Elk Hunting Forum - Lone Hunter Tactics
- Thread starter Deertick
- Start date
trophyhill
New member
- Aug 20, 2013
- 46
Although still early in my elk killing career, call and move or call and stalk is netting consistent results. At first I\'d call and expect the elk to come in and give me a shot. Well they came in but made me a victim of the dreaded hang up on more occasions than I care to remember.
Now I call and move or call and stalk a whole lot more. Call and move or call and stalk are aggressive by nature and an aggressive bow hunter is a deadly combination. Aggressive actions are required for the lone hunter IMO. And it\'s a whole lot funner too! Don\'t mistake this for aggressive calling as aggressive calling has its time/place as well. This works for me thru a lot of trial and error. I see more elk this way.
Another tactic for me as a lone hunter is to immediately go toward a vocal or non vocal bull and get in tight before making any sounds. 75 yards and closer. I don\'t worry about being pin pointed when I\'m in close. In fact I welcome it. Having a great set up can be challenging at times when the action is fast and furious but I want them coming right to me. I think a lot of guys are afraid to make that last call when in tight for fear of being pinpointed and opt to play it safe hoping the elk comes in and fall victim of the hang up.
If you think about it, you\'ve done everything right, closed the distance thru aggressive actions and then get passive when the moment of truth is at hand hoping the elk makes the mistake. I say stay aggressive and create opportunity.
Now I call and move or call and stalk a whole lot more. Call and move or call and stalk are aggressive by nature and an aggressive bow hunter is a deadly combination. Aggressive actions are required for the lone hunter IMO. And it\'s a whole lot funner too! Don\'t mistake this for aggressive calling as aggressive calling has its time/place as well. This works for me thru a lot of trial and error. I see more elk this way.
Another tactic for me as a lone hunter is to immediately go toward a vocal or non vocal bull and get in tight before making any sounds. 75 yards and closer. I don\'t worry about being pin pointed when I\'m in close. In fact I welcome it. Having a great set up can be challenging at times when the action is fast and furious but I want them coming right to me. I think a lot of guys are afraid to make that last call when in tight for fear of being pinpointed and opt to play it safe hoping the elk comes in and fall victim of the hang up.
If you think about it, you\'ve done everything right, closed the distance thru aggressive actions and then get passive when the moment of truth is at hand hoping the elk makes the mistake. I say stay aggressive and create opportunity.
Tick you answered your own question. You did a good job, but it is an unfair tactic. Calling alone on the ground I am more patient. I like to use calls that work on an elk\'s curiosity and wait for them to come in silent. In all fairness I go to where I have tried this on various occasions and use it mid day when I don\'t want to stay in a stand. I posted the tactic I like on the Calling 101 thread.
Glacier Country uses the same technique that I use. I just did it, but he came up with a good name for it. (Directing Traffic)!
When you hunt by yourself you need to know how to throw your calls in different directions. The easiest one to learn is to cast your sounds behind you. Just turn your call to the rear and bugle. But muffle the tube with something. I use a cotton jersey glove on my hand and can very the sound by covering all or part of the end of the tube. It will give the impression that you are 50 yards farther back than where you actually are. When the bull comes in, if he hangs up, he will probably still be in shooting range.
You can also do the same with cow calls. You can turn your head left or right or even behind muffling the sound slightly. It takes a little practice. But in time you\'ll be Directing Traffic to.
I never did care much for calling and then moving forward 30 yards. Especially if the bull I was working was fairly close by.
When you hunt by yourself you need to know how to throw your calls in different directions. The easiest one to learn is to cast your sounds behind you. Just turn your call to the rear and bugle. But muffle the tube with something. I use a cotton jersey glove on my hand and can very the sound by covering all or part of the end of the tube. It will give the impression that you are 50 yards farther back than where you actually are. When the bull comes in, if he hangs up, he will probably still be in shooting range.
You can also do the same with cow calls. You can turn your head left or right or even behind muffling the sound slightly. It takes a little practice. But in time you\'ll be Directing Traffic to.
I never did care much for calling and then moving forward 30 yards. Especially if the bull I was working was fairly close by.
archery bum
New member
- Sep 28, 2013
- 159
how about decoys or does everybody only use them as a last resort like Corey or not at all?
You know, I tried a decoy last year ... and I found that I just didn\'t have enough hands.
I\'d set it up and move forward 50-70 yards ... then have to go back for it before going on to find elk, so it INCREASED my movement, rather than hid it.
Or, if I had it with me to use as a \"flash\", I found I didn\'t have enough hands!
I still need to see how it will fit into my hunting style. It seemed that trying to do \"everything\" I was not getting much done. I think it\'d be fantastic to have a caller/shooter set up with one, though.
I\'d set it up and move forward 50-70 yards ... then have to go back for it before going on to find elk, so it INCREASED my movement, rather than hid it.
Or, if I had it with me to use as a \"flash\", I found I didn\'t have enough hands!
I still need to see how it will fit into my hunting style. It seemed that trying to do \"everything\" I was not getting much done. I think it\'d be fantastic to have a caller/shooter set up with one, though.
As some of you know from another forum. My style is to move in close without calling at all. The elk are making enough noise on their own during the rut. I don\'t need to let them know where i\'m at by calling. The secret to getting close is the approach elk that don\'t know you\'re there. I don\'t want then alert, and looking in my direction. I move when their not looking. One small step at a time. It takes lots of practice to move as slow as need to. Of course the wind needs to be in your face, or don\'t even try it.
It\'s a different way to hunt than most use, but it does work. Staying focused, and in balance takes some effort. You\'ll find at the end of the day you\'re as exhausted as if you climbed all day.
It\'s a different way to hunt than most use, but it does work. Staying focused, and in balance takes some effort. You\'ll find at the end of the day you\'re as exhausted as if you climbed all day.
Bob Frapples
Member
- Mar 10, 2014
- 367
Still, that\'s how I do in the WT woods, hope it transposes to elk when I get into\'em. Many years ago I read a book written by an old indian tracker that said \"if you have to look where your stepping, you moving too fast\". A lot depends on terrain, downfall and wind, but I find it\'s a good rule of thumb.
archery bum
New member
- Sep 28, 2013
- 159
Good to see you on the forums again still hunter. After you left the other forum that I\'m on I missed your input always direct and to the point no bullsh!t. I like that hope you hang around.\"Still Hunter\" said:
Buglemaster
New member
- Aug 25, 2017
- 334
I\'m in the same camp as most of you guys. If I can get a visual or hear elk, that\'s a big part of the game. Check the wind & thermals then try to get as close as I can. Use the call to your advantage by throwing the calls you make away from your position. Once I\'m pretty close, I get real careful about moving unless I\'m 90 % positive I can get away with it. I can\'t count the blown opportunities by trying to get a little better position on the elk. A few years ago, I killed a bull that was trailing about a dozen cows, but had fallen behind a couple hundred yards. I knew he was there as he was bugling sporadically & I also knew he would follow the cows. I wasn\'t able to get to the spot I wanted to ambush him, but when I saw him following the cows, I threw a couple cow calls to my left & downhill. He stopped, bailed off the trail & walked by me at 18 yds. That cost him!
As far as decoys, I\'m a big believer. We have killed the last 6 bulls with decoys in place. If they can get a visual of the elk that is calling to them, they are so much easier to talk into range. I can\'t think of a single instance where the sight of the decoy has interfered with their approach.
As far as decoys, I\'m a big believer. We have killed the last 6 bulls with decoys in place. If they can get a visual of the elk that is calling to them, they are so much easier to talk into range. I can\'t think of a single instance where the sight of the decoy has interfered with their approach.
elkmtngear
New member
- Aug 9, 2017
- 1,152
John, if you are team hunting....get down on your hands and knees if you have to, and low crawl as close to a vocal bull as possible. Get into a place where you can draw undetected on approach.
Then, let your buddy pull that bull in with calls, decoy, etc...this has been extremely deadly for us. Make sure he gives you plenty of time to get into position before he goes into a convincing sequence to get the bull heading your way.
Solo hunting is much more difficult. If decoying, you can shield your way in with the decoy, plant it when you think your are in the bull\'s \"comfort zone\"...call, and immediately move ahead using whatever cover you have available...in hopes the bull will lock on that decoy when he looks to see where the call came from.
If I\'m shielding my way in, I look for a good size tree I can stab the decoy down next to. That way, If he starts to come for the decoy before I can get set up to call, I can simply stand up and draw behind the tree. Bulls focus will usually be intent on the decoy.
In either scenario, I like to be less than 80 yards from what I believe is the bull\'s position before I vocally announce my presence.
Then, let your buddy pull that bull in with calls, decoy, etc...this has been extremely deadly for us. Make sure he gives you plenty of time to get into position before he goes into a convincing sequence to get the bull heading your way.
Solo hunting is much more difficult. If decoying, you can shield your way in with the decoy, plant it when you think your are in the bull\'s \"comfort zone\"...call, and immediately move ahead using whatever cover you have available...in hopes the bull will lock on that decoy when he looks to see where the call came from.
If I\'m shielding my way in, I look for a good size tree I can stab the decoy down next to. That way, If he starts to come for the decoy before I can get set up to call, I can simply stand up and draw behind the tree. Bulls focus will usually be intent on the decoy.
In either scenario, I like to be less than 80 yards from what I believe is the bull\'s position before I vocally announce my presence.
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,326
Great to see you here Pete, I was wondering if you would make it over. You got the boot over on the other forum? Wow...
archery bum
New member
- Sep 28, 2013
- 159
how many is that now? Is that called forum suicide!
