Nervous grunt or what?

[ORelksniper]

Came across 2 bulls at different times the first week. Both alone, one morning, one evening. Average bulls for the area I hunt. They both were just lazily walking, not feeding or searching. Both were making the same sound: very slow and rhythmic nervous grunt like sound. The first one I ran across I watched and listened and then made a couple of soft mews. He immediately shut up and vanished. I kept quiet on the second bull, and not being in a position to move on him, let him walk. I know where he lives and I\'ll be back.

My questions are: what were they saying? and how would you have worked these situations?

 

[cnelk]

I dont believe they were nervous, so that description dont fit the scenario.
They were probably just meandering along, humming a tune.... :haha:

I have had the same outcome, and its frustrating. If I can, I would flank them and see where they were headed.

 

[ORelksniper]

Funny you would mention humming a tune. Being somewhat musical myself, (I play the electric spoons and sing in my sleep) that\'s exactly where my mind went first when I heard them. Then I thought, WOW, what are the odds these two bulls from different geographic backgrounds know the same song. I guess what \"they\" say is true...music knows no borders.

Anyway, the vocalization sounded like a nervous grunt but with no intensity. I could tell they weren\'t nervous, rather just making a noise. Thought it might have some particular meaning or someone else may have heard this sound at one time.

 

[WW]

Have you ever rode a horse. Often, as the move along, they will fart with every step. Sometimes referred to as a popping grunt . Just a nicer way of saying pooping grunt! :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha:

 

[Deertick]

WW ... (My) Wife\'s horse is the farting-est horse I\'ve ever known ... toot, toot, toot as he travels.

I\'m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that the bull perhaps was feeling the rut come on, but knew it \"wasn\'t quite yet\" ... part of his brain wanted to growl, chuckle, and bugle, but he would \"check\" it, and stop before the noise grew.

Kind of like an idle on an engine, perhaps, and foot on the gas pedal that tap, tap, taps, but is still waiting to hammer it down.

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

Doesn\'t sound like nervous grunts. Were they more like a hard pant or hard huffs?

Example, grunts are sharp and crisp sounds and pants are similuar to the sound a dog makes only deeper.

 

[ORelksniper]

JF, these were definately not nervous grunts. However, if you take a nervous grunt, remove all emotion from it and soften the edges you have a pretty good representation of the sound these bulls were making. As I mentioned, they both were alone and didn\'t appear to be directing the sound toward anything in particular.

I\'ve never heard this sound before. To hear it twice in one week made me think it had some meaning even though their body language didn\'t indicate that.

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

Was it a high to low pitch sound or more of a \'ugh\'? Could it be defined as a mew with deep base? You have me interested!

 

[Glacier Country]

JF called and we chatted about this thread tonight.... Is it possible that it was glunking that you heard? I have only heard them do glunking sounds when there were cows with them, but I am just thinking out loud here. A nervous grunt or( nervous bark )as WW describes it does not really fit the scenario here. IMO.

 

[ORelksniper]

The sound was not glunking. It had a high to low pitch, just like a NG, but without the sharpness and intensity.

 

[WW]

The sound was not glunking. It had a high to low pitch, just like a NG, but without the sharpness and intensity.

Hi to low pitch sounds more like it could have been a bull mew. I don\'t think anyone can give you a definite answer without actually hearing the sound.

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

I\'m leaning towards bull mew as well.

 

[ORelksniper]

Bull mew. OK. Is there a meaning behind the sound? How would you respond or would you?

Thanks for all the input.

 

[Deertick]

I\'d have done what you did, I think ... and had the same results ... so I\'m interested to hear how people answer that question.

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

Couple questions to you:

1) Could the first bull get a good look at your position and see that there was no elk standing there?

2) Did the bull vanish or just continue on his way?

3) Your soft mews, were they loud enough for a \"traveling\" bull to hear?

4) Did those soft mews really give him a reason to stop and come in? Let\'s assume there was no estrus in the air.

5) Is it possible that the first bull did stop, look back and hear nothing else? Not even a twig snap or the usual sounds heard when elk walk through the forest.


jf

 

[ORelksniper]

Couple questions to you:

1) Could the first bull get a good look at your position and see that there was no elk standing there?

Answer: No. I was backed up to some thick stuff and directed my calls back behind me.

2) Did the bull vanish or just continue on his way?

Answer: I would say he vanished. He was walking right to left 70-80 yards out. When I called he turned away from my calls and moved off silently.

3) Your soft mews, were they loud enough for a \"traveling\" bull to hear?

Answer: Yes, judging from his reaction.

4) Did those soft mews really give him a reason to stop and come in? Let\'s assume there was no estrus in the air.

Answer: apparently not.

5) Is it possible that the first bull did stop, look back and hear nothing else? Not even a twig snap or the usual sounds heard when elk walk through the forest.

Answer: It is possible. Line of sight was limited to approx 110-120 yards. When he was out of my sight he could have stopped to listen or even sneak around for a look.


jf

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

Or.....he just wasn\'t interested. It happens all the time especially early season.

Me, I would have waited until he got a ways away and hit him with an early season sequence. Either a Contact Bugle/with tree raking or a Lost Calf sequence.

Just my 2-cents!

jf

 

[ORelksniper]

So, does the bull mew have any meaning in the elk world?

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

A bull mewing has the same meaning as a cow mewing. It\'s social interaction talk but I have no idea why lone bulls were using it. I\'ve only heard in a handful of times so you are lucky to hear it twice in one day.

 

[ORelksniper]

Thanks for all the help, EM\'s.