What did I do wrong?

[adamds22]

Last weekend found a herd of 30ish elk, one decent bull and some raghorns/spikes but mostly cows and calves. I was about 1000+ yards away when I spotted them right at treeline and I was above them at the top of a ridge. Anyway long story short, I played the wind, got downwind of them at treeline and started closing the distance between me and the herd through the trees going in silent the whole way. I was able to close to within about 75-100 yards but where they were I felt like I was going to get busted had I gone any further. I decided to setup in the shadows and do some soft cow calls (don't feel like I am a bad caller). Anyway, as soon as I cow called they busted and the bull pushed the cows right past me about 100 yards up the hill from me. I cow called again and the bull stopped but eventually took off after his cows. I feel like I should have stayed quiet, tried to find the direction they were headed and tried to get ahead of them but I feel like this was just waiting for me to get winded. Like an idiot, I left my bugle tube in my pack at the top of the mountain but rather than cow call should I have bugled or raked trees?Prior to me taking off to stalk them the bigger bull was pushing out one of the rag horns if that makes any difference.

 

[Elk Noob]

I'm definitely no expert, are you positive the wind was good? That really sounds like they caught your wind somehow.


I've read that if you go in too quiet and start calling that can catch them off guard and you can have some negative results. Maybe some "elk sounds" without calling would have helped before the cow call?

I think bugling would have likely caused a similar reaction.

 

[adamds22]

I'm fairly certain they didn't wind me as they moved immediately after I called. I've always been under the assumption that if they don't know you're coming, there isn't a real reason to draw attention to yourself (maybe too much of a whitetail attitude).

 

[montanaelk31]

I've spooked more elk cow calling than bugling through the years.  That said, if you could see where the herd was and started calling, then they damn well could see the source of the calling and obviously saw no elk there. if they can see the calling source, there's no way they are coming in. I think your calling is fine. Your set up needs to be in thicker timber to put them in search mode. Or don't call. Sometimes you gotta just wait if it's open like that.