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2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

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2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 04 17, 2023 •  [Post 1]

Location: Somewhere in the elk woods.
Hunt: Solo archery hunt. Tag: Any bull.
Date/Time: 20 September; 0900.

Situation: You've worked in close to a bull with cows...within 80 yards. You've dogged these guys for a bit over 1/2 a mile uphill in some pretty steep terrain (pretty brushy but with some relatively open timber… Lodgepole Pine). You’ve stayed off to one side while moving, as mid-morning thermals are pushing down the mountain, in an attempt to remain undetected by the multiple noses in the group. The bull responded to one locator bugle you threw out earlier with a throaty bugle and grunts, telling what he thinks of you in his part of the mountain. For the last 25 minutes, you've kept your mouth shut as you've determined, by sound, that the bull or the lead cow is moving the herd up the sidehill away from you and to the bedding area. As you get closer to where you think the small herd may be bedding, you detect movement above you, to your 1:00 as you face up the hillside. It's a cow and she has locked eyes on your movement. You freeze and know she has seen your movement, but you have the wind in your favor, and you're in good cover so she really is not too sure what you are. She throws a single “bark” in your direction, no more than 40 yards away, turns and looks over her right shoulder uphill in the direction of the herd, and then looks back at you. You're pinned down for the most part. What should or do you do at this point? Geez, I've never been here before.

I know it's tough to answer without being there and knowing all the variables but again, it's just a medium to offer suggestions and share some ideas. Back on topic.... You're close to the herd with a bull/cows and a cow (perhaps a sentry) has kind of pinned you down. What should you do with the information provided? Remember, bull only tag.
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Re: 2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

Postby Swede » 04 17, 2023 •  [Post 2]

To be fair, I am lousy in this situation. It never ends well. If I could back out without being detected, that is what I would try to do. Then I would try to get out in front of the herd. If I am pinned down, then I would just stay quiet and wait for the cow to move on.
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Re: 2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

Postby Jhg » 04 17, 2023 •  [Post 3]

I would let her return to the group if she will do so. After waiting awhile figure out how to re-position myself because she will be all about checking in the direction I was seen.

If, however, she barks again I am pulling put once I can do so.

But back to number one: I will be calling that bull from another spot once I know they are stopping or very near the bedding.
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Re: 2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

Postby Elkhunttoo » 04 17, 2023 •  [Post 4]

Normally at this point I’m about helpless…she barks…herd stands up…thundering hooves…me mad at myself for not slowing down and paying more attention


In a perfect world I would hold tight and then the cow would look around for a minute and then settle down, and maybe even bed down. I wait for another few minutes and the bull stands up to check on the cows and walks by me at 15 yards an my arrow flies true and he runs almost to the truck and then I celebrate an awesome hunt and then return to wapitiTalk and tell you how it’s done!!!


Yep, I’m definitely the first guy ;)
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Re: 2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

Postby Tigger » 04 18, 2023 •  [Post 5]

Well, I would get ready and sprint up to her, do a running hand stand then launch myself astride her. A big schwwwacccck on her rear would get her going and I would ride her bareback back to the herd and shoot that bull while riding his cow. Perfect plan.

or

I would freeze. eventually she will get bored and then as stated, back out and come in from a different direction.

or

Now if she buggers, then I would run at where I figured the herd was and let out the rip-roaringest bugle I could manage and hope the bull thought I was another bull trying to steal his cows.
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Re: 2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

Postby Lefty » 04 18, 2023 •  [Post 6]

Swede wrote:To be fair, I am lousy in this situation. It never ends well. If I could back out without being detected, that is what I would try to do. Then I would try to get out in front of the herd. If I am pinned down, then I would just stay quiet and wait for the cow to move on.

Swede she is not going to forget about you,, or me. If I could slip out without the cow busting me,, I might give the herd an hour,,, but well I know that doesn't work because that cow is still looking for me :oops: :lol:


I ve backed out, waited till early afternoon and tried again, Those dang cows seem to get me
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Re: 2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

Postby Swede » 04 18, 2023 •  [Post 7]

Lefty: I have been in that situation several times and nothing I have tried has worked. The elk know something is wrong and they are double wary. Once you have their suspicion you cannot even back away without big problems. What I have done is just stay still until they leave the area. Then I try to go after them, but that too has been futile. I think your idea of leaving them alone then going after them another time is probably best. You will just need to wait more than an hour.
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Re: 2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

Postby Tigger » 04 18, 2023 •  [Post 8]

Swede are you trying to say that my idea of riding the cow back to the herd is not the best idea? :shock:
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Re: 2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

Postby Swede » 04 18, 2023 •  [Post 9]

I like your idea Tigger except I never wear chaps while hunting. I don't think I would want to go on a fast ride through brush without a good pair on.
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Re: 2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

Postby Lefty » 04 18, 2023 •  [Post 10]

Swede wrote:Lefty: I have been in that situation several times and nothing I have tried has worked. The elk know something is wrong and they are double wary. Once you have their suspicion you cannot even back away without big problems. What I have done is just stay still until they leave the area. Then I try to go after them, but that too has been futile. I think your idea of leaving them alone then going after them another time is probably best. You will just need to wait more than an hour.


A muzzle load hunt years back taught me a lot. I figured I would wait at an exit point for the herd to come my direction..
Deep snow, a great stalk by my partner,, entertaining to watch., He didn't realize he had gotten so close to dozens of elk. A cow further away spotted something,, just about noon. Most of the elk stayed bedded, she barked every once in a while That cow stay vigilant for hours. Even though he couldn't be seen by that cow for hours at a time.
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Re: 2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

Postby Jhg » 04 18, 2023 •  [Post 11]

Depending, subtle clues, etc. I have seen groups as described stay vigilant for hours. These are pressured elk. Unpressured, they relax because hikers, or whatever, come and go. So they are not super alarmed by something unusual and in 30 minutes or so really are not that concerned.
Elk are not so different from whitetails in how they get ramped up by pressure. A buck that unpressured will stay relaxed is a high strung wire under pressure and almost anything is too much he just will not stick around to verify he gets going pronto.
When I can tell elk are pressured and one has seen me or whatever, I will usually pull out unless I can call in a way that will get me a bull. Where I hunt a lot o the time any vocalization that asks the bull to defend will send them over the ridge. Maybe at that moment it is the wrong sound but I am not sure that is the always problem.
A lot of hunters call wrong and what they have done is teach elk to distrust vocalizations. My observation is vocalizations from bulls and cows has become localized in my area. What I mean is they on purpose vocalize only to be heard within maybe 50-75 yards or even less! Bulls calling but only to elk that are near because he knows advertising himself is a risky business. He sees no value in advertising himself a whole drainage. So he gets with cows on the sly so to speak, walking around calling so only to be heard inside his sight distance.

Make sense or am I all wet?
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Re: 2023 What Should you Do? Episode #2

Postby Swede » 04 18, 2023 •  [Post 12]

Good information Jhg. I have only hunted pressured elk, so I do not know how the others react. I think I may have seen the least pressured elk when I hunted with RJ over in Idaho. there I heard a bull bark off an on for about six hours. I could never see him, but guess he must have seen movement in my direction. The only other explanation is that he saw something else that made him nervous.
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