What Would You Do - Episode 1

[WapitiTalk1]

It's the last day of your archery elk hunt... September 25, 20??. The night before (after dark) you received a response to your locator bugle above a skid road you'd walked in on approximately 1/4 of a mile. As you walk in before daylight on the last morning of your 7 day hunt, you hear the same bull above you on the side hill of an east/west flowing basin. As it starts to get light and the bugling persists, you've decided you'll move as close to the bull as you can before making a peep. He continues to sound off as you move to within 100 yards of where he's singing. Two, three, then four bugles echo throughout the basin from the same bull and you hear cow mews as you get closer. Nobody seems alarmed..it appears the elk are moving from feed to bed right after daylight started peeking over the high Montana ridge. The thermals are flowing steadily down and you smell elk! As you're hunting alone, you throw out a few cow/calf calls and move rapidly up/downwind and toward the elk immediately after you call. As you set up and wait for an indicator, something, anything..... you hear and see movement above you. There is "an" elk, possibly "the" bull, standing with his head completely covered with Douglas Fir bows less than 30 yards up the slope broadside. It's a bull (3 point or better) area. You draw back, drop the pin in the "V" and let off (you don't touch off the arrow). You're not sure of the target (legal animal) so you do the right thing and let off. Less than seconds later, a very nice, thick beamed 6 point moves away from the fir and walks (not bolts) back uphill to what you assume are his cows. At this point, what do you do? The cover is relatively thick but is littered with elk trails. Do you:

a. Stay put and continue cow calling hoping the bull comes back down, offering you a shot?

b. Figure the bull is not leaving his cows again and you move (as quietly as possible), planning an intercept route to get a better angle on the herd that you figure is heading to bed?

c. Have a sandwich, a mini snickers, a drink of water and enjoy the mountain side scenery, enjoying your last day for the year in the elk woods?

d. Charge uphill into the elk, attempting to scatter them, causing confusion and immediately launch some excited cow calls to try to pull the bull back in?

e. Other?

f. Wonder if RJ has a real job?

What say you elk hunters?

[Fridaythe13th]

Rookie here. A: would be what I would do 1st. But only for a short time. After that it's go time, maybe get around and wait for the thermal to change. it's the last day. lots of thing have to be done. Put an arrow through the boiler room, find him, make 4 or 5 trip back and forth to camp, pack up camp and get on the road.
I should have made my name ROOKIE.

[zpd307]

I like these scenarios. gets me thinking and wondering what you guys would do.

[GWH]

If it were me, I would probably go with option B, keeping the wind in my favor and knowing if I don't get a shot soon, the thermals are going to switch on me. I don't think the bull will come back down the mountain when he has cows and is going up to bed, but am I wrong? Curious to see what everyone else has to say.

[Swede]

I think RJ does not know the difference between a skid road and a spur. He may be lost. F. is a possibility, but other than that things are great. I am kicking myself for not throwing a nervous bark at him when his head was behind that fir, and now I have a dilemma. I may try a nervous bark if I think he is in shooting range and will show himself. If he is too far up the hill, I still have the wind in my favor and I have not been spotted, even though they think a new cow is with them. In that case I will look carefully move up and try to get close enough for a shot. If I can't advance farther without risking being seen, then I will challenge the bull. If that doesn't work, well that Mint Snickers is a consolation prize. They go good with tears.

[Backcountry]

At this point I would probably panick and challenge the bull. OR, I may make some excited cow sounds and charge down hill 20 yards or so while throwing out a few chuckles. Or, sit down and cry because I have no idea what I'm doing

[zpd307]

Or, sit down and cry because I have no idea what I'm doing

I have done that already....

[WapitiTalk1]

I think RJ does not know the difference between a skid road and a spur. He may be lost.

Ha! Skid road is an 80s hair band, spur is what you do while training for a boxing match, and I know exactly where I'm at mister, at least I did before I got lost . Good stuff guys, anybody else wanna chime in?

[Swede]

RJ, an old man told me years ago, "it does not matter if you are lost while hunting. You are still out hunting." I forgot to ask if he ever shot anything while being lost.

[elk-n-walleye]

As a solo hunter I'm trying to get on the same level as the bull making it easier for him to approach. Then continue the calling sequence and then sneak up from there and wait silently waiting for him to sneak in again. If he doesn't then plan B: Being at the same level I'll move back a little while cow calling then finish with a small bull bugle and some excited cow calls. Then quickly move back in 30-40 yds and stay silent to avoid giving up my position. Still nothing then plan C: silent stalk with wind in my favor.

Am I wrong or does plan B sound vaguely like one of the "Level 1 Threat" sequences?

Then I'll look at my watch and realize I have to go pack up camp so I can catch my flight home.

[timberland]

Get to the top of the mountain quick like. Probably got better cell reception there so I can call the bride and tell her I won't be home for a few more days. Rained in, roads are bad. She can call work for me as I regroup and wait for a steady wind to catch him as they head to bed.

[Triplebhunters]

Awesome thread.

E. The bull is looking for the new hottie on the block, knows she's there but where? She's a tease, so the move may be just to move enough that the bull is thinking that he just missed her and shes milling around, recall and reset up.
Dave

[Swamp Buck]

Last day of the hunt... Time to reach in that bag of tricks and throw the book at him. I would cow call, whiny, then a bull scream. That bull already knows there should be something where you are as you already cow called. He came and looked but all was quite, now he thinks there is another bull that is trying to steal his cow... He will come unglued and be back in your face in short order. Least he will do is come and take another look. I have done this on the last day of a hunt and had a good screaming match with bull and his herd, just could not see him with all the cover even though he was only 20 yards away... Desperate times call for desperate measures.

[Washington Wapiti]

I think RJ does not know the difference between a skid road and a spur. He may be lost.

Ha! Skid road is an 80s hair band, spur is what you do while training for a boxing match, and I know exactly where I'm at mister, at least I did before I got lost . Good stuff guys, anybody else wanna chime in?

I'm laughing too hard watching Phantom and Swede beat each other up to write.

In the past I would've done A, but for way too long. A couple of botched opportunies and learning from the forums here, being a little too passive isn't going to fill your freezer. I had to learn the same hard lesson with turkey. As Swede mentioned, I'd probably throw out that nervous grunt I've been hearing so much about, but have not had a chance to try in the moment yet. If that doesn't do the trick and since I'm all up in their business anway, I'll challenge his elkhood and move accordingly. Incidentally, two or three years ago during our hunt, my brother and I ran into and chatted with a couple of guys who had put down an elk that way. Not the exact scenario RJ put out, but they were in really thick stuff (as most of that area is), and in tight quarters with a bull with some cows. We were b.s.ing about cow calling versus bugling in general. The guy that shot him said he definitely preferred challenging, and in this case he let the bugles rip. Whatever business that bull was attending to, he did an about face and came for his challenger . . . thwack, dirt nap.

[WapitiTalk1]

Swede started it

[Elkduds]

For me it's about filling the freezer. So I'm shooting when I get a good opportunity @ any legal elk. I'm going to keep level elevation w the herd as they climb, cow talking to them. If I can draw them toward me for a shot, I will. When the wind shifts, I'll move fast to get uphill and and wait for them to come to me. If they bed, I'll let them be for awhile and figure out how to approach their bedding area. It's the last day, there is no tomorrow so I'm going to move in on them sooner or later.

[MLayden]

B with slight variation. Bull won't leave his cows again and will start pulling them away. Sneak around and plan an intercept route, but be prepared to immediately challenge the bull once you get within 100 yards. He thinks there's a cow(s) on the outskirts and this bull(you) has come to take her.

[Lefty]

I selected "B"
Until I read the first part of Swedes post

[Trophyhill]

I would not, would not sit there and cow call hoping he comes back. With the thick timber I'd be begging for a hang up even if I could get him to come back. Great opportunity to move in close within 50 yards close and have your way with him. I think a couple things could work. You could call to his cows, you could rake and display your (the other bull) willingness to breed or a full out challenge. Aggressive actions! As a lone hunter you should scratch the passive tactics off your list in this situation and most situations. I love the freedom to move that dark timber provides.

Rory, ya might want to go back to the Rolling Stone encyclopedia or the nearest big city in the red light district. It's Skid Row! Lol