Bump n call elk hunting

[Olydog09]

Last year during our allotted 10 days for elk hunting it rained most days on my partner and I. The elk were very quiet as it was pretty heavy rain for the most part. We ran into elk a couple of times but they were on the move and saw us at the same time. (Bulls).

Another camp shot a spike and a 6X6 by purposely bumping the elk and then calling them back in. I found this out later and regretted that I did not think of it when the conditions were pretty tough. I am guessing they were using regathering and or lost cow calls I wasnt the one that talked to them so I am not sure. I know this can be deadly on turkeys but never gave it much thought for elk hunting. Any thoughts on hunting like this? It is out of state and the 10 days was all we had to hunt together there.

[Fridaythe13th]

That sound like answer D in the thread "what would you do episode #1" By phantom16


d. Charge uphill into the elk, attempting to scatter them, causing confusion and immediately launch some excited cow calls to try to pull the bull back in?

[easeup]

thanks for the tip and of course I added it to the playbook notes.

[ElkNut1]

Bumping & scattering elk is a very risky proposition! Unless you have countless elk around where you can find separate groups rather easily I would not purposely look for elk just so I could scatter them. I'm sure by finding them I could use a less abrasive tactic first to have a shot opportunity! That being said we have scattered elk (cows) to get the bull (unseen at the time) riled up, it works great when in a pinch & you have no other choice! I wrote a part in the PlayBook that some may recall where my son & I happened up on a few cows right at daylight on opening morning (Aug 30th) we were aprox 1- 1/2 mile in & had not heard a thing, that was normal, we crested a heavy timbered bench & wa-lla there were the cows staring at us or our movement as we had partial cover, they were within 40 yards but we were not interested in a cow, after about 2-3 seconds of surprise on both sides we knew we had to do something fast or they would bark & bolt alerting everything around. We ran right at them, they were as startled as us! (grin) they let us run to 20yds or so of them before they gathered their composure & took off on a run, as they did we heard other unseen cows running as well straight off the bench & up the mtn. As soon as I got to where the cows were standing I let out a strong Advertising or come back over here bugle trying to let their bull know why the cows had scattered.

I wanted to take predators out of the equation quickly as to the reason so hence the bugle on my part. Nothing happened so I bugled again with more frustration & intensity 10 seconds later, nothing again, 10 seconds later I hammered away again with the same bugle & received a strong intimidation response over 300yds up the mtn in the heavy timber, before I could respond we could hear him crashing & screaming his unhappiness that we were the reason all his cows scattered. I stayed on the downside crest of the bench & hustled my son up on the crest 40 yds & to my left about 15 yards so when/if the bull came straight at me he could have a broadside shot. I quickly got below him in position & started raking a tree abusively & giving the same short powerful bugles he was giving us, within seconds (it seemed-grin) I see my son draw up ahead & I see the bulls rack through some brush & he bellows so loud it could have scared the scare right out of ya! (grin) My son is 17 yards or so from this nice 6 point & he drills him in the lungs right at the end of his bugle, the bull walks aprox 15 yds & topples over in front of both of us! So yes running at elk to scatter/spook them can work but you better have a good plan when you do!

ElkNut1

[Olydog09]

Bumping & scattering elk is a very risky proposition! Unless you have countless elk around where you can find separate groups rather easily I would not purposely look for elk just so I could scatter them. I'm sure by finding them I could use a less abrasive tactic first to have a shot opportunity! That being said we have scattered elk (cows) to get the bull (unseen at the time) riled up, it works great when in a pinch & you have no other choice! I wrote a part in the PlayBook that some may recall where my son & I happened up on a few cows right at daylight on opening morning (Aug 30th) we were aprox 1- 1/2 mile in & had not heard a thing, that was normal, we crested a heavy timbered bench & wa-lla there were the cows staring at us or our movement as we had partial cover, they were within 40 yards but we were not interested in a cow, after about 2-3 seconds of surprise on both sides we knew we had to do something fast or they would bark & bolt alerting everything around. We ran right at them, they were as startled as us! (grin) they let us run to 20yds or so of them before they gathered their composure & took off on a run, as they did we heard other unseen cows running as well straight off the bench & up the mtn. As soon as I got to where the cows were standing I let out a strong Advertising or come back over here bugle trying to let their bull know why the cows had scattered.

I wanted to take predators out of the equation quickly as to the reason so hence the bugle on my part. Nothing happened so I bugled again with more frustration & intensity 10 seconds later, nothing again, 10 seconds later I hammered away again with the same bugle & received a strong intimidation response over 300yds up the mtn in the heavy timber, before I could respond we could hear him crashing & screaming his unhappiness that we were the reason all his cows scattered. I stayed on the downside crest of the bench & hustled my son up on the crest 40 yds & to my left about 15 yards so when/if the bull came straight at me he could have a broadside shot. I quickly got below him in position & started raking a tree abusively & giving the same short powerful bugles he was giving us, within seconds (it seemed-grin) I see my son draw up ahead & I see the bulls rack through some brush & he bellows so loud it could have scared the scare right out of ya! (grin) My son is 17 yards or so from this nice 6 point & he drills him in the lungs right at the end of his bugle, the bull walks aprox 15 yds & topples over in front of both of us! So yes running at elk to scatter/spook them can work but you better have a good plan when you do!

ElkNut1

Thanks Paul great info. I remembered you citing an example of a morning uphill hunt busting the cows but the bull hadnt seen you yet in the Play book. The whole story is great. I did not plan on using it as a regular plan cause like you said it is a do or die proposition and would be messing up the area for others. This particular hunt was the only time we had to hunt and most days it rained very hard so the elk were very quiet and not moving much. I am guessing the guys that did it last year and were successful were hitting bedding areas with the wind in their face. I think they were smarter than myself and took advantage of a tough hunting situation and made it work for them. It was in the back of my mind to use when bumping elk but I had not considered using it as a primary tactic. If I run into the same situation in the future it is something I may try on the last couple days of the hunt.

[pd]

Paul and OlyDog, let me get this straight. The strategy---when you have bumped a herd of cows and have not yet seen the bull---is NOT to use the "lost cow" or "regathering" calls (#24 and #25 on Paul's CD), but rather to pretend to be a bull and let out a "location/advertising" bugle (#3)? In other words, don't even try to regather the cows, but rather tell the (unseen) bull the reason for the ruckus is a competitor?

I have never thought about this before. Paul, what insight you impart to us!!

[Olydog09]

Paul and OlyDog, let me get this straight. The strategy---when you have bumped a herd of cows and have not yet seen the bull---is NOT to use the "lost cow" or "regathering" calls (#24 and #25 on Paul's CD), but rather to pretend to be a bull and let out a "location/advertising" bugle (#3)? In other words, don't even try to regather the cows, but rather tell the (unseen) bull the reason for the ruckus is a competitor?

I have never thought about this before. Paul, what insight you impart to us!!

I'll let Paul give us his answer. I think you could use either call depending on the situation but I will defer to those much wiser than myself.