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Another calling scenario

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Another calling scenario

Postby 7mmfan » 04 10, 2023 •  [Post 1]

Ok all you elk talk guru's I've got one for you. This took place this last October in Central Idaho, 11 miles from the truck.

Situation: Day 3 of general rifle season, October 18. Unseasonably warm/dry. Limited pressure in this area, know of 1 guy that was aware of the elk in the area I was hunting, and he wasn't hunting them. About an hour after first light I'm slowly working down an old road grade in an area the elk have been active the last few days. All is quiet. As I step over a deadfall in the road, I kick a stub end of a branch and it sounds like a whole other tree has just crashed to the ground in the forest. I know that anything within at least a couple of hundred yards of me just heard this and is looking my direction. I slink to the side of the road into some cover and send out a couple of cow calls. I wait a minute, do a mix of calf and cow calls and get an immediate response from below me in the timber. Cow calls, several of them. I wait a moment and respond with a couple of more cow calls and am greeted with a short, deep growly bugle. I cow call a couple more times, get another slightly more aggressive deep growly bugle and more cow calls.

These elk are probably 100-200 yards away from me, 100' elevation below, and on a large timbered bench where they like to bed. Where I am standing, the thermals are pulling down towards them, I clearly need to change location before I do anything else.

For those of you that are confident in using your calls and assessing situations and how to appropriately call in them, how would you approach this?
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Re: Another calling scenario

Postby ElkNut1 » 04 10, 2023 •  [Post 2]

No need to call anymore, you found them. It's rifle season, you don't need to be in bowrange, get around them with the correct wind & take him.

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Re: Another calling scenario

Postby Jhg » 04 10, 2023 •  [Post 3]

I would mention they are telling you where they are and to come over.
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Re: Another calling scenario

Postby 7mmfan » 04 10, 2023 •  [Post 4]

ElkNut1 wrote:No need to call anymore, you found them. It's rifle season, you don't need to be in bowrange, get around them with the correct wind & take him.

ElkNut



This is exactly what I did, but it wasn't quite that easy. The bench they are on is large, and thick. Site distance was 40 yards at most in almost all of it. As I entered the downwind side of the bench, I immediately ran into cows up and feeding and got pinned down. I sat for nearly an hour within 40 yards of a dozen cows and was eventually busted. I got lucky and caught a spike in an open gap and shot him.

To JHG's comment, I felt like that is exactly what the elk were saying to me. "We're down here, come on down!"

If you were bow hunting and wanted to try and call a bull out into the open in this situation, how would you do it?
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Re: Another calling scenario

Postby 7mmfan » 04 10, 2023 •  [Post 5]

Couple of images to set the scene a little better. Note how thick the timber is and why trying to move in on the herd was difficult. No vantage points to scan from.
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Re: Another calling scenario

Postby Jhg » 04 10, 2023 •  [Post 6]

I would love hunting in a timber area that open!!!
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Re: Another calling scenario

Postby Jhg » 04 10, 2023 •  [Post 7]

If me, and bow hunting I would get the wind and find the outer periphery of the group. Then from a good spot wait for Mr Big to make his circle (and he will make his circle) as he checks/bunches his cows.
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Re: Another calling scenario

Postby ElkNut1 » 04 10, 2023 •  [Post 8]

Yes sir, pretty much what I hunt every year, that is what I call Calling country!

As for your question, 100% tactic for myself that has worked for so many years is Display/Advertise in that bulls bedding area. (no cow calls) He will show to size you up. This is my #-1 Tactic I use on a yearly basis on OTC Diy elk hunts! Your setup is crucial along with wind direction; he will come your way the shortest obstructed route, do it right & he will not try to come in down wind of you.

Congrats on the Spike!

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Re: Another calling scenario

Postby 7mmfan » 04 10, 2023 •  [Post 9]

Thank you for the responses guys, I appreciate it!
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Re: Another calling scenario

Postby Lefty » 04 10, 2023 •  [Post 10]

7mmfan wrote:Ok all you elk talk guru's I've got one for you. This took place this last October in Central Idaho, 11 miles from the truck.

Situation: Day 3 of general rifle season, October 18. Unseasonably warm/dry. Limited pressure in this area, know of 1 guy that was aware of the elk in the area I was hunting, and he wasn't hunting them. About an hour after first light I'm slowly working down an old road grade in an area the elk have been active the last few days. All is quiet. As I step over a deadfall in the road, I kick a stub end of a branch and it sounds like a whole other tree has just crashed to the ground in the forest. I know that anything within at least a couple of hundred yards of me just heard this and is looking my direction. I slink to the side of the road into some cover and send out a couple of cow calls. I wait a minute, do a mix of calf and cow calls and get an immediate response from below me in the timber. Cow calls, several of them. I wait a moment and respond with a couple of more cow calls and am greeted with a short, deep growly bugle. I cow call a couple more times, get another slightly more aggressive deep growly bugle and more cow calls.

These elk are probably 100-200 yards away from me, 100' elevation below, and on a large timbered bench where they like to bed. Where I am standing, the thermals are pulling down towards them, I clearly need to change location before I do anything else.

For those of you that are confident in using your calls and assessing situations and how to appropriately call in them, how would you approach this?


Me: I wait till the elk are above me and I have help to drag them down to the road :lol:


Realistically Im likely to side hll towards them for a shot
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