Obviously there are different ideas about calling from a tree stand. Some hunters have had success doing it and others, like myself, consider it more likely to turn elk away than the advantage you get. I figure why increase the risk if I am located where I can legitimately expect elk to come in. I killed a bull at a wallow by calling it in years ago, but believe calling is probably only in order if you are setting at a random location or where you have only a slightly better chance than you would have anywhere else in the forest.
That said: That was not the question here. The question was what would you do in the above situation. My answer remains. Never answer a bull that has given a location bugle near your water hole/wallow. I have tried it several times and always turned the elk away. The elk calling is likely checking to see if there are other elk at the water hole.
In the end I like John F\'s and Stringunner\'s answers, although I am very reluctant to get out of the stand before dark.
Another note. Three days is not long to wait in a tree stand for elk. I sat 29 days in a stand last season and saw elk only twice. Many years I go 10 days with no action near my stand. When I say tree stand hunting requires patience, I ain\'t foolin.
This topic will be locked and archived soon.
That said: That was not the question here. The question was what would you do in the above situation. My answer remains. Never answer a bull that has given a location bugle near your water hole/wallow. I have tried it several times and always turned the elk away. The elk calling is likely checking to see if there are other elk at the water hole.
In the end I like John F\'s and Stringunner\'s answers, although I am very reluctant to get out of the stand before dark.
Another note. Three days is not long to wait in a tree stand for elk. I sat 29 days in a stand last season and saw elk only twice. Many years I go 10 days with no action near my stand. When I say tree stand hunting requires patience, I ain\'t foolin.
This topic will be locked and archived soon.
