Who bagged an elk?

[Danimal]

passed on one 6x6, 2 big 5's and several rag horns. the six would only score about 265 or so. not big enough for me. i have 4 6x6's and 1 5x6 and numerous smaller 5's with a bow. 300 or bigger only.
the 6 had about 80 cows and was fired up.

public land

the bull with cows was fired up and bugling, none of the big bulls were around. found one of them holed up in heavy timber with a buddy. they were quiet as church mice.

First, I am jealous. Second I was able to get one bull to bugle the whole time, though I saw 5 or six bulls in the couple groups that I was tracking. They really had not started yet where I was at, but I suspect that higher up in the mountains they have started. I have to work a couple days then I am going back out.

[spencerhenry]

people call TOO MUCH. this early not much is making noise except the young bulls. the big bulls know what is going on and they dont usually get too fired up until the first cows come into heat. you will find an occasional bull that will be fired up protecting cows early, and almost always he will NOT be a herd bull once the rut gets going. most elk where i hunt are so call shy that i rarely call, even cow calls.
i have had more than one hunt ruined by some guy tooting his elk bugle over and over non-stop every minute for hours. it rarely happens like on tv, once in a while you catch a bull on the right day at the right time in the right place and he will come running, but my experience on public land is that calling does not work well anymore for LARGE bulls. small bulls think they can get some action and respond better to cow calls.
so far this year i have not even taken a call with me into the woods.

[TRnCO]

I didn't bag one, but I saw more than my share. 11 years worth of PP's will get you action like this. I got one shot at a giant of a bull Thursday evening, but my arrow got deflected by a branch and I missed clean. Here's a few that I saw this past week.




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Bugling started on Tuesday in unit 61, and has been hit or miss since. The giant bull that I got a shot at never made a peep, at least not while I was watching him. They weren't responding to calling at all, other than some would bugle back at a bugle. Spot and stalk was pretty much the game I played for the week. I'll head back up for the last week of season.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

I didn't bag one, but I saw more than my share. 11 years worth of PP's will get you action like this. I got one shot at a giant of a bull Thursday evening, but my arrow got deflected by a branch and I missed clean. Here's a few that I saw this past week.




\
Bugling started on Tuesday in unit 61, and has been hit or miss since. The giant bull that I got a shot at never made a peep, at least not while I was watching him. They weren't responding to calling at all, other than some would bugle back at a bugle. Spot and stalk was pretty much the game I played for the week. I'll head back up for the last week of season.

I see you post on BowSite....

[TRnCO]

yip, every now and then I do.

[spencerhenry]

passed on another 6x6 last night. was a very tough call. watched him for about 20 minutes thrashing a 5" aspen. long beams, decent fronts, good thirds, fair 4ths but only about 3" fifths.
it was the first bugling i have heard since opening day.
couldnt get to the one that had the cows in time, ran out of daylight.

once again public land

[sniper7]

My hunting partner shot a 6x5 at 15 yards tonight. Bull was on the run chasing cows! Heck of a shot

[CO Hugh]

My hunting partner shot a 6x5 at 15 yards tonight. Bull was on the run chasing cows! Heck of a shot

Pics?

[sniper7]

Pics?

Just got back to camp. Ill figure out how to get them up tomorrow from my phone

[van7559]

They are definitely starting to talk me and my cousin had numerous bulls whistling, and chuckling back at are cow calls. No full blown bugles though shot a cow Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and got her packed out after two days of serious work /hiking