Bugling Them In?

outdoor.spec.ops · 09-04-2002, 07:31 AM

This is the first year that I have tried bugling to elk, and have developed some questions I hope someone can answer.

Last night I had a big bull bugle over 20 times towards me, and move over 500 yards across the timber and clearcut towards me. I had seen his cows in an open clearcut 300 yards from the timber, and after getting him fired up, he moved with his cows, and bugled while moving towards us until dark. I never was able to get in under 100 yards due to the nasty terrain.

Is it better to close the distance as you bugle, or rather get close to the herd and then bugle?

Is it realistic to think a bull will cross gullies to come to your call, or should you push across the gully to meet him?

Do the bulls usually bring the cows with them?

Hope someone has some insight, he was getting close, but the sun was going down. Hope to get him tonight!

Jim · 09-04-2002, 07:53 AM

I am by no means an expert in this arena but have bugled my share of bulls. First of all, I never start bugling unless I know I am within 200 yds...I prefer inside 100. Inside 100 and he will usually take ya on and leave the cows...yes he will cross just about anything if he is fired up in fact if he has to through a gulley to get to you thats perfect! Set up 20-30 yds from that gulley...when he goes into the gulley you will have your moment to draw unseen, they will also usually stop after crossing something like that.

Are you bugling with a partner or solo?? Partners work far better than solo bugling. Have fun!!

Jim

Oh, don't forget that the cow call is your best friend!!!!

Bait O' Eggs · 09-04-2002, 08:18 AM

I have never had them bring their cows with them when they come. They will usually move the cows off and then maybe come back, or not come back and face the challenger. I guess it depends on how close you are when you start bugling. My experience tells me the closer I am when I make first contact the more likely they will come to me on a bugle.

If you have one coming towards you, cut the distance as quick as possible and get set up. Why wait for them to come all the way, they may change their mind before they get to you. When I get contact, I move as fast as I can to get in his backyard where he cant ignore me. If he wants to fight, he is mine, if he wants to run, I didnt have a shot at him anyway with a bugle.

My experience also tells me bulls are a lot like junior high school boys, lots of talk about fighting, but very little swinging going on.

They will stand across the canyon and tell each other how big and bad they are, but when you get close and bugle they round up the cows and head out of town. They have everything to lose and little to gain by fighting. Throw out some sweet cow calls and tell them you are in esterous and wanna get together for a drink and romance and every bull in the area will want to come show you what a great lover he is.

All you gotta do is be there when the bulls quit thinking with their brain.

Their is something romantic about calling a bull in with a bugle, but I think far more bulls fall to a cow call. I would rather bugle a bull in for the rush it gives me, but know you gotta do what ever they are responding to.

outdoor.spec.ops · 09-04-2002, 08:36 AM

Thanks for the advice fellas. I have been hunting with a partner, who has been using cow calls, which has been working fairly well. To finally get the bull to bugle was nice , it was like he was throwing a beakon out saying HERE I AM. Ill try to get closer to the herd before bugling, and have my partner about 60 yards ahead of me.

Myles · 09-04-2002, 08:59 AM

If you're in nasty terrain you might consider a satelite bull, you can usually get them to come to you when a herd bull might not. If there's a herd of cows, there'll be satelite bulls around trying to steal a cow or two. If you get the herd bull to bugle back, cut the distance if possible, bugle, then make a bunch of cow calls for a minute or 2, then sit quietly and listen for about 10 minutes. Be on your toes they'll sneek in quieter than you ever thought possible, come around you downwind to check things out. But sometimes they come straight at you making all kinds of noise. They really are unpredictable.

If you know there's elk, if there's a herd bull cut the distance in half and bugle again, but then he may take his cows and leave.
:whazzup:
Creat excitement!! Bugle a small bull bugle one direction, a bigger bugle the other, scrape a tree with a stick then cow call. Sometimes they think it's a party

and come over to crash it!
Sometimes it'll scare them off.

Sometimes I've gone in with a plan and blew it.
Be flexible have an idea what you want to do then make adjustments as you go.

have fun and tell us a story when you get back.

myles

outdoor.spec.ops · 09-04-2002, 09:17 AM

Thanks again for the info!

I raked a few alder trees last night as well, and that was the final trick to get the bull out of the timber. I did hear some cracking branches behind us a few times, but I didnt pay much notice to it, I guess I should have, but with my partner ahead I was working to get him a shot. Im sure Ill get him fired up again, if not--there are a lot of smaller 3 and 4 pointers around.

outdoor.spec.ops · 09-04-2002, 12:12 PM

I hunt primarily the west side, where its thick and nasty! :grin:

DRUNK COWBOY · 09-04-2002, 12:15 PM

Then I would be using a lot of cw calling to get that bull away from the herd.

bigshark · 09-04-2002, 08:23 PM

Outdoor

I don't believe a mature herd bull can be sucked away from his girls with calling. Cows choose bulls in my opinion, not the other way around. His ladies are taking care of him by watching in ever direction. My
suggestion to you is wait until he can't see you if you move. Then move fast and a short distance but make sure one of his ladies sees you. They will all break and run but he does not know why. Often he will stop and sneek back to see what screwed up his party. Be ready for him as you may have to follow a little. But it is very often he's coming to take a peek. I do not hunt in areas of high pressure so this may not work on some west side units.
Just try it once when you can't figure out what else to try. It has worked for me. Good Luck

DRUNK COWBOY · 09-04-2002, 11:58 PM

Get down wind and cow call, cow call, cow call. If you are dealing with a herd Bull then there is no way to get him away unless he feels he can add cows to his party.

I look at it this way. If I am the only man at a party with 10+ super models. then why in the hell would I leave to go fight another guy? I already have the girls, so I have won the battle. However if I hear of a better party with better looking and more women then I am going to go check it out.

Get the bull to believe you are a bunch of cows with a small bull controlling them. Do a couple young bugles here and there, but do not over bugle.

This stratagy will also depend if you are hunting on the west side or the east side :whazzup: