What would you do? Reloaded III

[JohnFitzgerald]

Cold, cloudy, and wet morning in late September. We were biv'd 3 miles into wilderness. My shooter was 20 yards ahead of me as we walked down an old fire break line. About 300 yards from camp we bumped out an elk. Never seen it but heard it take off. What would you do to turn the situation?

p.s. The wind was in our favor.

[Bowhunter]

I bet if he had seen you its over. I would set up and try some cow calls if I thought he didn't see me and be paitent.

[cnelk]

Practice your profanity and move up some more, hoping there may be some more to play with. LOL!

[Swede]

I would hold up a little while and let him get settled. If he got a good view of you then you will have a tough time getting him, but if he just heard you walking and maybe just caught a glimpse of you, then you may have a chance, but don't chase right after him. Be careful as other elk are likely to be nearby. He was bedded, and will bed down somewhere reasonably close if given a chance. I might quietly wait 10 minutes then follow in his direction with a lost cow sound. If I believe he was a satellite bedded near a herd, then wait and try a regular cow call or a small bull sound. Then wait and see if anything comes or responds.

[WapitiTalk1]

If it was a legal animal for the area, and, something my partner or myself were interested in I would probably do something similar to what Swede mentioned. Sit and listen for direction of travel and what he/she is doing. If the critter doesn't seem to have busted too far, cut an angle through the available cover and try to flank it/head it off as it continues to move through the brush or perhaps even stops. You mentioned you had the wind so you may be able to work in from a somewhat downwind angle towards an intercept point. If that doesn't play out (perhaps due to sparse cover to move in, or, un predictable wind), then shooter advances with whimpering cow noises while the caller stays back and tries to call the cow back (scream with perhaps some chuckles). That may get the desired reponse and/or give the shooter a chance. Heck, you gotta try something that close to camp, right

[JohnFitzgerald]

Ah, good point. At the time, it was my opinion it didn't see us. We were moving very fast, so it definately heard us.

[RockChucker30]

I wonder if a nervous grunt could be used in that situation? I mean, if he saw you clearly you're done. He obviously heard you walking and spooked. If he didn't see you clearly and you acted like an elk spooked by HIS noise, what would that do?

So, I'm thinking I would give a nervous grunt immediately, get the caller up to one side and up closer to where he was bedded in cover, then give a few cow calls trying to make him curious. I'd probably wait 45 minutes here to see if his curiosity would get the best of him.

I think the nervous grunt right away does several things....it's an elky sound, and it would make sense to use it there. Plus, it takes the initiative away from him to use it.

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

This is a hard one to answer because we don't know how far away the elk was when he buggered. If he was out there a ways, you might freeze right where you are and try a nervous bark and wait to see what happens.

I know that whitetails will often come sneeking back in just to see what spooked them. However, I can't say as though I have ever seen an elk do that.

Over all, I like Cnelk's answer the best of all of them. I'd say he hit the nail on the head for 90% of the time you bump an elk. But there is always that other 10% so why not give it a whirl !

[cnelk]

I thought about this some more.
This one is a classic example of how something like this can test your mental attitude.
Some guys could let this really get them down, especially if its the only elk they have encountered after a few days of hunting.

You need to shrug it off and keep hunting, even tho it may the one and only elk encounter you have.

[JohnFitzgerald]

A few of you mentioned the exact tactic I used. Once he spooked, my shooter and I immediately took cover. I swung my tube around and hit him with a nervous grunt. Seconds later I hit him with a second. By that time he had broken out into an opening and my shooter could see him stop on a dime. I then gave a few cow calls as he started right back in the same direction from which he came. My shooter drew on him twice but had no shot so I gave him a dirt nap.

Here's the result.

[WapitiTalk1]

Nicely done John. I bet that was some good loins on the fire that night!

[Swede]

John that is a nice looking little bull and a great learning story to go with it. I believe there are a couple of key points to focus on. The vegetation was dense and the cover was good. When you "bumped out" the bull he did not go far. These are critical to setting him up with a nervous bark. Great job on the quick thinking response.

[JGH]

Note to Self: "Work on nervous grunt."

[easeup]

note to self: be ready to react quickly

[JohnFitzgerald]

Thanks guys. Funny thing was as we were leaving I told my partner that if I called in a spike within 1/2 of camp I was going to fling an arrow. Since most shoot bulls out in front of me, I don't get many opperunities for shots. Have to take it when I can get them.

Yes RJ, he was good eating.

[ElkNut1]

Nice work John, hard to beat a nervous grunt at the right time!

ElkNut1