What is your take on the "moan"?

[iccyman001]

I just recently had an encounter with a very mature bull and I heard him moan during the encounter.

It all started when I let out a few cow calls and he fired right back.
As we made our way into him slowly (very thick stuff) I continued my calling.

I did not over play it and he always responded. First it was just bugles, then as I got closer he was chuckling and bugling, then when I finally got pretty close I actually heard him moan.

My question is why do you think he moaned?

I have my thought on why he did and to me it was almost like he was frustrated with me.
We were moving slow through the thick stuff and he was not far away at all.

I know he could here us coming close, so I figured he was just getting mad with us almost like a \"HEY, I have told you I am over here or to show yourself many of times...... come on!\"

Would any of you agree with this? Have a different thought?


After the moan, that is also when he started making his way towards up. FYI

 

[otcWill]

I\'d have to hear it to be sure but it sounds like he just did a stifled bugle? Sometimes they do a very short throaty bugle that comes out like a \"moan\" of sorts. I\'m not sure much can be made of it as opposed to other sounds as I\'ve heard this in many different situations. Cool encounter though!

 

[Tdiesel]

Dan all of my experiences made me think it was a frustrated sound as well((if it is the same sound)). either annoyed that the cow won\'t come to him or even that he has to go get between his cows and that new bull coming in on the herd. I have had them make it both cow calling and by bugling. who knows what it really means but my best guess would be annoyed/frustrated.

 

[iccyman001]

Dan all of my experiences made me think it was a frustrated sound as well((if it is the same sound)). either annoyed that the cow won\'t come to him or even that he has to go get between his cows and that new bull coming in on the herd. I have had them make it both cow calling and by bugling. who knows what it really means but my best guess would be annoyed/frustrated.

Annoyed or frustrated just made the most sense for my scenario and it sounds very similar to what you experience.

The area was very thick, he could hear me moving and me coming in was kind of drawn out. So we definitely weren\'t going at the rate he wanted us moving.

It also seemed like the point where he was like \"fine. I\'m going to come find you\"

Because right after the moan moved closer to us.

The experience was a lot of fun, that\'s for sure.

I\'d have to hear it to be sure but it sounds like he just did a stifled bugle? Sometimes they do a very short throaty bugle that comes out like a \"moan\" of sorts. I\'m not sure much can be made of it as opposed to other sounds as I\'ve heard this in many different situations. Cool encounter though!

Will,

I figured I was about 45 yard away when he did it and honestly the best way I could describe it was a moan. About 3 seconds of just \"moannnnnnnnn\"


It very well could be this stifled bugle you mention, but I don\'t have enough experience to confirm or deny. I just said moan because it\'s what my buddy and I both agreed it sounded like.


The emotion behind it seemed suiting for the scenario too. I wasn\'t moving quick enough for him

 

[Billy Goat]

I\'ve heard a similar sound once, from a 4x4 that I\'d missed about an hour earlier. (35 yards....shot a spruce branch.....still cussing spruce trees now)

at the shot, his small harem spooked in various directions. I saw him later about 150 yards from me, and he was up in a draw moaning. I assumed it was a cow re-gathering sound. Perhaps it was just a song he was singing in praise of spruce branches? =/

 

[Swede]

I really don\'t know the meaning, but I always thought the bull was lonesome or something like that. \"Come to me baaaby\" in elk music. :lol: Crazy idea I know. It is a sound you can use to bring curious bulls to you at times. Come to me baaaby. :mg:

 

[Zpd307]

I heard that too, for the first time this year. his first was a moany bugle followed by a straight up moan. neither were loud.... I sensed frustration and figured he was ready to \"go\" and his cow \"wasn\'t\"

 

[iccyman001]

Next time they let out a moan, I will pull my phone out and turn on some Barry Manilow and start doing some sexy cow calls.

 

[WW]

All elk sounds are phases of emotion. And emotion runs hi during the rut. I\'m not sure exactly what you are calling a moan. But the ones I have heard are usually used in conjunction with a bull calling cows bugle. What I call a moan has a little bit of huffing and half hearted bugle that starts with a moan or growl like some hunters use at the start of their bugles. However, with elk the shrill part of the bugle never does develop. Usually when they do this, they are coming looking for you.

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

Dan all of my experiences made me think it was a frustrated sound as well((if it is the same sound)). either annoyed that the cow won\'t come to him or even that he has to go get between his cows and that new bull coming in on the herd. I have had them make it both cow calling and by bugling. who knows what it really means but my best guess would be annoyed/frustrated.

I think Tdiesel is spot on with his guess of annoyed/frustrated. It\'s hard to relate human emotions to elk because we are more evolved and can use a wider range of expressions. One can also say it\'s meaning is anger/uneasiness. But general message is the bull is not in his happy place!

I\'ve had bulls moan in response to my bugle or cow calls. Once, I heard a moan right after a yote howled nearby.

My 2-cents and worth nothing more!

 

[Zpd307]

I actually heard a huff from this guy too...

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

I actually heard a huff from this guy too...

Did you do any calling to to spark the moan bugle?

 

[Guest]

I feel the moan is a very yearning type sound bulls will often use to call a cow in close. Also its one of my favorite sounds next to quiet chuckles !! These two sounds are killers to bulls !! It\'s pure raw emotion.

I have often heard this sound when a bull is right beside a cow and he is wanting to get with her in a bad way !! If you have ever heard glunking which is the bull talking to his cows is a very quiet manner then you can also add this moaning type sound to go hand in hand with close in encounters.

WW is also correct as I also use these moaning sounds in conjunction with the bull calling cows bugle ! These moans drive herd bulls crazy and when you start moaning around another bulls cows FIRE WORKS are about to start !!! :agg: :agg: Draw your bow because he\'s coming to kick your you know what !!

Man it doesn\'t get any better than that right there !! I\'m all fired up just thinking about it ..............EEEEEEERRRRRRRRAAAAAGGGGHHHHH !!!!!!! LOL I just had to let out bugle !! :thewave:

Trav

 

[cnelk]

I have heard it and I also think it is so discernible that many miss the sound.
I compare it so a tree groaning against another in a light wind.

It is a close proximity call/sound and when you hear it, things are about to happen!