Call, Crawl, Charge, or Cower

[WapitiTalk1]

Hunting journal: It's the last day of your solo 7 day hunt, late morning (3 point or better bull or cow tag). You've successfully dogged this fine fellow and his handfull of cows for close to 1/2 mile starting at the crack of dawn. From your position, 70 yards away and just at the edge of this nice 150ish yard wide bench, you finally get eyes on the elk. You didn't think they had stopped moving yet but obviously, they've reached their bedding area and stopped forward progress. You have eyes on the bull and one bedded cow and assume the other cows are probably to the bull's 2 oclock. A bit out of breath from your trek up the steep sidehill behind you, you pause to assess your next move. Call, crawl, charge, or cower (wait it out). What's your plan of attack to arrow an elk?

Rubbing.jpg (188.85 KiB) Viewed 5421 times

[ishy]

I'm somewhere between cower and or crawl. I'd think crawl first but the cow I'm guessing is looking my way and those leaves are looking terribly dry and crunchy, so waiting is probably the safe bet with good wind and every elk looking lazy and preoccupied. If I had a caller hopefully he has a big nasty challenge bugle that would be the perfect chance to throw out from a decent ways back.

[Elkduds]

I expect the wind will not continue downhill much longer. The hill I just climbed will have updrafts if it is a pleasant Sept day. I need to cut the distance to 40 yards, so I'm crawling straight in, using cover, with call in my mouth.

[WapitiTalk1]

I expect the wind will not continue downhill much longer. The hill I just climbed will have updrafts if it is a pleasant Sept day.

Very good point. Does this change anybody's potential plan of attack after considering Elkdud's observation?

[otcWill]

Might cause some debate but the truth is the truth. That bull run is dead where he stands.

[elk.addict]

I've been in similar situations a number of times - this is a tough one. That cow will probably bust me if I try crawling in from my current position; looks like she probably is going to look in my direction. However, do I have many options? If I skirt around there's a chance I would get busted by other bedded cows, plus I will mess up my broadside shot. And I better make a move before the wind screws me. I haven't had much luck calling from this proximity, after I have come in silent.

Ah heck, I'm going for it. Crawling straight in 'till I get to 40. Wish me luck!

[Fridaythe13th]

Crawl to right exposing that quartering away heart shot and hopefully gaining 10 yds or more and let the arrow fly. The worst that could happen is, he is bigger for next year. Last day of my hunt, shoot or go home. 60 yards is in my range. Just 5 month and some hours to go. Those horns have a lot of growing to do

[ElkNut1]

All depends on how I got to the 70 yard mark in the 1st place! Last on my list as a lone hunter is to call to get him to come closer, reason being is I can see the two of them & if I call they sure as heck can look my way & see nothing, this can bugger elk out of there quicker than anything! So, did I crest this bench & there they were? If so I can count my lucky stars they didn't hear my clumsy approach to that point! (grin) Once I spotted them & knew I was still 15 yards or so to far for my liking I'd consider backing down off the crest of the bench very slowly & see if I could cut at least 10-15 yards off by approaching from a slightly different angle now that I knew right where they are.

Other things come into play as well, is this bull bugling & pacing a bunch or is he settling in to bed in a non-nonchalant manner? If bugling & pacing there's a good chance staying put is the best decision as he could come closer or when he paces a bit far & possibly out of my sight making a bunch of racket I might then slip in a few yards at a time if I thought I could closer to the cow. Tricky but doable with a bit of obstruction. Hopefully it would work & when he paced a few times back & forth I would finally be at a more doable distance for me! If bedded & quiet wait them out with the good wind I have.

If moving on the cow to get closer as the bull paced off & she saw me & was getting ready to blow it all I'd scream a bugle calling her to me in an instant, this should get that bull back there pronto. Other than that the only sound that bull may hear from me is a nervous grunt to stop him for the shot once I was where I needed to be.

If two of us, dead bull!

ElkNut1

[Gselkhunter]

The bull is rubbing a tree so he isn't looking. The cow may or may not be, so as long as the bull continues to rub watch the cow and move forward. Pick a lane to shoot from and go to that point. This may be an arduous stalk, so slow and easy. No crawling for me, bow up and ready to shoot. Be a timber ghost and kill him. This will be an easier stalk than the one I killed my ram, 250yds above timberline[no cover at all].
If you want to call at this bull call back down the hill so it sounds as if you are over the edge[50/50 chance].

[under H2O hunter]

I know what not to do. I had this very situation happen to me years ago. I tried bugling and watch the entire herd bust out of there faster then I could blink...

In this situation I wouldn't crawl. 4 points of contact plus a large bow sliding along the ground or even being place ahead of you would certainly get their attention with the dry underbrush. I am slipping my boots off down to my socks and I am gonna be a little patient and see if the bull will stay raking that tree or is he just scratching his head. If he is really raking and displaying I am not concerned about him busting me as much as the cows... If he is merely scratching his head. I am gonna use the sound of passing jet plains or any other cover sounds I might have to slip in like a timber ghost on my two feet straight up and using trees for cover and a break up of my silhouette to a decent shooting range out to 55 yards or less and staying put and pray he steps into it at the right angle. If I can get there its up to the wind gods that they are on my side and nothing

[Passin Thru]

I'd crawl at least 10 to the left and I'd do it slow as a cold snake. He might be distracted enough. My cousin waited til the last day, passing 2 like this for a trophy. got a 2 yr old with small antlers and lots of nice meat anyway and he was happy. Actually a cow tastes better.

[easeup]

phantom this one is a tough decision. I think Greg has the right idea. Move to the shooting lane and focus on a good shot. I never have taken a 70 at an elk yet however there has been plenty of practice that tells me I can do it if I can get right and focus. I don't like the other options.

[ishy]

The wind thing has me nervous, but for now I'm still conservative and inching towards a good lane. For you that have taken boots off, how close is too close to get away with that much movement? Not sure I'm gutsy enough to try that with the headless elk facing me, and probably more in the immediate vicinity.

[BrianKY]

I have never elk hunted, but have thought this over for whitetail. If I was in that situation here with a deer, I would not charge, call, or crawl. I would definitely cower and wait it out if stalking wasnt an option. When the deer move, I move with them hoping for better cover or to catch them not paying attention. With crawling there is too much room for error, in my opinion, when you have to go from belly to knee to draw. Calling, as has been said above, might run them off if they get interested in the call but do not see what was making it. Charging, well, this isnt a turkey. In this situation I would say cower and hope the wind helps me out. There would probably be a better chance the animal sees or hears me crawling closer than the wind catching me just right.

Now, I think I can speak for all of us here that if we were in that situation it would be very hard to not get closer. I guarantee you at one point or another we have all rushed a situation like this before and it back fired.

[Gselkhunter]

The wind thing has me nervous, but for now I'm still conservative and inching towards a good lane. For you that have taken boots off, how close is too close to get away with that much movement? Not sure I'm gutsy enough to try that with the headless elk facing me, and probably more in the immediate vicinity.

If your worried about wind, then play safe and back out. However you won't kill many elk that way. Better to try!

[BrianKY]

The wind thing has me nervous, but for now I'm still conservative and inching towards a good lane. For you that have taken boots off, how close is too close to get away with that much movement? Not sure I'm gutsy enough to try that with the headless elk facing me, and probably more in the immediate vicinity.

If your worried about wind, then play safe and back out. However you won't kill many elk that way. Better to try!

Especially if it is my last day or two out there. If I know I have a few more days to hunt I might be more tempted to back out and wait. But if I am out of days I worry less about spooking the animal out of the area.

[Wyo67]

The wind thing has me nervous, but for now I'm still conservative and inching towards a good lane. For you that have taken boots off, how close is too close to get away with that much movement? Not sure I'm gutsy enough to try that with the headless elk facing me, and probably more in the immediate vicinity.

If your worried about wind, then play safe and back out. However you won't kill many elk that way. Better to try!

Especially if it is my last day or two out there. If I know I have a few more days to hunt I might be more tempted to back out and wait. But if I am out of days I worry less about spooking the animal out of the area.

Yup. Last day, I'm doing my best ninja impression and moving into the wind another 15 (hopefully 20) yards and waiting for a shot.

[WapitiTalk1]

Great discussion on this one folks! This is one of those "I've gotten to this point, now whadda I do" situations. At least you've put yourself in a position where you have options and a potential chance at an elk which is the goal in each outing. The wind is "probably" shifting so you could back off a bit, swing back down under to the left of your position, and see if you can get closer to the elk in the diretion the bull is facing (just guessing on which way the wind/thermals are gonna shift as they transition from downhill to uphill). At that point/position, pretty much on the elk's elevation, perhaps wait it out a bit and see if bullwinkle comes your way making a bed check round (this is a common occurrence with bedded elk with a tending bull). Of course, this is all dependent on terrain, available cover, and just how many cow eyes/ears are tuned into your movement/sound. Who knows, you may have a second or two to draw and get a shot. As a lone hunter, I don't think calling would be your best bet from your current position (hey, I'm right here elk) but as Elknut mentioned "If moving on the cow to get closer as the bull paced off & she saw me & was getting ready to blow it all I'd scream a bugle calling her to me in an instant, this should get that bull back there pronto", would certainly be a viable option if the elk were getting ready to bust. I'm not a confident, long shot guy so I have to come up with a plan to get closer, or, set myself up so the bull comes closer to me.