What do you do when they hang up?

[iccyman001]

You\'re out there talking to a really active bull and get within 200 feet.
All of a sudden he hangs up.

The wind is good, so you know he didn\'t smell you.
You weren\'t moving, so you know he didn\'t see you.


Your gut tells you he is still around. It\'s been 5 minutes since his last response.....


What are you doing now.....

 

[cohunter14]

I\'m staying still and keeping my eyes and ears peeled unless I know where he is. If I don\'t know where he is, I don\'t want to be moving around and risk getting busted.

 

[iccyman001]

I\'m staying still and keeping my eyes and ears peeled unless I know where he is. If I don\'t know where he is, I don\'t want to be moving around and risk getting busted.

Derek,
is that weapon specific or any weapon?
I would think someone could possibly be a little more aggressive with a gun.

 

[cohunter14]

I was thinking archery since you said \'active bull\' but the same thing would apply for a rifle for me, assuming I hadn\'t seen him already and gotten a shot. But at roughly 65 yards out, I will have an arrow knocked or the gun in my hands and ready for a shot that could present itself at any moment.

 

[Tdiesel]

I agree let it sit a little chances are he is just scanning the area if I do anything it would be toss some rocks or sticks making it sound like the elk he heard is still around grazing ect.

 

[WW]

Prevent the hang up in the first place ! Here are four possible ways. And I\'m presuming you are hunting by yourself.

1) After your last call, move up about 30 yards. This will put him within shooting range if he does hang up.

2) Give him something to see that simulates another elk.

3) Direct traffic with you calling sequence. It is easy to cast your call away from where you actually are if you know what you are doing.

4) Call to his cows, not to the bull himself.

 

[iccyman001]

Prevent the hang up in the first place ! Here are four possible ways. And I\'m presuming you are hunting by yourself.

1) After your last call, move up about 30 yards. This will put him within shooting range if he does hang up.

2) Give him something to see that simulates another elk.

3) Direct traffic with you calling sequence. It is easy to cast your call away from where you actually are if you know what you are doing.

4) Call to his cows, not to the bull himself.

I like the moving up 30 yards move. I\'ll have to pocket that. I usually call, wait for them to call (judge their distance) and then move.
I really also need to figure out how to call to the cows better because I get so wrapped up with the bull.

 

[ltsheets]

Depending on level of rut, cutting him off with a challenge bugle might piss him off enough to bring him in. Especially if he\'s responding to one of your cow calls

 

[cnelk]

If he hung up you ran out of cover or the terrain was too open.

When the terrain is thick I have has elk run right by me looking for the \'elk\'

So, try to position yourself accordingly.

Many times I am on my knees when I call.
I can see further under the branches and when I see elk legs coming thru the timber (usually about 75yds or your 200 ft) I stop calling
Make him look for you

 

[iccyman001]

Thanks for the kneeling tip, Brad!
I like that!

 

[Zpd307]

i found myself kneeling when I was into elk. its nice to rest the cam on the ground, especialy when youre all jacked up :lol:

 

[AndyJ]

+1 WW and Cnelk-

Hang ups are sort of one of those things you get better at avoiding with experience. I don\'t think anyone will ever completely eliminate them, but you should get better at not having them happen. Typically with hang-ups, it means you setup poorly. Elk have a remarkable ability to pin point a sound. They know when they should see another elk. When I am calling I try to setup on the other side of a hill so when the bull comes looking for me he has to step into range by the time he sees me.

Sometimes hang-ups happen. They are part of elk hunting. Don\'t try to force the situation. When bulls hang-up they are a little alarmed but far from freaked out. Let him walk away, give him a little time and make another play. 99% of the time, this play is done, just accept it. There are very rare times when you can run in right at him while hitting a hard, nasty bugle and get into range, but you need to take the bull\'s temperature and have really good cover. The bull needs to be REALLY PISSED for this to work.

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

If you alone and you get a hang up, not much you can do. If you have a shooter and a satellite bull hangs up the caller can work the calls and start trailing back. At times this can bring the bull past the shooter.