Darn Bulls! Encounter # 2

[ElkNut1]

This encounter was with a 5X6 herd bull that had a 1/2 dozen cows. He was respectable & not just a dink! We heard this bull bugle out of the same area I'd taken a real nice bull out of 3 years back. We'd left once again before daylight to get to this area 45 min later. Problem was we were on a mountainside where we were above the bull & his harem & the wind was heading straight down so we opted to stay put & listen to him & two other bulls bugle each other for nearly 2 hours, they were advertising themselves to any ladies that were within earshot to consider them as Their Bull! Realizing we were committed to the bull down below in the 1 acre meadow surrounded by thick brush & timber with no entrance from our vantage point we chose to sit out the thermals until they would change & head up the mountain before we tried anything at all.

In the meantime we were able to watch these elk run around & hop & play with one another, there were 2 calves in the group that really entertained us for quite a spell. (grin) All along the bull would toss out a bugle every now & then. We were aprox 300 yards above them so no issues with the down hill winds ever reaching them. We ended up napping in the warm to the bones sun & awoke around 12:45. We grabbed a bite to eat at this time trying to come up with a game plan & wake ourselves up. We had not seen any elk or heard the bull for a couple hours now as they too had bedded somewhere below in the timber, we just didn't know where? In the middle of our lunch he bugles! We have him pinpointed on top of a small ridge about 50' higher than the bench we were watching him on no more than 350 yards away. On the other side of that ridge is a water source about 400 yards on the other side. We figured his bugle was to rustle his cows up & together to head for a midday bite & drink.

We stayed put to listen for another bugle but after 10 minutes nothing! So we bugled ourselves in hopes of a response & their destination. A bugle rang out instantly from further down the other side & to our right towards the water source. We knew that was our cue to go all the way around the other side of this valley to get to the side he was now on. After about 30 minutes we were around the mountain. We had not heard him bugle & it was now 2:45. We listened for 10 minutes or so on his side, nothing again so we decided to encourage a response with a bugle of our own. He obliged immediately, he was aprox 150 yards away on the hill side that was full of the alder/willow brush with very few pine trees. They had not made the water area yet & who knows where they would come out to water as this is a monster area in size. We needed to help him with his decision! (grin)

My son setup to call & I moved forward 40 yards just to see what would happen when he went into his cow/bull sequence, very similar to a breeding sequence. My son started with mews & whines & went straight to a single note bugle. The bull hammered him right back at the sound of his bugle & appeared to be heading our way, I slowly moved up a tad & closer to where the valley floor met the brushy hillside. As Paul II continued calling by mixing up his sounds the bull seemed to stay put after 20 seconds or so, I decided to creep forward another 30 yards giving a very soft mew as I moved towards the bull. As i neared a pine tree I slid next to it very slowly & looked around & through a few of the branches, I saw the bull broadside at 25 yards, only issue was he was in the leafy brush that was as tall as he was! I could see him fine but no ethical shot even though I was at full draw.

I now watched the bull move forward on the hillside so I let down, I gave two soft mews & he stopped then turned around & walked the couple yards back to where he was, he then without thinking came walking down the hill at me. I drew instantly as he is bobbing through the brush, he is aprox 18 yards away & would be 15 yards away as he hit the valley floor, as he was coming leisurely I felt the icy wind hit me in the back of my sweating neck, I told myself "you got to be kidding" I hoped it would hold up for the two steps I needed to take him with a point blank frontal shot which I have no problem with. His antlers were bobbing left & right as he was pushing towards me & my heart was at a standstill as I settled my top pin on low neck & dead center, I needed another full step to assure my arrow would not be deflected by the leafy limbed brush. At that OH NO moment my scent reached his flared nostrils & he lunged & bolted as if all four feet were electrocuted! He was through that brush & up the mountain before my heart could start again! Un-real!!! So close but yet so far away, he lived another day & etched another spot in my memory bank that will be with me forever! (grin)

ElkNut1

[Raghorn_Reaper]

Dang! What great patience you guys displayed with the setup on him though.

[Elkduds]

The ones that got away, those memories sure stay with you. Sounds like another perfect day in paradise. Also very instructive.

[Dr_flash]

great story, i love reading all the encounters. I hope to start building my own again.

[Navesgane]

The old saying; thats why its called hunting and not killing.
Great read, thanks!

[ElkNut1]

Jeff, yes sirree! (grin) Lots of fun though when in those heart racing/stopping situations!

ElkNut1

[wewarev]

I love these stories. Can't wait for when you connect!

[powderhogg01]

hey paul, reading this I was thinking only one thing... how far does the human scent travel before the elk get spooky of it. I ask this as I have watched many mule deer blow my stalk at 300 yards due to wind shifts.. I was under the impression they could smell me at that range based on their behavior. but it seems here in this particular encounter that was not an issue for you and the elk. Which makes me think to my more recent close encounter and I was certainly on the winds bad side.. as the thermals were going up and thats where he was. It is possible the scent traveled vertically up once it hit the thermal from the other side of the hill?
I also feel this bull was closer then 300 yards as he was on me faster then a black fly to a gut pile.. I never even had the chance to slide up a few yards.. he just closed the distance and got a nose full of me and left the other way.

[Lefty]

great story, i love reading all the encounters. I hope to start building my own again.

I was hoping to learn from others. And always bring it together

[ElkNut1]

Sam, the wind is the wind! If the terrain is fairly steep then ones scent is a non issue at 300 yds. If terrain is flat to semi flat then yes your scent can travel as it hovers on the ground & taken to critters via the wind. If we have aprox 50' elevation at 100 yds then we adjust quickly to be on the safe side but much further & you have time without having to be too concerned in most situations. Steepness or elevation rise has a lot to do with distances you can get away with, in our case it was a non issue. Thanks!

ElkNut1

[Wapiti]

Now that is an awesome encounter Paul !! You know his hideout so maybe there's a round 2 ?? You'll get him next time !!

[chiledog]

Great read Paul. You guys now how to do it, but wind can ruin the best of setups when it changes.
Been there, done that too many times. Where I hunt, seems like the wind is always swirling and changing. Even more this year.
All the best to you.