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For Scenario #6, I would be behind the Elk Mountain Slip Blind/Decoy, and as soon as the cows started to move down to wind me, I would get up and move ahead of them, keeping the crosswind ahead of the herd, holding up the decoy by the handle. We have successfully moved around a herd in this manner to get the wind in our favor again, and then been able to re-approach the herd bull from the downwind side.

Best of Luck, Jeff

It's great to see how how they all give different answers for the same situation. Just goes to show that there is no "one" right answer and you never know what will work. I leave in four very long days...

after calling and you don't have the patience to sit out or a trail cam to set up you can brush out the fresch elk sign with a stick and lay some branches in the wallow. check later on in the day or on the way back from your hunt that day to see if anything visited. Wallows are better early in the season than late.

Ex: In #1, nobody addressed that another approach might be to backtrack where the elk had just come from (feeding grounds or water hole), scout the area and find the perfect ambush setup for the morning movement between them. Another option for this bull that might have a better chance at success with the element of suprise.

With all the different approaches and ideas, it just reinforces my impression that there is no "correct" way to do things when hunting elk. This panel of folks are all great elk hunters with LOTS of success. It is said that success comes with experience and experience comes from learning from your failures. I am very grateful to the panel for sharing some of their insights/opinions on these scenarios, and I will be changing how I handle a few scenarios this fall based on what I just read.

It seems many of the answers are somewhat the same, just with a little different twist. I find it very interesting as well as informative.

Pat...great idea for a thread, gets everyone to gather there thoughts where they need to be...positive.

thanks

You've outdone yourself these past two weeks. The shot placement/shoot-don't shoot video challenge from last week together with this thread are absolutely over-the-top awesome.

Thank you!

Where these all scenarios where things went bad for you Pat :). I recall the elk all being on private land scenario from one of your hunts.

Thanks Pat for the effort, and thanks to the 'experts' for being good sports!

Great feature Pat!

When he first contacted me to see if I would be interested, I thought "Sure, sounds like fun!". When he sent the scenarios, that thought quickly changed to "What the heck have I gotten myself into!" Talk about some tough situations!

As some have already alluded to, there is never just "one best way" to handle any situation you might run into. Also, what worked in one instance might bring fairly "disasterous" results in another. Learning from experience (both good and bad) and adding a good measure of common sense will go a long way towards consistently filling your tag.

Best of luck to all this coming season. Hopefully the 2010 Elk Meatpole thread will be really long this year!

Thanks for giving this to us right on top of the season!

As I read all responses I felt most were very close to one another, I too enjoyed reading all scenarios!

Remember, be Aggressive in both action & calling when it's needed!!

Good Luck everyone & have fun!!!!

ElkNut1

Serously....have a great season!!!! Thanks for the insights.

Great answers, guys. I agree with Paul that aggressive action is many times the action that seals the deal.

thanks Pat and the elksperts!

Thanks to the guys for taking the time to answer as well!

One point that stuck out in my mind that I think is important on situations like 2 and 6, where you have potential elk that are going to blow your cover or have elk get nervous before the big boy gets to you, is to be the first one to make the move or elk sounds and not wait till you get busted.

Once elk get startled by seeing non-elk movement, or not seeing the elk they think should be there, it is really hard to control any part of the situation. There are subtle nuances that elk key into that affect how they react an they key off of each other all the time. Their instincts kick in and it is usually over before it got started.

If you can push satellite bulls off with aggressive calls or movement that spooks them a bit, I think you are way better off compared to having them get too close and then get freaked and then take off. Just the way a nervous elk runs off vs a spooked elk could make a difference in how/if the big bull decides to still come in to check things out.

Regarding the concern of getting winded. I work really hard to never have an elk smell me, ever! Especially the area I hunt, public lands, OTC general tags, in wolf country, an elk's sense of smell is their biggest protector. Wolves have changed elk's behavior greatly in this regard in my opinion and when they smell a threat they just don't take off back to where they came from, they vacate to another drainage or 2, or 3 away from you! Not a good option for the rest of your hunt.

Control the situation, don't let the situation control you.

So, if I am concerned about them smelling me. I will do about anything to keep this from happening. Movement is okay, use your calls to cover up what happened, making a story unfold that still keeps the big boy coming to you. Even if they have to see my entire outline I would do that as well. Like the experts said, you can still play out a scenario with your calls, with an agressive bugle, that makes the bull think an outside bull has come in to mix things up, having no idea that the spooked cows were from your movement, etc.

You controlled that situation before it got out of hand. Not fool proof by any means but I think it gives you a significant advantage.

The time is getting real close and I am stoked to be heading to the hills very soon!

Good Luck To Everyone!

Good stuff for sure.

I think Scenario 3 and 4 will both help me out in New Mexico in a few days

Bake

Ausable, guessing your last sentance is correct- Busy with here and now vice checking out a 'maybe' down there.

I assume you started off with cow calling of sorts & that's what brought by the unwanted. You then resorted to pulling out all the stops in an effort to lure the herd bull in. How far were you from the herd bull when you posed this threatening display? Inside 80 is needed & you must be believable! Distance is very critical here?

It's hard to say what I would have done exactly as I was not there seeing & hearing the encounter unfold.

But, if I would have gotten the herd bull excited by cow calling & he was doing his best to call over this new recruit I would have went right at him quickly expressing my interest in him as I did so.---This doesn't mean I wouldn't be prepared to switch gears in a heart-beat if it was needed & scream in his face if the need arose. But 1st & foremost I would have given him exactly what he was wanting! Aggressive action is needed!!

Too, was the small group that came your way with him for sure or was it possibly another group that was nearby & he still had his harem up the hill with him? This could be the case, as I mention details are needed for an accurate assessment!

ElkNut1

stick/branch? some special walking stick? what's

a "whipstick?"

very smart of you by the way Pat...... you may want to print some of these out and keep em in your pocket. after reading your diaries you would have had success with some of this advice.....

In the scenarios where some mention raking & thrashing about & Dan says whip stick, it's still all the same thing he's just using a different name.

ElkNut1

The fact that there were other satellites nearby bugling/harassing this bull & the this herd bull did not run over to them but kept them at bay vocally should have showed you he most likely would not come your way either as you represented another satellite with your bugling requests. Instead this herd bull was giving you "tolerating bugles" this is an intimidation that says do not come any closer or else! Get in closer & scream hard & you will get the "or else" (grin) At times give one or two cow mews & scream instantly behind them as a real bull would do & this is a very demanding way a satellite will give his best shots at calling cows from him!

If you have "sounds by the elk" cd it's the #-14 on the back cover, also consider #-7 in the short powerful scream you'll hear these bulls making! In both instances they are calling cows to them! This will pose an immediate Threat to him & his harem when in close & will definitely piss him off! Have an arrow nocked & a calm demeanor as he can come in fast!

ElkNut1