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What would you do?

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What would you do?

Postby JohnFitzgerald » 05 14, 2013 •  [Post 1]

True Senerio: We had a bull with cows really worked up. Unfortuantely we couldn't close the gap any more than 60 yards because of wind direction and a clear opening. The bull beleived he had another bull(me) challenging him for the rights to his cows. After I screamed at him, he let out a scream of his own with hard pounding grunts, then he emmediately followed that with nervous grunt. What would you have done to bring this bull in?

FYI, we were able to get him to commit but were unable to get a shot.
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Re: What would you do?

Postby Swede » 05 14, 2013 •  [Post 2]

Assuming you have good cover where you are, I would have given a quick cow call back, followed by stomping and a cow in pain yelp then a small rag horn bull scream, followed by more stomping and cow in pain calls.
Now don't tell us you reeled him in with your Hoochie Moma. LOL
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Re: What would you do?

Postby elkmtngear » 05 14, 2013 •  [Post 3]

I believe he was telling you "show yourself" !

I would have done just that...behind the SLIP System butt decoy. I'd work it to the edge of the opening where he could just see it, and get a shooter off to one side and as close to the bulls expected approach area as humanly possible. Then I would get down behind it and proceed to thrash the nearest tree or bush with a stick, shaking the decoy all the while.

We darn near pulled this off on a 350 herd bull a couple years back. Unfortunately, my buddy drew at the wrong time, and got busted. We had him under 20 yds.

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Re: What would you do?

Postby horseshoe » 05 14, 2013 •  [Post 4]

I bet that if that decoy has a little sphincter control and could manage to blow a couple notes, a guy sitting in a tree stand on the escape route just might just get a shot! :lol:
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Re: What would you do?

Postby Jaquomo » 05 14, 2013 •  [Post 5]

I'd have tried what Swede and Jeff suggested since those are my normal tactics in that situation. If that didn't work I'd shut up, sneak around to the other side with quarter-wind, hang around the edge of the herd until I shot him. Probably 90% of the herd bulls I've killed have been shot that way.
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Re: What would you do?

Postby easeup » 05 14, 2013 •  [Post 6]

As the bull just said get up here so I can see what I am fixin to whoop. I would try to replicate what Swede said.
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Re: What would you do?

Postby JohnFitzgerald » 05 15, 2013 •  [Post 7]

Everyones tactics that they listed are really good. However, I did not use any of them to bring this bull in.

Because of the open terrain I couldn't get any closer. Yes, he definately wanted a visual of me because I was way too close for comfort. So I went the other route, I did the exact opposite of what he wanted me to do. Sliding down the hill a little put me on even terrain with him. I then used glunks, pants, and chuckles to try and court his cows. He then committed to coming over to get rid of me. In my mind I can only imagine that one of his cows showed an interest in me. Maybe she took a step towards me, who knows! But I do know that he was not happy!

So at times giving a bull what he want's is a good strategy. But remember, doing what a bull doesn't want you to do can pay off too.

My 2-Cents.
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Re: What would you do?

Postby Swede » 05 15, 2013 •  [Post 8]

John: You are totally correct. Hunting is never such a fixed proposition like 2+2=4. You make an educated guess and take your chances. The difference between a wild guess or just blowing on an elk call is, that the educated calculated effort is going to work far more often. You increase your chances by knowing what the elk is saying and understanding the situation.
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Re: What would you do?

Postby JGH » 05 15, 2013 •  [Post 9]

Do you suppose it was movement of the caller that helped?

I'm still new to this, but I've heard of several things that are not "calling" that, nonetheless, make calling more realistic:

1. Stomping

2. Raking a tree

3. Movement

It seems to me that a "bull"/caller that is moving and still calling paints a picture of a bull that hasn't "got the message" to back off. I would think the real bull would say to himself "Well, he's persistent little */%^", or "What the hell is that little twerp up to now?" or "Maybe you didn't hear me -- let me turn up the volume".

All of which would be great, of course!
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Re: What would you do?

Postby Swede » 05 15, 2013 •  [Post 10]

JGH: I think you are correct on your assessment. I would not rake in that situation, but that is just me. I certainly would not say you should not. All I am trying to convince the bull of is that, I am a small bull with a cow I am desperately trying to hold onto, but that she wants to go away. I think cows choose bigger bulls for the security they offer. They go with the one that offers them the most protection from predators and reproductive competence.
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Re: What would you do?

Postby otcWill » 05 15, 2013 •  [Post 11]

IMO calls can often be overrated. In this particular situation, I'd go silent and attempt the final approach or dog 'em until I had a shot.
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Re: What would you do?

Postby JohnFitzgerald » 05 15, 2013 •  [Post 12]

JGH wrote:Do you suppose it was movement of the caller that helped?

I'm still new to this, but I've heard of several things that are not "calling" that, nonetheless, make calling more realistic:

1. Stomping

2. Raking a tree

3. Movement

It seems to me that a "bull"/caller that is moving and still calling paints a picture of a bull that hasn't "got the message" to back off. I would think the real bull would say to himself "Well, he's persistent little */%^", or "What the hell is that little twerp up to now?" or "Maybe you didn't hear me -- let me turn up the volume".

All of which would be great, of course!


Yes, paint that picture in his mind and turn the situation in your favor. Additional sounds like stomping and breaking branches will add realism to the pursuit.
JohnFitzgerald