18]

David, I concur with your take on the situation. Good thinking. I admit it never occurred to me to bark in that situation. I watched a video years ago where a fellow barked after the elk he was after spooked. He followed the bark by running after them. I don't think it worked, but as you say "nothing to lose at that point".
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Heartwood » 04 20, 2018 •  [Post 19]

The experience that really clarified what Paul has been saying and teaching all along about the Nervous or Popping Grunt is this. My daughter and I were out in the meadows near our house after dark listening and interacting with an elk herd. It was the second week of September and I had taken a few days off hunting. I decided to record some audio of elk sounds during a time when there was a hot cow in the herd. So what we heard was a herd bull tending and controlling his cows and numerous satellite bulls trying to get in on the action. Mixed in at numerous times we heard popping grunts from various directions and distances from our position. I think what was happening was cows in this large herd would loose touch with the location of other cows and want to confirm where they are. Maybe a cow hears something over there and gets nervous and wants to know if it is danger or just another elk. My point is I have heard elk do this to each other many times and often at night when they can"t see so well. The popping grunt is business as usual in an elk herd. These elk didn't go anywhere for at least an hour so they were not alarm barking at all. It was just cool to hear what goes on in the herd without caring about trying to get a shot and to understand what was happening without being able to see because it was a moonless night.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Trophyhill » 04 20, 2018 •  [Post 20]

I couldn't agree more Heartwood! It has some social meaning as well as the "danger Will Robinson" meaning ;)
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Swede » 04 20, 2018 •  [Post 21]

Heartwood wrote:The popping grunt is business as usual in an elk herd.
Heartwood wrote:It was just cool to hear what goes on in the herd without caring about trying to get a shot and to understand what was happening without being able to see because it was a moonless night.


Hold the phone a minute. I know we (myself included) tend to to put excess meaning to sights and sounds of the elk when we can actually see their movements. Sometimes we are interacting with them in one way ore the other.
Hearing the sounds of elk on a moonless dark night only tells me that you are taking something that was read or watched and applying it to what you are hearing in the dark. How do you know that it was not a coyote, or something else out there that was causing the elk to bark or grunt as you say?
A nervous bark or grunt is made when the elk gets nervous, or scared. Adding too much social significance to their sounds comes from watching Disney movies.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby saddlesore » 04 20, 2018 •  [Post 22]

I have heard elk moving thru the timber and the only sounds I heard were the mews and calls talking to each other.Never the grunt. Back in the late 80's early 90's before the big fire, my wife and I spent about 8-10 years in Yellowstone every year during the peak rut around Sept 20 photographing elk, again, a lot of talking, but even when crazy tourist got too close,we never heard the bark unless a coyote or bear moved thru close.

Hunting I have sure heard them when in general,I think the elk are nervous from all the hunters in the woods and close encounters.I think they are more inclined to bark at strange sounds/smells and/or to use that nervous grunt to try to identify what may not be evident.

Either one,I think the elk is about two seconds away from leaving the country if they can't indentify the threat.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Trophyhill » 04 20, 2018 •  [Post 23]

Swede wrote:
Heartwood wrote:The popping grunt is business as usual in an elk herd.
Heartwood wrote:It was just cool to hear what goes on in the herd without caring about trying to get a shot and to understand what was happening without being able to see because it was a moonless night.


Hold the phone a minute. I know we (myself included) tend to to put excess meaning to sights and sounds of the elk when we can actually see their movements. Sometimes we are interacting with them in one way ore the other.
Hearing the sounds of elk on a moonless dark night only tells me that you are taking something that was read or watched and applying it to what you are hearing in the dark. How do you know that it was not a coyote, or something else out there that was causing the elk to bark or grunt as you say?
A nervous bark or grunt is made when the elk gets nervous, or scared. Adding too much social significance to their sounds comes from watching Disney movies.


Broaden your horizons Swede. You're stuck in the Rut ;)
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Heartwood » 04 21, 2018 •  [Post 24]

I'm sure there could have been other things happening in the dark but my point is that elk often make the NG at each other when they are unsure what is out there where they can't see or smell. Often times it is just another herd member poking around making noise and elk just want assurance that it is one of their kind. Lucky for us as hunters, we can use the NG to our advantage. The NG flat out works like magic in the right situations! We have been using the NG now for years since learning about it from Paul and I still get excited at how well it works.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby elkaholicid » 05 02, 2018 •  [Post 25]

Hey everyone,

Thought I would throw in my 2 cents worth on this. The Nervous Bark, or Grunt, whichever term you choose to use, is a highly effective tool to have in your calling arsenal. I use it several times throughout the fall. The key is to use this call in the right situation.

With that being said, there is a difference between the Nervous and the Alarm/Warning Bark. The Alarm Bark has much more intensity than the Nervous and it is extremely difficult for us as humans to replicate the Alarm Bark because of the level of intensity.

Here is a prime example of the Alarm/Warning Bark:

Listen to the intensity of the herd bull barking at the satellite bull that trotted in from the right. He's not Nervous! He is Alarming/Warning this younger bull to stay away.

Thank you Wyo67 for the shout out. Here is a link to the video that was referenced for those wanting to learn how to make this sound:
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby Swede » 05 02, 2018 •  [Post 26]

I am sorry, but what I just watched again is not what I consider a bark. To me that is a "threat". Maybe I need to update my nomenclature. If I heard just the end of a few of the threats, at the end of the video, I would probably have called that a bark. I have heard many elk barks in the forest. When the elk take off right after the bark, I consider it an alarm bark. If they stick around and continue, they are nervous. In both cases it is just a one note, 1/4 second bark and sounds very much like a dog bark. These single note short barks may be repeated several or many times. The most I have heard was from my tree stand in Idaho, where a lone bull barked off and on about 75 times in about four hours. I considered it a nervous bark. If you said "bark" very quickly, it would be fairly close to the elk bark.
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Re: Popping/Nervous Grunt

Postby >>>---WW----> » 05 03, 2018 •  [Post 27]

Great video! Notice all of the body language as well. Especially the pinned back ears.
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