WWYD Elk scenario

[Bob-WY]

Still sorting out what to do when, so here's this years.

Was a quiet September. Did call one group in, swirling breeze blew that one.

Friday got to edge of a 150 yard clearing at first light. Other side has a wallow in the grass and another 75 yards inside the trees. Lots of runs. At first light nothing was in the open so I bugle. Got immediate answer from other side maybe 50 to 100 yards inside the trees. Wind in my favor. I worked around the edge staying inside treeline. Setup in a small semi opening. Took about 10.minutes wind in my face. Called again and he never answered.

I stayed put for 30 minutes, sporadically cow calling and 1 or 2 bugles. Nothing.

Advice? How would you play it? Should I have stayed put originally and tried to pull him to me? Hunting solo.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Still sorting out what to do when, so here's this years.

Was a quiet September. Did call one group in, swirling breeze blew that one.

Friday got to edge of a 150 yard clearing at first light. Other side has a wallow in the grass and another 75 yards inside the trees. Lots of runs. At first light nothing was in the open so I bugle. Got immediate answer from other side maybe 50 to 100 yards inside the trees. Wind in my favor. I worked around the edge staying inside treeline. Setup in a small semi opening. Took about 10.minutes wind in my face. Called again and he never answered.

I stayed put for 30 minutes, sporadically cow calling and 1 or 2 bugles. Nothing.

Advice? How would you play it? Should I have stayed put originally and tried to pull him to me? Hunting solo.

It's possible he was not actually answering you but was actually calling the cows to follow him away from you. There are different kinds of bugles, how familiar are you? Calling is a gamble, the more you understand the game the better your odds but still a gamble. Sometimes a calf call is a more neutral way to locate herds, less likely to spook either bulls or cows. Once a bull has a herd you are at risk of both the bull leading the cows away or also the cows leading the bull away with the wrong call/wrong time.

 

[Westelker]

Still sorting out what to do when, so here's this years.

Was a quiet September. Did call one group in, swirling breeze blew that one.

Friday got to edge of a 150 yard clearing at first light. Other side has a wallow in the grass and another 75 yards inside the trees. Lots of runs. At first light nothing was in the open so I bugle. Got immediate answer from other side maybe 50 to 100 yards inside the trees. Wind in my favor. I worked around the edge staying inside treeline. Setup in a small semi opening. Took about 10.minutes wind in my face. Called again and he never answered.

I stayed put for 30 minutes, sporadically cow calling and 1 or 2 bugles. Nothing.

Advice? How would you play it? Should I have stayed put originally and tried to pull him to me? Hunting solo.

Perhaps you arrived at meadow a few minutes too late, the herd bull may have just moved his harem away from the grass into the timber. Being late in the rut, the herd bull probably has mated with most of the cows; and, doesn't have much interest in dealing with "another" bull.

So, I don't think he would have come running to your call. The herd bull most likely is only interested in one or two of his girls....ones that have not mated yet, but may go into estrus anytime now.

I don't think there was much you could have done. Perhaps you could have slowly followed the herd hoping to close the distance, but the bull most likely would have continued to move his harem deeper into the timber. You don't want to spook them out of the country, so I would not "chase" them. I would expect them to return to that meadow in the evening at last light or at first light the next morning.....be there and set yourself up hidden by the edge of the grass/timber fringe and be ready to notch an arrow. Good luck!!!