When to stay or move

[Mathewsz7-elkridge]

A couple times last year I setup to do some advertising. The very first time I did this a called for about 20 minutes. 10 minutes or so into the advertising sequence I got my first response. With in a minute another bull answered. Followed by what sounded like the first bull again. Both were just in hearing distance. The first one to my 12 o'clock the other to my 8 o'clock. We waited about 20 minutes and seen nothing. Then decide to eat a snack and listen for another 10 minutes. We headed in the direction of the 12 o'clock bugle then looped back to the other one. Never did see or hear anything.

Two days later and 3 miles away from the other setup me and my partner were setup about a 100 yards apart on two well used trails. I got board after sitting there for 2 hrs and started an advertising sequence. After 2 minutes I got a distant bugle and then he bugles again a minute later. Once again just in hearing range I decided to head to my partner to move on this bull. Once I got to him he informed me that he bugled three other times after I stopped. I couldn't hear it while walking. He seemed to think it was still around the same distance so we took off in its direction. After 100 yards he bugled and it was much closer. We made it 50 more yards before we seen him across the valley in a small window running in our direction. Unfortunately the wind shifted and he caught our wind.

Looking back at both of these I feel doing the opposite may have draw different outcomes. Comparing the two giving each in counter 10 minutes after hearing them again would have been enough. Has anyone found this to be true for them if a bull does bugle during an advertising sequence? Even if it's not advertising when do you guys feel you might want to get a little closer? How long do you give him to close the distance after you don't hear him any more?

[Swede]

When I am in an area with little or no fresh sign, I will move through fairly quickly. I will wait a few minutes after calling, but not many. If I am seeing plenty of fresh sign, then I tend to work a place for up to an hour. In the early and mid season I am more likely to have silent bulls come, so I plan for that.

[Mathewsz7-elkridge]

Thank you Swede. I was looking more along the lines of when a bull has bugled a couple times in response to your calling. What makes you decide to stay or move?

[Swede]

A few minutes (about 5) after his bugle, I call again. If he has come closer, I get set. I will move forward if possible. If I can't move forward without risking being busted, I will try to find a position to the side that enhances my protection from being seen or winded. Now, if he has Not moved, which is most of the time, I will immediately go to him. I want to get within about 100 yards before I call again. That first call after moving forward will be a cow call. Will he come to that? If he calls back, inviting the cow to come to him instead of coming himself, then I will scream at him with a bugle from close to where I cow called from, and include some grunts. I will try to sound like a small bull with a cow that he can take easily.

[Mathewsz7-elkridge]

Makes sense thanks swede. As soon as we started moving on thato second bull I knew we made a mistake but back tracking would have been tough. Also with being a whitetail hunter I find it never move backwards because they will smell where you just were. I am guessing elk are the same way and will pick up the scent from your trail as well.