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Just when I think I know how to call...

I feel like I’m a better than average caller, can make all the sounds and feel like I’m versatile in my sounds. I am 5 days in on my hunt and have thrown everything at these Wyoming elk and I have had no call-ins. I’ve heard bugles every morning and evening. But lots are sporadic and won’t respond to cow calls or any kind of bugle. I’ve tried quiet bugles, half bugles, elknut’s slow play, etc etc. elk just melt away never to be heard from again.

watched a big 6 pt push 9 cows over into a north slope. Snuck in there that afternoon and got on them. Him and a satellite were bugling back and forth, we snuck in under 120 yards and had him fired up with cow calls raking and bugles. He was coming and I thought he was going to pop out and then got further away??? No clue as to what happened. Anyway, just venting while I’m waiting on laundry in town.

Listen to the EXO podcast #138 featuring Elknut. Use the slow play sequence.

Thank me later..... :) LOL

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Sounds like a lot of fun!!!

Maybe just sit your ass down next to a tree, let out a few mews and a light bugle every few minutes. Do this for 30-45mins. Let them come to you silently.

That’s what worked for us last week many times

Brad knows what he’s talking about. I swear if I’m patient enough, a bull will come in silent to almost every cold call session. I’m usually just too impatient.

I’m impatient too. Hard to pick a spot randomly out of a huge drainage. And I swear, these elk seem lazy as hell, they don’t want to go anywhere if they don’t gave too! Ha ha!!! I’ll give it a shot.

I’m impatient too. Hard to pick a spot randomly out of a huge drainage. And I swear, these elk seem lazy as hell, they don’t want to go anywhere if they don’t gave too! Ha ha!!! I’ll give it a shot.

Mossy I know what you mean about setting up. I usually get as close as I can to elk, either through fresh sign, bugles, or smell. Then start some calling.

To follow up, the trip went the same. Elk bugles every morning and night. They shut up everyday by about 8am. Could call an elk in to save our lives. Everything was herded up and satellites seemed non-existent. We’d have been happy with a raghorn, anything! Couldn’t find one or call one in. Tried simply just being quiet and sneaking in, but with inconsistent bugles, noisy brush, getting busted by cows, etc etc.

Seriously a rough year. I lost 4 days of hunting and an ER visit due a severely strained back. Freak thing, really don’t know what caused it. Thinking of returning for rifle but will not go back to where we were, too much timber for rifle I think.

Appreciate the tips though, thanks!

Yes you must return with your pea shooter and get even.

I leave on Sunday for October 1st opener. Good luck and go get it done. Life is short have fun while you can.

'He was coming and I thought he was going to pop out and then got further away??? No clue as to what happened.' Air happened. Swirled and his nose caught it.

If there bugling on thier own don't say a thing and sneak in and shoot one.

Next time, sneak in closer without calling. Do not announce your presence. If you get within 60-80 yds, you can simply rake them in, no calling required.

Big Dan shared this secret many times! Worked out great for us this Season.

Elk are lot like turkeys. Some times you can feel like the worlds best caller. The next trip you feel like a fool that does not know anything. One day this week I watched a large group of elk just below me but on private for a couple hours. Several bulls bugling a lot, cows calling they were spread out over several hundred yards. Just because there is a elk bugling or a cow calling did not mean another bull or cow would wonder over to them. Just like if you walk into a store people are talking but you don't necessarily walk over to them just because you hear them. There needs to be a reason to or you need to be in the mood to interact with someone.

Can't call elk that won't talk. Find a water hole/wallow and sit til you kill one.

Wyoming had plenty of elk for us last year, sign everywhere we hunted. Bugles were extremely rare tho. Had to sit wallows to kill one. We bumped elk several times that never made a peep.

We/I tried numerous times to just move in as close as possible without saying a word. Problem was the thick noisy vegetation would give us away. Or they’d bugle so inconsistently that we were often left standing there wondering what our next move should be. We always had our wind checker bottles and trying to adjust the inconsistent wind. We’ve hunted the area 4 previous years and killed 4 bulls total but it’s mostly earlier. There’s a early rifle season that started on the 15th and never seen so many people. I think pressure was a big part of it. But still frustrating when everything in your playbook fails.

Khnc, where we are, there is water everywhere! Didn’t find a single wallow that’d been used recently.

Interesting thread. Thanks for sharing and follow up. Could you possibly have a pinched nerve or buldging disk which is what I am dealing with something that sounds similar but only a visit to the right doctor let me know for sure? I also know what it feels like to miss days of hunting because of pain and difficulty walking. If you are completely comfortable with your ER diagnoses, then ignore my question and good luck to you. .......badbull

Badbull, I think I have something wrong with my SI joint. It started there and went up the lumbar and then hit the other side too. This happened quite a few years ago to me and had a clean MRI at that time. I also happen to be an MRI technologist. I have no radiating symptoms, just had severe spasms. I woke up and was real tight, tried to stretch and it went downhill fast from there. After four days and various meds I was able to walk with a trekking pole and no pack. By day 5 I was hammering mountains again but I wasn’t 100%.

Hey Mossyhorn, we experience a lot of the same thing in our area, also with a Sept 17 rifle opener. We've tried lots of elk nut sequences standing in one spot near where a bull had bugled or where there is fresh elk sign for 30-60 mins and occasionally it works but certainly not very often. Sometimes I feel like I wasted prime hunting time standing in one spot too though. I can only speak on Alberta elk though. Being able to record and playback your calls on his app and get really good at imitating his stuff is invaluable, and humbling. (Many elk hunters think their calling is way better than it really is, I was certainly that way myself, or that it doesn't matter, it does.) We are still pretty firm believers in covering the miles and looking for a hot cooperative bull. I think Paul Medel/elknut is still of that mindset most of the time too. The elknut app is the absolute best elk hunting helper there is! Here is a fantastic program for your back, made my back feel like a miraculous recovery. Rarely ever have trouble with it now. https://www.foundationtraining.com/

Mike, thanks for the link for the back therapy, I’ll definitely check it out.

I’ve had the elknut app since it came out and even spent an hour on the phone with Paul this last winter talking about the slow play and various things. I had no luck with it and tried to work it up many times, just didn’t happen.

The way I see it, Elk hunting and calling is situational. What works one day, may not work the next. It's all about reading the encounter correctly, and acting accordingly to the situation at hand. I dealt with similar situations this year. Lazy bugles from the beds. There were a few times the bulls came in silent using the slow play, but circled in from behind and busted me. Conversely, trying to move in on the bedded bulls was fruitless as loud and crunchy as it was along with dense cover for low visibility and not able to see them even though I know I was within a couple hundred yards. It's tough in that situation and can be very frustrating. But you cannot give up! Never give up! Ever!

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