Hunting plans

[Mathewsz7-elkridge]

If everything goes as planned while driving out to colorado. We will get the the trail head around 8 pm on the 15th of September one day before the full moon. Was planning on stopping every so often to throw out a location bugle to pin a couple bulls on the way to the trail head. Then hike in 3 to 4 miles to set up camp depending on what we heard and hunting pressure. Throw out a couple location bugles a little ways away from camp. All of this is assuming they aren't already talking. If I haven't heard a bull respond at this point would you hike out and go to another area? Or would you give it a day or two?

[Gypsumreaper]

You mean like stopping ur vehicle and bugling from the road with location bugles before the trailhead? To me I've seen so many hunters do that and never get a response but have seen the elk head the other way. They aren't stupid they hear a vehicle then a bugle it's just education to them. Bugling a couple miles once hiking from the trailhead is a better idea, and also depends where ur hunting I haven't had an elk bugle in the area I hunt for 3 years now even at night they have gone pretty much silent from so many people bugling. Doesn't mean they aren't there they just don't talk like they used to anymore


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[Elkhunttoo]

Have you hunted this area before? There's no way I would go in with a camp 3-4 miles late at night to pull it out in the morning if I didn't hear any bugles. If it was me and I got to the trail head of a new area at 8 pm I'm camping right there. I would do a little hike and try to locate some but I'm staying at the trail head. Now, if you know the area that's a different story. It'll be fun either way, good luck

[Indian Summer]

Have you hunted this area before? There's no way I would go in with a camp 3-4 miles late at night to pull it out in the morning if I didn't hear any bugles. If it was me and I got to the trail head of a new area at 8 pm I'm camping right there. I would do a little hike and try to locate some but I'm staying at the trail head. Now, if you know the area that's a different story. It'll be fun either way, good luck

THAT just saved me a bunch of typing. On the money for sure! Thanks Elkhunttoo.

Also... Gypsum is dead on as well. I have been hunkered down watching bulls that were talking ad when they heard a call coming from the road... even a gated road way back in, they zipped their lips and layed low. But that can definitely depend on the area and where the road runs.

Both of these replies basically say if you know the area it is a different story.

[Mathewsz7-elkridge]

Have you hunted this area before? There's no way I would go in with a camp 3-4 miles late at night to pull it out in the morning if I didn't hear any bugles. If it was me and I got to the trail head of a new area at 8 pm I'm camping right there. I would do a little hike and try to locate some but I'm staying at the trail head. Now, if you know the area that's a different story. It'll be fun either way, good luck

No I haven't hunted this area. This will be my first trip out west. The country is pretty rough and steep. All most all of the walking would be done on a trail. It's going to be dark when I walk that any way weather it's when I get there or in the morning. How long would you give an area that you haven't heard any bugle near the rut? As far as bugling from the road I figured they would sound off a little easier at night. I guess no one does it with any luck.

[WapitiTalk1]

There is value added, and productive times/situations to locate bulls from a road. Normally rumbling up a mountain road with headlights bouncing all over the place and stopping when you get to an opening in the timber and calling down into the draw or across a canyon is not the best method for reasons others have mentioned. This said, there are absolutely times/places/situations that locating from the proximity of a road can reap dividends. If you can park on the side of a road, then climb up a few hundred yards over a small ridge between the road and the canyon/draw on the other side, then yes... that scenario works for locating. If you can walk in on a gated road 1/4+ mile and locate bugle down into or up into draws after things have quieted down, then yes, that works for locating. Many times when I'm seeing if anybody is home, particularly after the sun has set, I'll just sit and listen vs. throwing out any elk noises. More often than not, if there are bulls down there, across there, up there, etc...... you'll hear them sound off on their own (no need for me to make any noises once I hear them; I'll come back when it's light and head towards where I heard them the night before). Use caution when locating bulls at night, they have been known to crash in pretty damn quick which has left more than a few hunters with a chronic case of EPB (extremely puckered butt)..

[Tigger]

timing is everything. We were coming out well after dark one night and got to a spot I could bugle into two different drainages. It was pitch dark and I knew there were bulls in the drainages. No vehicle within a mile. I threw out about 3 different bugles from different spots and got.....nothing. 2 days later, that place was full of bugles for most of the day.

I too would not bugle from the road but would do as Phantom suggests.

[cohunter14]

I also wouldn't recommend packing in to a new area at night. You have no idea what is going on back there both from elk in the area and other hunters as well. It would stink to hike in 4 miles and set camp only to wake up in the morning to two other camps in the same area. Other hunters is another reason I wouldn't be bugling from the trailhead. If you get a response, there might be other hunters that hear the same response. Without knowing who is camped where, it just adds a lot of question marks.