Ok. I would consider myself a "noob" archery hunter if for no other reason than that in the past 3 years I haven't landed an elk, cow or bull (I passed on a Cow because I'm an idiot).
Anyways - I cover the basics. Full gear, minimal noise, wash the clothes appropriately, hunted with cow scent hunted without cow scent, I get up at 3 AM I hunt until dark. I'll sit for 10 hours or I'll walk for 10 hours... again... I've tried it all. I try to get as far away from people and motorized access as possible. Nothing.
Now, I'm in Idaho. So... plenty of wolves around (got one with my bow last year). And I bumped into them 4 separate times last year. I bugle, I'll cow call, I'll sit silent. The elk have increasingly become less noisy. The closest I came last year was a bull made 0 noise, just barreled in out of no where and stopped about 100 yards away and wouldn't come closer. Previous encounters, they bugle and bugle and bugle until they get about 100-200 yards away, and then go silent, only to never be hears from again (or bugle as they fade away...)
What. The. Hell. Is. Wrong?
Anyways - I cover the basics. Full gear, minimal noise, wash the clothes appropriately, hunted with cow scent hunted without cow scent, I get up at 3 AM I hunt until dark. I'll sit for 10 hours or I'll walk for 10 hours... again... I've tried it all. I try to get as far away from people and motorized access as possible. Nothing.
Now, I'm in Idaho. So... plenty of wolves around (got one with my bow last year). And I bumped into them 4 separate times last year. I bugle, I'll cow call, I'll sit silent. The elk have increasingly become less noisy. The closest I came last year was a bull made 0 noise, just barreled in out of no where and stopped about 100 yards away and wouldn't come closer. Previous encounters, they bugle and bugle and bugle until they get about 100-200 yards away, and then go silent, only to never be hears from again (or bugle as they fade away...)
What. The. Hell. Is. Wrong?