cow calling

[powderhogg01]

I have not been very successful at calling in elk. I was able to get some responses to my locator bugles the other night after dark, went back to the same are the next morning and tried a locator in the early am gloom but never got a response. I know I am in an elky area as there is fresh sign everywhere. I am thinking of going without bugling at all and am looking for some suggestions on cow call setups. I am getting a lot of different feed back from different people about how often to call in a given sitting. some folks are telling me that I should only call once... as in one lost mew or ect. then wait 20 minutes or so before moving. other people are telling me that I should be letting out a bunch of calls in a short period then wait an hour before moving.
I always set up if I hear a branch break or rocks or anything that could possibly be an elk. I get into a spot where elk will HAVE to come within range in order to see whats making the noise. I try my best to keep the wind in my face and enough obstacles behind me that the elk would be less inclined to circle around and find my scent. I have sat at water, on wallows, near bedding areas, on major trails leading to and from water, near meadows and parks.. I am just not having much luck. I am a fairly green elk hunter, having only harvested a young bull years ago with my rifle, I would really like to have more success in the elk dept.
I have already decided that I need the elknuts playbook and his videos, but that will not be able to happen until the season is over and I have more time and money to spend on it. So I am asking for any bit of advice anyone has to offer me. I generally am solo hunter, on OTC public land. I know there are elk in my area, ive seen them... just a matter of getting one to come in and allow a few seconds to make a shot.
The rut is picking up and hitting full swing from the sounds of everyone I talk to, so I feel like if its going to happen it will be soon, and with the season clonign on the 28 I really want to have a few more encounters that do not end in the obvious sounds of an elk leaving the area.

[82ndreddevil]

I know your frustration! Good call on planning on picking up the playbook. I picked up mine a few months back and it gave me great insight that I say contributed immensely to my success this season. I do not think it would be appropriate for me to quote what the play book says about cold or silent calling on this website or forum. But I can give you a generic version I learned two years ago which lead to my friends being successful. Like I said, this is very generic but some friends of mine were successful on this routine. And again, I just do not think it'll be appropriate for me to tell you what the playbook says about its cold calling routine on this website.
Good luck

-30 seconds of herd talk with a FEW estrus whines and end with a single non aggressive bugle.
-Wait 5 minutes, do it again.
-Continue routine for 45 minutes.

[powderhogg01]

thanks for the reply. I do not need to have the playbook exposed to the masses, how else would Paul keep things going.. gotta make the money some how. I have tried that method, maybe not as long or frequent of calling, as I have been told that calling often like that may in fact be pushing the elk away. I am a solo hunter and have had some serious issues making this goal a reality. still a bit of time left to make something happen.
I will give that a try setting up in between where I suspect the elk to be bedding and where I suspect them to get water. That will allow me to be in a place the elk would normally be, I will likely set up near the highest water source and be slightly above the water closer to the tree line. I have not found any elk beds up near the top, so I feel its a safe place to enter from if the thermals are kicking upslope. I expect the elk to come in laterally, not wanting to go above me due to limited cover.
another spot I have set up is above the area I think they are bedding, the mountain has a rocky point/false peak that I really do not suspect elk would travel over so I have been sneaking down off the point and setting up a bit down from the point. I always hunt with the wind in my face, or at least as much as possible, of course the wind does get swirly sometimes, but it seems for the most part its running up the mountain all day.
I am all for covering ground and making things happen, but dang if I am not having a hard time not getting discouraged. I am keeping positive though.. elk hunting is not easy and is truly something you have to work at.

[82ndreddevil]

Yea that is true, you do not want to overdo the calling. The reason that you want to sit on a call for up to an hour is because the elk slide on in real slow sometimes. The only thing I can say is that sitting on water is almost a sure thing. I just got back from my elk hunt and out of a combined party of 7 we got 5 on the ground from water holes. Good luck man, keep at it.