So I have been doing a lot of reading on elk hunting this year. I am trying to get as knowledgeable this year as I can before hitting the woods again. I was reading a post on another forum about driving and doing locating bugles at night. The author of the post said once they got a response they would mark it on their gps and move on. No other calling at all. What are your guys take on that strategy? Is it something to use as a fallback plan?
Locating bulls
- Thread starter VTHOKEE
- Start date
It would most likely work BUTI would check with you state wildlife agency to make sure it\'s legal... I would make sure I didn\'t have ANY kind of weapon in the vehicle with you cause if the area game enforcement officers are anything like the AGFC game wardens they\'ll write you up for night hunting and my leave you stand on the side of the road without any transportation home... :downthumb: :downthumb:
Hear in Arkansas we are allowed to to use a spotlight to \"survey\" deer at night but we have to make sure everything else it on the up and up...
Hear in Arkansas we are allowed to to use a spotlight to \"survey\" deer at night but we have to make sure everything else it on the up and up...
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,278
Alan, I haven\'t done much of it but I know some folks like John Fitz has. Here is my couple of thoughts on it though. First of all, I don\'t know how well that would work if you are driving down a road, hopping out, and throwing a bugle out there. Elk should have a good idea that it\'s coming from a human since they just heard a vehicle driving right there. My other concern is simply from a timing perspective. As an example, September 1st in Colorado the sunrise is 6:29am and sunset is 7:30pm. That means you can hunt from 5:59am to 8:00pm. Let\'s say that your \'spot\' is 30 minutes from camp, so you are now out from 5:30am to 8:30pm. That leaves nine hours to eat dinner, prepare your gear for the next day, sleep, wake up, eat breakfast, and get out in the morning. This is in a best case scenario as well (being 30 minutes from camp).
I read that same post you are referring to and the OP mentioned that they do this from 10:00pm until midnight. My question is when in the heck to they sleep? After years of hunting, I know how important a good night\'s rest is to keep me energized, positive, and my body feeling good.
Now, this all changes in my mind if I have backpacked in. In that scenario, you can call from your tent or 100 yards away if you want to. You are not driving down roads and leaving camp.
Anyway, my two cents.
I read that same post you are referring to and the OP mentioned that they do this from 10:00pm until midnight. My question is when in the heck to they sleep? After years of hunting, I know how important a good night\'s rest is to keep me energized, positive, and my body feeling good.
Now, this all changes in my mind if I have backpacked in. In that scenario, you can call from your tent or 100 yards away if you want to. You are not driving down roads and leaving camp.
Anyway, my two cents.
JohnFitzgerald
New member
- Mar 31, 2014
- 1,108
Contact bugling during dark is a great way to find the elk. The way I look at it, knowing for sure where the elk are is half the battle.
When bugling from a road make sure to shut your rig off and give it about 15 seconds. Also don\'t bugle from spots where the elk can be close. Do plenty of map work and try to choose a location where your bugle can carry and where you can hear the response.
During hot days and/or full moon nights you might consider sleeping a split shift. At least until you find the elk.
Sometimes the only times to hunt is 45 after light and before dark. Spend early morning dark(4:00 Am) to work yourself into a good position to contact the vocal bull. Also, spend a couple hours at night(8:00PM - 10:00PM) and listen to where the elk are and where they are moving to. After a while you can get a pattern down. Like Derek said, doesn\'t leave much time to sleep so we sleep a little during the day when it\'s hot.
Hunting heavily pressured OTC bulls like I have for many years you learn to take advantage of every trick in the book. :upthumb:
When bugling from a road make sure to shut your rig off and give it about 15 seconds. Also don\'t bugle from spots where the elk can be close. Do plenty of map work and try to choose a location where your bugle can carry and where you can hear the response.
During hot days and/or full moon nights you might consider sleeping a split shift. At least until you find the elk.
Sometimes the only times to hunt is 45 after light and before dark. Spend early morning dark(4:00 Am) to work yourself into a good position to contact the vocal bull. Also, spend a couple hours at night(8:00PM - 10:00PM) and listen to where the elk are and where they are moving to. After a while you can get a pattern down. Like Derek said, doesn\'t leave much time to sleep so we sleep a little during the day when it\'s hot.Hunting heavily pressured OTC bulls like I have for many years you learn to take advantage of every trick in the book. :upthumb:
JohnFitzgerald
New member
- Mar 31, 2014
- 1,108
You don\'t need to wait until 10:00PM. Bulls usually start sounding off within 1/2 after dark.
