Calling Elk Or Glassing Elk?
Elk
Both can be effective in Finding Elk, what seems to be the most productive for you in the type of elk country you hunt during your stay?
For me I rely on glassing the first week of Sept a bit more as elk are in pre-rut phase & not as vocal yet. I do call at this time as there are those times when we have bulls bugling on the 1st so we are ready for either, at this time it's all about finding elk no matter how it's done.
Throughout the course of Sept. I rely on Bugling 90% of the time & Glassing 10% of the time for locating elk especially in timbered country, it's by far our fastest way to locate elk over all our years of elk hunting. If I had to choose between the two the glass would stay in camp 100% of the time, Bugling is that powerful for finding elk on our DIY OTC elk hunts. I also will use the Contact Buzz as a locator as it too can carry a great distance in locating elk, like the Location bugle, the contact buzz is also a locator of elk & has worked awesome when the bugle didn't receive a response.
What works for you?
ElkNut1
I follow closely to your methods with just one difference, if I'm in black timber I will listen for elk, not their bugles, but all the other sounds they make, elk are noisy when they are on the move. It's amazing how much you can hear (how far) in the woods when sitting up on a ridge.
Locate bugles over glassing for me. Also loud cow calls with the Long Ranger both with or without my tube. My Binos stay in camp 90% of the time. They are more of a hindrance than useful tool in steep dark timbered areas.
I hunt about the same, glassing pre season or the first couple of days of I didn't get out early, then locator bugles during the hunt.
I bring the bino's on every hunt, I won't waste my time on a bull if he's not a great 5x5 or decent 6X, so I use them to identify a shooter.
Love the dark timber early.
I mainly use calling, just a little glassing.
Elknut, is the contact buzz the same as the estrus buzz?
It's totally terrain dependent is it not? Pretty fundamental.If you can see them, why bugle to locate? If you can't seem them, and bulls are your target, you need to find them. That's with bugles or cow calls.
Contact buzz is something quite common here in Colorado.
I use both. Where I hunt is 99.9% timber, so I use both locator calls and mews as I'm hunting to make contact with elk. That said, there are also places that I know where I'm likely to see elk. In those places, I don't say a peep as I still hunt my way through them. If I don't see anything, then I'll hit a few mews along with a low volume bugle.
Although most my glassing consists of 100yds and in, I probably use my glasses as much as someone in open terrain. Can't count the number of times something that seems out of place turns out to be a leg, ear, patch of hair, etc. Also, funny how many times that horizontal line that looks odd amongst all those vertical trees turns out to be an elk's back. I'd feel as naked without my binocs as I would without my bow.
I do both but I never or mainly rely on only one option, the equalizing that binos give human eyesight is mandatory in every aspect of my hunting even if I am in open country, there is no way I would ever leave camp without my binos. I can't count the times as I moved through the dark timber, thick PJ or even open country areas and glassed a spot of hair, ear or an antler tip of bedded elk that I would have never seen if my binos were at camp. When I am set up to call or bugle a bull in I am frequently glassing through the trees so that I may have the jump on the lane the bull is coming in on.
Toby, yes it is! I was trying to reduce confusion with the phrase Estrus & felt Contact was a better suited name since this sound has little to do with cows being ready to be bred.
Thanks guys for the response! This should help others out by appreciating how others have their ways in locating elk. Good stuff!
ElkNut1
Cazador I'd say you nailed it when it comes to locating elk. I hunt some timbered stuff where I don't even have a spotting scope in base camp let alone on me and the binos don't get used much.
But I hunt other places where a good vantage point and binos will show you elk every time because you can see so much. I take the spotting scope afield every day there too. If I can spot them and watch them for awhile without giving away my location I definitely will. Calling is the ticket for closing the deal but if the situation and terrain allows I'll keep quiet and ambush too.
I don't think it's terrain dependent at all. How are you going to see an elk in the dark?
Why bugle to locate? Because it's DARK when we get to our hunting spot in the morning, and if you just "head into the woods", you may just run a whole herd off!
A locator bugle before sunrise makes getting on Bulls in our area so much easier.
We hunt where the elk are and don't waste our time in an area if calling, glassing and hiking doesn't produce elk/elk sign in the mornings.
If there is no answer to locator bugles in the morning, we walk a few miles and if there is zero fresh sign, we are back to the meeting zone by 8 or 9am. Then we either head back to camp (depending on conditions), or hit another area.
I use my bino's in the thickest of thick. It saves a lot of walking after those "stick" sheds and "stump" elk.
The areas I hunt are so thick I hardly glass at all,so locate bugle.I also like to sneak around and just listen if I know they are in the area and try to ambush them as they are moving to either their feeding or bedding area.
"I don't think it's terrain dependent at all. How are you going to see an elk in the dark?"
I don't. When I get up, it's still dark. If I hear a bugle from where I'm camped (happens a lot) I go to it. If I don't, I climb the hill behind camp where I can see and hear tons of ground (7-8 drainages). From there, at first light, if I catch a whistle, or see them, I take off after them. I don't like walking calling blind in my area. There is no reason to unless the morning has passed. Once I get up high, 90 percent of the time, I'm going to see them. I don't like bumping elk in the dark hence my reason for glassing first, then moving in on them.
I'd say I used a bugle more in the afternoon vs. the AM as the elk are bedded and if I don't have a clue where they are, I try to find them while still bedded to have a clue where they may go. I'm a self taught elk hunter, maybe I'm doing it wrong.
One thing I notice is a lot of these "how to kill an elk threads" are based off of certain areas, that certain guys hunt year after year. A lot of the tactics work for their area based on years of experience but to somehow think it's the only way across the spectrum is a bit reaching.
Calling! Where I hunt mostly (and where I'll be this year), there are very few places to gain any elevation to glass. There are a couple of knolls I'll glass from from time to time but it's definitely not super productive.
A lot depends upon the terrain I'm hunting, hunting pressure, and whether bulls are bugling or reacting to bugles. If I'm hunting super open country I rely more on my eyes than ears. Bulls with little hunting pressure are more likely to communicate back and forth with eachother by bugling/cow calling. Rut timing, weather, moon phase, estrous, etc all influence how vocal elk are and how much I call.
Elknut, What would you suggest for somewhere like this? This is taken at around 11K feet. Hunt will be Sep 1-14th archery. Plan to camp at around 9500'.
My my! How times change! Elknut, I can remember back a few years ago when we were good friends and you told me how useless binoculars were for the areas you hunt. But it is totally amazing how your attitude changed once you got a Vortex optics dealership.
Vthtokee: Nice picture. Depending on the time of day, I'd glass the heck out of that area. Good looking hidey-hole.
vthokee,With those early start dates in mind I'd be equipped with 10X42 binos & at least a 65mm Spotter. Locating elk is # 1- With that type of open country I would glass the elk up, they are there somewhere! If not in that basin then another, possibly to the left & right in the photo or head straight down the gut to the timber at far end of photo. Locating elk then watching what they do & where they go or enter cover can give me an idea of how to plan an ambush on them after a day or so.
I would not exclude bugling, it's just that glassing would be my dominant choice. If I bugled & received a response early season that's just a bonus! (grin) As your time nears the 8th--9th & 10th & on rutting action will pick up. Whether glassing or bugling all I'm trying to accomplish is Finding Elk! Once found I shut down calling & get over to them. I will have a plan once over there to what may fit that encounter.
Once rutting starts bugling would take over in locating elk, whether calling before daylight or after it doesn't matter, I'm just locating!
ElkNut1
WW--I don't see anywhere where ElkNut1 was pushing Vortex? He simply asked what works for you? He also says he only glasses 10% of the time. So why are you throwing him under the bus?
I appreciate all his advice and getting the ball rolling on tactics for elk. No need for negative feedback. Keep it coming Paul!
Total bino believer - the focus is very useful for blurring foreground branches etc and concentrating on the area where you hope to see animals.
I've hunted pretty challenging areas in Montana where there are elk but they are scattered and not bugling during daylight at all. My equipment of choice is Vibram (sole, that is). In the thick timber I want as good light gathering and wide angle a binocular as possible.
WW, notice that it's the areas we normally hunt that binos are not needed, that hasn't changed a bit for me! There are still areas I hunt that I do not take binos because of the thick country but I do carry a 6X rangefinder & it does great if I need to look out a couple hundred yards or closer. But when I venture into areas as shown by vthokee then you bet I'd use optics, it's all about where you're hunting & the needs at that time.
Look at this photo here, I'd be a fool knowing I was heading into this area & not want to glass it! It's just common sense!
ElkNut1
Calling for me. I use my binos all day long but its mostly for close stuff. I like locating bugles because they sometimes work and its fun. I probably bugle too much but life is short and there are only so many mornings I'll be standing on a ridge with blazing aspens bugling back and forth with a bull.
When I went on my first archery elk hunt a guy told me to spend the first 3 days glassing. Find the elk and plan your hunt. The area was in the NW corner of CO and you could see a long way. I ignored him and just went in the MNTS and either called or set up on water holes. I had success when I heard bulls or spotted them in the open. Cold calling only worked once in the days I hunted. Fast forward two years later I hunted the same area with a friend that drew the same tag. First three days he hunted stands while I glassed morning and evening. I located four good bulls that I was able to determine where they came out in either morning or evening. Was a much more productive hunt. Not only did I locate elk I leavened there patterns. When I looked back on my hunt I was able to se why I saw elk in certain areas and others none.
We definitely walked a lot lees the second go around. Buddy killed a great bull on day 6 of the season.
Hard core glassing for everywhere I have hunted elk - CO, NM, AZ, UT, and WY. Locate them, figure out if there is a bull big enough to chase, move in close and listen, then use my binos at close range (even under 20 yards) in the timber to find them before they see me. Most of the time bugling is only good to get the satellite bulls to come in. Sometimes a herd bull will come to a cow call. Percentage is way better to be a ghost in the woods and let the elk make the sounds. I will use a cow call or even a bugle to get a bull to stop for a shot sometimes, though.
Thanks guys! Lots of ideas & thoughts for the many styles & reasons why a hunter chooses his course. Look at the ones as there are a variety that may fit your style or the way you intend to elk hunt & see if you can incorporate some of the thoughts.
No doubt encounters will be situational so we also need to stay versatile & be willing to adjust our thinking to fit the needs of that day. Times to call & times to glass be prepared for both!
ElkNut1
Those of us that have the luxury of living in elk country or hunting elk now for many years have the tendency to take things for granted such as the simple things as locating elk then what to do with them once found. I receive quite a few PM's & emails asking these questions from many new ones so felt it would be good to post a thread & have ones share their thoughts as to what works for them & their styles of locating elk.
The Bowsite is about helping or assisting others & there are countless new ones thirsting for any & all info we can share. It may seem old hat & repetitious to some here but to those who are hanging on every word where threads can aid them in their 1st or 5th elk hunt info as this can be invaluable & much appreciated.
ElkNut1
I bought me some new Votrex 10x42's for this year. Can't wait to try them out. I am looking to try and find a light weight spotter. With the elevation gain that I will be facing the lighter my pack is the better. I plan to spend a lot of time glassing them up.
Personally, with 17 elk seasons under my belt I have never actually sat and glassed. I don't own a spotting scope. I have sat for short periods of time and watched certain open areas with my compact binoculars but I wouldn't consider it "glassing".
I've always gone into the timber to find elk and it has worked pretty well. Although I realize that there may have been times when I could have benefitted from being more passive and doing more glassing but my style of elk hunting is more aggressive. I spend most of October and November sitting in a treestand hunting whitetails and I'd rather not sit still while elk hunting.
I realize that my lack of glassing may be hurting me at times but the terrain I typically hunt hasn't been that conducive to glassing...
Maybe I'll do more glassing this year...?
Mike, excellent point about you're already sitting a treestand for whiteys that when it comes to your elk hunting it's good to have boots on the ground! I agree 100% with your aggressive but not careless approach, works for me! (grin)
ElkNut1
I don't get the not glassing. Sometimes we are dealing with vast areas and glassing can bring us into an area that we would have never even considered without seeing elk there. A few years back I was having trouble finding elk and glassed into a little spot I never would have tried and sure enough there they were just on the edge of timber. Way too far away to hear even if they were being vocal. When I am in the woods I am trying to collect information anyway I can and all senses are being used. It can be a hint from one of the senses and sight is the way we collect most information in our world. Glassing gives me super sight and a powerful tool in the tool box.
True, glassing has its place no doubt! I love using glass on some evenings! But most elk we & others here locate are well before daylight where glassing can not be utilized! Finding elk early a.m. has proven very deadly! Thanks!
ElkNut1
Adventurewriter,
Point taken. I realize that I may be handicapping myself and maybe I need to glass more...
While I am not much of a run and gun type of elk hunter, I always have my binoculars with me. Same for whitetail hunting. A glimpse of an animal can help identify it. It can save some steps at times by looking for sign in the distance - is that a rub or a dead tree?
Some areas lend themselves to glassing, other areas do not. Regardless, they help in many ways IMHO....
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I can't imagine NOT glassing. If nothing else, you are lining up areas to hunt that evening, the following day, etc.
Why spend all day hiking the valley and bugling if you see the herd of elk on the next ridge over?
If you pay attention to the guys killing BIG bulls all the time I think you'll notice there are not a lot of trees around ;)
I am gonna forgo the excitement of rut hunting this fall and be at timberline glassing for solo bulls fattening up at colo opener, in back of beyond.I think this is a better way, to my way of thinking, of finding and killing a specific bull. Hope I have a deer tag in my pocket to. we will see June 1st.
A lot of big bulls are killed in the timber too.
Some areas have way more timber than meadows/parks. If your game plan was to glass until you find elk and then hunt, there are some areas where you would have to sit and glass a few relatively small and/or distant open areas hoping that elk decided to walk through them so you could locate them.
In the meantime you may be sitting and overlooking a drainage with thousands of acres of timber that could have elk in it but it would be impossible to see the elk unless they happened to enter one of the very few open areas.
Personally I would rather cover some ground through the timber looking for elk than sit for days staring at the same small meadows hoping a bull shows himself in it.
Obviously you're not going to spend all day hiking the valley and bugling if you see a herd of elk on the next ridge over but in some areas there is just too much timber to be able to see much. In those instances your odds are probably going to increase if you go into the timber after them.
Also, in a heavily timbered drainage you might sit and glass for 1, 2 maybe 3 days before you locate elk and then after you find them you might not be able to hunt them until the next day when you can formulate a game plan. So you may have spent 2-4 days or more before you actually hunt and attempt to make contact with the elk. In those 2-4 days you spent glassing there's a chance that you might have already found elk if you were actually in the timber hunting. In fact you might already be packing meat out by the time you would have found them by glassing.
I don't claim to be an expert and I know there are a lot of guys who have killed more elk than me, and I know I probably need to glass more but I've done alright by hunting the timber and glassing very little, oftentimes in units I have never hunted before. I killed a 360" 6x7 in the timber in Colorado that I never would have seen in the daylight if I would have been glassing instead of hunting in the timber. A few years ago I got to within 35 yards of a 350" class bull in the timber in a CO OTC unit. A couple years ago I was within 15 yards of a 340" plus 7x7 in the timber in WY. I may not have ever seen or gotten within bow range of those bulls if I was glassing instead of hunting the timber. Every bull I have killed has been in the timber.
I've read posts where guys have written things like "there were elk there but they wouldn't come out of the timber" and therefore they couldn't figure out how to hunt them.
I'm not against glassing, I just think that it's not suited to every area or situation and there may be more than one way to skin a cat.
Movement to contact through elk habitat works best for us. We do glass first and last light until we get them located, then sneak along all day into the wind. Non-stop action.
I hunt elk exactly like Cheesehead Mike does.
No spotting scope or binos. Dive into the timber and meet elk head to head.
Its made me a better elk hunter in the long run.
We do MTC even before we see them from a vantage point....we just get high and clear before we start/after we are finishing up.
Where I hunted before, glassing was great. Problem was, others could glass the same elk and it became a footrace to get there. Lots of elk but I got tired of trying to outrun younger hunters.
Where I hunt now, glassing is pretty much useless but I NEVER run into another hunter in the woods.
Great glassing and racing area. I'm not as fast as I was in my 30's and 40's, I've learned.
Here, not so much, but I can hunt carefully and deliberately for a week over there and nobody bothers me or the elk.
"I'm not against glassing, I just think that it's not suited to every area or situation and there may be more than one way to skin a cat."
Well said Mike. Don't limit yourself to be a one trick pony.
Michael, nice elk with a longbow!
Mike, yes very well put, it's our favorite style too & will be for years to come but like others I keep my optics handy as well for just such occasions. Thanks!
ElkNut1
It mainly depends on the Habitat / tree type and Terrain In this photo , I do not even use Binos, just a range finder, and many times we have10 to 30 elk with near with nothing but ears and head to see . Not all of CO is a High Desert !
This is not the ph I wanted...but much thicker than this in most places I hunt
This is not the ph I wanted...but much thicker than this in most places I hunt
There is a lot of great information for a newbie buried in this thread. Thanks.
Axe, exactly! This is why we need to be versatile while elk hunting. Some areas warrant Glassing, some Calling & some both! Like many I prefer calling locate elk but I will raise the Glass now & then depending on the area I'm elk hunting!
That's some thick country you have there, perfect!
ElkNut1
