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How do I know when I'm close enough?

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How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby cantgetdrawn » 04 25, 2013 •  [Post 1]

This last year I heard elk bugle a few times while hunting. A couple of times they answered my cold calling and the other couple I just happened to be near them when they decide to bugle.

Each time I tried to get as close as I dared and bugled, hoping they would get annoyed and come in. I would first make sure the wind was in my favor then make my way toward the bugle. It has been suggested one should get within 75 yards of the elk but I have no idea how close I actually was through the timber. I am sure this is something you learn from experience.

Needless to say they never came in and I never saw them. I do have two questions if you gentlemen would be so kind to answer.

1) Is there a trick to figuring how close you are?

2) Once you hear the bugle and you know the elk is there, is it better to shut up and try to get close enough for a shot. If so, what strategy should one use to get close?
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Re: How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby easeup » 04 25, 2013 •  [Post 2]

that is a it depends question....
how good is your hearing, how much the wind is blowing, how many/dense the forest is, snow on the ground or not,.

one thing is for sure, if the bugle was plenty loud it almost startled you, he is at or under that 75 yd distance.
others are going to a better job with this one after me. just watch.
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Re: How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby cnelk » 04 25, 2013 •  [Post 3]

You will find that a bull standing 75yds away will sound different when he bugles if he is facing your direction or the opposite direction.
Then by the time you figure that he is further and you are still anchored down, then he has an advantage and you better get get after him!

Unless the terrain is really thick, you should be able to start seeing flashes of elk at approx 40yds.
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Re: How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby elkmtngear » 04 25, 2013 •  [Post 4]

An aggressive bull screaming (at me) at under 80 yards still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck!

Many times, I've had them rip off a bugle in that range just because they heard my footfalls. In other words, they are saying "you are invading my space, and I don't like it"

You'll know when you're close, and be ready, because it could go down very quickly; a bull in that scenario can be right on top of you in a heartbeat!

Also, realize that that bull will know exactly where you are calling from, and if they do not see an elk, they may just hang up or "disappear"......this is where having a decoy at the ready can make a big difference!
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Re: How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby Swede » 04 25, 2013 •  [Post 5]

Pin pointing a bull after hearing him just once can be difficult. On a number of occasions where I have been calling for someone and I hear the bull, I point in one direction and say he is over there, and my partner points in a completely different direction and says he is there. It usually takes a couple of calls to be sure. Loudness can be a factor, but more often you can place them from where the sound is coming from. If the sound comes from across a hill or from a patch of timber it makes things easier. I have never tried this, but if you are new to calling in the forest, you might experiment with a buddy by going around camp at various distances and if various directions and play around with your bugles. I usually find elk are actually closer than I first thought, so I prepare for them sooner than I first think is necessary.
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How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby Solitude » 04 25, 2013 •  [Post 6]

This is a great question and i am interested in the answers that will follow.

I can offer that when they are truly close, in fairly still air conditions, it sounds like they are 5 yards away and invisible.

Many times I have ran in thinking I am close and they are no where near (under 75 yards) and I have to push in closer. There eyesight is not the best IMO, so if you have some cover keep pushing closer and as the post above states look for flashes and legs below the trees/bushes.
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Re: How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby tdiesel » 04 26, 2013 •  [Post 7]

I have been fooled both ways (thought farther than they were or exact opposite) not real sure if you can tell with exactness but stealth in hope you can get a glimpse of something other than that it depends if the bull is facing you or not .when he bugles and the ground all but shakes i say your within that distance sorry I can't be more help I suppose experience more than anything
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Re: How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby Clip-Shot » 04 26, 2013 •  [Post 8]

I have experienced similar things that indicate why it’s tricky to judge distance.
Been so close, the bugle nearly blew my hat off and I couldn’t see him through the brush. No question when he left though.
Then, one time in particular a bull with cows was less than 45 yards up a slight grade among willow bushes and timber.
I was getting glimpses & hearing twigs break, and although he was facing away, if I wouldn’t have seen him bugle, I wouldn’t have dreamed he was this close. Actually, if I would have been much further away, I’m not sure I would have heard it. They have a remarkable way of controlling their volume, among other noises, when they want to.
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Re: How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby ElkNut1 » 04 28, 2013 •  [Post 9]

"1) Is there a trick to figuring how close you are?"

No trick here,just figure out where you are in relation to where the bugling bull is? If you are on the same mountainside as the bugler it will be much easier to pin down his location. Sure if he turns a bit it can cast his bugle but when in close you will be able to have a good idea as to his where abouts. So get on the same hill or mountain & this will help remove distance confusion. -- If a bull is across a draw from you & you two are at similar elevations then he can sound like he's just at the top of the hill you're on, this can be confusing so be aware of this. Sound travels easily at these times, it's like someone talking on the other side of a lake, you can hear them well but they really aren't that close!

"2) Once you hear the bugle and you know the elk is there, is it better to shut up and try to get close enough for a shot. If so, what strategy should one use to get close?"

Lots of variables here, there is no one thing that you would use on every elk, we will work a herd bull different than a satellite bull, problems arise when you use the same sounds on every elk. Aggression of elk also comes into play as well as where you caught them! Are they in the feeding area, bedding area or in-between? Moving elk are tougher to deal with than elk that are at their destination spots. Time of day will dictate their where abouts. First hour of daylight they are most likely near their feeding/watering areas. After 10am till 6pm they are in or very near daytime bedding areas, at this time it's common for them to get up & browse & water & possibly relocate bedding in cooler area that is nearby, after 6pm they are up & moving around on their way to feeding/watering night time bedding areas.

You will find it easiest to move in on elk that are where they want to be. If you catch them in transition to these destination areas then you will quite possibly have to dog the herd, getting close doesn't generally come into play until destination is reached. There are times you can get these elk including the herd bull to commit to calling but everything has to be right, closeness & curious elk!

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Re: How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby cantgetdrawn » 05 13, 2013 •  [Post 10]

Thanks everyone.

Most of the time when I heard bugles I was not on a very steep slope so the vertical distance was not too far. I guess this if I decide to hunt CO, I will be more aggressive when/if I hear bugles. I will shut up and try to get close enough to see the bull, hopefully before he smells, hears or sees me.
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Re: How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby Indian Summer » 05 13, 2013 •  [Post 11]

I'm pretty big on animal instincts. I'm sure some would agree that if there's an animal to try to learn from when it comes to elk hunting it's a wolf. I've called wolves in using cow calls. It is amazing how they go about closing in on a call. They go silent. And you don't see them coming. You might see a flicker like a bird in the brush if you're lucky but more than likely they'll get within spitting distance before you knew they were coming in.

Maybe you've read some of my posts where I mentioned that I have terrible hearing. That's means two things. First... if I can hear them bugle I still have no idea how close or far they are. But I still don't call it good and set up and call. I probably use my eyes more than hunters who have good hearing. So I do everything I can to lay eyes on the elk before they see me, just like any predator i suppose. I move in like a wolf. The first piece of advice I'd give though if you're going to get good at that is that forget about time. If he's bugling then you know he hasn't moved away & there's no hurry at all. If he goes silent you'll have your work cut out for you but if you make plan A slipping in like the shadows eventually you'll see a bull bedded or raking a tree.... or coming your way. Once you see an animal the odds take a big turn in your favor. Yes he might move away while you're taking your time but that's better than getting busted after rushing things & a risk you have to take unless you want it all to end with thundering hoofbeats.

The bull in the pic to the right was killed was with a bow late in the season. October 5th. He bugled 1 time. I had cow called several minutes before that from about 150 yards and got no response. Without knowing it I cut the distance by 1/3 down to 100 yards when off he went. Just a single high pitched bugle with no chuckle or anything special to indicate if he was big or if he was fired up. I was on soft pine needles and silent so I know he didn't bugle from my footsteps. I moved in slower than molasses until I came to the end of the green timber and to the edge of a burn. I peered out into the burn for a long time knowing he was out there somewhere. First with the naked eye then with binoculars. Eventually I saw the rear fork of the left antler sticking out from behind a tree. He was bedded only 60 yards away! Also... not that it mattered but I was out out of cover. I was in no hurry and thought for over 5 minutes about my next move when he stood up lazily strectched & started heading toward that 1st cow call he'd heard more than a half hour earlier. That's how long it took me to cover the 50 yards. He was coming my way and I was closer than the original call so I figured even if he hung up he'd be in range. My next move was zipping one through him at just under 20 yards. I am sure that if I'd set up further away and started a calling sequence it wouldn't have went well. I had seen him before and this time he was alot closer to a road and the norm there is for bulls to shut up and move away from vocal hunters. Minimal calling to locate and being slow & sneaky is my answer to alot of questions. Works for the wolves.
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Re: How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby easeup » 05 14, 2013 •  [Post 12]

Indian Summer wrote:.... The first piece of advice I'd give though if you're going to get good at that is that forget about time. ............................

The bull in the pic to the right was killed was with a bow late in the season. October 5th. He bugled 1 time. I had cow called several minutes before that from about 150 yards and got no response. Without knowing it I cut the distance by 1/3 down to 100 yards when off he went. Just a single high pitched bugle with no chuckle or anything special to indicate if he was big or if he was fired up. I was on soft pine needles and silent so I know he didn't bugle from my footsteps. I moved in slower than molasses until I came to the end of the green timber and to the edge of a burn. I peered out into the burn for a long time knowing he was out there somewhere. First with the naked eye then with binoculars. Eventually I saw the rear fork of the left antler sticking out from behind a tree. He was bedded only 60 yards away! Also... not that it mattered but I was out out of cover. I was in no hurry and thought for over 5 minutes about my next move when he stood up lazily strectched & started heading toward that 1st cow call he'd heard more than a half hour earlier. That's how long it took me to cover the 50 yards. He was coming my way and I was closer than the original call so I figured even if he hung up he'd be in range. My next move was zipping one through him at just under 20 yards. I am sure that if I'd set up further away and started a calling sequence it wouldn't have went well. I had seen him before and this time he was alot closer to a road and the norm there is for bulls to shut up and move away from vocal hunters. Minimal calling to locate and being slow & sneaky is my answer to alot of questions. Works for the wolves.



yes sir. that is great advice!
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Re: How do I know when I'm close enough?

Postby Jaquomo » 05 14, 2013 •  [Post 13]

Per Indian Summer and Elknut's advice, I ALWAYS shut up, sit down, and assess the entire situation before doing any sort of calling.
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