Calling a Bull in a second time

stick flicker · 09-17-2003, 01:36 PM

I called in two bulls for my friend yesturday but both winded him before a shot could be taken. Both elk spooked but they couldn't have gone far. What I want to know is if anyone has returned to the same place and called them again, or do the remeber that encounter and calls, and ignore the calling? Any experiece or ideas?

tailchaser · 09-17-2003, 02:02 PM

Both of the situations you asked can happen. What I would advise is changing your calling a little or change your setup on him. Yes, they will remember your call I've found for a couple of days if something bad happened out of it. However, if you didn't spook them out of the country it might not make as bad of an effect on him.

If I have this happen while I was bugling a bull, I would change to grunts and thrashing brush more the next morning or afternoon. Throw in some cow calls and it's a new deal for him. If you just go right back to the bugling his flashback memory will kick in and you thought he'd be anxious coming in the first time, he'll jump at any little thing the second time around. People are similar to elk in the way they bugle is usually unique. Mostly for people it's because they only know a couple of ways to make a bugle. Elk can differentiate that too and pin a human to that bugle. Often times my buddy and I will change who's doing the bugling on a bull that this has happened to change tones. Don't give up on him though, especially if he came in once, chances are he'll do it again if done right.

tc

stick flicker · 09-18-2003, 08:26 AM

Thanks TC for the comeback, I haven't been back there to try it again since. I am calling for my buddy and he has wanted to hunt other spots. I heard cows in the canyon that time and we went down and I bugled and cow called and the two bulls both came in silent about 20 min apart. I figure one was a satleite and the other was the herd bull.

Mello-Yello · 09-18-2003, 09:12 AM

The problem we have as humans is, when we try to guess what an elk would do, we always throw the "human element" into our thinking. These animals don't have reasoning as we know it. They are pre-programmed by instinct. Their instincts can be modified according to their experiences.

TC is absolutely right about bulls recognizing other bulls (by bugle, but also by smell). These critters live there 24/7/365, and during summer months the bulls hang together, so I've got to believe most of them are acquainted.

If you change up your calling a little bit, it's doubtful the elk will 'remember' you. Even at that, it's more likely that during last weeks encounters, the bull left thinking that while enroute to find the bugling bull, he encountered a human. Not that the bugling elk was actually a human.

Since your last encounter with these elk, they have probably had hundreds, if not thousands of "concerns" over other sounds, smells, occurances, etc...this is just a day in the life of an elk.

I think we all tend to make much more out of things than we need to (myself included). If elk were so smart, they'd at least come up with a basic alphabet by now. :grin:

id. painter · 09-18-2003, 09:27 AM

Good point Mellow Y.
We as human always want to invent rules for animal behavior. The animals dont know these rules and will do unexpected things all the time .
Learn to throat bugle , thru a hallow tube . You can fool them at any distance .id. painter

stick flicker · 09-18-2003, 04:59 PM

Good advice, I liked Mello's aproach to elk logic. I wish I hadn't already filled my tag w/ a spike, I would be back on them. I am sure that they are there. Low pressure if any at all.

Chin Hook · 09-18-2003, 11:05 PM

Great responses and glad to hear you have called a couple in. I have had many opportunities at the same bulls day after day. Try not to smell human, change to a little different call, play the wind and expect him. If you bugle, change your style and most of all smell like and act like a few cows with one dropping into heat with some estrus and hyper hot. If the bull locks up, hit him with a fight bugle and pressure him as if he were in your space trying to take your cows. In the mating season, they like this sort of behavior. If he is a herd bull, you will have to nag him and sneak in on his cows, then hit him with a big bull bugle with fast chuckles telling him he has crossed your path and it's time for the big stand off. This is where I like the Primos Terminator, otherwise I use Dan Kloer's bugle from www.deeptimbersounds.com. The pro call and dominator work awesome. Palate plate reed calls work well also. Try to mix things up and really try to understand elk language before you speak it and educate the elk.

Have fun and good luck! Remember, the Montana decoy of a Rocky Mtn. Elk can sometimes bag you the big one also to lure them in that last few yards.

nitrobass · 09-19-2003, 09:15 PM

Definitely change it up. Each bull I've played with has had a "trigger" that set it off. Doing the same calls over and over and not being creative limits you finding that hot button.

If I bugled in 2 bulls in one spot I'd be back there with my favorite cow call and make some excited estrus calls and leave the bugle for another day. Its rare that a satelite bull wont sneak in for a peak at a hot cow.

elkaholic · 09-19-2003, 09:40 PM

I agree with all the above basically. The first branch bull I killed, I called in 4 times, two times after missed shots. HE WAS HOT. Had to move a little and add some tricks but I was a novice back then.

Have called in lots multiple times the same day,waiting for the right setup but they never smelled me. Just kept dogging the herd.

Like they have said, can't predict. I would go in and give it a go.

cheers

horseskull · 09-25-2003, 07:12 PM

Last Sunday I cow called a hot bull until he winded me at 80yds and went back up the ridge he came from. I made a big circle and got on the other side. I made an angry bugle and he screamed and came right past me at 25 yds, just a bit to much brush to make a good shot. I also done this tactic a few years ago.

stick flicker · 09-25-2003, 08:35 PM

Well I went back and the two were right where I had left them. I called the Satellite to twenty yard but I made the mistake of thinking that he left after not hearing him for twenty or so minutes, but he had snuck in downwind of us and spooked. The herd bull was there and we were oh so close to closing the deal but he didn't walk within range, I had one of his cows come right to me I thought that I was going to get steped on, 10 feet at most. I wanted to stand up and scare her away but I thought the herd bull might come by behind her so my partner could shoot, so I stayed tucked under a fern. She walked right on by. Oh well next year I'll be back, and I hope they survive the rifle season. I have learned alot in the past 6 years from my sucesses and mistakes and would tell any bowhunter just getting started that experience and getting out thier is worth all the disapointments.