Sound Check # 1

[WapitiTalk1]

If you heard these noises in the elk woods, across a misty draw, what would you say is going on? What elk sounds are you hearing and what is your best guess as to what's occuring across the way on the other sidehill? I will offer that for this scenario, that you know there is a herd bull w/cows, there are other bulls in the area (you've heard them advertising/challenging this morning) so, the competition for cows is pretty high.

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert caller but hopefully, you cats will get the gist of what I'm portraying here. Heck, if I can't convince you folks, how can I convince real elk . Remember, I'm recording sounds in my house so in your mind's eye, tone what you hear down a bit and try to think of what it may sound like say at, 5 or 6 hundred yards.

[ Play Quicktime file ] New Recording 6.m4a [ 78.9 KiB | Viewed 3524 times ]

[under H2O hunter]

If I was on a hill side and heard that sound without a visual I would think it's a herd bull putting other satellite bulls on notice that he is the man and willing to spar. No growl but but you can pick up what I call the body of the call and 10 or so finishing chuckles. The bull drops the body of the call off nice and sharp just before the chuckles and the chuckles slide through a scale from low to high back to low.

[ElkNut1]

RJ, I'll lay back for a bit on this one but wanted to say that you have shared some great sounds there, well done sir!

ElkNut1

[BrentLaBere]

Bull calling or rounding up his cows. If there is a lot of noise, cow talk/calf talk along with other bulls bugling, this bull is keeping his cows close.

[Elkonthebrain]

Bull calling or rounding up his cows. If there is a lot of noise, cow talk/calf talk along with other bulls bugling, this bull is keeping his cows close.

This is what I was thinking as well.

[ctdad]

That bull is telling cows to get over to him. Could be his that wondered off a bit or could be cows he's trying to attract.

[ctdad]

I'd get the wind right, move that way and make some lost cow calls and if no response to that I'd do a level 1 threat scenario

[WapitiTalk1]

Yes sir(s), that was my attempt at reproducing a bull calling cows to him with a bugle, and, a series of chuckles. What's going on over there? I offered that "you know there is a herd bull w/cows, there are other bulls in the area (you've heard them advertising/challenging this morning) so, the competition for cows is pretty high". Could be that the satellite(s) are doing their best to hook a cow(s) out of the herd and the herd bull has went into max protection mode and is trying his best to keep his property under his immediate control. I'm heading across the draw, will let you know how I do

[ctdad]

What is your plan once you get over there?

[WapitiTalk1]

ctdad.. sorry I'm so slow. Sounds like a possible breeding palooza across the way. It's entirely possible that a cow, or cows, are in or nearing estrus and the boys are responding like boys do. When a cow is coming into estrus, it escalates the vocalization and competitive nature of the indiginous bulls in the immediate area. The herd bull may very well be going into overdrive knowing there is a cow in his group that is emitting the "scent" that he is detecting with his Jacob's Organ (head back, chin up, seemingly licking the air); the surrounding satellites hear, see, and perhaps smell what is occurring. Competition and combativeness is prime in this scenario for a hunter to get in close and see if he can entice one of the bulls to come in to his calls. What would I do? Get close as quickly as possible (time of day permitting, meaning that if the bulk of the herd is on the move from feed to bed, it may require moving to where they are heading, and, wind/thermals consideration) and do one of two things. 1. If I'm hell bent for leather on the herd bull, get as close as possible and challenge him.. I mean really light him up and see if I can dislodge him from his possessions.. this is tough. 2. If any branched antler bull is on my agenda, get as close as possible to the herd and merely use semi quiet cow noises, perhaps only loud enough for a bull within 70-100 yards to hear, spaced 30 seconds to a minute apart.... that'll bring in a loner (works almost every time).