Elk Hunting Basics...Your Move, Thread #1.

[WapitiTalk1]

There are many situations in pursuit of elk that require a deliberate action or response to maximize a sometimes fleeting opportunity for success, i.e., wapiti on the ground. Every situation is different, but, experienced elk hunters do not normally have to think too long about the next move in many situations as they've been there before and either been successful or learned from their mistakes. For a newer elk hunter that has not been there/done that for many, many back to back years, their initial encounters can leave them scratching their heads and saying "what the heck just happened". I'll start but hopefully, some of the other old salts will start additional "Elk Hunting Basics...Your Move" threads designed to help some young (or older) elk cats out when they encounter these situations during their early ventures into the elk woods. Archery, rifle, ML, bazooka (if legal in your state), etc., any situation is fair game for these threads. Please... let the newer elk hunters answer the thread question first ...

Thread #1 - After two years of planning, practicing your elk sounds till they sound pretty dang good, internet scouting, getting in shape, and map work......you find yourself (finally) on a high, Southern Montana ridge in pursuit of elk. It's the 23d of September and you are packing your bow. As you move up the ridge right after daylight, you stop to listen and hear a bull bugling up farther on the ridge, perhaps 300 yards. Your move... what is your game plan knowing what you know at this point in time? You're hunting with your buddy from Missouri and you're both on your first elk hunt.

[Puttncut]

I'm game. And a novice. (I work nights and we're Holiday slow) So..
1. Check the wind and have SHOOTER move directly toward the bull (off to the down-wind side) to within 75 yds. or closer if it's thick. He should
have a cow call ready.
2. CALLER moves with the wind to pull near even with the bull - maybe within 100 yds. to down-wind side.
3. A. If bull continues to bugle - the SHOOTER should keep moving closer each time the bull yells checking the thermals and watching for cows. Caller
just listens
B. If bull shuts up, a spike squeel from the CALLER followed by a distressed cow call maybe.
4. A. If bull answers, keep it up... the SHOOTER inches closer. Keep doing what's working.
B. If no response...caller should move closer - perhaps 75-50 yds. and challenge bugle hard, loud and nasty.
5. If bull responds, step all over him with more challenges, rake a tree, make a real fuss...
6. Shooter should look for bull to move downwind of caller. Use cow call if he gets surrounded. CALLER should be ready for the bull in his face or
just under him. (if he gets past SHOOTER)
7. Sit tight...be patient and be ready...I have NO idea what happens next !

How's that?

[JGH]

If alone ... the thermals should be flowing downhill at that time of day ... work toward him silently, waiting for him to bugle again and give away his location. I'd try to stay downhill from him due to the thermals and because he'll hopefully feel more confident with an uphill advantage in the case that I have to "become" a bull and challenge him.

Trouble is: if he's really 300 yards away, my chances of finding him in pre-dawn trees is low. I'll close 150-200 yards and wait, hoping that the bull is stationary ... (if he's with cows, moving back toward bedding already, I'll have to dog the herd silently, but it's a little early in the morning for that.)

If I wait 15 minutes within what I think is 100-150 yards and don't hear him again, a soft cow mew might make him vocalize again. If I'm closer than I thought, say under 75 yards, I'd cut him off with a challenge and get ready for him to use his uphill advantage by running down at me.

Now, if he answers the cow mew but is further out, I'd give a pleading cow mew right before I closed the gap by another 75 yards or so.

[Trophyhill]

I'm moving in quickly without saying anything trying to get within 75 yards, rake a little and challenge him with an aggressive bugle if he's a dominant type bull. If he's a rag horn I'll move in quickly as I said above and give a pleading cow sound and get ready to kill him. If it's a dominant type bull by himself I'd replace the aggressive bugle with subtle cow sounds making him come looking. Dont know if this would work but that's what comes to mind with my limited experience

[bnsafe]

id go back to the truck, you cant kill anything with somebody from mo.

[cnelk]

Both hunters:
#1 - check the wind
#2 - move toward the bull 100yds
#3 - listen / look for other nearby elk
#4 - check wind
#5 - move forward another 100yds
#6 - REALLY LISTEN / LOOK
#7 - check wind
#8 - move up 50yds
#9 - determine who is going to setup for shot and who is caller
#10 - caller moves back and to downhill side
#11 - caller gives soft mew
#12 - shooter shoots bull as he comes in looking for cow

[archery bum]

green horn talking here so take this with a grain of salt. At this point I think we would stick together and keep moving towards the bull with soft cow calls ( with the wind and therms in are favor). Hopefully he would keep bugling so we could keep a location on him and move aggressively to within a 100 yards or closer. Then have the shooter find the best open spot with the most shooting lanes possible while still having cover to his back. Then have the caller fall back about 40 to 50 yards and get his headsup decoy out and start cow calling. At this point I would not want to bugle just cow call. Then when the bull bugles cut him off with a challenge bugle and repeat this until hopefully you (the caller) can see him and then start cow calling with the headsup decoy in view of him. Then when your buddy puts his arrow through the heart and you both blood trail the bull to his last resting place, you both kneel down next to this massive beast and thank the good lord for this blessing! In a perfect world.

[Swede]

If the situation is right, let the shooter alone work closer to the bull. The caller can keep the bull bugling, so the shooter can pinpoint his location, by giving an occasional bugle.

[Trophyhill]

I'm moving in quickly without saying anything trying to get within 75 yards, rake a little and challenge him with an aggressive bugle if he's a dominant type bull. If he's a rag horn I'll move in quickly as I said above and give a pleading cow sound and get ready to kill him. If it's a dominant type bull by himself I'd replace the aggressive bugle with subtle cow sounds making him come looking. Dont know if this would work but that's what comes to mind with my limited experience

Missed the "hunting with your buddy" part. My bad. Darn solo hunting!

[WapitiTalk1]

I'm moving in quickly without saying anything trying to get within 75 yards, rake a little and challenge him with an aggressive bugle if he's a dominant type bull. If he's a rag horn I'll move in quickly as I said above and give a pleading cow sound and get ready to kill him. If it's a dominant type bull by himself I'd replace the aggressive bugle with subtle cow sounds making him come looking. Dont know if this would work but that's what comes to mind with my limited experience

Missed the "hunting with your buddy" part. My bad. Darn solo hunting!

Who knows.. maybe, just maybe, you'll be able to drag out old GS next year (even if you have to haul him in a quad trailer)

[cnelk]

Too many times I have been with someone and we have split up, having one go ahead too soon.
That leaves both at a disadvantage by not knowing what is taking place.
I have also experienced other elk between the bugling bull and the hunters.
Then what do you do if you are separated?
Critical time can be lost

By checking the wind, both hunters should be able to move toward the bugle.
Its easier to go forward together [and having 2 sets of eyes/ ears] and have one guy ease back when the time is right.

I have also eased up to a bull with a buddy and once we are close, we then split to each side [within sight of each other] and do a couple mews or something to peak the bulls interest.

This is a classic example how 2 hunters can:

Make things happen
Watch things happen
or
Wonder what happened

[WapitiTalk1]

Too many times I have been with someone and we have split up, having one go ahead too soon.
That leaves both at a disadvantage by not knowing what is taking place.
I have also experienced other elk between the bugling bull and the hunters.
Then what do you do if you are separated?
Critical time can be lost

By checking the wind, both hunters should be able to move toward the bugle.
Its easier to go forward together [and having 2 sets of eyes/ ears] and have one guy ease back when the time is right.

I have also eased up to a bull with a buddy and once we are close, we then split to each side [within sight of each other] and do a couple mews or something to peak the bulls interest.

This is a classic example how 2 hunters can:

Make things happen
Watch things happen
or
Wonder what happened

Umm, money right here folks IMO I would like to add the following slant to this potential elk slaying situation:

I made the situation pretty vague but you have the wind and a bull standing on a ridge bugling above you; it doesn’t get much better than that. Terrain permitting (cover/concealment), with either two hunters (see cnelk's comments on both of his posts on how to move, listen, move, listen, set up) or even as a solo hunter, ultimately attempt to get close (within 50-75 yards if possible), confirm a few potential shooting lanes, knock an arrow and sit tight with eyes/ears wide open for a few minutes and figure out what the bull is (type), and, what he’s doing. There’s a distinct possibility that he may have cows and exhibiting herding behavior (doing his rounds, checking the chicks) which may afford you or your partner a shot without saying a peep. Silence is golden sometimes, particularly when a bull is making his location known (unsolicited)

You may be able to determine what’s going on before you get that close which may alter the silent assault method I mentioned. If he’s on the move then an intercept route may be in order (JGH mentioned this); if you see cows or the bull before you get within bow range then get as close as possible, drop shooter, move back off to one side (as a few have mentioned) and either light up the herd bull (rake/scream a challenge), or, call in the solo rag horn (sweet cow sounds).

I say all this because I have made elk sounds when I should have merely sat tight and let the situation develop for a few more minutes. I can remember more than a handful of times the damn elk were moving towards me, or on a path to move right below or above me (discovered later by investigating where they were) where I used elk noises, including raking, which alerted the elk moving towards me.

[JJ Overkill]

I'm moving in quickly

I WOULD move quickly and leave david to call

seriously though, id have the shooter move in as close as possible. possibly move together if terrain permits to with in 100yds. have the shooter move in closer after that. if the bull is still talking, id make a few exited cow calls maybe even an estrus buzz and try to draw him in (if im not hearing other elk), if I hear cows with the bull than its time to forget about the bull and talk to his cows, this is where id throw out a lip bawl followed by chuckles, than mix in some pants, racking, stomping. after a racking cession id throw out another lip bawl and chuckles. letting the cows and the bull know im a solid bull as well. the bull should be well on his way to give me a whoopin. shooter better have an arrow nocked.

im curious as to what paul would say about this plan of attack.

[Trophyhill]

I'm moving in quickly without saying anything trying to get within 75 yards, rake a little and challenge him with an aggressive bugle if he's a dominant type bull. If he's a rag horn I'll move in quickly as I said above and give a pleading cow sound and get ready to kill him. If it's a dominant type bull by himself I'd replace the aggressive bugle with subtle cow sounds making him come looking. Dont know if this would work but that's what comes to mind with my limited experience

Missed the "hunting with your buddy" part. My bad. Darn solo hunting!

Who knows.. maybe, just maybe, you'll be able to drag out old GS next year (even if you have to haul him in a quad trailer)

I think he'd kill me instead of the elk just mentioning the word quad he might let me drag him on his sled though