Bugle

[JohnFitzgerald]

Mid September and it\'s a 1/2 before light. You are standing on top of a ridge overlooking a big timbered bowl. You pull out your Brand X bugle and give a nice long Contact Bugle in which you then get a response. Let\'s say that you know the direction the reply came from but your unable to tell how far. As a hunter, what\'s your next play?

 

[iccyman001]

Checking winds and checking my brain.
I\'m checking my brain because I know the area well due to scouting and having been out in the woods hunting for a few days already.
I know the thermals are going to do the same thing everyday and I should be good for a few hours....

 

[Guest]

John I would stay put and get a few more answers and really listen carefully to make sure that the elk is not coming your way ! They can come fast in the dark and you will not have a chance as legal shooting time and daylight might bugger you up !

I\'ve been there done that. A better way is to locate at night before bed and the elk are usually only a few hundred yards away from that spot in the Morning. This is way less risky in my opinion.

Trav

 

[iccyman001]

John I would stay put and get a few more answers and really listen carefully to make sure that the elk is not coming your way ! They can come fast in the dark and you will not have a chance as legal shooting time and daylight might bugger you up !

I\'ve been there done that. A better way is to locate at night before bed and the elk are usually only a few hundred yards away from that spot in the Morning. This is way less risky in my opinion.

Trav

I really need to try this during this season.
I have seen you all mention it before to find them at night and go in the next and they may not be far.

 

[mtnmutt]

Ok, I don\'t bugle, YET. I will play along because this will help me if I ever do bugle.

Glass in the direction of the bugle. Look for food sources. Either the bull is still in its nighttime feeding area or he is making his way to bed and likely still feeding along the way. If the bull has any cows, he isn\'t coming to the hunter.

If the hunter drops down from the ridge, will he hear bugling? I can\'t hear well. In timber, I won\'t likely hear the bull if I drop off the ridge into timber.

I noticed last year a herd bull going back and forth along a ridge while tending to his harem. He was bugling back and forth as he walked the ridge. It was 7-8:15 am. The bull in your scenario is very likely in his nighttime feeding area with his cows and will be heading to bed in 60-90 minutes.

Have the hunter do the same bugling tactic. Stay in cover and walk back and forth along the ridge like a real bull doing more bugling. Avoid going in a direction that sends your scent downhill towards the bull. The bull will likely give out more bugles which may map his path/direction of travel. Once that is known, intercept. Go towards his bedding area once direction of travel is known. If there is no way to reach there in time with morning thermals in your favor, go there in the evening just outside the bedding area. I am more inclined to gather more information of where the bull is traveling at this time and come back for an evening hunt.

 

[mainebrdr]

In that scenario I think I would move from that spot with the wind dictating the direction and wait for more light. I\'ll check my map if I didn\'t know the area well and try to figure where he is headed. He may already be at or close to his bedding area which should hopefully be marked on my map.

John, why are we on top of a ridge before light? Is there a steady prevailing wind? With the thermals generally going down at that time would it be better to start low? Is your camp at the top?

 

[Swede]

I agree with Travis on this. Don\'t go charging in when you don\'t know where the bull is, especially in the dark. Maybe he will come. Anyway back away till first light and slip back close to where you called from, call again and listen carefully.

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

In that scenario I think I would move from that spot with the wind dictating the direction and wait for more light. I\'ll check my map if I didn\'t know the area well and try to figure where he is headed. He may already be at or close to his bedding area which should hopefully be marked on my map.

John, why are we on top of a ridge before light? Is there a steady prevailing wind? With the thermals generally going down at that time would it be better to start low? Is your camp at the top?

Mainebrdr - I always bugle from high points. I never attack straight down but choose to locate from the top then side hill to the bull. I spent way too many hunting seasons dogging the herd from the bottom only to have them out pace me.

 

[Guest]

I also prefer to come in from the top as John does, working my way down as the elk are coming up to their bedding areas. I play the wind carefully and about the time they are reaching the bedding area I\'m close and then the warm air starts to rise and its game on !!

My legs are to short to try to keep up with elk going up hill !! They always leave me in the dust and then disappear. :dk: :dk:

 

[Guest]

I noticed last year a herd bull going back and forth along a ridge while tending to his harem. He was bugling back and forth as he walked the ridge. It was 7-8:15 am.


That is a bull you say nothing to and sneak into as he is at the far end of his ridge then give out 1-2 cow mews and get ready to draw your bow because he is coming fast on that same trail !! Watch out for his cows that are bedded close by !! Those kinds of bulls are fun because they will do the exact same thing every time. That\'s a bull you can kill !! :dance2:

Trav

 

[mtnmutt]

I noticed last year a herd bull going back and forth along a ridge while tending to his harem. He was bugling back and forth as he walked the ridge. It was 7-8:15 am.

That is a bull you say nothing to and sneak into as he is at the far end of his ridge then give out 1-2 cow mews and get ready to draw your bow because he is coming fast on that same trail !! Watch out for his cows that are bedded close by !! Those kinds of bulls are fun because they will do the exact same thing every time. That\'s a bull you can kill !! :dance2:

Trav

Thanks Trav.

I didn\'t tell the whole story. We shut up from below. We made our way below him at the creek. We spotted a spike and cow feeding below the herd bull. My hunting partner put on a stalk up the >20 degree grade hill. I spotted from below to try to give hand signals to him. The wind shifted at 8:15 am and off went the elk.

This thread helps me. I need to figure out how to hunt this new spot this season. There is an ambush location down below where they come out from bedding and start heading to the hill to climb to feed. Good location for an evening hunt. I have a trail camera at this location.

There is a way to go up the hill to the ridge from further down the creek and then walk along the ridge to the bull, however, the cows below the bull would wind me. For morning hunts, it is a better approach to do a direct line straight up the hill and watch for the cows. We both are okay with cows to fill our tags. However, I will mention your suggestion to my hunting partner. This will be a fun place to hunt starting in mid-September.

 

[Guest]

I noticed last year a herd bull going back and forth along a ridge while tending to his harem. He was bugling back and forth as he walked the ridge. It was 7-8:15 am.

That is a bull you say nothing to and sneak into as he is at the far end of his ridge then give out 1-2 cow mews and get ready to draw your bow because he is coming fast on that same trail !! Watch out for his cows that are bedded close by !! Those kinds of bulls are fun because they will do the exact same thing every time. That\'s a bull you can kill !! :dance2:

Trav

Thanks Trav.

I didn\'t tell the whole story. We shut up from below. We made our way below him at the creek. We spotted a spike and cow feeding below the herd bull. My hunting partner put on a stalk up the >20 degree grade hill. I spotted from below to try to give hand signals to him. The wind shifted at 8:15 am and off went the elk.

This thread helps me. I need to figure out how to hunt this new spot this season. There is an ambush location down below where they come out from bedding and start heading to the hill to climb to feed. Good location for an evening hunt. I have a trail camera at this location.

There is a way to go up the hill to the ridge from further down the creek and then walk along the ridge to the bull, however, the cows below the bull would wind me. For morning hunts, it is a better approach to do a direct line straight up the hill and watch for the cows. We both are okay with cows to fill our tags. However, I will mention your suggestion to my hunting partner. This will be a fun place to hunt starting in mid-September.

Yes I would come from the side and coming down from the ridge and move very slow and quiet on a game trail !! This bull is advertising and wanting any cows in the area to come to him so just slip in and give him what he wants. A cow mew !

His cows should be centered between where he is marching back and forth as he will be keeping an eye on them as well. If you can beat the wind and thermals you will have a very very good chance at him.

Good luck and stay calm !!

Trav