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Bull Across the Way...
- Thread starter cnelk
- Start date
I am not sure what time this is, or if he has cows, but as long as the wind is working in my favor, I would close in on him. This could be a good opportunity to get close, them cow call him. If he comes to that, fine. If he bugles, or chuckles to get the cow to come to him, then hit him with a challenge bugle or whatever we call it.
If I have a 30 min window I would drop down to my left and get the thermals in my favor. Using the trees as my cover move quickly and get into position to cow call him. I would call over my shoulder down and away from me, directing the call where I want him to go. If he answers, cut him off with a bugle. If I can fire him up I would cow call again, wait for the bull to answer and cut him off one more time. All my calls would be pointing down hill away from me. I would be expecting this bull to come with this series of events. I would move up and to my left, away from my calls, if the cover allowed. (I should have planned out before I started calling) Now shut up and wait for the bull to come searching.
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\"BTL\" said:If I have a 30 min window I would drop down to my left and get the thermals in my favor. Using the trees as my cover move quickly and get into position to cow call him. I would call over my shoulder down and away from me, directing the call where I want him to go. If he answers, cut him off with a bugle. If I can fire him up I would cow call again, wait for the bull to answer and cut him off one more time. All my calls would be pointing down hill away from me. I would be expecting this bull to come with this series of events. I would move up and to my left, away from my calls, if the cover allowed. (I should have planned out before I started calling) Now shut up and wait for the bull to come searching.
Bang on I would do the same !
I\'d leave him be until about an hour before last light. Stay within ear shot of him so I can have him pinpointed. I\'d know where he was heading to feed and be there. Sneak within bow range if possible. That cover looks great for the old sneaky indian. If for some reason I can\'t close the deal by sneaking in on him, I\'d get to about 80 yards and cut him off with the exact same bugle he\'s making. Knock an arrow and get ready. If this doesn\'t work at least I waited til the wind was good and didn\'t bust him so I\'ll be back again the next morning for another try. Calling is always a backup plan for me. I won\'t call, once I\'ve got one located, unless I feel it is necc.
It\'s always hard just looking at a picture. One thing for sure is I wouldn\'t cross the clearcut. I also don\'t like to be rushed. I would probably go straight up for a little ways, and wait for the wind to shift. Then i\'d cut over on top of him, and sneak down.
\"zpd307\" said:same here pete. go ahead while the thermals are good. and then head to the right, and get up to his level. so when the thermals change, he will be to the left of me, so that my scent wont hit him. once on the same plane as he is, I can go straight at him.
That was my first thought. I wouldn\'t risk it if the wind was getting ready to change. I would go up then across to him at the same level. I would back out if the wind wasn\'t right and wait till evening.
Look at the terrain in the pic a bit more guys.
Its mid morning, the bull isnt going down at this time, he is going up right?
If you go right at him he could spot you, and dive off the other side.
And he isnt coming into the old clearcut
Once Im at elevation, I try not to drop again. I will go UP, circle around and wait to see what happens with the wind.
otcwill has a pretty good plan. Back out and come back later when the bull\'s interest is peaked in the evening, and the wind is more stable
There is prob a much better chance to kill him then.
Its mid morning, the bull isnt going down at this time, he is going up right?
If you go right at him he could spot you, and dive off the other side.
And he isnt coming into the old clearcut
Once Im at elevation, I try not to drop again. I will go UP, circle around and wait to see what happens with the wind.
otcwill has a pretty good plan. Back out and come back later when the bull\'s interest is peaked in the evening, and the wind is more stable
There is prob a much better chance to kill him then.
It\'s all about the wind ... get close. If he\'s bugling that much, you may be able to find him without giving up your position with a call.
If I could get a good set-up for calling, I\'d likely start with a single cow mew, thrown behind me. I think this is a good place for a decoy, as you are trying to stir up some curiosity at close range and have him come looking.
If I could get a good set-up for calling, I\'d likely start with a single cow mew, thrown behind me. I think this is a good place for a decoy, as you are trying to stir up some curiosity at close range and have him come looking.
\"F M\" said:Pete that is what I was thinking. If the thermals are going to be changing soon I don\'t want to be heading down hill from him.
BTL and Wapiti What if you did not have a 30 min window,would you work it the same way but from above?
I would shadow him to his bedding area and make a plan there if the wind(thermals) allow for it. If he doesn\'t bugle his way to his bedding area I may call to him and try to keep him vocal. If I don\'t feel the sun or the mountain side heating up I would assume I have more time. So if it is warming up, the areas that I have hunted, it would take some time before you could get a constant thermal or wind direction. A lot of shifting going on around 10 or 11 am. There are areas that don\'t allow for an evening hunt because the wind wont allow for it. He is sounding off on his own and I have the wind. For me the time is now and I need to be aggressive. He is bugling every 3-4 minutes so I do think he is in a hurry which gives me time to close that distance. It would be ideal to be at the same elevation but that would be risking him circling downwind of my calling.
This bull may be heading to his own bedroom where he feels comfortable, no cows to chase yet and can still be patterned somewhat for the early season. Sounds like a perfect scenario to wait him out. Hunting pressure to bump him, cows near by he decides to chase later, or even the weather to turn things around. A lot of other factors that are not in my control are the reasons I don\'t like waiting it out. I have had times that waiting it out was the better answer, but the bull wasn\'t vocal either. Not to mention I had zero competition on him.
So I am trying to keep it simple for me. Vocal bull, wind in my face, cover to close the distance.....time to get aggressive.
\"cnelk\" said:Once Im at elevation, I try not to drop again. I will go UP, circle around and wait to see what happens with the wind.
Isn\'t that what I said? :eh:
Russel Reed
New member
- Jan 20, 2015
- 22
\"cnelk\" said:There is a bull bugling across this old clearcut near the trees up on the other side.
You cant see him but he has been bugling for about 15min - every 3-4 mins
Its mid morning,
Thermals are still going downhill, but prob not for long...
What do you do next?
Looking at the picture I can see that the sun is shining on that hillside already. You say it is mid morning. So, I\'ll bet you the thermals are already going up. I\'ll also take my chances that the bull is bugling from his bed since you stated it is mid morning.
I\'m going for him. My plan would be to swing to one side or the other of him so my scent will blow up and away from him as I gain the needed elevation to get above or even with him. Then, if he is by himself, I would stalk within range and shoot.
If he has cows, I would slip within shooting range of the nearest cow and play the waiting game. Ever so often during the day the bull will get up and go around to each cow checking for signs of estrus. When he comes to check the cow I\'m staked out on, that is when I get my shot.
If he is bugling as much as you stated, he is telling me exactly where he is. There is no need for me to make a single call of any type.
Glacier Country
New member
- Nov 13, 2013
- 177
I\'m going to take a nap. Then when the wind is a little bit more predictable, slip in his bedroom and give a few soft cow sounds. When he answers for me to go to him I will bugle so he thinks I am another bull asking the cows to go to me.
Troy Glacier Country Hunting Calls
Troy Glacier Country Hunting Calls
\"Glacier Country\" said:I\'m going to take a nap. Then when the wind is a little bit more predictable, slip in his bedroom and give a few soft cow sounds. When he answers for me to go to him I will bugle so he thinks I am another bull asking the cows to go to me.
Troy Glacier Country Hunting Calls
Wouldn\'t it be easier to slip into his bedroom, and shoot him?
Glacier Country
New member
- Nov 13, 2013
- 177
Still Hunter\"Still Hunter\" said:\"Glacier Country\" said:I\'m going to take a nap. Then when the wind is a little bit more predictable, slip in his bedroom and give a few soft cow sounds. When he answers for me to go to him I will bugle so he thinks I am another bull asking the cows to go to me.
Troy Glacier Country Hunting Calls
Wouldn\'t it be easier to slip into his bedroom, and shoot him?
Maybe... for you that is your skill, that you have honed and I am envious of.I have taken a few with a sneak , but if it is the middle of September, I am far more confident that I can call him in than I can sneak in on him. I am more likely to make all kinds of noise and make them come looking. That may not be for everybody. That is just how I enjoy doing it. :upthumb:
