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Your Move 2019, Episode 1.

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Your Move 2019, Episode 1.

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 07 11, 2019 •  [Post 1]

Hunting Journal:
Date/Time: Early October; an hour before dark.
Weapon/Tag: Muzzleloader; Any bull
Hunting Pressure: Minimal to none
Tale of the Tape. You’ve decided to sit this nice meadow on a beautiful elk woods afternoon/evening. You’ve gotten into a few bunches of elk over the past week in this remote area and you’ve surmised that elk do come into/feed in this particular meadow some nights; the bulls have been vocal. There are several meadows in this area but this is the one you’ve decided to “sit”. You are actually perched on a rise just above the meadow where you see the white arrow pointing to; you’ve ranged that tree on the other side of the meadow (the one my red arrow goes through) at just over 110 yard. OK, as you sit you hear the cows coming from left to right petty quickly, and, barney bull blasts off a bugle with chuckles back in that timber that the red arrow is pointing at……. This all happens (cows come into meadow/bull bugles) in the matter of a few minutes. Stupid bull should have been with the cows when they came into the meadow. NOW, what are your plans to make your smoke pole bark and bring the bull home for dinner at this point in time. Your move.

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Re: Your Move 2019, Episode 1.

Postby saddlesore » 07 11, 2019 •  [Post 2]

With the cows moving quickly from left to right and the bull is already to the right. Unless it is pretty rutty out, I have doubts you can call him back ,but nothing ventured,nothing gained.
If there is time and if you can back out and circle a few hundred yards to the right and get in front of them without spooking them , you might be able to get a shot.
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Re: Your Move 2019, Episode 1.

Postby LarryBud » 07 11, 2019 •  [Post 3]

How about pretending you’re a hoooked cow being dragged off?

Worked like a charm to bring a nice 5x5 to 15 yards two years ago. With a MZ, you only need him to step out to take a look.
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Re: Your Move 2019, Episode 1.

Postby Tigger » 07 15, 2019 •  [Post 4]

Larry,
I would consider that if there was really good cover...as in the bull could in no way see me. It is hard to tell from the picture if that is the case. Before I did any calling, I would get myself to cover.

So you have 2 choices. Back out, swing around and get in front or call him to you. 7 of the 9 cows are facing right, thus the herd is probably going that way. The bull is already ahead of them, which in my experience is not the norm. So maybe meandering is a better term. So I think I would probably get in cover and start to build a picture in that bulls mind that he has an interloper. I would want to guess how big he is. If he is possibly a small to medium bull, you would have to be careful not to intimidate him. But with 9 cows, it is likely he thinks he is Mike Tyson (watch your ears!). So I start a whiny cow call, all the while some stomping, add more distress to the cow sounds and then throw in a chuckle. I would throw the cow sounds behind me and the chuckle towards the bull. If he bugled I might cut him off with a bugle of my own and get ready. Or I might just chuckle again and increase the stomping and do some raking. the hardest part about this one is the cover and reading the mood of the 9 cows. If they are just feeding and not moving, I might not do anything for a couple of minutes.
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Re: Your Move 2019, Episode 1.

Postby Swede » 07 15, 2019 •  [Post 5]

I would like to get a good rest for my MZ and see what happens. With the thermals in my favor and the elk undisturbed, I will stay quiet and wait a bit. I won't wait long for the bull, but want the nearest cow to get in front of, or to the left of the cow behind her. I will probably shoot as soon as she is clear of the other cow.
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Re: Your Move 2019, Episode 1.

Postby LarryBud » 07 16, 2019 •  [Post 6]

Swede wrote:I would like to get a good rest for my MZ and see what happens. With the thermals in my favor and the elk undisturbed, I will stay quiet and wait a bit. I won't wait long for the bull, but want the nearest cow to get in front of, or to the left of the cow behind her. I will probably shoot as soon as she is clear of the other cow.


You read my mind Swede.. take a cow! Alas, we only have a Bull Tag. We need him to show his face.
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