A moment in time that changed how you elk hunt. Good or bad.

[Olydog09]

I was remembering my first encounter with a bugling bull last night. I realized that that first encounter as awesome as it was actually hurt my elk hunting tactics for many years after. I was hunting in the Blue Mountains of Washington. It was around 11 am and after the morning hunt I decided to go check out a spot called the Devils tailbone which is a long ridge that runs north and south and has HELL HOLES on either side. I was walking and spotted a cow in a clear cut about 200 yards out. I pulled out the binos and spotted a huge slash pile that turned out to be the head gear on the biggest bull I have ever seen in the wild. He was bedded in the clear cut. (This was around the first year that the Blues went to spike or cow only unless you draw a special tag) I did not have a tag so I was stuck looking for a cow or spike. I had very little elk hunting experience so I withdrew and blew my bugle. He meekly replied but another bull deep down in the hole started up screaming. I did not want to go all the way down into the hole after a bull I could not shoot but I could hear some cows with him so I decided I might have a chance at a cow.

Knowing nothing about elk behavior I decided I would bugle and if he bugled back I would charge forward like a pissed off bull towards him. It was probably 400 yards down the canyon and I bugled and stomped my way there. Right before I got to the bottom where a small creek ran through I went silent and waited. After a minute or so I heard the crunch crunch of an approaching elk. It was a beautiful 6 point bull. I drew back on him at 25 yards just to do it then let back down. he knew something was wrong but never bolted. He slowly walked around me and exited in roughly the direction I came down. I could still hear his cows so I tried to sneak into them for a shot. I was not successful.

After that, my first encounter with calling a bull I used that scenario when I heard bulls bugle because I didnt know any better. I never saw any of them as you might imagine. The weird thing is that the bull I saw in the clear cut was massive and considerably bigger than the 6 point. He only had 1 cow and seemed intimidated by the smaller bull. I am guessing the bull stayed to fight because he was confident he was the boss of the area and no bull was going to chase him off. He had about 10 cows bedded on a small bench at the bottom of the canyon. In the cool and close by a creek. The bigger bull was bedded in the sun up high in a clearcut. (It was warm out probably 80 degrees.)

So you could say my first good bull encounter actually was a hindrance to my future elk endeavors. Paul's books and the sharing of his knowledge and the guys on this site is great because it opened up my eyes to the many subtle differences in elk talk and behavioir.

[Lefty]

On one of my daughters big game hunts we came across two bulls bedded, they stayed hid.
It would have been an easy stalk.
I pulled out the regs, I was willing to drive to town, buy a bow and kill one,.. only the season had been closed for two weeks
That day talking with my daughter during the hunt was what gave me a big mental change to archery elk

[Trophyhill]

My very first encounter with an elk was a monster 6 point. It was literally a life changing experience. I couldn't imagine not hunting elk with my bow now.

[Swede]

My dad was a logger and hunter. I was riding around with him on his bulldozer, when I was still in three cornered pants. I went hunting before I ever carried a gun. I remember when he let me carry a 22 rim-fire that he made up just special. He loaded it, but I am not sure why. Probably just to make me feel like I was a real hunter. He would have to remind me frequently, to point it away from him, when I was having a hard time focusing on hunting.
Hunting has always been a part of me, but there are two things that really changed how I hunt elk. First I discovered how to effectively tree stand hunt elk. From then on getting one was pretty much routine. Second, I have had some serious gaps in my calling ability. I started reading Elknut's pointers that he wrote on another forum. Soon I realized he knew things I never figured out. These pieces of knowledge probably have made the greatest differences in my elk hunting.

[easeup]

about 10 yrs ago, my boss told me I could not take off in October to elk hunt ( I was a rifle hunter then) because the job was way too important.
I figured if I could just learn how to shoot a bow then I could hunt in September. So I bought an ugly compound bow off eBay in July that year. That decision to act on the will of another changed my hunting life in the most dramatic way. I took a little 4x3 bull that September with that ugly bow and my heart just exploded with excitement over bow hunting. I haven't picked up that rifle since. That moment when I was infuriated with my employer was turned into something much better than the old way of doing things. Funny thing looking back on it, I was let go a year later even after I showed good as a company man. (LOL)

[ElkNut1]

Scott, excellent stories bud! I have countless blunders like yours! (grin) At least you were close with no branch antlered tag! (grin) I starting becoming successful after getting aggressive! I will say that aggressive action kills a whole lot of elk! There is mild aggression, medium mild & both barrels aggression, choosing the correct one is like choosing the right caliber for the animal you're after! Once that was figured out animals dropped every year or many were passed looking for a shooter. Thanks!

ElkNut/Paul

[Olydog09]

about 10 yrs ago, my boss told me I could not take off in October to elk hunt ( I was a rifle hunter then) because the job was way too important.
I figured if I could just learn how to shoot a bow then I could hunt in September. So I bought an ugly compound bow off eBay in July that year. That decision to act on the will of another changed my hunting life in the most dramatic way. I took a little 4x3 bull that September with that ugly bow and my heart just exploded with excitement over bow hunting. I haven't picked up that rifle since. That moment when I was infuriated with my employer was turned into something much better than the old way of doing things. Funny thing looking back on it, I was let go a year later even after I showed good as a company man. (LOL)

Great story and a perfect example of a moment in time that defined your elk hunting future. Congrats on getting a bull in your first year with archery tackle.

[Olydog09]

Scott, excellent stories bud! I have countless blunders like yours! (grin) At least you were close with no branch antlered tag! (grin) I starting becoming successful after getting aggressive! I will say that aggressive action kills a whole lot of elk! There is mild aggression, medium mild & both barrels aggression, choosing the correct one is like choosing the right caliber for the animal you're after! Once that was figured out animals dropped every year or many were passed looking for a shooter. Thanks!

ElkNut/Paul

Thanks Paul,

I feel kind of dumb as I have tried grapple & tackle elk hunting on bulls that were just throwing out locator bugles. I never knew the difference until I ran across some of your early season cold calling threads on Archery Talk. The first time I read those threads by you it was like a light bulb being switched on in an empty elk hunting room somewhere in my brain. You could say finding those posts on AT was a moment in time that changed my elk hunting forever.

Amen Brothers! I was reborn by the gospel of Paul I have since purchased your books and DVD's and the Playbook. My Playbook is about ready to fall into little pieces. It is about time to get another. In all honesty Paul what you have done for people like myself is downright amazing. I have a limited number of days to scout and hunt. I live in the city and I am not in the field enough to gain the insight that you have. You have made it easy to understand and apply. I still get confused sometimes and I thumb through my playbook for an answer. Even if I do not nail it my odds are much higher because you have taken the time to enlighten folks like myself.

[ElkNut1]

Scott, thanks a bunch for the kind words. That's awesome you found aid in the material that's offered to help hunters like yourself to hit the elkwoods with confidence. Too, there's many fine hunters here who also are willing to share additional great info that has led to their success as well. Continue to pull up a seat & feast on the open table buffet! (grin) Thanks.

ElkNut1

[Indian Summer]

One time I was standing in a wide open burn trying giving the well known signal to my brother that it's time to get heading down off the mountain. The signal was just non-stop bugling. Over and over and over with lots of big chuckles at the end. So much that any hunter, especially one who knew his buddy was over the hill and that was "the signal" would get the message and start their way to you.

About 100 bugles later I stopped and heard a twig snap. A 280 inch 6 point bull made his way steadily straight across the burn on the trail I had come along, turned broadside at 20 yards and I killed him. 100 bugles? There's a lesson in there somewhere isn't there? I never looked at calling the same.