All's Quiet On The Elk Front...?

[Sytes]

Spent a few days hunting without a peep from the mighty Wapiti. A couple weeks prior, I had scouted the area, located a few elk and had information from another of other sightings. Basically, I had a reasonable level of confirmation they were in the area. My hunt partner and I worked the heck out of the area - sticking with mainly cow calls with a rare bugle. I would have bugled a bit more often though I've rarely experienced being in the elk and absolutely no bugles going off overnight while hunkered in the tent. Due to that, figured I best mimic the setting and stick with mostly cow calling.

So my question, along with glassing every opportunity, what the flip gives? The sign was okay... It helped us dial in a bit. We worked a decent 2 mile mostly north facing of various drainages. Not a peep. We hunkered in after a bugle and a couple cow calls anticipating the possible silent approach a good hour w/o success. Went ridge over and worked that north facing side in the event they were pushed between my scouting and our arrival. Nothing.

I was told they are possibly trained on elk bugles.

Boils down to - if you're getting the silent treatment from the bulls who should be all pissy with each other swipe from this or that harem and you're fairly certain you're in with them... How do you play it? Next Q - aside from bugle trained, what other reasons cause them to be silent in the midst of the rut?

 

[Mudranger1]

I just got back from 4 days 3.99 of absolutely nothing and I had enough. Started going full bull screaming chuckling as hard and loud as I could withing 2 minutes a bull was answering back within a 100 yards and came straight it unfortunately my uncle seems to have hit the shoulder and said bull was not recovered but that was our week. 1 response and it came from giving everything I had

 

[Doublecluck]

They have been pretty vocal around here the last 2 weeks. Had a pretty good season, called in 20 or so, 3 got stuck, 2 recovered 1 heartbreaker lost. They were quiet yesterday and today in my local spots. In fact they seem to have disappeared off the face of the planet. Last week was pretty epic. Wish I could post video without uploading to YouTube etc. got some good footage just have to go through it.

Note: elk area I hunt does not have significant wolves/bears

 

[TheJason]

If you want elk to bugle, bugle to them. Stop screwing around with cow calls and get serious.

 

[3855WIN]

My experience with elk has been similar to spring turkey hunting. Some mornings they talk, some mornings they don’t. The more days you can put in, the better your chances of being there the day they want to talk.

 

[Jape]

Last week they would shut up real fast after first light. We had few responses with cow calling but better results with bugling. Hope you get in em soon!

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Just let'er rip man!

 

[shoots-straight]

Packed a camp in 5 miles, then have hiked no less than 10 and more like 15 miles every day for 12 days, looking for Elk. I have called in around 9 ELk some inside bow range, just not what we want to pack back out that far. You have to work for them some times. I bugle a lot, and sometimes that brings in all the boys to yard.

 

[Doublecluck]

Personally if it’s within 5 days of the equinox and I’m in a area bulls aren’t vocal I’m moving on. Of the areas I hunt in Sw MT That I know have elk in them in the rut, all of the bulls in those places are vocal to some extent this time of year.

 

[noharleyyet]

When I get a few more posts I'll ask if the elk in Northern NM are talking.....

 

[Lone Elk]

Was out in SW Montana last week. Definitely not 'in the elk'. Spent 7 days hunting drainages and mountains with only one bugle to show for it on the 5th day. During the first 4 days managed to kick up a pair of bulls bedded together and a single by himself.
I bugled and cow called within 100-200 yds of them both times before we bumped them and never had a peep.
Also had a friend who lives there help get his brother a bull and himself one last week. He said both bulls were vocal, but a little limited in how much.

 

[vanish]

In a couple places I hunt in OTC Colorado, if you bugle, those elk leave asap.

They collect little harems and hole up while hunters are in the woods. In those places, I do best still hunting, or some light cow calls. Its tough.

 

[2rocky]

In the last 2 weeks of September, if I'm not hearing bugles then I'm moving to a different draw. Now if I'm seeing elk but not hearing bugles, then I'll say the elk are quiet. But in those cases, I'm bumping them in the timber or seeing them a long way off. It is amazing just how far you can hear a real cow elk mew.

YMMV.... My observation based on experience in Western Wyoming between Jackson and Big Sandy. I was in Northern New Mexico and heard elk talking in August across the canyon, at least 500 yards away. In the picture below the elk were on the last open ridge before the trees. I could hear cows talking to calves from where I sat. The stupid look on my face is from utter bliss....Sorry not sorry....

 

[Novemberfest]

In a couple places I hunt in OTC Colorado, if you bugle, those elk leave asap.

They collect little harems and hole up while hunters are in the woods. In those places, I do best still hunting, or some light cow calls. Its tough.

Had this exact same experience in western Wyoming general unit. It was a frustrating experience for a first time elk hunter. As soon as they heard a call, they would collect their cows and move before you ever get a chance to get close. We basically had to sneak through the vast forest and hope that we would run into to something, and see them before they smelled us. An extremely inefficient way to hunt elk but it seemed like our only option.

 

[Sdhunters]

Had this exact same experience in western Wyoming general unit. It was a frustrating experience for a first time elk hunter. As soon as they heard a call, they would collect their cows and move before you ever get a chance to get close. We basically had to sneak through the vast forest and hope that we would run into to something, and see them before they smelled us. An extremely inefficient way to hunt elk but it seemed like our only option.

Same with us in So. Wyoming. Few mornings they bulged for hours and then days they bugled once, gathered cows and went to bed. We found ourselves having to try to get between the bugle and the bedding area. Couple days we got in close but most days they were in early and could not get to them. Good first year experience. Maybe next time the mistake we made will result in a kill. Good luck next time.