Dumb tricks that worked

[WW]

Have you ever done something while elk hunting that was so off the wall stupid that it actually worked? Here is one I tried several years ago and believe it or not I was able to fool two young bulls with it.

I had just sent out a location bugle from a ridge over looking a pond and an open meadow below me. I suppose I should have glassed out the meadow before calling because there was a spike and a smaller branch antlered bull right out in the open that I hadn\'t noticed. Neither one of them answered my call. But then again, nothing else did either. So, I decided it was time to head over the next ridge to try again. But in order to get there, I would have to cross the open meadow the young bulls were feeding in and I really didn\'t want to spook them.

I used to always carry a burlap bag with me. I had used it as an emergency decoy a few times. If you stop and think about it, the color of burlap is about the same color as an elk.

So I came up with this stupid brain storm and figured I\'d give it a whirl. I cut a stick about 3 ft. long and draped the burlap bag over it and with my right hand, I held it straight out behind me at about waist high. With the other hand I held my bow up on the top of my head to simulate antlers. Then I started walking down the hill toward the meadow being careful to try and keep a sideward angle to the bulls.

As I broke into the meadow, the two youngsters were only about 75 yards away. They both raised their heads and looked at me and then resumed feeding. So, what the heck, I walked out in the open crossing the meadow. Every once in a while they would look my way but continued to feed and never once did they ever seem alarmed in any way.

By the time I had reached the other side, It was all I could do to keep from laughing. I\'ll bet I was the stupidest looking elk those two had ever seen. And I\'m sure glad there weren\'t any other hunters around to see me do it. :lol:

If I wasn\'t a bowhunter, I\'d be plum ashamed of myself!!! :wtf:

 

[Zpd307]

good story! I guess I should be carrying a burlap sack this year :lol:

 

[cohunter14]

I once had an entire herd of elk come running within 15 yards of me on a sidehill. Long story short, I had just left my stand and was heading elsewhere when this whole herd came running through. Long story short, I had a bull tag. I sat and watched as one by one they funneled by me with no bull in sight. Knowing I had nothing to lose, I decided to walk right at the herd just to see if somehow I had missed a bull with the group. I literally walked right at the middle of the group from 70 yards or so out and they all just sat and watched me. It was almost comical, they had to be thinking \'what in the hell is this guy all decked out in orange garb doing right now?\' I got within 25 yards or so easily before they decided to hightail it. I think you archery hunters exaggerate stuff, it isn\'t difficult at all to get that close to elk!! :lol:

 

[Buglemaster]

Several years ago, my son & I played that game also. We had hiked into a farmers field of standing oats in the dark.(elk LOVE oats). At daylight, they started moving back to the oak brush, but nowhere near enough for an opportunity for us. We stayed close together & crouched as a walking elk with my bow on top of my head & tried to parallel them & mabe cut them off. They did not seem to concerned with us & even with them just walking, they left us in the dust. They weren\'t more than 100 yds off at one time but we just couldn\'t get ahead of them. You probably know the area we were in Bill.

 

[Zpd307]

elk can be dumb..... my first elk, was in Utah. we were able to walk up from 600 yards to 300 yards. afterwards, I figured we could have gotten closer. but after 2 dry years in Colorado, I figured it was because I was on private land....

 

[cnelk]

Once we found a patch of aspens in the middle of some sage that held a bunch of elk.
But this patch was 1/4 mile from the timber. No way to get there without bumping those elk out and having a chance for a shot.

So...
we dropped a couple guys off back around and they walked thru the timber and set up.
Me and another guy snuck into those aspen and scared the beegeebies outta those elk.
They ran right to the timber.
Elk were everywhere.
I ran as fast as could to get to the timber to get in on the action
The elk did not know what to do, there were guys in front of them and guys behind them.
I draw down on this raghorn but he busted me, cows were mewing, bulls were bugling.

Guess how many we shot?
Not a one.
But it was sure fun

 

[Jaquomo]

Well, if you read my feature in the latest Extreme Elk mag, you\'ll know about my \"butt face decoy\" trick... Embarassing, but it put another P&Y bull in the freezer.

Seriously, when I first brought the elk hat to camp my partner laughted and laughed, said it was the stupidest thing he\'d ever seen. Now I\'ve way lost count of the bulls I\'ve sucked into range or the herds I\'ve crawled past, cows I\'ve calmed down with it. Not so dumb now.

 

[Jaquomo]

Another time I ran toward a herd that had just crossed the ridge, frantically calling like a calf left behind. Actually, I ran into the herd, which had all stopped in the timber on the other side to wait for the calf. Shot the herd bull at 8 yards, he ran down the hill about 30 yards and tipped over.

I walked back to my hunting partner, who was just sitting down to eat a Snickers. \"What happened?\" he asked sarcastically. \"You shoot the bull?\" He was sneering.

\"I killed him.\"

\"You mean you shot him???\"

\"No, he\'s dead, right down on the first bench\".

Two bites into his Snickers and we were on the way to butchering a big bull.

 

[Deertick]

Lou ... those \"hats\", as you call them ... can you elaborate?

Also ... how about a pattern? I think it\'d be fun to play with.

 

[elkmtngear]

By the time I had reached the other side, It was all I could do to keep from laughing. I\'ll bet I was the stupidest looking elk those two had ever seen.

First time we pulled that trick with the SLIP System, we were beta testing it. Walked across an open park with cows and a couple spikes feeding at about 100 yds, with two guys behind the SLIP Open Country Elk Decoy (we were trying to get around them to where 2 bulls were having a screaming match, and keep the wind advantage).

We were laughing under our breath...couldn\'t believe we got away with it. Ended up decoying in and arrowing one of the bulls! :upthumb:

 

[Jaquomo]

Deertick, pm me with your email addy and I\'ll send you pics and a pattern. The deer and elk hats are probably the two most valuable tools in my tool kit. Using the elk hat in conjunction with Jeff\'s elk butt Slip is a ridiculously deadly combination. But it also works well on it\'s own when needed, because I wear a mottled tan hoodie when elk hunting anyway.