Surrounded by Bulls

[wyomagic]

So here's the scenario.  I set up about 50 yards behind my shooter in a timber area with lots of small openings and start working a bull with cow calls.  As the bull was coming in he hung up about 80 yards out and as I was getting ready to challenge him with a bugle another bull came in to about the same distance on the shooters right.  As I continued cow calls in the hope of getting the bulls to move in closer another bull comes in behind and to the left of my location screaming his head off.  At this point all 3 bulls have stopped anywhere between 50 to 100 yards out and refused to move any closer.  We played games with them for a while until the snow came in and forced us off the mountain.  What would you do in this situation? 

 

[Rockyhunter]

Wyomagic you were in the Circle ive been in many times. Choices i go to are #1 start raking a tree if your in thick enough brush so you cant be seen. Took a good 5x5 this way. #2 you can go silent in hopes curiosity will bring one in for a shot. #3. Hit them with what my son and I call The Corey Jacobsen CHALLENGE BUGLE. Research the. Challenge bugle brother. As Corey says its like being on a barstool and 2 dudes get yelling at each other....before the one dude gets done yelling hit him with your CHALLENGE BUGLE. Two years ago a 7x6 fell to this at 35 yards. It was the only way he would come in. We took him from LOVING...cow calls. To....FIGHTING MAD...Challenge Bugle

 

[Orarcher]

#1 I go quite hoping the bulls will focus on one another and move in a direction allowing for a shot. #2 I make a BUNCH of noise cow sounds and such stomping around moving away as I mix in some glunking as if I'm pushing cows away from the other bull and possibility of losing my harem. After I move back a bit (100 or so yds) I will sneak back in quietly waiting for the bull to rush in believing the scenario.

 

[joegiglianm@gmail.com]

It would depend on the wind and whether or not the bulls in front of my hunter are within sight of me. "Generally" if you are set up behind your hunter, the wind is in your favor so you focus on making adjustments for the bulls in front and to the right of your hunter. If I can move without being seen, I turn that 50 yards between me and my hunter into 100 and I don't worry about blowing out the bull that came in behind. That bull is most likely going to get downwind sooner or later and he is not a shot option for your hunter anyway.
So I move back another 50, rake trees and challenge bugle along with cow calls (aiming the cow calls even farther away behind me with my tube). If those bulls keep the same buffer as before, your hunter should have a 30 or under shot opportunity.

 

[montanaelk31]

Sounds like a problem with your setup.  If you see 3 bulls, they are seeing the source of the elk noise.  They definitely won't come any closer no matter what noise you make as a caller.  Raking, cowtalk, or challenge bugling.  In this situation you described, you need to have your shooter out ahead of you further OR set up in a thicker area. Sounds like an awesome time though!