I worked down a ridge onto a herd we had been following all day. I got within 35 yards of bedded cows. The bull was below them in a pocket of thick timber. Set up in a stringer of timber above them and challenge bugled. The herd bull got up and growled, coming in. I was at full draw when he came out at 40 yards, but he just rounded up his cows and took off down the hill.
What gives? Any ideas what I need to do differently?
Terry
However, I have noticed in OTC areas the bulls all prefer to run away with their cows. I would try an estrus cow call at this point in that situation.
The other option is to get IN BETWEEN him and his cows. you may spook a few cows doing it, but if you can convince him you are another bull and he truly is the dominate herd bull, he will come in. the risk is you blow the whole herd out!
That close you need to be really good with your bugling, grunting, and glunking.
Overall if you can, the best option is to go in Silent and shoot the bull!
I don't know about you, but I'd much rather get the check head home and have some fun in the bedroom than get into a bar fight.
Use bugles for locators and that is it, get in close and cow call all sexy and slutty like and brace yourself for a show.
That's pretty close to what I did this time. I cow called a few times, nice and whiny. Then I gave a good cow squeal and then fired off a bugle. He immediately responded with a growl and then a scream.
In one of the previous instances, I was in the middle of the herd as they were spread across a ridge top meadow. I had a 50 yard shot at the herd bull, but also had cows in front of me and behind me. I thought this was a gimme situation, and had my calling buddy fire off a bugle. The bull grabbed the front few cows and took off, leaving the rest.
It's just puzzling me why this tactic isn't working worth a hoot for me as of late. One of my buddies and I snuck within 50 yards of a bull and a cow two years ago. He bugled once and the bull came right in and got shot at 10 yards.
Go figure.
Well I'm here to tell you its not always your fault as in many cases of OTC hunting there are so many hunters that blowing a call of any kind gets them moving. When in doubt- rely on your hunting skills. Some of the propaganda pushing the call! call!! call!!! strategy doesn't always work in heavily hunted ground.
Now, that said, I have had a lot of luck with the getting close and challenging.....but its more of a scream at the cows...than a typical bugle.
Just did it last week, 60yds from herd, screamed at the cows and the herd bull came...BUT....and its a big BUT.....#1 the bull knew right where I was...and it was thick dark timber so even though he stopped short at 25 yds I had zero shot. #2 the jig was up as now I had no other options.
In that same scenario a really nice 300" satellite moved across in front of me quickly too...but again it was so thick I had no shot. [and this coming from a guy that can usually thread one through there!]
I did have a dumb azz spike come in and wander around me as close as 10'....but after seeing the crusher and respectable satellite....I elected to let him walk- spooked him trying to dig out my camera....
Somewhat similar scenarios for me this year.
#1- Located a bull at the distance of hearing limits. Cut the distance. He bugled on his own for the most part, but I bugled at got a response ~ 250 yards. Worked in and when he bugled, I was close. (~ 80 yards or less) Couldn't see him but set up decoy, cow called, and ran up 40 yards. Nothing. Until 10 minutes later, he is 300 + yards away and moving. What went wrong? On thing I can think of is his girlfriends didn't want the competition and drug him away.
Not to worry, more bulls bugling. Moved to the next bugles.
#2- Had 3 herd bulls within a 1/4-3/8 mi area (In timber). Things were hot. One bull had a satellite pestering him. I dropped into the hole and got to within 75 yards of bull #1's cows. I got ready and did the bull calling cows bugle. (They had no clue I was there prior to my bugle). What did they do? The herd walked away. (Finally backed out due to T storm and swirling winds)
Like you, I won't win a calling contests, but I think I can call fairly decent. What would I do different in each instance? I am not sure.
stop doing that then
cow call, or small bull squeal or wait ....
This most recent time was right in a bedding area.
Change things up. don't call and shadow and let things settle down, or loop up ahead by jogging for 20 minutes to get up and cross wind from the herd then knife in from the side. Don't even cow call until things have settle down.
I believe there are lead cows with the herd that don't want a confrotation and will start leading the herd out of there when they hear challanging bugles, and even cow calls.
In the later morning the herd will slow down as the thermals change or start to swirl. At this point you have a small window of time to make things happen. In the evening the herd is usually on a mission to go somewhere after they get out of bed and don't give a hoot about calls. I strictly spot and stalk in the evening, or sit a water hole, saddle,etc.
Elk are elk, and are most of the time SOBs, don't beat yourself up, just create the most repetitions of close encounters as you can and the odds will change.
The other idea is that I think many, perhaps most, bulls older than about about 2 have heard hunters bugle and busted them. The result is their keen ears have learned to tell slight differences. Perhaps instead of bugling, just break branches and rack a tree.
I've certainly seen elk become more call shy over the years. I've gotten to where, if I'm in close and the wind is good and consistent, I'll just hang tight and quietly wait for them to make a mistake. They move around, hopefully browsing into a good shooting position.
