spooking the herd with a single cow call

[elkhunter4life]

Any thoughts will help I'm stumped...
I spotted them laying on a bench just inside the timber line. Time was 9:00 am. All where bedded roughly 20 cows and one bull laying right in the middle of them. Snuck down on them as close as I could get,100 yards away. Had the wind the whole time thought I would possibly be close enough to bring the bull to take a look. Let out one soft cow mew. The bull and what looked to be the lead cow stood up and turned my way. Then the whole herd where on their feet. And the lead cow led them swiftly down the drainage... Never seen anything like it before.

[LckyTylr]

That just doesn't seem right. I wonder if the thermals were right where you were standing but maybe doubled back to the elk somehow after passing you . . . ?

That response seems like a "winded" moment to me.

[Bowhunter]

Yep sounds like you were winded. At that time of morning things start to swirl and switch back and forth. The slightest bit of your scent would put an old lead cow on high alert.

[twinkieman]

You said 9:00 am, thermals could possibly have been switching about that time, I know you said you had the wind the whole time, but I believe you were possibly winded. You also said the bull and the llead cow looked your way, did you call from a position where you could be seen? If you called from a location where they should have seen a cow standing, and looked over and no cow, this also could have made them uneasy. Just a couple of my thoughts.

[elkmtngear]

You also said the bull and the llead cow looked your way, did you call from a position where you could be seen? If you called from a location where they should have seen a cow standing, and looked over and no cow, this also could have made them uneasy. Just a couple of my thoughts.

Makes sense, especially if those elk had been pressured a little. Sometimes visual confirmation is needed with pressured elk.

[ElkNut1]

I doubt wind was the culprit from description. Because elk sounds are made does not mean elk will automatically come your way. You called out representing the species from a very poor spot. If you can see the elk they can see where your sounds are coming from & they saw no satisfying representation of their kind. Do your best to avoid calling them from the openings as you did, they will in most cases react as you experienced. If you feel the need to call back up into cover where there is no way you can see them nor they can see the area sounds are coming from. At times I will retreat further from them as I call as if I'm leaving & after 50 yds or so I'll slip forward silently to see if I'm getting any bites. Generally though I would stay quiet & watch them to get a direction & try & set an ambush. If this doesn't work-out I would then wait for them to get into cover before I did any specific calling!

ElkNut1

[>>>---WW---->]

Here is another two cents worth to think about. First of all it is 9:00 AM. If the thermal hasn't changed, it is about to and it could have swirled your scent to them. You need to sneak around off to the side of the elk where a thermal won't let your scent drift to the herd before you try any calling sequence. As long as there is no cross wind, you should be OK.

There may be no need to call at all since you have them spotted and they are laid up. Chances are they will be there for quite some time. If you are lucky enough to slip in close without being detected, eventually the bull will standup and move around to check his cows. When he comes to your side of the herd, that is your chance if you are in shooting range. But be prepared for a long wait!

[elkhunter4life]

Thanks for all the info and ideas. I will handle it in a different manner if i find myself in a similar situation. Thanks guys.

[JohnFitzgerald]

You said 9:00 am, thermals could possibly have been switching about that time, I know you said you had the wind the whole time, but I believe you were possibly winded. You also said the bull and the llead cow looked your way, did you call from a position where you could be seen? If you called from a location where they should have seen a cow standing, and looked over and no cow, this also could have made them uneasy. Just a couple of my thoughts.

+1

[Trophyhill]

Seen or smelled or both. Could be wrong sound at wrong time too