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State - Wyoming
2 Pref Point tag
3rd week of September. 10 day hunt.
8am of Day 4 of a new area. You come across these 2 bulls sparring in a meadow. Wind is shifty.
Now What?
Sneak around behind them and shoot one.
I'd be aggressive and do something foolish. It would either end up with a dead elk, or two spooked elk that left the country
I'm probably a little too aggressive on elk
I'd run around behind that berm, step out through the trees, and shoot the biggest one.
Been there, done that. When they're sparring like that they are oblivious. I was standing in plain sight right beside two big bulls going at it and they paid no attention to me.
I second Jaq. No need to tip toe either and give the wind a chance to ruin things. Leave the calls in my pocket and go shoot one. Quickly I like these threads
What time of day is it? Looks like its past 8 or 9 so the wind is most likely swirling which means you're probably going to spook them. I would sneak in behind the bank and hope they were still playing when I got to within shooting range.
Yup - good opportunity for a stalk on the other side. It's only 8, so you should have some time. The wind's gotta let you go either right or left.
What were the dimensions of that meadow?
depends on yards from target.if over 60 i would be making a move to close the distance which may mean coming in from the other side wheres there trees and some rolling hills.(there busy! I can move albeit with caustion )if 60 or under im stay n put and calming my nerves and prep n for an opportunity to let one fly into the lungs of the bull on the left Shifty wind is not gonna help but if you dont make a move then there you sit! in other words be aggressive on getting within range while there busy MikeC..
Move on and find the herd bull....
ya can go right theres a cow under that big tree! you can see her rump
The one thing to consider is that their are likely cows around if its third week of September. I would take that into consideration but would still use terrain to get around there quickly. Spooking cows on the other side of that berm won't be noticed by the bulls unless the cows run back through them.
In my close sparring bull encounter, the cows didn't pay much attention to me either. Probably too focused on the herd bulls and didn't notice the "tree" moving around right next to them, trying to get a shot angle.
I'm usually very cautious, but this is is the time to go for it unless it is a very special big bull that you don't want to risk blowing out and you have time to hunt him without anyone else interfering.
That's how I shot my first bull! Get aggressive. Slip in to what ever side has more cover. Once they are done fighting they are going to go in opposite directions. Even if one of the bulls saw you and ran - the other one could of thought it was running from the fight.
Walk 20 yards closer and shoot.
If I was wanting to shoot one of these elk I would start going straight at them and come to full draw as soon as I was in range, Then continue in until I was a little closer and let the bigger of the 2 have it. Worse that could happen is they stop and you get busted.
Uh oh....!!!
Cows to the right!
The cows appear downhill and it's 8 AM. I assume the wind was in your face better to the left?
you can see a cow in the first picture just feed n away
I guess I don't have as good of a monitor as you guys. Where's the cow in the 1st pic?
on the right !in line with the big rock ,I suppose it could be a small bull you can see her wapiti (white rump)and her back,head down chow n away
MikeC
I'd run straight at them and shoot the bigger one. From my experience they are absolutely clueless of their surroundings when fighting. Doubt they would wind me either.
I agree with AZ. Walk right at them until in range. The cows would stand there and watch the whole thing.
I was standing 25 yards from 2 bulls fighting like that a few years ago on the last day of the season. My buddy says to me, "you know if you shoot one of them we're not getting home until 2:00 in the morning". (After elk is down have to retrieve horses, pack bull to camp, break camp, pack out, 6 hour drive home etc.) Still regret not shooting one of them.
I think you watch it play out and then go after the winner when he rejoins the cows.....he will be fired up and may come right in to a close challenge bugle. A distance to those sparing bulls would help in other options...
can you see her now she hasn`t moved in two days hahaha
You guys waited too long...
sparring is over...
Yep, some of us would've kilt one of them. If two of us were together we'd have maybe kilt both if we wanted to.
In my encounter I could've killed them both. The other one stood there looking around, wondering why the bigger one ran off. The story was featured in Bugle magazine, titled "The Last Minute".
