When you spook an elk

iccyman001

New member
Apr 30, 2014
5,489
For those of you who have been doing this for years, what happens when you spook an elk?

When they bark (if that is what you would call an elk alert call?) do they run far before calming down?
Can you let the area settle and expect elk back in there?
Or do you let things settle down, check the wind and then re-attack?
Can you call them back in?


What types of things have you learned over the years after spooking an elk?
 
No, they don\'t usually go far. They are normally barking as a way of saying \"what is that\" or \"show yourself\".

Yes, they\'ll calm down pretty quickly if they haven\'t caught your wind.

Sometimes. You just need to get a feel for what your chances are in terms of a \"re-attack\". Usually, I find it better to leave them alone after bumping them a bit.

Sometimes. Usually when you bump the herd only one or two elk knows what they\'re running for. I\'ve called bulls right back after bumping the herd with a couple round up screams and some lead cow re-gathering mews. Chris Roe does some great audio of these on his site. I\'ve called both cows and bulls back in with this after most of the herd has blown out at a full charge.
 
Elk are individuals just like people. What works on one might not work on another. And there is a difference between a nervous bark and a warning bark. If it is a nervous bark, you may be able to settle them down with a little sweet talk or flash a decoy. Usually warning barks mean game over. Here again, it all depends on the individual elk. But in either case you can hunt the same elk in the same general area in the next day or so, so long as they haven\'t smelled you. Most of the time they will hang around the same general area unless really spooked.

I have always figured you can let them hear you and you are probably still OK. Let them see you and you might still get away with it. But let them smell you and it is game over!
 
Stupid question but is a elks bark kinda like a whitetails snort when they are alarmed.
 
\"vthokee\" said:
Stupid question but is a elks bark kinda like a whitetails snort when they are alarmed.

I might be wrong and sure I\'ll be corrected but whitetail (which I know a little about) snort for different reasons just like elk bark for different reasons...

Only difference is when a whitetail is alarmed they run through the woods snorting with ever bound... :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Most deer snorts are from deer that have seen or heard something that they are not sure should be there... I\'ve seen them snort at most anything including squirrels, armadillo, birds and even a turkey gobbling... When they smell you or know what they have seen or heard is BAD is when you get the running around all over the woods snorting... :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
\"vthokee\" said:
Stupid question but is a elks bark kinda like a whitetails snort when they are alarmed.

It\'s a little different. When an elk barks, it is a little alarmed, but as Will pointed out, it is a little more like a person saying,\"Who\'s there\". When a whitetail snorts it is a \"something isn\'t right\" call. In other words, an elk bark is curious. A whitetail snort is an alarm. I have had plenty of elk barks end with me calming the bull down and getting them to come closer. I have never, NEVER recovered from a whitetail snort.

As for bumping elk, on several occasions I have bumped an entire herd only to call them back. Two years ago, I bumped a herd of about ten and called them back in. They ended up bedding back down around me. For the remaining five hours, I hung out in the middle of the herd. It was awesome to listen to the herd chatter for hours.

One word of caution. There is what I call a hard bump and a soft bump. I\'ve see elk bump other elk. Or you surprise each other, but the elk never really knew what you are and then trots for a couple seconds, then you hear them slow to a walk or stop. These are soft bumps. They got surprised and moved, but they aren\'t spooked. These elk are workable. Give them a second to relax, pick your spot to setup and go to work. On the other hand, a hard bump is when an elk has been watching you and blows out. It knows you are dangerous. These are the bumps when it sounds like the elk is tearing down the forest to get away from you. DO NOT CALL TO THESE ELK!!!!!! All you are doing is educating them at this point. When they see a hunter and then hear an elk call, they make the association that elk calls come from hunters too.
 
I agree with AndyJ on soft verses hard bumps in regards to \"herds\". But immature lone bulls can bump hard and still be called in relatively easy. Hit him with a bark followed by cow sounds.

Also, if rut is in full swing and you bump a herd, you can try the pressure tactic. Hit the herd with two quick barks and listen For them to stop relatively close. If the do, give a short screamy bugle(with or without chuckles). If the herd bull expresses his dominance, started short screaming your way in. If you have a shooter, place him/her about 40 yards ahead. Herd bulls rarely commit to coming a great distance but will get in between the aggressor and \"his\" cows. With thicker timber, 30-50 yard bull commitment might be all it takes to give the bull a dirt nap.

My 2-cents!
JF
 

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