Give out a 3-legged cow with a stillborn calf on a full moon night call?
Seriously, if the wind was good there and I wanted to shoot them I'd drop down, get the elk hat off my pack, get their attention with a couple mews, show the hat and stare at them, look ahead and upwind like I'm looking at other elk, bob a time or two like a feeding cow, then shoot the first one as he comes over to circle me.
If you got cover to your left. Blow a cow mew to behind and right then circle out and then up to your left. Slow em down so you have time to set up closer to where they were going.
Thank you for these. While one may disagree with what you have in mind for an answer when you post these up, I think it's simply because there are more than one way to approach these.
Yep, I'll admit, I have no idea what to do after all these years in the mountains because past experience says any movement will be seen and those elk will bolt for the other side of the nearest ridge. And any calling will either be ignored or send the elk running.
Having said that, I'd stand there and stare in joy at getting to watch them pass by me. Then I'd cow call and see what happens. I have nothing beyond that.
Looking forward to the constructive response that come from this and your other threads. Some year I hope to have more than just pure luck being in the right place at the right time, although I refuse to not be happy as heck being out there and with each encounter.
Brad, I've had bulls like that lead me to a great waterhole/wallow in new areas too. That happened late in the season last year. Now waiting for the snow to melt so I can learn that whole little drainage.
When they're on a mission like that they often ignore calls and keep on keeping on to wherever they're headed.
I have seen the same before but instead of flanking them to see where they are going I moved quickly towards the path of the moving elk and low a behold the bigger bull and more cows were in tow and I ended up taking him down.
I'd give a couple soft mews and see what happens. If they come in closer and give me a shot, great. If not, I'll follow as closely as I can, since the wind won't allow me to get ahead of them. As mrelite mentions, I'd keep an eye out for other elk as well. These two youngster could very well be dogging a herd.
BTW, the 3-legged cow with a stillborn calf on a full moon night call WOULD have worked if you'd used the buzz instead of the wheeze. Heck, that's just common sense! Rookies!!!
Wyo, good one! A former world record bull, taken by Ben Alexander and Harry Troxell, was shot by them at the same time from opposite angles. Neither knew the other was going to shoot, and in the record book it lists them both with a "simultaneous hit".
Brad, I remember seeing that clip before. Besides quietly popping the elk butt...and giving a couple of soft mews...I got nuthin.
At best, they would maybe come in curiously to bow range, but there's a good chance you'd be pinned down and unable to get a shot off. Plus, the mid morning swirly wind thing is always an issue.
Hard to get their attention when they are on a mission like that sometimes. And, they are covering a lot of ground with each step.
60 yards is too far of a shot to try in brush like that. I'd probably tried a soft cow call like lots of others on said, but sounds like what cnelk did was probably the best. Follow up and see what you get close enough for a shot, and see what you might discover.
Cool video. I love watching elk just be themselves. thanks for sharing.
It looks like they are on a mission. Doubt you could turn them so I wouldn't alert them. I'd have been closing the distance right away. But as is id follow them and see where they take me. Coyote them, far enough back but stay close and wait for them to slip up and let me get in front of them or good enough cover to get close enough to stop one broadside with a stop call.
