Pinned Down by the Enemy!

[WapitiTalk1]

So campers, you and your partner have set up to do a bit of early season cold calling. You're the caller and set up at the top point of the triangle; your buddy (shooter) is set up at one of the bottom points of the triangle, off to your left or right perhaps 30-40 yards away. Thermals are ever so lightly flowing against the back of your neck. After a "few" trophy series of soft to whiney cow calls, some award winning brush raking with a scream mixed in, you believe it's time to move on after being at it for 20 minutes or so and are almost ready to signal your buddy when........... a bull appears out of nowhere! They can be very quiet and sneaky buggers. The bull came in silent but did come in where you thought he would, downwind from your position. Only problem is that 1) he's a bit too far away from your buddy (need to pull him in a bit closer, maybe 25 yards closer to your position) and 2) he'll certainly get a snoutfull of human scent within the next minute or so. What are your options here and what should you do?

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A. If acceptable cover/concealment is available, move to your right or left and call again, hoping to keep your scent to the left/right of the bull.
B. Stay put to avoid visual detection, get as low as possible to keep your scent down, and continue to call.
C. Stay put to avoid visual detection, get as low as possible to keep your scent down, and hope the bull continues on his current path right by the shooter.
D. Figure this adventure is over, stand up, and verbally abuse the elk for being inconsiderate to your quest.
E. Hope your buddy realizes what's occurring and tries to re-position for a shot.
F. Check cell service and call Elknut1 for advice.
G. Other (please explain what your game plan may be in this situation).

[Texasdan]

A combo of G and F.

I would figure I'm screwed anyway and go for broke.

Once that either ended with a spectacular bull (fortune favors the brave and all) or a spectacular fail, I would call Paul and let him know I willingly set up where I was sure a bull would show up down wind of me. I would listen to his scolding, hang up the phone, go to the nearest bush, cut off and trim a limb, and then give myself 20 lashes for being a big dummy.

[twinkieman]

I'd go with A. That is, if we are not able to back out entirely. If we were able to back out, we would move away from the bull and try to get the thermals right. We would then setup again and start all over, knowing we have a bull close.

[BrentLaBere]

Combo of A and E.
I would hope there is enough cover to conceal my movement. If there isnt, this wont work and the bull will be gone. Would be a bad setup to begin with if the elk gets caught up in the open .
So with your planning ahead of time and having good cover. I would move and try to pull the bull across towards me, to follow the cow that is being harassed by a smaller bull. have the shooter move accordingly getting ready for the shot.

[toasty tiger]

I would try G - I would pull out some of those rocks in my pocket and start throwing them towards the location of the shooter or in a direction that would cross sect the path that you want him to go. He hasnt seen you yet so atleast you have that going for you. You can get as low as you want to but your scent is already there. One other thing that I would try - being a rookie and all - would be to try and get in cover and start creeping down towards the opposite side of the triangle cow calling while easing away from his location. Pulling him across the wind in lieu of up wind and in a direction of your shooter.

[WapitiTalk1]

That's it? Anyone else care to take a stab at this situation. If you've spent more than a few years cold calling in early season (or anytime of the season for that matter), this "will" happen to you. I do like Texasdan's response about getting a switch though .... Yes, bull's will "normally" try to come to the downwind side to get the scent of whatever is making the cold calling racket and there are variations in the setups to attempt to eliminate a direct, 180 downwind encounter... that's for another thread .. For this thread, you've set up and cold called considering where bullwinkle may come in considering the terrain, corridors, etc., provided and walla, he did... silently. Now, whatcha gonna do to try and get your partner (or you) a shot at this respectable little bull? Best answer gets a bag of cheetos from Swede.

[ctdad]

I need to move and I need him to believe I'm an elk. I'm popping up my new slip system decoy, staying behind it and moving back and left. I'll filter out of sight behind some brush then make a little racket and then a few nice cow calls and then a real wimpy spike squeal blown soft and away from the bull. My partner should be at full draw right now ( you listening?) and once I hear that thud of an arrow in the ribs, I'll bugle and cow call again to try to hang him up for a quick recovery.

[LongShot]

In my younger days, definitely D! I think I would just hope for a little luck and go with C.

[Rangerz]

Well I'll admit to being a newbie at Early elk, but I'll give it a try. I would try and stay low and in cover, make some call cows, maybe roll a rock and hopefully he will come check out the decoy I would have put up prior to starting the cold calling.

[elk-n-walleye]

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A. If acceptable cover/concealment is available, move to your right or left and call again, hoping to keep your scent to the left/right of the bull.

He is down wind but has not winded you or the shooter yet so likely the wind is pushing your scent out away a little bit(to your left, see yellow arrow). I want him to turn to his 9:00 o'clock and move towards me bringing him past my shooter so I am moving straight back, or possibly into the wind, away from my shooter. After reaching a respectable spot out of sight continue your sequence which brought him this far. Hopefully he turns to move in your direction 25-30yds, where your shooter has a lane and ranged some trees and is ready to shoot.

Alternatively, while you keep the bull focused on this other elk (you), your shooter if in good cover could move in with the wind toward the bulls 12:00 o'clock keeping his scent out in front of this bull.

Works on paper but... In the field will I have the where-with-all to make this happen.

Good practice though, thinking these scenarios thru.

[twinkieman]

Best answer gets a bag of cheetos from Swede

Who gets the Cheetos's

[Wyo67]

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I think Swede would've been in the tree marked with the blue, already flung an arrow, and be planning his pack out...

Since the thermals are "ever so slightly" going towards the bull things could turn in a hurry or it could be wafting away from him before it gets there and he may not get a whiff... I think my plan would be to flash my heads up decoy since I already have it out for cold calling and start backing away with some soft mews hopefully drawing that bull the 25 yards or so with me so my buddy can get a shot. Then I'd write everything down, so after the season I could ask you elk nuts what I did wrong!

[toasty tiger]

Hey - could you clarify what time of day it is and where he is in relation to you? If the thermals are changing and he hasnt smelled you and he is parallel to you then there might be an opportunity to continue to do what you are doing. Even though he appears to be in your wind there could be a potential that the wind is changing to your advantage. Main question is 1) did you check the wind with a detector before you started calling? 2) have you checked it since? If it was a steady wind you would have set your hunters upwind of your position not parallel to your position. Knowing that you are next to Awesomeness as the Mighty Kung Fu Panda says you would have already shifted your calling position. It might be your lucky day and you just keep doing what you were doing.

[WapitiTalk1]

You guys are a tough crowd. No, this is not the optimum way to set up for a cold calling situation but the situation developed to where the wind/light thermals were/are heading ultimatley at the bull's snout "but" your buddy is still in a position that may ultimately pay dividends (he's off the the side, 3rd point of the bottom of the imaginary triangle). Perhaps you set up and cold called later in the morning as the thermals were switching but the situation as we are currently deployed in, had this guy come in silent and is now where he is and it's decision time. Yes, a guy needs to consider natural travel routes, obstacles, obscure finger ringers that funnel scent and help manipulate the wind, etc., when they set up to cold call and "try" to keep the wind in their favor if at all possible but if you haven't had a bull come in from the downwind side to see who's making the racket in opposition of your best layed plan/intentions, well, you haven't lived

Now, whatcha gonna do?

[Rizzy]

So the Bull came in silent and hasn't bugled yet, then I'm going to assume he came in more out of curiosity. He wanted to see who the new folks in the neighborhood were. He looks like a nice Bull that would hold his ground, but still probably wants to get a look at this other Bull before he makes his move on the cow. I would do the same sequence that brought him in as I was quickly moving away and behind the shooter. Maybe even step it up a notch and make it sound like the bull is chasing the cow, and the cow is getting agitated by it.

[elkmtngear]

G: Other

I'm going to shield myself with the SLIP System Decoy, and simultaneously move laterally toward the downwind side of the bull, and give estrous cow calls. I'm going to try to stay in just enough cover where he can see enough to pique his interest. Should get him to relocate for a better look, and hopefully give my buddy a shot opportunity!