Whats the next step in this situation

[timberland]

Here\'s an encounter I had a couple years ago that a few other guys have had. I would like to see how someone with more experience would handle it.

I location bugled on a north facing slope at daybreak with no response. I dropped a hundred yards into the drainage and spotted a small but legal bull feeding on rose bushes(?) in thick timber. I sneak within about 70 yds and cow call, lightly at first then plenty loud. He lifts his head a few times but never looks my way. He continues to browse, never spooking but crosses the ravine so I can\'t dog him anymore. I had him within 100 yds for approximately 15 minutes.

How would you create a shot opportunity?

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

Time of year? What do you mean by small bull?

 

[timberland]

First week of Sept. Four pt with about 30\" mainbeams and 6\" brows.

 

[WW]

Quit calling. Sounds like it is obvious that he isn\'t really all that interested in what you are saying. Every time he puts his head down to feed, slowly close the gap until you are in shooting distance.

 

[Swede]

There is a common misconception that elk will respond to every call, or at least to some call. I had a cow that I called to one year that never would respond. I found her in a basin early in the season. She stayed there the whole season, and I would try to call her, just to see what she would do. If I just called, she totally ignored me. When I would try to get close she would run off a ways. I finally shot her at the end of the season as I had nothing else. She was a lone dry cow. She is still a puzzle to me.

 

[cnelk]

Barry
When I read your story I knew it was early in the season, even before you posted that info.
There are times that you just have realize that this wasnt the time.

But if the wind was good, I would do what WW mentioned.
Even if you dont get a shot by flanking the bull, the elk is probably headed to a another good area that has more elk in it.

 

[elkmtngear]

Funny how elk will just basically ignore you like that sometimes...but it is more typical to see that in the early Season.

One thing that might have worked is a little whiny spike squeal...sometimes the younger bulls are still bummed out about not being in the bachelor groups anymore, it might have piqued his curiosity.

A decoy might have helped pull him in as well, but he might have also bugged out thinking he was going to get his butt whipped. It could go either way, hard to call. :dk:

A bull like that early Season will often have no qualms about sneaking in on you if the cover is thick enough...it makes them bolder. Getting ahead of him in the timber and doing a full blown herd-type calling scenario might have brought him in as well.

Just throwing out some ideas. :think:

 

[razorback]

So is this something I\'m likely to encounter on my first elk hunt? Just wondering if this is the norm for first week of September in Colorado.

 

[cnelk]

So is this something I\'m likely to encounter on my first elk hunt? Just wondering if this is the norm for first week of September in Colorado.

Not necessarily.
Many big bulls are taken in the early season using cow calls, like this one for me in 2012

 

[elkmtngear]

So is this something I\'m likely to encounter on my first elk hunt? Just wondering if this is the norm for first week of September in Colorado.

Not necessarily.
Many big bulls are taken in the early season using cow calls, like this one for me in 2012

Awesome!

 

[razorback]

He\'s nice, what week of September was he taken and if you don\'t mind me asking, what unit?

 

[timberland]

:shh: YEAH, WHAT UNIT???

 

[cnelk]

August 31, 2014
Unit 61

 

[timberland]

August 31, 2014
Unit 61

BUMMER

 

[cnelk]

You can watch the hunt, shot and fun here...

<!-- m --><a class=\"postlink\" href=\"http://youtu.be/CqvIRvw0BQo\" onclick=\"window.open(this.href);return false;\">http://youtu.be/CqvIRvw0BQo</a><!-- m -->

 

[razorback]

I can\'t watch it at work, but I may have seen this one before. Do you haul him out on a 4 wheeler at the end of the video?

 

[cnelk]

Yup. That\'s the one.

 

[razorback]

I watched that yesterday, cool hunt! Is that your biggest bull?

 

[cnelk]

Yes he is. Last years bull was just a bit smaller

 

[razorback]

That\'s what I\'m looking for but I would settle for one quite a bit smaller. I just want to hear one bugle up close and watch him twist those antlers when he\'s coming in. I don\'t even have to kill him. I sure hope there are some bulls in the area I\'m going to.