Elk Game Plan - Episode 2

[WapitiTalk1]

8:45 AM, 16 September, bull only area. While standing on a game trail, right after daylight, you’ve located (by hearing advertising and warning bugles) a herd bull/with cows and at least two satellites in harassment mode. They were down and across a steep draw, on the opposite side hill, a bit below your current elevation, when you first heard them right before the sun came up. You decide to take the battle to them and dump down off the trail, across the small wet creek in the bottom (the stream bottom is covered in sign by the way), and up the other side to where you figure you’re pretty close to where the herd seems to be slowing down on their probable movement to bedding area. The herd bull is still pretty vocal, warning the satellites to stay away with bugles/grunts. You also hear at least two bulls promoting their bullhood via brush bashing and advertising bugles, off a bit from the herd. This area is “thick”, sporting 8-10 foot high alder and some mixed in fir stands. You and your buddy are on the approximate same elevation as the group, within what you think is about 80 yards. To this point, you haven't made an elk sound with your calls. Your move. What is your game plan to maximize a shot opportunity on one of the bulls?

[Rizzy]

In terms of calling ability I'm a rookie so I'd probably be satisfied with one of the satellites. I would find a game trail that goes in the direction of one of the satellites and set up on it. The trail would make a good funnel, especially since it's thick. I would want the wind to be going across the trail so a Bull can show up from either direction without smelling me. Then thumb through my playbook and see what tips I can quickly learn before I start doing an Estrus buzz. I'm hoping the satellite bull comes in on the trail. Maybe I get lucky and the herd bull comes from the other direction on the trail.

[Swede]

Find a good place to ambush an elk and cow call. Lets play it a little by ear from here on depending on how the bulls respond. I think there is a good chance to see some action just on the cow calls.

[Toby]

Being within 80 yards, I am going to check the wind and quickly set up, shooter move up 10-15 yards if possible, caller threaten the herd bull. I don't think you can get a better opportunity at a herd bull than this.

[twinkieman]

Shooter move up, set up, with caller behind 30 to 40 yds., immediately go into a Threat Level # 3 scenario. The shooter should be prepared for a satellite bull to come in as well. When the herd bull bugles, I'm going to bugle over the top of him, and act as if I'm trying to call his cows away from him to me.

In the back of my mind also is, if he pushes his cows away, I'm going to dog the herd to their bedding area. Then I'm going to wait awhile for things to settle down, then I'm going to try to call him out of his bed and into the shooter.

[Thunderfoot]

Ok, here's my play. Let's just say for arguments sake that we are only interested in killing the herd bull. We're not going to get super aggressive right now. The herd bull seems to be content with his cows and not real fired up to fight. We will try and get the shooter up about another 20 yards or so and start a series of lost calf/cow calls hoping to pull him back around. With the other bulls around he's not going to want his cows to stray too far. If we can't pull him back before the get settled into their beds, we are going to back out. We have seen all of the sign in the bottom and know that the elk have been using it. We don't want to get too aggressive and blow them out by making a mistake. We are going back down into the bottom and see if we can find a good ambush point for the evening hunt.

[Trophyhill]

What Toby said. We had this situation happen last year. (But replace alders with Juniper Pinons) we moved in quickly with the shooter about 20-30 yards in front of me. When I felt I was 75 yards from the herd bull I challenged him with an aggressive bugle w/grunts and started raking. The bull ran in to 10-15 yards of the shooter and stopped while looking for me. The shooter should have took a step or 2 left or right and killed that bull but he froze up. Lesson learned for the first time elk Bowhunter. Be aggressive in this situation folks!

[elkmtngear]

What Toby said. We had this situation happen last year. (But replace alders with Juniper Pinons) we moved in quickly with the shooter about 20-30 yards in front of me. When I felt I was 75 yards from the herd bull I challenged him with an aggressive bugle w/grunts and started raking. The bull ran in to 10-15 yards of the shooter and stopped while looking for me. The shooter should have took a step or 2 left or right and killed that bull but he froze up. Lesson learned for the first time elk Bowhunter. Be aggressive in this situation folks!

Had the exact same thing happen last Season on our first day, David. Same scenario, same tactics.

Shooter would have made the kill, but we had a 3rd guy behind the shooter with a video cam...and the bull caught his movement (it is obvious on the video)!