ElkNut Tactics, 2012.. What worked for you?

[WapitiTalk1]

Just curious as to which ElkNut tactics you may have learned from his DVDs, playbook, audio CDs, talking to Paul himself, or viewing the Tips and Tactics section of the webpage worked for you this year? The one that pops into my mind that worked for me several times was using the threat at various levels. These tactics either froze a moving herd bull in his tracks or brought him in (away from his girls). I didn't connect this year but it was in many ways, one of my most successful hunts. Whaddya you folks say? RJ

[MT_Nate]

The part of Elknut's playbook that says the Nervous Grunt tells an elk to "show itself" has helped me get multiple opportunities when the elk are hung up. I hunt thick country, and this has brought 'em those final few steps into range on more occasions than I can count on both hands.

Still workin' for my elk in 2012, but this call has provided the few opportunities I've had this year.

[Harmy]

The Nervous Grunt stopped 2 different bulls including the Bull I shot. It most certainly works most of the time. However, it did not anchor the biggest bull I had seen but then I was fully busted visually and probably winded and the whole group was hightailing it away. What really worked to get my bull out of the thicket was having my partner noisily walk away cow calling. I never would have thought of that on my own. The last thing of importance I learned is that being quiet is not the best tactic while calling. Elk make noise and I needed to act more like elk with stomping and rubbing trees. In prior years I have always tried to be as silent as possible which of course to the Elk is nearly impossible and sounding like I am trying to be quiet probably tells them I am a human...

[Swede]

Elknut's tactics are solid and well proven. I got my bull from a tree stand again this year, but the principles and practices, explained by Paul, work well there too. When I read the Playbook, I was amazed at how many points he made on tree stand hunting that I would not have thought he had spent enough time, perched in a tree, to have discovered. I am satisfied I have spent far more time in a stand, but I still was able to add something to my bag of tricks from reading Paul's book.

[>>>---WW---->]

Silent calling for me this year. The entire hunt, start to finish , lasted 10 minutes.

[cnelk]

Listen to the bugle then go right at the bugle. Got right on 3 bulls doing this - OTC Public land.

[CrazyElkHunter]

I never had a chance to use any tactics. Shot a 6x6 that had trotted into a wallow I was sitting on opening day.

[ElkNut1]

They worked well for me this year! (grin)

ElkNut1

[WapitiTalk1]

They worked well for me this year! (grin)

ElkNut1

LOL.. That's like asking Beethoven how that "5th Symphony" thing worked out for him . Thanks for all you do for us Paul.. I don't think you fully realize how much you've helped the elk hunters of N. America. And thanks X10 for taking the time to start this forum.. RJ

[T/H]

i used a rather subtle tactic he talks about on occasion that i didn't quite grasp up until this year. i just "let the situation unfold" and gave the bull what he was looking for. the bull told me what he wanted when he responded to my calls. he responded to my bugle as if to say, you're up there and i'm down here kind of thing and kept his distance. but when i closed the distance and cow called he came in very quickly bugling the whole time. and to a quick end i might add. it was obvious what he was looking for. it all seemed to happen so fast but at "The Moment of Truth" it was almost like slow motion if that makes any sense

[Lefty]

I was hunting short sagebrush.

Cow calling didnt work, bugling didnt work, but slapping my bugle on the ground and shaking a 20 inch sage brush did

[bowhunterty]

Paul told me to be aggresive when need be. It worked. Called in a decent 4pt from over 400 yds. Ended up shooting him at under 20yds.Brought him in with cow calls and estrus whine.

[slim9300]

Call and stalk, The Threat, and most importantly just the ability to know what the elk are saying and how best to react. My partner and I were three for four on bulls with our bows and I WILL be getting my cow in the late season to make it the perfect season.

[Blackhorn]

Calf in distress call sorta worked. I bumped a herd, did not see them in the thick stuff. They took off down a slope that was impossible to follow so, I thought what the hell I got nothing to loose and just let them have it with the calf in distress calls. To my surprise a bull screams at me (the kind of scream telling me to come to them). Well Crap, not only are they down this slope but the wind is all wrong. ARRRGH! Screw it, thought about the situation for a second and decided it was a no win situation for me so I might as well realy screw things up and learn what I can. I started throwing out some spike squeels to see what would happen. That really pissed the bull off and we could hear him tearing things up below us. We continued with the distressed calf calls and the squeels for a while, but he wouldn't budge. Eventualy his bugles faded off into the distance. I turned to my buddy all excited in disbelief that the sequence actualy worked. I think if the terrain and the wind would have been more favorable I could have made some sort of play on them. Who knows? Had fun with it though

[POk3s]

Blind Calling and using the Threat I is what finally sealed the deal, but I will say I had a TON of encounters with big bulls by simply listening what they were saying to me instead of just hearing elk bugle

[T/H]

Call and stalk, The Threat, and most importantly just the ability to know what the elk are saying and how best to react.

exactly!

[ElkNut1]

Guys, good stuff!! Heck we all learn by our mistakes & accomplishments. It's great to read about so many getting aggressive/creative & trying new things, very cool!! Thanks!

ElkNut1

[bearman da man]

Calling by using bugles and cow/calf calling for my bud, the shooter. I kept in one place and he worked his way up the mountain to where he was 200 yds. away. Thought I had nothing to loose and started being real aggressive and started racking a tree with a limb and sure enough, got a 5x5 bull to start bugling and approaching my position. Kept doing the racking and bugling for a couple of more minutes and stopped and I approached a knoll and stopped there in some brush. The bull kept coming and stopped 5 yds from me and couldn't smell me and I had no shot....until he backed up and went around the bush, I then nailed him at 12 yds. broadside....never raked a tree before while bugling at the same time....thanks Paull!!!!