Been Out 3 Times Now!

[ElkNut1]

Just an update on our elk hunts in Idaho! We've been out 3 times. (3-days) It's been a few hours each day & then back to the grind! (grin)

Day 1 -- Got a bugle about 20 minutes after light on opening morning. It was a herd bull & a satellite harassing the group. We didn't see them physically but could tell by their bugles who was who! Neither was really defensive in their bugling on Aug 30. The herd bull called to us aprox a doz times in a 25 minute stretch. The satellite spewed off a few times in that time frame then shut down as I tried to coax the herd bull in out of curiosity with a light weight breeding sequence. It was working, we pulled him from 300 yards to 125 yards & that's when that slippery satellite worked under us in silent mode & caught our wind, he left as quiet as he'd slipped in. Next thing you know he left & so did the rest of the elk! They knew something wasn't right. As a sidenote there was no slipping in on these bulls without being spotted, the terrain was sparse so didn't allow us the privilege of a stalk!

As they left they bugled realizing the distance was greater we knew it was a bust.After a minute I screamed a very coarse bugle & listened trying to get a direction of their travel for another day! We waited around a minute & all of a sudden a cow showed right to our doorstep as she looked for this bull! (me) We could hear other elk below her but wasn't interested in them so let them walk! We were sure they were cows as well, that's our best guess! (grin) We backed out & left them all alone.

Day - 2 - We hunted an area that was a popular spot for us in the past but did not hear a peep even though we tried contact bugles at least 20 times in a several hour span. We were in fresh sign that led to their vast bedding area but did not call hardly at all once there, instead did a couple hours of listening to no avail. Again we backed out knowing these elk will be rutting soon & we will return when the picking is ripe!

Day - 3 - Was wet & started with rain! It was coming down pretty good as we busted through 10' high willows & unknown brush, it was flat wet!!!! Our raingear served us well & kept us very dry. An hour into the hunt my son heard a bugle, I did not, he then heard it a second time! I still didn't hear it! Old ears!(grin) We headed up the mtn, we covered aprox 1/4 mile to where my son said we should be able to hear it, it was a very good open ridge where we should be able to gain a direction, I called several times in 5 minutes & nothing! We were listening/calling across a large heavily timbered draw, the bull we felt was on the one side & we were on another, it was full of downfall & crap to get through the draw so we opted to stay on our side unless we knew for sure where this bull was? Hmm, where did it come from? At this time the rain had let up a bit but it was still saturated out there.

We decided the bull must have been higher up the mtn so up we went well over another mile calling every 1/4 mile with location/contact bugles. I was doing the calling as it was my sons turn as shooter. We climbed to where we knew he couldn't be further than where we were. We hung out there under thick pines as it poured down snow.We had a snack & I did a short (3 min) Breeding Sequence on mid volume, you never know when something may chime in or show up silent so we hung there for 20 minutes as the pine squirrels entertained us!

The snow starting coming down very heavy lowering visibility so we decided to head back down the roughly 3 miles we were in. As we headed down the mtn we noticed we came to the point where we thought we'd heard the bull on the other side of the draw at first, about that time he bugled on his own! Hmm, sweet! We waited a few minutes & I responded to him with a location bugle of my own, that's what I felt he was doing as well. A couple minutes go by & he sounded off again. This time I decided to sweeten the pot & toss in three different cow sounds with my Mistress mouth reed, I then added in short bugles & chuckling as I appeared to be tending to my cows to stay close by. The bull bugled this sequence, we knew we had a chance now but the bull would have to come over a 1/2 mile away. By the way, that new chuckler bugle is awesome in sound quality!

I setup with my son out front overlooking a lower timbered bench, I was behind him 40 yards & couldn't see him. I commenced to using the breeding sequence to coax this bull over, after 7-8 minutes of it I crept over to my son & asked if he'd heard anything, he said nah! We talked for 30 seconds & I thought I heard something walking well below us, maybe 200 yards or so way down in the heavily timbered draw. I asked if he heard it & he said maybe? I decided not to take a chance & went back to the 40 yard mark as he looked down into the draw for something to appear. I went to mid volume or a level II of the breeding sequence, After several minutes of mixing up my cow sounds & bugles/chuckling my cows I stretched kinda tall trying to see if there was any reaction from my son, sure enough I saw his released was hooked up with tension on it & his bow arm stretched out front. I knew something must be coming!!! About that time I see him draw, I still had not heard or seen a thing!

I walked away mewing & snapping dry branches on the ground to give this elk a direction he was drawing on, I then hear the release of his bow & immediately bugle! I turn to head back towards him & he has a dejected look. I head to him & he says the bull came to him 15 yards away. He said the bull was exposing his head & neck but no vitals! My son was already at full draw & was waiting for the clear shot, the bull was behind a volkswagon sized rock, the bull decided to go back & re-route as he headed towards my calling. As the bull dropped behind the big rock my son stood up for better elevation as he was on one knee, the bull appeared & my son was slowly lowering his pins onto the re-appearing bull & accidentally touched his release!!!! The arrow flew over the back of the bull, the bull blew out of there at Mach 10! (grin) Bummer! It's all a part of hunting that's for sure! (grin) We'll get the next one! (grin)

ElkNut1

[The Doc]

thanks for the story,
i want to hear more

[T.B.]

Thanks for sharing that elknut. I'm preparing to leave on my 2 week elk hunt , after reading about your hunt and other posts I'm bout ready to skip work this week and leave now!! Super excited

[powderhogg01]

you guys sure do put the work in. I wish I had started calling at a young age, im only 28 but man I wish I could get even anything to reliably work for me.. its more or less a luck of the draw for me..
I began hunting as a young boy, but we always rifle hunted and we hunted deer most of the time, as my father is not the best elk caller either(I am not sure I have ever even seen hi pick up anything but a duck call)
Since I nearly always am hunting alone how might I adjust the odds in my favor to call something in? I was thinking about doing the call sequence then sneaking up 40-50 yards on the animals and waiting there.. buts its just so tough so much second guessing for me. I think I really need to go out hunting with someone who knows how to call elk so I can absorb all the info there is like a sponge... thanks for the great story, sounds like an awesome encounter.. these mountain dwelling animals seem to know where their vitals are and tend to hide them well. I had a decent mule deer in a staredown contest at 30 yards but he was standing just so perfectly blocking the sweetspot with a tree. I probably could have high lunged him, but if I can make a heart stick I will.

[ElkNut1]

In a breeding sequence or advertising sequence there's no need to move up after calling as a solo hunter. Elk are coming right to you once they commit! Setup in a spot that forces them to come into your range before they can see the source of the calling. So many times as the bull in above story they come in silent but can be rather noisy in their travels to you so listen intently as you hesitate throughout the sequence chosen. STAY ALERT, they can slip in like a ghost too!

ElkNut1

[powderhogg01]

I guess my biggest thing, is being new to calling elk in general, I am scared that my calling will push the elk away rather then gather their interests. I find that since I am not sure exactly how often to call in general or even in a given sequence. typically when I set up to call I feel as though I am above the elk, I almost always set up with some sort of gnarly snag of dead fall or such behind me, and usually set right on a bench.. hoping that something will come up and over the bench. I just seem to not get any feedback form the animals. I will note that right now I am hunting a heavily hunted unit fairly close to the denver area, and I have not heard the elk really make a whole lot of noise any year really. On occasion they will get worked up, but that seemed like the end of the season last year.. I am considering packing in to a different spot that gets a lot less hunting pressure and trying my luck there.. its just hard to leave an area that holds elk.. even if they are not talking at all.
Would it be worth while to go to the same area I got bugles in last year? I tried locator bugles this morning, tried about 20 times in about 2 hours, down 3 different drainages from 1st light until about an hour ago with no elk talk. The birds and squirrels are going bonkers, but I am just not seeing or hearing the elk.

[WapitiTalk1]

Awesome Paul, thanks for the early season report. Five short days till I head out.

[Trophyhill]

Boy the next ten days of waiting is the hard part and you're not helping with the updates but by all means.......keep them coming lol

[Ghost]

Oh man! I feel for your son Paul. But the season is young, tons of time to get back on a bull

[GobbleFarmer]

I don't know what's worse, accidentally letting one over his back or actually shooting one over his back, poor dude, I think the first is less disheartening. But it's early, there will be plenty more opportunities! Do you not have cow tags? Why'd yall let the cows pass? Good luck on your next adventures! 6 days till deer opener here,I can't wait!

[ElkNut1]

Here in Idaho you can shoot either sex with your elk tag during archery seasons. We choose to take bulls only these days is all. Nothing wrong with a cow though, they're all trophies & eat well! (grin)

ElkNut1

[GobbleFarmer]

Do you choose bulls because their more challenging to put down?

[ElkNut1]

Yes, you could say that. We love the calling part of the game, calling in bulls is the ultimate rush for us, it's an art form that takes years to get comfortable & confident in especially on OTC Public Land bulls & I like to think of myself as a craftsman! (grin) Too, we've taken a lot of elk over the years so we've raised our sights a bit.

Just so you know my son isn't a youngster, he's 37! (grin) I wish I was 37! (grin)

ElkNut1

[chiledog]

Great story Paul. Your detail made it so easy to visualize the whole scenario.
I too love the rush of calling in bulls. Just starting understanding real elk calling last year thanks to you guys.

[Texasgamehunter]

That is a great story! I can not wait to just be on a mountain. Thats a bummer about the misfire. Sounds like he could of had one on the ground. Better luck next time.

[GobbleFarmer]

You guys been back out yet Elknut? Anything?

[Toothy]

that's a great read..thanks for the post.