How do you hunt?

[Tigger]

One of the big differences between elk hunting and deer hunting is how we actually go about hunting. Deer hunting in MN, you scout a little and throw your stand up in a tree. Then you sit.

But elk hunting is different. How about some pointers on what you do the second you leave camp or the truck. I would assume everyone is leaving at O' Dark Thirty. You get up to an area that you have picked out in the dark. Then what? Light is coming on fast. Do you stay low because of the thermals? Run the ridges? Do you do a locator bugle? Glass? If that doesn't work, how long before you move? At what speed do you move? I would love to hear about speed from some of our pros, do you march quickly to the next spot to call or are you slowly creeping along? How often do you call? What type of call do you do? What conditions would dictate changing from one to another? On the trails or off? Is one guy a couple of steps behind the other or are you 15 yards apart? Bingo! You smell elk....now what? Set up? Call? Stalk into the wind? I goofed this one up last year.

I think most people understand that when you hear a bugle, you hustle as quickly as possible until you are close to the bull and then the strategy really unfolds. But I would like to understand how we all spend most of our day in the elk woods. I will be honest, half the time I think I am going to fast and half the time I think I am going to slow. Actually, sometimes I think both things at the same time.

[Lefty]

In the desert I listened for elk in the dark AM or was working into the morning wind to glass from different locations

Last year was my first year in the mountains hunting archery elk.
I am quiet in camp, All my gear is ready to go when I get up. I walk through the first finger grove of trees 300 yards from camp. Im hunting and listening in the dark. I stay on the edge of the timber. I am working westerly in direction with the wind or thremasl going down/north
¾ mile further I listen as I enter another opening and move up about 200 feet in elevation. Im waiting until I can see my pins, then start a calling sequence.
I walk up towards the ridge putting another 400 foot of elevation. From that ridge side I make another calling stand.
Over the top of the ridge, Another stand.. Now it is about an hour after sunup.The winds are typically from the south or the sun has wramed the south slope with thermals already going up
I drop down onto a flat table. Over the next two hours I work the table above the heavy timber moving easterly. Sometimes calling: From the open areas I am glassing looking into individual canyon draws, seeps and wallows.
As the day progresses I may sit on a couple wallows then work my way west , then up to the high ridge,... all too often I end up walking the last hour in the dark back to camp

[Swede]

It all depend on where and how I am hunting. I don't get up especially early to hike in the dark to sit in my tree stand. I like to head in at first light, but if a miss a few minutes, no problem. If I am calling, then I like to get out earlier and call into areas and listen. Almost all of the country where I hunt is roaded, so I don't plan on long hikes in the dark. If I go to some other parts of the state, then I may get out a little earlier. I don't go anywhere that it takes an hour just to get to where I start my hunt.
Personally, I believe most hunter travel too fast trying to locate elk. The aggressive run and gun stuff needs to apply after you make contact. If you are going to run and gun, think like a cougar. They are in no great hurry until they sight their target. There is a time for patience and a time for aggressive action.

[CurlyTail]

Great thread. I hope to learn a lot from this one.

I hunt with a partner, and the night before a hunt, we study the maps, and come up with a general plan for the next day. Our first priority is to locate the elk. We search the mountain systematically, going up different valleys until elk are found. We dont hunt the same valley day after day.

Once we locate the elk, then we devise a strategy to hunt them.

Our usual daily plan involves leaving the trailhead before first light, and hiking into a drainage with headlamps either off or on red. We just hike normal speed as we don't expect to find elk for a mile or so. We hike single file about 15 feet apart, and stay quiet. When we come to an area that overlooks a valley, we will stop, peels a layer or two of clothing off, and listen for a few minutes. If no sounds are heard spontaneously, we will send out a relaxed locator bugle hoping for a response. If no Elk are seen or heard, we proceed up the mountain heading for a saddle into a valley on the other side of the mountain. Every valley we traverse, we listen and locator bugle.

Occasionally, early season, we will set up low in a valley and do 45 min of cold calling. Has not worked to date. Mid morning finds us on the spine of the mountain where we can glass and call on to the other side, still searching for Elk. If nothing is located, we will sit the saddle which is a frequent elk travel corridor, and wait to see or hear something. Not infrequently, something will either come through the saddle, or an Elk will eventually sound off. We cold call once an hour in hope of attracting attention our direction, or inducing a Bugle. I have yet to spot the elk with optics, but I cant say that I am very persistent or diligent with my glassing.

We locate way more elk when we are high on the mountain than when we are low, so we try to hang out high where we can see and listen, and throw out an occasional locator bugle. If we locate a Bull by bugle, we will usually try to keep track of him by sound until the herd beds. The elk in our area tend to Bugle a bit just before first light, then again more frequently as the herd moves to their bedding area. Unless the rut is hot and heavy, then they bugle nonstop all day - but this only seems to happen a 3-4 days the entire month of September. We have figured out the preferred bedding areas in most of the valleys over the years. We let them bed, make sure the thermals are coming up the ridges (usually switch about 9am), and try to give them a couple of hours to settle down and rest. We have had better luck hunting the bedding areas, than the feeding areas, and it is not easy to keep from rushing right in on the elk.

After a short snooze and a trail lunch, we attempt to sneak up on the herd from above, and get close enough to call. My current favorite strategy is the Elk 101 technique of creeping close, starting with a soft cow call, hopefully inducing a Bugle - then screaming back a challenge bugle over the top of the response. After that, I try to match Bugles with the bull, never letting him finish his bugle before I start mine. Either the herd bull or a Satellite has shown up shortly a high percentage of the time using this strategy. One time, the entire herd of cows came over first, followed by the Herd Bull. I just about went catatonic with excitement and missed the shot. Need to get my emotions under control next time. If no response, we back out and try again in an hour, or sometimes leave and try again the next day. We try hard not to spook the herd and then spend the next few days trying to locate them again.

We hunt out of a base camp that we can drive to. We can drive around the mountain we hunt to access different drainages, using engine power rather than foot power to switch to different drainages and the other side of the mountain. We hunt an area about 6 miles wide an 12 miles long. We have figured out enough potential Elk holding spots over time so it is no big deal if someone else is already at our spot, we have more spots to check than we have days to hunt. This has taken several years to thouroughly understand our area, and we feel that knowledge is key to success.

Sometimes we return to camp in the afternoon and take a siesta until the evening hunt. Other days we spend the entire day in the woods covering ground, looking, and listening. The evening hunt we are usually worn out, and stay low on the mountain. The most elk activity is the last 10 minutes of light, and we never leave until totally pitch dark.

To be totally honest, after about 3 days of hunting hard, I begin to lose my edge mentally and physically, and we either take a rest day or sleep in until mid morning and only do the midday/evening hunt. I will hunt in a drizzle, but not in the rain. If it rains, I say in the tent and read a book. I have never hunted elk in the snow, but would love to someday.

Thats what I do. Sorry to be so long.

[Tigger]

Great advice Curly! That is very similar to what we do, but to be honest, it took us a while to settle in on that. At first we were clueless. I found the part where if the herd bull doesn't play then you back out pretty interesting. Last year we had a spot where we couldn't run the tops of the ridge because that is where the road was. That kinda threw us for a loop and we ended up napping mid mountain that day. If you go most or all of a day without hearing or seeing an elk, do you figure they aren't there and give up on that area or do you come back to it another day?

[Deanmac]

good information, I enjoyed the read

[CurlyTail]

If we do not see or hear an Elk. We go to another valley and keep searching. We do not go back to the same valley unless we know the elk are there, or we see fresh sign. When the Elk are nonvocal, it can be really discouraging to go a couple days without finding Elk. The elk have preferred habitat, and we will check back a couple of days later in areas that have been reliable in past years. In a good area, you should be making contact with elk daily or every couple days minimum. We have gone 4 days in a row without seeing or hearing an elk and it was not fun.

Elk are noisy. If you don't see or hear anything, they probably are not there. Especially if no fresh tracks or droppings are noticed. Harder to be certain if you are only there at midday however.

The elk in our area have definite escape routes out of the valley, then they tend to circle the mountain and return to their favorite places in a few days. Sometimes they will hole up in less than prime spots for several days if nobody bothers them. No two years are exactly the same. Every year, we discover easier routes into and out of certain areas, and more efficient ways to cover the territory. This year, we discovered that we could drive one vehicle to a starting point (on the high side or the area), traverse the entire mountain dropping into and out of several valleys, hitting several prime spots in a single day, then ending the day on the other side of the mountain (the low elevation side) where a second vehicle was parked the night before. Made for very efficient locating, saving valuable days, and not covering the same ground twice on the same day.

It took me a couple of years to figure out that just because you hunt a bedding area, doesn't mean you have to blow the elk out of the area if not successful.

[ElkNut1]

Curlytail, in your Post # 4 you mention a tactic you are using when getting into action with a bull who has cows. The reason I bring it up is you're using a form of The Threat I introduced over 20 years ago, it's in Vol- 4 DVD Worse Than Wolves & the Playbook! You asked how to do The Threat in the Podcast Thread, well, you're doing it! (grin) I shared 3 levels of it, the difference is intensity of sounds when needed to graduate from one level to the next! The Threat is a helluva method we still rely on today, we also have tweaked it a bit on occasion to fit the needs of the day.

Be careful using it as The Threat is for special situations, it is not meant for any bull who has cows, if you rely on it on all those situations you will push more elk than you will call your way. It is reserved for bulls with cows in estrus. If used outside of that your odds are reduced dramatically, instead you'll find the elk going the other way! (grin) When no cows are in estrus your odds improve dramatically by playing on the elk's curiosity over a threatening situation. There's a time & place for best results for all methods & techniques.

ElkNut1

[Roj]

When no cows are in estrus your odds improve dramatically by playing on the elk's curiosity over a threatening situation. There's a time & place for best results for all methods & techniques.

ElkNut1

Paul, by playing on the elk's curiousity, especially early & when the cows aren't in estrus...are you referring more to advertising sequences with some tree thrashing? Thanks!

[ElkNut1]

Roj, Advertising can be used as a form of playing on a bulls curiosity. This generally would take place when there's no rutting action. (no cows in estrus) Knowing elk (especially a bull) are in the area or within earshot & you may only hear one or two bugles near daylight or so & no more, then yes this is a great method to use. Get inside 200 yards & go straight to the Advertising Sequence as shown in that DVD.

If after any elk then I'd use a totally different method such as getting close to a non vocal herd & raking a tree & giving off low volume mews & whines with some light thrashing & rustling of brush etc.! This causes curiosity but not alarm! Please be more specific in an encounter that you are curious about & I'll be happy to shed any light I can on it! Such as a bull has cows but no bugling going on or maybe a bull with cows with several satellites harassing the group or whatever you'd like? (grin) Thanks!

ElkNut1

[CurlyTail]

Paul I have always hunted the Colorado muzzleloader season which tends to be peak rut, so no surprise the Threat has been effective. I thought you usually started the Threat with a Bugle rather than a cow call. I know there is more than one way to skin a cat, and the concept of creating a threat is more important that the precise sequence of calls.

This year I am switching to Archery, and will have to hone my tactics to different stages of the rut.

What I would love to hear you demonstrate on a Podcast is the Level 3 Threat with all out pitchy ,whiny cow calls interspersed with Bull Bugles and noises. I can't imagine how exciting that would be to pull off!

[ElkNut1]

Jim, when using any levels of The Threat it really depends on the encounter you are in. You will not blow an encounter because you started with a cow call first or a bugle first, it's what you do after you use one of these sounds. First off they are best used with cows in estrus or an aggressive sounding bull, not a bull who has bugled once all morning, he's not a good candidate for that method. You will run into bulls who will not make a sound even if 80 yards away to your cow call & then there will be times they will go ballistic over your cow call. Same holds true for bugling, there are times the bugle is what they answer everytime & times they will not even glance your way even though you are close! When these things happen which do you use? Of course it's the one that trips his trigger! (grin)

So you see starting off with either can be as effective as anything! Don't get held to one thing & if it isn't working you force it down their throats because someone says it should work, adapt to each situation as is required & you will have many more successful call ins!

I think it's safe to say you do not have Vol 4 Worse Than Wolves DVD, in that DVD all 3 levels of The Threat are demonstrated vocally & visually! Get that DVD because there is tons of info in it besides just the Threat levels. Since you now want to bowhunt elk it will help you out quite a bit.

You're right it's an exciting time when used properly & at the right time. Here's an email sent to me using The Threat! Reads this hunters account!

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Last years CO muzzy elk season had perfect dates as the bulls were very vocal in the mornings and evenings. The first 2 days was very wet and made hunting difficult. We talked to a few bulls and had one fairly close but no shot oppurtunity. The third morning was perfect, no rain and the bulls were going crazy.

This was the first time I had hunted here so was unfamilar with the feeding and bedding habits of the local herds. My huntin buddy had hunted here before and had a good idea where one particular bull and his cows would head to bed down for the day. this bull sounded realy good and we both agreed that we would like to see this bull and maybe get a crack at him.

As quickly as possible we headed to cut them off and get in the middle of the herd. It worked like a charm as we came onto a cow and calf making there way to bed down. The bull was bringing up the rear of course and we felt like we were positioned as close as we could get. The calf then started to suckel from mom which is the first time I had seen this while hunting so thought that was pretty cool. They were about 65 yards away and unalarmed so all was good so far.

The bull was still coming but I was concerned that he would be too far and maybe too thick for a shot. My buddy said to just wait and stay calm. I was thinking about what you were telling me about getting a bull worked up when you were close to the herd. I told my buddy I was going to bugle and then sound like a cow that was being ass faulted from a smaller bull. He looked at me like I was crazy but shrugged his shoulders and said it's your tag.

I just knew thats what I had to do, so thats what i did. The bull of course was not pleased to here this at all. What happenned in the next few minutes is what we all dream of. He was heading our way to straighted things out, trying to swing around enough to get the other bulls wind. He came in to my right further than I thought he would, but it was perfect. When he moved, I moved. When he stopped I stopped. When he stopped for the last time I was ready. I blew smoke at him at about 40 yards. He ran about 200 yards and piled up. It was an unbelievable experience and one I will always remember for sure.

ElkNut1

[CurlyTail]

Great story. Thanks for sharing! I have that DVD and it is great. But obviously I need to watch it again. Funny how you can watch something and retain parts but forget others


Although there are many ways to kill an Elk, I am finding that interacting with them through calling is the funnest and most satisfying. I think I would rather call in a bugling rag horn bull than stalk and kill a trophy bull from a distance.

[ElkNut1]

Jim, I hear you bud! Nothing like calling elk when the time is right! Here's another note sent to me! Thanks!

ElkNut1

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Hello Paul,

I just started elk archery hunting last year and quickly realized how little I and the team (6 of us) know about elk calling and elk bow hunting. I watched your DVDs and read your Playbook several times from front to back. I must say that you have taught me more about elk calling and elk bow hunting than anyone else out there.

The team has been elk bow hunting for about 7-8 years now and managed to bag 2 small calves during that time. I got lucky last year and was able to arrow a nice 5x5 satellite bull on my first ever bow season. That was just luck but I am the type of person that will do whatever it takes to bring elk down to the ground. As such, I practiced calling all year and studied every word you said and wrote, among others, and I must admit, I and the team are different hunters in the field this season.

To date, the team has had numerous encounters hunting on Colorado OTC public land and we managed to down 2 cows and two 6x6 herd bulls. The team attributed all the success to me for my new found knowledge – thanks to you. Taken down four elk in one season has been a dream come true for me and the team.

BTW, the two bulls were taken down by aggressive in your face bull to bull confrontation tactics. It's all about breaking the distance and posing a threat - my personal favorite.

I had mentioned in one of my post that I will do whatever it takes to be one of 10% that downs 90% of elk. With a little more experience, the team should be on its way to becoming elk killer instead of elk hunter.

Once again, I just wanted to personally "THANK" you for sharing your knowledge and know how.

Hope to hear from you.

[DaleL]

This is a great thread with a lot of useful information. I'd like to hear more situations. Especially detailing a day you were successful. From start to finish. Whether it was a cow or bull. Early season would be great as well since this is the time I will be going. If you don't mind.

Thanks,

[saddlesore]

I don't think you can ever go too slow.

I'm a rifle hunter and I ride a mule 3-5 mils in to where I will be hunting ,before daylight. I think the 1st 15-20 minutes are the most productive. In rifle season,those elk are already moving into the thick timber,as most of them have gone nocturnal where I hunt.
Even if they move past you before legal shooting light, it lets you know elk are in the area.

After an hour or so,I move into the the timber. Early in the season,I might sit a little longer. Going slow enough and watching the wind,I have many time sneaked up on elk.If I do,I have no qualms about shooting them in their beds, if I was good enough to get that close. I have killed more elk still hunting that I have sitting while waiting for them.

[Lefty]

Calling, spot and stalk, stand hunting

This is a great thread with a lot of useful information. I'd like to hear more situations. Especially detailing a day you were successful. From start to finish. Whether it was a cow or bull. Early season would be great as well since this is the time I will be going. If you don't mind.Thanks,

Mostly close shot opportunities and successful misses

In wide open country

In a box blind, on water at sunset , At that time I was only going to take close shots,.. As a I drew his but faced me,.. my let down was less than gracefull , sent the arrow through the wall of the blind, watched those bulls for 20 minutes,

box blind at water,. 8 cow calves, 1 6x bull. Cows and calves at arms length bull at 11 yards glunking

3:00 glass a bull in his bed, watched 4 bulls get up and walk towards the cows, In the wide open 200 yards from me,.. I never saw then and why hadn't they spooked on me. I got greedy and the big bull never gave me a shot.

Spotted a bull 2 1/2 miles away,.. waited 2 hours as he worked his way back to bed. I choked at 21

3:30 Spotted a single bull. I had an idea where it was headed, A mile further I spotted a large herd, 7 bulls for sure, I made stalk to within 300 yards. offering cow calls. Little response. With time I worked closer to the herd. right at sunset I made a soft bugle a rag horn responded and offered easy shots at 27, 22, and 33,yards
It wasnt a hat-trick,.. but a strike out
Left camp in the direction I was hearing bulls. Then headed a different direction because only one bull was sounding off. Followed them for for 2 hours. They appeared to be heading back to bed,.. I cut them off and watched as the herd passed by, bull at 50 plus (wrong pin) used the piin I had on a close cow

First light in the distance spotted a herd. Stayed 300 yards away until all the cows bedded about 11:30 AM the single bull and 54 cows and calves was making the rounds waiting for him to come around to my side.
In the dark bulls bugling. At sunup Im pinned down in 6" cheet grass. I watch 3 cows and three coyotes until 9:30 with only my boots to hide behind. I get a break and sneak off. After the wind changes, 1 1/2 hour stalk in 12 yards. No bulls after cutting up the the cow 220 yards away I had gone past those bull 3 times in sage under 50 yards and never saw them

Small clearing in thick cover , first light. Cold calling. , a couple soft mews, then a locate bugle, the bull charged in hard and fast,. he was one mad bull, and left just as quick when he got down wind.

Noon; Hear a bugle at a wallow. An hour later I set up. One locate bugle and a spike runs in, . missed over the back followed by a big bull at 70 . Never saw the big guy

Two of us well three. daughters on a ridge I bugle, a fast response 400 yards away. I motion for her to move up for a better angle. she does then she moves back to sit in front of the only cover. 22 yard the bull at a bad angle no shot,.. except for the thre other bulls and 5,6 7 cows

OK Im starting to cry,.. No more

[DaleL]

Lefty, that got me fired up just reading what you wrote. Good stuff.

[Tigger]

saddlesore,
I read your statement about never going to slow. I have really been thinking about that. I am really interested in the details behind that concept. If you are in an area that shows little or moderate elk activity, aren't you better off moving faster to get to the good stuff? Sure there could be an elk there, but odds are you are better off spending your time in different areas, right? Curious as to your thoughts. I have really struggled with whether I should speed up to get to the good stuff. In some places we hunt, it is all black timber. Realizing that all black timber is not created equal.....should I always go slow in ALL black timber?

Also, spending all afternoon to go a few hundred yards isn't all that productive unless you have good reason to believe there are elk in those few hundred yards. Realize also, that these thoughts entered my noggin' while archery hunting.

One thing I want to keep in the forefront of my mind is to slow down as soon as the timber changes. It is pretty easy to cruise along and then forget to slow down because you are used to moving a certain speed.

[saddlesore]

I have hunted the same areas for so long,I know they hold elk.If they are not there one day,they will be in the next few. Obviously if you have to cross a sage brush flat or open field yea,you might hurry a little.If you are in thicker timber, the chances of elk being right there is as good as elk being 150 yards further on. Then you get to thinking that a location up ahead is better, you will jump an elk in the next ten yards because you are not paying attention.It happened to me many times.

Even crossing a meadow, I am looking at the tree line to see if an elk is lurking right inside.Elk see movement and detect a threat. Unless they smell you, no movement is not a threat.

You mentioned about an elk being there maybe a moderate chance. A moderate chance is still an opportunity to fill tag

[Ryan Conkle]

Very enjoyable thread to read...I am new to archery elk hunting, as this September, which is not approaching soon enough, will be my 3rd season of chasing elk solo in public ground in Idaho and I would appreciate any input, both positive and negative, from you all on the tactics' that I use on a typical day's hunt. This is just a general system that I have developed for myself and obviously does change due to the current days' elk activity, I start my typical morning off well before daybreak as I leave camp and get up on the mountain at a good listening vantage point and listen for bull to sound off, throwing out location bugles' if necessary in attempt to locate a bull. If I am able to locate a bull, I then move as close as I feel that I can possibly get without spooking the bull and then began a calling sequence to the bull and how I call to the bull depends on the bull's attitude and the phase of the rut that is currently going on. If no success, then I continue to cover ground in attempt to locate elk, while doing my best to keep the wind and thermals' in my favor, until the elk seemed to have moved high on the mountain and have bedded down for the morning. As mid-morning approaches, which is usually around approximately 10:00-11:00 a.m. for me, I then typically have a pop-up blind or a homemade blind that I had set up prior in a pre-determined location that I typically have a trail camera set up on to determine the time and frequency of activity at the location, which is typically overlooking a popular travel area to water source or a well-used wallow, to which I then set up in the blind for the mid-day hours' and still hunt the location trying to catch a bull coming to water or the wallow in the middle of the day. While I am still hunting, I occasionally throw out an advertising sequence, to which I learned from Elk Nut's instructional DVDS' and eat a mountain lunch and be patient until evening hours' arrive. As evening arrives', I then continue to still hunt, until I either hear a bull sound off and move towards him or remain patient at the location depending on the elk's location and current rut activity. This system worked well for me last season, when I harvested my first elk, which was a satellite 5x5 bull that I killed on the evening of September 16th, 2015. I had covered a lot of ground throughout the morning on September 16th, 2015, as it was an overcast cool day that the temperature's did not rise much above 50 degrees' and the rut activity was fairly high, I had worked several bulls' throughout the morning, although had been unable to close the deal due to one reason or another. I then arrived at a natural blind, that I had built over an active wallow, which I had encountered elk in the area of un multiple occasions' during this hunt. I then set up in this blind around lunch time, enjoyed a nice peanut butter and honey sandwich and occasionally let out an advertising sequence while enjoying my time up on the mountain. Then at 05:16 p.m., approximately 10 minutes' after doing some light cow talk and raking on a nearby lodgepole pine tree, I then caught movement and viewed a satellite 5x5 bull eagerly, but silently, approaching my set-up at the wallow. I then arrowed this bull a few minutes' later at 30 yards' and the bull expired in my sight after going only 60 yards', capping off one of the best days' of my life. LOL Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[CurlyTail]

Ryan - congrats on the first Bull, you must be doing something right!

Calling at a wallow is a tricky situation. The wallow itself is the attractant, and sometimes Elk will not come to a Wallow if they hear Bugling since they do not want a confrontation. The usual Elknut party line is to call (Bugle, rake etc.) once when you first arrive at the wallow to get the attention and curiosity of surrounding Bulls, then go silent the rest of the evening hoping one will come in and check out the scents of this new Bull. But nothing is carved in stone. Sounds like your Bull was attracted by the calling and not the wallow - in that case you can set up in a more advantageous location than the wallow is likely to be.

I would tend to use your advertising sequences when the elk are quiet but you know you are in a good area.

A couple of comments - if you can find a partner to hunt with, the caller/shooter advantage is huge. Plus someone to take your picture, share your memories and experiences, and help you haul the meat out of the backcountry. All worth considering.
Also consider midday bedding area tactics, I have found them to be the most predictable. If I can locate a bedded herd, the chances of a shot opportunity are pretty darn good.

I love how you stay out all day, and have great energy and enthusiasm. A burning desire to fill your tag is the most essential mindset - then you will do what it takes to be successful.

[Ryan Conkle]

Curlytail,
Thank you for the information as I can understand what you are getting at. How do you approach a bedded herd and what tactics' do you use when approaching them? Also, what are some areas' that you would prefer to set-up and cold call in other than a wallow or water location? I do in fact have a hunting partner that I go with every year and we have began to use the caller/shooter advantage more and more each trip and are reaping the benefits' of this set-up, although we still solo hunt and go different directions' some of the time, such as on the day that I shot that bull. As hunting partners' though, no matter who harvests the elk, both of our individual hunting stop until all meat is hauled off of the mountain together and we always split all of the meat...that way you have twice the chance of coming home with that delicious elk meat! As far as staying out all day, I live 30 hours' from the elk country that we hunt and I only have 12 days' a year that I can elk hunt, so full advantage is taken everyday, as they are the best 12 days' of the year! As far as the photograph is concerned, it definitely would have been nice to have a photographer available, as it is extremely difficult to capture a good photograph of both yourself and the elk all by your lonesome! lol

[CurlyTail]

My favorite midday tactic is to follow the herd to their bedding area either visually, or by following their sounds. Elk make considerable noise when on the move to keep in contact with each other. I like to let them bed, give them a couple of hours to nap and get settled, let the thermals get going strongly uphill, then sneak in as close as I dare from an uphill direction.

Once close, I give a cow call, hoping for a response from the Bull. If the Bull Bugles - I am ready and cut him off with a Challenge Bugle. Then every time he Bugles, I cut him off again. Doesn't take long, and usually only one or two challenges before he is up and coming over to run me off.

If he does not want to play, sometimes I will do a few cow calls like the lost cow call in hopes of pulling in a curious satellite.

What I don't do is bust the elk out of there if no response, I will come back and try again tommorrow. I have had zero luck sneaking in on a bedded herd. No need to bust them into the next valley and have to find them again on another day.

[Ryan Conkle]

Good stuff Curlytail... thank you for the information!

[ishy]

Curlytail,
T As far as the photograph is concerned, it definitely would have been nice to have a photographer available, as it is extremely difficult to capture a good photograph of both yourself and the elk all by your lonesome! lol

You need to check out the clipshot (in sponsor section above). Problem solved. Of course I haven't killed anything since I bought mine.

[Ryan Conkle]

Will do ishy...thank you!

[Heartwood]

You are doing lots of things right and congrats. on your bull harvest! If the country that you hunt has even a few open areas then I would spend some time behind your glass. Our crew finds as many elk by glass as by sound and experience from previous years. As stated, the clipshot is the answer to solo pics. or to get your partner in the pic also.