Did I approach this right?

[bald9eagle]

This morning I heard my first elk bugle. It sounded like it was across a small basin but I was on the other side of a hill and couldn't get a good pinpoint. When I rounded the hill and saw the basin I took my pack off and got ready for a sneak. I waited but never heard another bugle so I gave another location bugle. Still nothing. I could hear occasional limbs breaking across the basin from me. I stalked down to the bottom and tried to stay below the sounds. I made a few cow calls as I walked through. By the time I got across the basin there were limbs cracking both below me and above me. I'm pretty sure the limbs cracking below me were elk.

Should I have made that move into the timber after hearing the sounds or should I have waited to see where they might be heading?

[cohunter14]

I'd go after them like you did, but I'd be sure to pay attention to the wind and make sure it stays in my face. I also wouldn't make any calls after the location bugle unless I made a loud noise while walking. No need to use the cow calls unless you make noise breaking a branch or something. Sneak in and follow the sounds without letting them know you are there.

[Old school]

Had a similar experience yesterday. Hadn't heard a bugle all week, then while working a north facing slope (and letting out and occasional cow call) I heard branches breaking about 100 yards or so in front of us, just a casual snap every few seconds like an elk walking. We moved forward about 30 yards and he cut loose and bugled at us. I setup the boys and cow called, but he wasn't interested at all. He just moved up the slope at a slow walk (we never saw him, it's that thick). When I raked a tree he came back down in a hurry but went right by us and we never saw him. We left as we scratched out head with "what did we do wrong?" It was a single bull.

--Mitch