Initial contact experiences and opinions.

[Elkonthebrain]

A fellow wapiti member and I had a pretty good conversation about intial contact with a bull this morning.
What are your guys experiences once intial contact has been made with a bull using a cow call? Do you stick with the cow call and just maybe get whiner and whiner trying to pull him in? Do you introduce a bull into the mix, if so which call? Challenge bugle, bull calling cows to him bugle or some other bugle? Do you let the bull dictate what you do, if so can you give an example or two?

[Swede]

Use what got him started coming. Don't change if he is responding to a cow call. Most problems happen when the bull gets close and can't see the elk that he expected. He will move back and forth a couple of times and try to get a visual. When it doesn't happen, he turns and leaves. You either need a shooter out front, a decoy where you called from or off to the side and move ahead, or to move in closer after you call.
The last elk my son shot came into a cow call. It started to turn around a leave, but it was too late. Luke had moved forward after the call and the bull did not see him. Whack!

[CurlyTail]

I like to make a distinction between calls used to locate Bulls (Locator Calls), and calls used to draw Bulls within range (Attractor Calls).

Locator calls can be either a Bugle or a cow call. For cow locator calls I like the Estrus Buzz done loudly with a diaphragm, or the Carlton Fighting Cow reed call which is quite loud and the Elk in my area seem to like it. For a locator Bugle, I like a relaxed but high pitched bugle, with no grunts or chuckling at the end.

Once a Bull has been located , it is critical to close the distance as much as possible. Distant calling is ineffective calling. You give away your position, and have only a slim chance of attracting an Elk. You must get close before you continue calling, and I try and close the distance with as little calling as possible. Most of the time, by the time you are getting close, the Bull will have sounded of spontaneously at some point. Sometimes you have to throw out another locator to re-locate the Bull.

Once you are close, you have to make an educated guess what kind of Bull you are dealing with - is it a herd Bull with cows, or is it a Satellite Bull. A Herd Bull with cows will almost always have some Satellites around as well. You have to decide if you must have the herd Bull, or if you would be satisfied with a smaller Bull.

If you would like to call a Satellite Bull, which is a higher percentage play, I like cow calls. If he responds eagerly, and is coming, keep giving him more cow calls. Once he gets almost to visual contact, then I go silent as I want him to come in searching . If he responds, but will not come closer, then I will introduce some competition for him by raking a tree and then maybe a short small bull scream and often the threat of another bull getting the cow will induce him to come closer. In all cases, two callers is more effective than solo. If you are hunting solo, then call and move, call and move (closer).

If you want the herd Bull, it will be tougher. You might just dog the herd, hope that you eventually get into the fringe of the herd, and get a shot without any calling. You might have a buddy stay back and get the big guy bugling, while you stay silent and stalk within range. You might Challenge the Bull with aggressive bugling mixed with cow sounds and get him to come and run you off.

[Elkonthebrain]

Great stuff guys. Thanks for the input. Curlytail, I wish I would have known, when solo hunting to call and move call and move last year. It might have been a different outcome. Although most of the bulls I got onto were heard bulls and you are right it is tuff pulling them off their cows.