Elk Hunting Forum - Stopping after a startle

[Deertick]

Here\'s what\'s going to happen this year to me:

I\'m set up by a small pine tree and a young bull is coming in. He has heard me cow call, and I\'ve tried to \"throw\" the sound, but it\'s anybody\'s guess as to how much that fooled him.

Then -- quicker than I expected -- I see antler tips above the cover. He\'s coming right in and seems to be centered on a spot only about 10 yards away.

I pick a spot where I think he\'ll be in the open and my mind starts racing to find the best timing of the draw of the bow ... I pick the best spot I can and amazingly it works ... but just before he gets to my shooting lane, he catches a bit of movement. He does a quick 180 ...

Now what?

 

[Swede]

Give him a nervous bark.

 

[Bullnuts]

Did he turn in a spot where you can make a shot or is he in the tangles? If he\'s in a bad spot and he\'s just walking away, I let him get out a bit, re adjust my set up, and call him back in.

 

[cnelk]

Young bulls can be called back in using the same call that brought him in.

The first thing is to stop him. Once you do that, then you can coax him back.
But if he doesnt stop, game over.

 

[elkmtngear]

Give him a nervous bark.

Good call Swede. :upthumb:

At least it would make him think the movement was elk, so there\'s always a chance to get him to come sneaking back in!

 

[Deertick]

\"Nervous Bark\" would be my answer on a multiple-choice test, too.

That said ... any advice on pulling-off a nervous bark as a lone hunter? I\'m thinking that having a diaphragm in the mouth would be a necessity.

 

[elkmtngear]

\"Nervous Bark\" would be my answer on a multiple-choice test, too.

That said ... any advice on pulling-off a nervous bark as a lone hunter? I\'m thinking that having a diaphragm in the mouth would be a necessity.

Just suck air in quickly...you can do it with your voice alone!

Stopped a 4x4 bull last Season on a dime like this last Season when we jumped him in the dark timber...unfortunately there were 3 of us, and he had already got a tree between us.

 

[Buglemaster]

John, unless I\'m having a snack or eating lunch or something, I have a reed in my mouth from the time I leave camp in the am until I come back after dark. But Jeff brought up a great point also. With a little practice you can do a nervous bark with just your voice. My Son punched a bull at 7 yds with just a cow call after he had drawn his bow as the bull was about to step on him :lolno: he spooked, but stopped for a perfect quartering away shot .