Topic of the week - Two Person Calling

[JPhelps]

Two Person Calling Strategy

I was at a 3D shoot this last weekend and a conversation came up about my last year’s elk hunt and how we setup.  The comment was made that the caller should have setup 100 yards behind me and the bull would have walked right into me.

I know a lot of hunters buy into the idea that the caller should be 75 yards behind the shooter.  I disagree and I will do my best to explain why.

I always preach getting as close as possible depending on the terrain and cover which is usually in the 70-80 yards range (from experience, getting any closer usually ends up in a busted stalk).  So let’s say I have made it to 80 yards and I am ready to start the calling sequence.  My hunting partner now needs to be 75 yards behind me.  This now puts the new cow or bull at somewhere around 150 to 160 yards.  In my opinion you have just shot your whole setup in the foot.  At those yardages you have not created a threat to that bull and you will most likely have a hard time pulling that bull away from his cows.

In the past 5 years as I have been calling in elk for others or when I call as the cameraman I can’t help but notice how I as the caller have had better shot opportunities than the shooter.  This is even after the shooter typically moves 10 to 20 yards in the quartering upwind direction.  Last year I called in 5 bulls (between Sept 10-13) and every single bull presented a shot to the caller.

So what about a satellite bull?  I will have a tough time believing that any elk would like to wander any farther than necessary to find a lone cow (satellites typically cover a lot more ground in search for other elk).  So why not get as close as possible before you start calling?

Let’s discuss another reason why I don’t prefer a caller setup that far behind the shooter.  Let’s rewind back to 2003.  I was setup on a clearcut edge and my uncle tucked himself away about 75 yards behind me in the swampy alder patch.  My uncle begins calling and the bull can’t take it anymore and begins working into the call.  It was one of those instances that once the bull committed he wasn’t going to stop.  The bull walked by at about 35 yards as he was circling to get wind but he also was getting on a main trail to enter the swamp that I hadn’t seen.  This bull walks past me without presenting a shot (alder chocked timber edge).  It wasn’t long until the bull was between us, got my wind and exited stage left.  On the way back to the truck I can’t count how many times I heard “I could have killed that bull 100 times if I had a bow”.  If I choose my setup right that bull should slowly work into my shooting zone instead of moving through it quickly to find the caller.

The one scenario where these tactics won’t work as well is in wide open spaces.  It may be necessary to move the caller away from the shooter when the elk has the visibility to see where these calling elk should be and there is nothing there but a hunter hiding in the brush,  Most of the time you will end up with a hung up bull.  In this situation it may be best to have the caller separate from your location and preferably somewhat hidden from the incoming elk.

[slim9300]

I agree 100% and all my experience calling elk has led me to the same method. (not to mention a little help from Elknut a few years back) The only time I like the caller to stay back more than 40 yards is when we are doing a little "call and stalk." Very good post.


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[wt]

JPhelps, what do you mean by "quartering up wind", I am learning the art of the set up, and I'm fairly new at the calling and set up game. I envision  that if the elk was at 12 0'clock the wind was on my right cheek (3 o'clock) the elk would likely try to come from between 8 and 11 0'clock as he came in. Does that seem correct? That seems like quartering down wind from my position. Or are you describing it from the animals prospective? I'm sure this sounds like semantics, but I'm trying to get the verbiage right  for my own understanding of a new and wide open pursuit, and so I know what others are trying to impart.   

[JPhelps]

Yeah I guess in that case it would be down wind.  In my mind I drew the picture with the elk at 12 and the wind coming from 1.  So you would move to 11 or into the wind.

Talking about wind always confuses me 

[wt]

Ya, me too. Just move down wind a bit is the idea, or at least be set up anticipating the bull to show from that direction yes?

[JPhelps]

Yeah, In my scenario I would expect the bull to show up somewhere between 9 and 12.

[D-Rock425]

Another great topic.   

[b0bbyg]

Thanks for the weekly topics.

 

[atfulldraw]

Loving the topics, what are the odds of seeing a topic on hunting the pre rut in early September?

[Todd_ID]

Good topic!  And good write up on it. 

I see your thoughts and where you're coming from.  The last paragraph is key in that you need to keep it in perspective to the place and situation you find yourself in at that time.  Areas where you may get a 35 yard or further shot are the ones that need the caller to be detached from the shooter.  Every situation is unique, and experience is the only way to know for certain how to set up, but I use the rule of thumb that the caller should be as far from the shooter as the longest possible shot distance.  In the open country with a rifle that could be 200 yards, and it could be 10 yards in the wetside brush.  You are an aggressive caller, so the elk that you get to come in are looking for trouble and will generally come to the caller.  I am a passive caller, so the elk that I get to come in to me are searching for the other elk.  Two completely different styles that both can produce well, but my style of calling less and quieter tends to need the shooter to be downwind because that elk IS going to end up down there at some point.  Regardless of the calling style we still need to make sure that we have a shooter with lanes covering that downwind area from the caller.

[JPhelps]

 

Atfulldraw, I can make the next one about hunting the pre rut

[atfulldraw]

Thanks Jason that would great. I have the goose prairie archery bull tag and have never hunted bulls that early in September.

[TommyH]

Atfulldraw, I can make the next one about hunting the pre rut

Yes that will be a great one, its getting close!!! The fever is getting worse with each passing day!

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Lots of good food for thouht!

[ORBowHunter]

So then Jason, unless I missed it, in your situations, where is the caller in relation to the shooter?  You mentioned you don't believe the caller should be 75 yds away, cool, but is he 40 yds? 5 yds?   Also, a thread on solo hunter calling setups would be great, for those of us that solo hunt and call, it's tough to know what to do after calling, and having that bull come straight in to you at 12:00.   Last year I was fortunate enough to have a heart shot at 9 yds, and dropped him, but my preference is obviously the broadside shot, but tough to get him in that position if he's honing in on my call.

Thanks!