What should you do? Scenario 7

[cnelk]

You have heard a bull bugling and you made your way close to where he is.
As you slip thru the timber, you ease up to the edge of a small clearing and this is what you see...

Now what?

[Harmy]

Shoot the cow on the left as I only have a cow tag...

Need more data on my position. Wind, Cover, etc. If they have not busted me and they have no idea I am there I would probably sit tight and wait for the bull to make his rounds. He may come into view. If not then I would launch into an aggressive bugle trying to steel his ladies and see if that brings him in sight. Most likely I would scare them all away as I suck at bugling.

[Swede]

I'm thinking if it is the cow season I will just shoot the big cow looking at me. If it is bow season and I have a good position back in some cover, I will try a chuckle if there are only cows, and I want one.
Some of the options depend on the time of the season and whether it is likely there is a bull just out of sight. If there is a bull around, then I would get more aggressive. I will assume here that he in on the other side of the cows, so I would try one of the threats Paul has educated us on.

[cnelk]

The conditions are what you you used to get to this point...
If the wind / cover was wrong, you wouldnt be seeing the elk now would you?

The herd has shift position a bit as you are watching them...

You now see the bull...

[Lefty]

I m waiting for answers on this one.
The cows are still alearted to something, but dont appear ready to spook, just attentive
If the cover was right I might try working into the right side ,.. Or do I side step and hope they are moving my direction
Is the bull coming,.. I dont think a smaller bull would hustle into a bugle and look for a fight but move away.
I dont know if he would want or go after more cows either

See what is happening the bull moved in If the wind was right for a stalk to the side That would be my first choice
Otherwise I might give a calf call and hope the whole herd was coming my direction, sidestep a bit and hope the bull follows some cows giving me a closer shot

[Harmy]

He is presenting a near perfect shot for my .30-06 so I would probably take him out with no additional calling or waiting. With a frontal shot there is little risk of full penetration and hitting another animal behind him but I would hesitate due to the close proximity of so many (and why I would not shoot the larger cow on the right in the first photo). Hard to say what the distance is with these photos. Less than 50 yards? Since I am not an archer yet I would have to say getting closer or calling him closer would be necessary if I had a bow. I would probably wait till he presents a broad side, nervous grunt, and shoot without any other calling or aggressive tactics. As said by Lefty, the cows are alert but not necessarily alarmed yet. The bull appears to be making rounds and would likely provide a shot soon. Judging by the wide open view I have of the herd I would say my cover is not such that I could move without being busted and could not do any raking or much calling for that matter. They would pinpoint me instantly. If I had a partner 20 yards back that would be ideal. He could get aggressive, rake, call, etc. and the bull would likely come to the near side of the head.

[flystrait]

Two questions. Is that a satellite bull in that second picture are you sure there are no other bulls in that herd? And what time of day is this? I ask this because my awnsers could be different based on this info, and I would be going after a bull only.

CK

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

All the cows on this side of the herd are on alert. Two of them actually have you spotted. There is no ethical shot on the bull reguardless of how close he is because he is not in the clear and has cows behind him.

I hope you know how to freeze and make yourself look like a tree stump! Wait for things to settle down and maybe you can get a better setup on them later. This is no time to play Mister Aggressive!

[WapitiTalk1]

Nice situation to come across, but it's probably not gonna last too long (way too many eyes and ears in that clearing). Before the bull appears (initial photo), I'd very quickly, check shooting lanes left, right, and into the clearing through the available cover. Find something (obstacle) to back up against. Nock an arrow, grab a large stick, and beat the snot out of some brush, doing my best to minimize movement. If I can get the bull to sound off, great, perhaps I can pull him in to shooting range with appropriate elk noise for the situation ("I've got your cows mister"). No response from bull? Sit tight for a few minutes and watch for a silent bull coming in from left or right, or, across the clearing. If I hadn't made a peep, and he appeared as in the second photo, I'm ready to draw back as soon as he clears the cows. I'd probably use a cow mew to stop him in this situation (bull just strolling out into the herd).. he's in the "checking out his cows mode", I would offer him one more to check out.

[cnelk]

Who knows if that is a satellite bull or if he was the one bugling!
You are they one that is making decisions now!

Plug the pic into your decision making - who wants to put an elk on the ground?

[flystrait]

Ok, what I would do is sit tight do nothing "thinking" assuming this late morning time since they are below you and the thermals are traveling up hopeing the bull may skirt around the opening for a potential shot. If that doe's not happen they seem to be facing down hill moving toward more timber, if this happens I would shadow them unit they bed up for the day and then I would send my partner as close as possible to the herd bedded and start off with some locate bugles from around 100-125 yards more than likely he responds with a half harted sqeal, next step as I would move closer staying up hill of coarse and close the distance by 50 yards. Now i am roughly 100-75 yards out and chuckle NOW i have his attention the cows are down not going anywhere and he gets out of his bed and positions himself between me and the cows. It takes about 5 minutes and I have not said another word he starts to bugle back at me to see where I am at, but I dont awnser let him pace back and fourth looking for the intruder and protecting his harem "my partner is already in position and the bull moves to within 30 yards of him and he shoots him broadside" the herd half explodes out of their beds some take off on a run and others stand around trying to figure out what just happened and move off anyway toward the direction of the herd. It's 10:30 am and me and my hunting partner sit together for a while talking about BS and how neat it was it turned out this way. By 11:30am we pick up the blood trail and found the dead bull at 11:37 50 yards away piled up. We finally get the first load out to the truck at 11:00pm and you know the rest of the story.

CK

And if all this did not go that way and all the elk including the bull ran out of the country go find another bull and start over

[easeup]

OK, phantom's scenarios just had the bar raised becasue there are pictures with this one!!!!!!


Here is my take ......that bull isnt the largest guy around; but he IS the man. there is no way a herd bull is letting that guy strut right through the middle of the playground. with that basic idea in mind phantoms plan has a chance.

[WapitiTalk1]

OK, phantom's scenarios just had the bar raised becasue there are pictures with this one!!!!!!

I agree. The pics set the mood better. I'm just glad someone jumped in on starting some more of these threads. Thanks cnelk. Great situational scenario. Makes one really think about what to do, how to do it, when to do it with the information provided, etc. I do like flystrait's approach also. Sound wisdom for certain. I was just thinking that things were gonna go south very soon (elk in the open, so many eyes/ears surveying the surrounding timber) so I felt I needed to do something to try and get a shot at a bull.. now. I only hunt with a bow so that's where my reaction, COA comes from.

[elkmtngear]

I'm going to carefully sneak up behind this and stab it in the ground , then stand up behind the nearest tree with my bow ready to draw, and give a cow call. If the wind is right, this will work slick.

Best of luck,
Jeff

[Trophyhill]

I would set up and do some raking/stomping followed by a scream or 2. Then I'd go into the threat level 2.

[otcWill]

Tough call here. Not really sure what I'd do. Sometimes it just happens and you make your move accordingly. This is one of those situations. I'd read their body language and if I thought I could, I'd whip out an arrow and nock it and wait for that bull to turn sideways. That is, if I wanted to kill any bull. Not likely a bull like that lil guy would be runnning things in a group like that where I hunt so I know there is a good bull over the hill. I guess I'd try a lil raking and stomping if I had the cover and if that didn't work I might just go with the simplest of pleading cow calls. After all, there is already a bull between him and his cows (assuming the bull in the pic is not the big boy). If I hit a few agitated and pleading cow calls and get the lil guy to bugle/respond, I've now created a killer calling sequence for the elk I am hoping is over the ridge! Ffft!

[otcWill]

He comes charging in pissed off!

[cnelk]

Surprised no one has mentioned taking the cow on the left?

She is about 35-40yds and broadside...

[ElkNut1]

I would sit tight & be thankful I was in bowrange & not spotted. I would not make any sound at all. Allow things to develop in hopes the herd bull makes his way into the opening in a leisurely manner. I would wait for the shot to finally present itself. I've been in that exact situation & walked away with the herd bull with no calling, just patience! 28yd shot & had cows in the 5yd-10yd range before the bull gave me the shot I was looking for, I took that particular bull with a longbow.

Early in the season or in herd bull depleted areas it's common to find 5-points like the bull in the photo as the herd bull, sure there may be a larger bull below the group you haven't seen yet but be patient, he's bugled enough to get you where you're at so will likely bugle again, then you'll know! (grin) If there's a herd bull around it's evident that no cow is near breeding or that satellite (5-point) would not be allowed amongst those cows.

Worst thing a hunter can do is call from the edge of the timber with any bull or cow sound, that is not the time, in most cases those elk are out of there!

ElkNut1

[Black Wolf]

I would sit tight & be thankful I was in bowrange & not spotted. I would not make any sound at all. Allow things to develop in hopes the herd bull makes his way into the opening in a leisurely manner. Worst thing a hunter can do is call from the edge of the timber with any bull or cow sound, that is not the time, in most cases those elk are out of there!

I agree!!! Well...I can think of worst things a hunter could do besides trying to call



Like farting or getting up and charging the herd

Ray

[Indian Summer]

I can definitely feel the stare from the cow in pic 1. Direct eye contact. So I wasn't going to do anything but freeze for the moment. But when the bull showed up he was about in range and still facing my way. By now I surely have my release clipped on the string. I'm waiting for the bull to turn. He has to eventually right? I'm just hoping it's slow enough for me to draw and pick a spot instead of him turning and bolting all in 1 quick motion. Yes the cows are likely going to bust me when I draw but I think I can pull this off before they actually run off taking the bull with them. If not I'm dogging the herd.

[welka]

Sit tight. Too many eyes wandering already and they don't need your call to laser in on your location. Wait for a or "the" bull to make his rounds. I agree that either the herd bull is dead/gone or no cows are in heat as that 5 pt would never be that close to the cows. If he turned broadside with no cows behind and you could get your bow back, let it fly!