Mid Day Bugles

[BrentLaBere]

Phantoms thread about advertising bugles got me thinking....
Middle of the day with most of your hunting areas, at this point, have bad wind swirling so you decide to sit back and eat lunch. Relaxing at a high point listening and looking over spots while you enjoy your mountain house. As the day goes on, the heat of the day creates a more consistent thermal up hill on a NE facing knoll. At the top of the knoll a bull sounds off. Slow and lazy at first, but he is getting on his feet and feeling restless. Sounding off more frequently and more aggressively. Distant bugles ring out across the basin, mostly single notes from younger bulls by the sound of it, but they seem to be letting this bull on the move know where they are bedded up. This bull sounds like he is moving across the ridge line now away from your location. This knoll the bull was bedded on is 3 miles from the truck. If you drop in the basin, roughly consider another mile to 2 miles and 1000' down. This depending on where he ends up.
Date is September 6th, 65 degrees, clear and sunny, 3 pm.

So whats your move?

[Tigger]

I assume you mean you are at the truck, so it would require 3 miles plus another 1-2 to get there? At 3 pm, I think I would come back the next day for that fella. 5 miles 1 way with 1000' of drop puts you there pretty late....what time does it get dark? What kind of terrain? Open or busting through timber? But I would certainly see if any of the answering bulls were more accessible. If this was the last day of hunting, I would probably take off after him though if none of the others gave me a good chance. Good scenario.

[BrentLaBere]

I assume you mean you are at the truck, so it would require 3 miles plus another 1-2 to get there? At 3 pm, I think I would come back the next day for that fella. 5 miles 1 way with 1000' of drop puts you there pretty late....what time does it get dark? What kind of terrain? Open or busting through timber? But I would certainly see if any of the answering bulls were more accessible. If this was the last day of hunting, I would probably take off after him though if none of the others gave me a good chance. Good scenario.

Ill clarify, you are already 3 miles from the truck taking a break from the morning hunt. No trails dropping into the basin with broken terrain. It would be 1000 down to where the bull is headed. climbed 1400 from the truck.

[Clawsar]

If it were near me, I'd go for it. Downhill with plenty of day left. I'm also very willing to sleep under a quick pinch A-frame as needed though.

[BrentLaBere]

If it were near me, I'd go for it. Downhill with plenty of day left. I'm also very willing to sleep under a quick pinch A-frame as needed though.

Whats your game plan?

[ishy]

After what I put myself for the last 335 days, there is no question.

[Mike_Parson]

Im chasing this one. Plently of time left in the day to close the gap and try to put the "smack down " on him. i pack headlamps for hiking out in the dark if i need to, so im good to go.

[Z Barebow]

Go after him. He is on the move and he keeps chiming in you can keeps tabs on him.

He is on his feet and moving. If he is bugling and by himself, it sounds like he is just being social and might be looking for other elk. If you can get ahead of him and keep track of him, that is why you are there! If you are off when he emerges, I suspect his travel route could be adjusted with a few cow calls. As long as you can get and maintain your wind, you should be on him like white on rice.

[BrentLaBere]

This bull was most certainly looking for cows! Close to sundown the bull started bugling again, and was heading in the direction of a small meadow. The meadow started to get movement and as I glassed I counted 15 cows in it. He was running around checking each one. The smell must have been in the air. I believe this bull would have been easy to entice with some cow calling. I was curious to hear if most of you would have used cow calls or a bugle.
Now the game has changed with cows in the scene. Do you change your calls? Thermals are dropping to the valley floor below, the elk has roughly dropped 500 to 700 feet in elevation and is chasing cows in the opening. Whats your play now?