Topic of the week - AGGRESSIVE ELK HUNTING FOR HERD BULLS

[coachcw]

I used to over think every thing . now I don't worry just hunt much less stress ! just hunt hard and trust your gut.

[Smossy]

Thanks Guys.

There are also some out of the Box EXTREME tactics that have worked.  I will cover these more later but it is important to understand the risk is great and could potentially mess up your hunting for day or weeks to come (late season tactic when you are going for broke):
~ Rushing the herd and scattering the cows
~ Call and walk into the herd
~ Waiting in the bedding area

How long you been hunting elk Jason?

[fillthefreezer]

missed this first time around, i cant call for S, but i sure do love the elk woods. i really appreciate the sharing of knowledge and experience jason 

[JPhelps]

18 years (Which isn't a lot compared to some of the others on here).  I was consumed around 16 years old to learn everything I could about elk and their behavior during the rut.  I would spend everyday during September in the woods, watching, listening and ultimately learning.  My family has always been rifle/muzzleloader hunters so I was on my own learning how to archery hunt and call elk.  I took a lot of notes and learned a lot of lessons along the way.

I hope by passing some information along that it may help some others out.

[Huntboy]

Thanks for the info.

[Smossy]

18 years (Which isn't a lot compared to some of the others on here).  I was consumed around 16 years old to learn everything I could about elk and their behavior during the rut.  I would spend everyday during September in the woods, watching, listening and ultimately learning.  My family has always been rifle/muzzleloader hunters so I was on my own learning how to archery hunt and call elk.  I took a lot of notes and learned a lot of lessons along the way.

I hope by passing some information along that it may help some others out.

Your helping for sure man, I was just curious how long it took you to acquire all the knowledge you have on Elk. You still seem like your pretty young to. My only downfall will be JUST getting into hunting at the good ol' age of 26 with no friends or family that hunt. Going to be interesting the next few years. Hopefully sticking something this year will give me more incentive to want to learn and pay attention to information more.
Even without having any field time, over the last few days I've been digging deeper and deeper into anything I can in relation to Elk. Its getting me antsy, I don't really think there would be a more rewarding hunt then out-smarting and sticking an Elk with a Bow. Keep it up man  Your appreciated.

[trophyhunt]

I don't take blood pressure medicine but I need it now, nice video and great info. I'm pissed at myself for not getting into bow hunting elk when I was 18 years old,  :bash:I've been blessed with what I've killed with a gun and learned a lot in my 25 years of elk hunting but I just can't imagine how much better I would be if I had been hunting with a bow all these years insted of a gun.  Thanks for all your input, nice job guys!

[Fullabull]

Some day I hope to be able to hunt for a trophy but for now my dad and I have to hunt no more than a mile off road and I need to find hiking trails that are not to steep to walk for my dad, he is 74 so it's hard for him to go very far to hunt. We hunt here in WA like you Jason and I know that people who get far away from other hunters can still get into some aggressive tactics with bulls during our early season here but we can only hunt where there are a lot other hunters. We hunt on Mt. Saint Helens and I find it interesting that where we hunt which is lower on the mountain we do find elk and have had opportunities each year but never with herd bulls that have cows. I talk to other who hunt up high and they find rutting bulls with cows. I assume it's because they are harder to reach and less pressured?

Where we hunt we only see cows and satellite bulls and have taken a couple of the satellites by using a lot of calling.  Both bulls have been called in using different methods, 1st was combo of cow calls, estrus sounds and young bull sounds. Called him in from a long ways off, then moved in close and gave estrus calls and he came right up the hill to us. The second one was last year, things were pretty slow and hot and we were not getting any responses to anything normal so I gave a lazy little bugle and bingo, a bull answered and came in to investigate and we got him

Anyway, if you can provide any good info on these early season tactics that would be great also. Not all of us can hunt for trophies

In three years by son will be out of college, we will have about 12 points each so we will start putting in for a good hunt and hopefully get a couple of nice bulls.

BTW, I ordered a few of your reed calls (small frame), can't wait to try them out when the get here.

[buglebrush]

You nailed it.  Once the Big Boy has a herd Aggresive tactics are the best.  I called this one in last fall for the Young Man's first elk.  We definitely got super agressive.  Would never have got a shot had we stayed with only Cow sounds in my Opinion.  He would scream every time, but was just telling the ladies to get their Butts over to him.   Once I was doing Big Bull screams within thirty yards of him,  between him and what he thought was a couple cows,  it was a different story!   

[brianmtsinc]

Great write up Jason!  Some good points that I will take with me to Peaches this year! 

I never worry about over calling and always wonder why people say to  be careful about that.  We have been pretty successful hunting the east side and all of my elk over the last 7 years have been called in,  but we are almost always chasing cows and spikes or helping others get a bull.  This year will be different and like Charlie said to you, "when will you kill a big one" - well this year, I plan on learning as much as I can about tagging a HERD BULL! 

Great article by the way in Extreme Elk magazine! 

[JPhelps]

Thanks Brain

[HoofsandWings]

Thanks Guys.

There are also some out of the Box EXTREME tactics that have worked.  I will cover these more later but it is important to understand the risk is great and could potentially mess up your hunting for day or weeks to come (late season tactic when you are going for broke):
~ Rushing the herd and scattering the cows
~ Call and walk into the herd
~ Waiting in the bedding area

Will this type of calling work in November?
It is pretty easy to carry my elk bugle.

[JPhelps]

Thanks Guys.

There are also some out of the Box EXTREME tactics that have worked.  I will cover these more later but it is important to understand the risk is great and could potentially mess up your hunting for day or weeks to come (late season tactic when you are going for broke):
~ Rushing the herd and scattering the cows
~ Call and walk into the herd
~ Waiting in the bedding area

Will this type of calling work in November?
It is pretty easy to carry my elk bugle.

I would say that they are better suited for the Rut.  But waiting in the bedding area, scattering the herd (using lost cow calls) and call and walk into the herd could potentially all work in November.

[docsven]

Tag

[Huntography]

Great read. I'll use done if these aggressive tactics here in Colorado this year.

Thank you.

Rudy


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