Elk Tactics 101 - Episode #6

[WapitiTalk1]

Date/Time: 27 September/10:56 AM
Location: Somewhere in the elk woods
Hunt Pressure Status: Moderate (there are other hunters camped in the general area you’re hunting, off the main access road, but you haven’t ran into any of them yet once you’ve gotten back off/in between the main trail systems Terrain: Large east facing mountain side with multiple E/W facing draws and ridges
Tag: Archery season; branched bull only

On a solo hunt today, you’ve hiked in up a NF ridge trail a few miles and stopped to glass a semi-open N facing hillside on the other side of a draw. One, two, three, yep, at least 6 or 7 elk including one visible branched bull are finishing their morning breakfast on a series of stepped benches towards the bottom of the hillside. You hear and see the visible bull bugle a few times as he runs in and out of the small herd of cows which is now moving from the breakfast bar SW up the N facing slope they’re on. You figure they’re heading for the Motel 6 and decide to close the distance by contouring around the draw to a place you feel they may be headed. That worked pretty well, took you a bit over an hour and a half, and you’re now within 80ish yards of one pretty vocal bull with an obvious upstart chiming in on occasion. At this point in time, you’re to the W of the elk, pretty close to being on their same elevation, with the thermals really starting to threaten to completely change from downhill to uphill. As you are deciding on your final play on one of the bulls, you hear what is probably a hunter’s bugle way down the draw; it prompts an immediate response by the herd bull. The bugle down the draw may be 3-400 yards away.

What’s your game plan at a bit before 11:00 to maximize your chances of bringing a bull home for dinner?

[bald9eagle]

I don't know. Ever tried shooting a bow while running full speed toward your target?

[Swede]

Everything is a risk here. I would not bugle as there is little doubt where the herd is, and I don't want to encourage the distant hunter.
Normally at that time I would back off and wait. It is a good time to have some lunch and a nap. Come back when the thermals are steady at 2:00-3:00PM and decide what you want. If the satellite is good, then try some lonesome Charlie calls and Elknut refers to them. If I only want the herd bull, then the binoculars would get a workout as I move in to the area very carefully. The elk may move around to avoid the sun, but they will be in the vicinity. Assuming I spot the herd before being detected, then it would be good to rake and bugle.
Busting out the herd is not a good idea, but what is the hunter(s) going to do?

[Tigger]

I love these! My thought process....bugling is out because of the other potential hunter, but that doesn't mean bull sounds are out. This is going to come down to the wind vs how confident I am that the other "hunter" will screw this up. If the latter is going to goof this up, I move up as close as I dare and rake. I am not going to wait long for fear of the thermals betraying me before I give a quiet chuckle and rake again. I might then add in a cow call and continue this to see what happens. It all comes down to the hunter vs the thermals and which I fear more. There exists the possibility the hunter is not a hunter and also if he is he doesn't come up after them right now. There also is a possibility the hunter is right this very second clomping up to screw it all up. I think I make something happen and stay on the same level as the elk and hope the thermals blow up or down but not east.

Thanks for posting these...and will you give us the right (or wrong) answer?

[cohunter]

Like tigger, I'm enjoying these! This sounds like something that would happen to me! The hunter below would head up the draw and about 200 yards later, the thermals would switch to uphill and the bull and cows would slowly wander off. I agree with everything swede said, although I'm basically a weekend warrior at the point in life, so I'm probably going to feel forced into moving in quickly in this scenario (especially if it's a Sunday morning) - and less bothered about bumping the elk for a few days. I'd try to creep in making soft elky sounds. If the thermals started to switch I'd back out to around 80-100 yards or so and hope as the thermals switched around that distance was enough. I'd then hurry uphill hoping to intercept them as the hunter below potentially pushed them uphill. I'd also look for escape routes and try to sit near one of them. These odds don't seem too favorable, but I'd give it a whirl. In my childhood we'd try to chase elk off the fields in the spring and I learned one thing about herding elk: They usually don't go where you'd want them to go! I can't tell you how many times I was left watching the elk run in circles around me as I tried to scare them away... A little different in the elk woods!

[WapitiTalk1]

Thanks for posting these...and will you give us the right (or wrong) answer?

You're more than welcome. All of the scenarios I post come from experiences for the most part. As far as the right or wrong answer? I guess the right answer is when I killed an elk and the wrong one well, you know . It's all about the discussion between hunters and exploring the multitude of options possible and available for the various situations we may encounter in the elk woods. They ARE all different even though they MAY seem similar. Time of day, thermals, pressure, terrain, hunter fitness/mental state, experience level, bull to cow ratio, time of rut, how many more days a person has to hunt, etc., etc. What would/did I do for this particular situation? I'm a big fan of getting close and "first" trying to pull a dumb satellite in with soft cow calls, a few at a time, spaced 3 or 4 minutes apart. As Swede mentioned, this is a very, very risky time/situation with the thermals on their way to, or, already switching at this time of the day. If a hunter continues to stay close to the herd, he/she risks the chance of blowing them out with the possibility of human scent hitting their snouts (the dorkasaurus coming right up the draw may do this all by himself). No response from the sweet, soft cow calls from an amorous Satellite bull? I would probably do the best I could with the prevailing wind/thermals, move in a bit closer, and light barney the herd bull up with a threat like he's never seen before. That should get things cooking

[Heartwood]

I believe I would try to get a rise out of this herd bull by talking to his cows (lip bawls, light chucles, raking ) if needed I would then challenge him. Not a lot to loose here by being aggressive. I tend to take a hunt them now because they may not be around tomorrow attitude, especially with other hunters bringing pressure into the mix.

[Tigger]

Phantom,
I would really enjoy hearing how all of these encounters played out in real life. Plus, on the ones that didn't work out, we then have a free pass to ridicule your efforts!! Just kidding, I have plenty of those in my past as well. also, would you mind if someone else threw a scenario up?

[ElkNut1]

80 yards from a vocal bull who's got a hot cow (and he does) with good wind for the time being & quiet stalking conditions & that close I would first consider slipping in unannounced & take him. If noisy stalking because of dry cluttered ground cover & downfall I'd give a few soft mews as I went right at him so he'd associate my tromping in as a cow making her way up to him, no setup here needed! If I was spotted at any time by a cow or for some reason & couldn't get closer then I'd resort to a coarse bugle right in his face with a possible series of glunks & raking! Any of these as the encounter unfolds should be bringing the bull home for dinner! (grin)

ElkNut1

[Lefty]

80 yards from a vocal bull who's got a hot cow (and he does) with good wind for the time being & quiet stalking conditions & that close I would first consider slipping in unannounced & take him. If noisy stalking because of dry cluttered ground cover & downfall I'd give a few soft mews as I went right at him so he'd associate my tromping in as a cow making her way up to him, no setup here needed! If I was spotted at any time by a cow or for some reason & couldn't get closer then I'd resort to a coarse bugle right in his face with a possible series of glunks & raking! Any of these as the encounter unfolds should be bringing the bull home for dinner! (grin) ElkNut1

Well, I was thinking along the same lines. Except I hadnt gotten to the plan of glunks, raking and bring the bull home

[longbowelk]

I would probably stay quiet so to not encourage another hunter to come up my way. I would slip in until needed to make a few soft cow calls. Then close the deal.

[Dr. Rx]

If I was spotted at any time by a cow or for some reason & couldn't get closer then I'd resort to a coarse bugle right in his face with a possible series of glunks & raking!

Love that line Paul.. got to keep that in mind...

Kris