Elky Situation

[MtnHunter]

Hi Everyone, this is my first post. I was in an elky situation the other day and wanted to get your opinion. I will first give the situation, then the outcome, then my guess as to what to do next time. Any other thoughts are greatly appreciated, as I am very interested in continuously learning.

Situation: I had been hearing faint squeal-type bugles periodically for a few hours. I was walking toward the bugles on a flat aspen covered bench with a north facing timber and aspen hill just to my left. I was walking about 30-100 yards from the elbow of the hill. I reached a large meadow with a nice wallow in it. By this time I figured I was within 300 yards of the bugles, but could only narrow them down to a 90 degree area. I was careful to stay in the timber to the edge of the meadow. After glassing the edges of the meadow and concluding there was nothing about to pop out, I quietly kneeled hidden in some willows, between the wallow and my guess as to where the bull was. The wind was faintly moving in my face.

What I did: With daylight running out, I threw out a large bugle hoping to get a response that would help me get a better idea of exactly where the animals were. One responded immediately, telling me right where they were and that I was much closer than anticipated (150-200 yards). This was a full on bugle, as opposed to the faint squeals I had been hearing all day. My guess was that this was a herd bull. Next, I threw out a couple cow calls to let him know that there were some cows around. Afterward, I threw out another bugle and raked the bushes, trying to get him fired up and possibly come towards me. After about 5-10 minutes of going back and forth, I decided I needed to make something happen. By this time, I had heard two other satellite bulls and knew they were about 50 yards on either side of the herd bull. I went straight after the herd bull, fast. I was making a lot of noise, including cow calls and bugles, and getting continuous responses. The elk were clearly moving away, but I could tell he was working hard herding cows as I was able to keep up (about 100-200 yards away the entire time). I was trying to move fast while keeping an eye out for an outstretch neck. After finding the place the elk were originally, it was easy to follow their tracks. After about a half an hour of following and playing with them, the sun decided to take a rest and time was up.

My guess as to what to do next time: If by myself again, my thought would be to cow call while moving towards the bull, trying to get him to think I'm a good looking cow breaking loose from another bull. I'm thinking that this might not only keep them from walking away, but encourage the herd bull to come pick me up.

If I was with someone, I would probably have one person bugle from the willows while the other person cow called their way towards the bull, trying to get him to come pick the "cow" up.

Any other ideas?

[Solitude]

Hind site 20/20, right? There are way more experienced guys on this forum, but sounds like he was not in the mood for a fight and simply rounded up his cows and moved off as you were not close enough to pose a threat.

Given it was late in the day I would like to think they would be heading down the mountain soon. Perhaps you could have got out in front of them (wind permitting) and ambushed/snuck in in them?

Reading the bull is a skill I am still trying to hone. However, when the are ticked off and looking for a fight after i bugle, they have came at me screaming and it sounds like a Mack Truck coming at me more often than not. If I get a lazy response from the bull then I feel I need to get closer and more likely than not need to sneak in and be patient.

[MtnHunter]

Hind site 20/20, right? There are way more experienced guys on this forum, but sounds like he was not in the mood for a fight and simply rounded up his cows and moved off as you were not close enough to pose a threat.

Given it was late in the day I would like to think they would be heading down the mountain soon. Perhaps you could have got out in front of them (wind permitting) and ambushed/snuck in in them?

Reading the bull is a skill I am still trying to hone. However, when the are ticked off and looking for a fight after i bugle, they have came at me screaming and it sounds like a Mack Truck coming at me more often than not. If I get a lazy response from the bull then I feel I need to get closer and more likely than not need to sneak in and be patient.

Good, good stuff! Thank you. Now that you mention it, they might have been working their way towards the meadow and right past me when I got them all riled up. I might have also been able to sneak a lot closer without them noticing before I threw out my heavy bugle action!

[Swede]

After you determined where he was, could you have moved in to withing 60 to 80 yards and hit him with a full bugle? Work in silently as close as possible. It also sounds like one of Elknut's threats would have been a good move in your situation.

[MtnHunter]

After you determined where he was, could you have moved in to withing 60 to 80 yards and hit him with a full bugle? Work in silently as close as possible. It also sounds like one of Elknut's threats would have been a good move in your situation.

Another good idea! After locating him with a bugle, are you saying that he probably wouldn't have walked the 200 yards or so to me? In the moment I remember thinking that he could charge down at me and I didn't want to be caught moving towards him. So are you saying that at 200 yards out he was not very likely to charge down towards me, and I needed to be within the 60-80 yards to get him to come towards me? Also, I'm gathering that once you know where they are, it's a good choice to move as close as the circumstance will allow before asking the bull to take action. Thanks!

[Swede]

Elk generally come for one of three reasons. 1. to breed 2. to fight or fend off an intruder or 3 curiousity/social. When a bull has a harem he is probably not going to leave his cows to socialize with another elk. Also they won't often leave a harem to pick up one a long way off, and possibly lose what he has. If you get in close though, then you have changed his whole perspective. Now he needs to deal with you. If he believes you are bull too close, he will come over to straighten you out. You may get him to come to a cow call if you are close, but don't be surprised to see a satellite. Being close just increases the likelihood of drawing in the bull.
Often you can talk to a bull from a distance and they will call to you for over an hour. Rarely do they come when they have cows with them. Very rarely.