A Different Kind of Elk Season

[WapitiTalk1]

  just in case I develop high standards in the meantime, what would you do to try and pull the herd bull?

JS, say you're sitting in a establishment with your girlfriend and that establishment serves alcohol (wait for it....alcohol creates super duper bravery levels in many human males... just like rising testosterone does in bulls during the rut and perhaps, a scent in the air of a cow(s) hitting estrus compounds the intruder's said bravery level... just like the finest perfume).  What would make you see red and cause you to leave your girlfriend (analogy here of course, in reality... the herd bull has several ladies he's tending/protecting and is not amused at all by some half drunk, lusty bull trying to court his chicks)?  How can you sir, make the herd bull see red and leave what he's tending to? Well, you have to simulate that you've stolen one of his cows (the ultimate insult) and are screaming back in his direction for perhaps, other cows to join.  Dhoey07 alluded to this.  Dependent on time of the rut, the "threat" level 2 and 3 can really cause a knee jerk reaction for a herd bull (when you're in close enough) to facilitate a frontal charge to your location like you've never seen before.  Be ready for it, have an arrow knocked, and keep those knees from knocking long enough to take the air out of the big bull's lungs.  It can happen very, very quickly.  I've pinged Elknut about this thread.... I'm sure he'll chime in at some point         

[coachcw]

Go an pull a bull into rtspring s lap.

[Big6bull]

No real change here. ill probly still be struggling with getting a shooting lane like always. Hoping this year my new decoy might give me a few secs to get into that shooting lane when the time comes! Can't wait   

[huntnnw]

Very rare in NE WA to see more than 1 branched bull with a herd of cows....I see some spikes sometimes with the herd. The herds tend to be less than 10 animals and what are considered satellites in many other areas are herd bulls here. Yes you get the exception some areas here , but I have been chasing elk in NE WA and N ID for 18years and have only seen a couple of herds that had rags with them. Different story in WA draw units tho, such as last year when I drew a blues tag that was more of what is being discussed big bulls running herds and sattlites everywhere

[buglebrush]

I cover a lot more ground, because it they are around they will answer.  Just find them, and the rest is easy

[steeliedrew]

Due to some health issues this year I'm fresh out of vacation time. This means I'll get two, day and a half hunts split up over the two weekends that fall during the hunt.  It'll be a high speed burn each of the friday's down to the elk woods with a 4.5 mile hike in the dark solo most likely. Saturday I'll be charging hard and you won't find me sitting and waiting.  I'll be putting on miles and will find the elk that want to talk.  Got on them every day last year, including bugling bulls and chirping cows in 80 degree weather.  Not worried about finding them. Question is...How bad do I want it!

[CP]

I’m going to sit and wait.  Maybe a tree stand.

[Jonathan_S]

Very rare in NE WA to see more than 1 branched bull with a herd of cows....I see some spikes sometimes with the herd. The herds tend to be less than 10 animals and what are considered satellites in many other areas are herd bulls here. Yes you get the exception some areas here , but I have been chasing elk in NE WA and N ID for 18years and have only seen a couple of herds that had rags with them. Different story in WA draw units tho, such as last year when I drew a blues tag that was more of what is being discussed big bulls running herds and sattlites everywhere

   the biggest herd I have ever been into was in early MZ season.  The herd bull was a 5x6 and I had him at 60 yards.  That was the day I got a painful lesson in how poorly powder and rain mix.  I was in a deep depression for days...seriously 

This year I am hunting western archery and hopefully I have an opportunity to decide which bulls to pursue vs. shooting the first elk I see in the NE 

[Jonathan_S]

  just in case I develop high standards in the meantime, what would you do to try and pull the herd bull?

JS, say you're sitting in a establishment with your girlfriend and that establishment serves alcohol (wait for it....alcohol creates super duper bravery levels in many human males... just like rising testosterone does in bulls during the rut and perhaps, a scent in the air of a cow(s) hitting estrus compounds the intruder's said bravery level... just like the finest perfume).  What would make you see red and cause you to leave your girlfriend (analogy here of course, in reality... the herd bull has several ladies he's tending/protecting and is not amused at all by some half drunk, lusty bull trying to court his chicks)?  How can you sir, make the herd bull see red and leave what he's tending to? Well, you have to simulate that you've stolen one of his cows (the ultimate insult) and are screaming back in his direction for perhaps, other cows to join.  Dhoey07 alluded to this.  Dependent on time of the rut, the "threat" level 2 and 3 can really cause a knee jerk reaction for a herd bull (when you're in close enough) to facilitate a frontal charge to your location like you've never seen before.  Be ready for it, have an arrow knocked, and keep those knees from knocking long enough to take the air out of the big bull's lungs.  It can happen very, very quickly.  I've pinged Elknut about this thread.... I'm sure he'll chime in at some point         

Thanks Phantom   

[Tbob]

Thanks phantom! I'll shoot you a Pm.

[Elknut1]

That's awesome this year the season is extended for you folks! We are spoiled here in Idaho with full month Sept elk hunts! I love it though! (grin) Good luck to you folks & enjoy!

  ElkNut1

[cryder]

awesome stuff guys , funny how we are given this big opportunity in the same year there going to take it away , wow maybe our leaders of opportunity are really close to the big weather people in the science world, ,,,,,they knew allllll along !

[huntingbaldguy]

This is my first archery season for elk and my wifes first hunting season ever.  We will have a massive learning curve, of that i'm sure.  We own and have watched the university of elk hunting dvd half a dozen times.  We're getting practiced up in our calling technique, i just bought the all new chuckler bugle and we've scouted a couple times and have found cows. 

So we are moving along.  If we need to call, i'm thinking locators followed by cow calls to try and separate a satellite bull from the herd, and then challenge it.  The very first legal bull we see, we hope to put in the dirt.  In the late season, or late in the early season, we will be willing to shoot a cow however, to put meat in the freezer.  That's the important thing to both of us.  I'm just trying to soak up as much info as possible but not overwhelm myself or make it too complicated.

[huntnnw]

Biggest herd ive seen during a hunting season in NE WA was 17 elk that was in the 117 unit had no satellites or spikes just a big 6x6 320" bull

[Elknut1]

huntingbaldguy, once response is received from a bull with your locator bugle/bugles even if you were cow calling at the same time lose the locator bugle, you've made contact so no need to continue asking where are they! You already know. (grin) Too, as a satellite expresses interest no need to all of a sudden challenge him telling him to stay back or else! Consider this?

  A very good satellite bull killer method is to go into a Breeding Sequence, this is what brought the Satellites over there in the first place. Get 150 yards away or closer if possible but don't get caught being seen or winded. You need a mobile type setup here, now imitate a bull talking/scolding the hot cow in his small group of 2 or 3 with raking a tree/brush. If other bull bugles do not bugle back at him, instead cow call to him 1-2 times with a bit of excitement, let him know you are interested in him. As you cow call go towards him now that you have him pinpointed, cow call again with some excitement but not urgently, call at him in return everytime he bugles you as you close the distance, this shows you are choosing him over the bull you were with & you are leaving that bull & heading his way. This will really have that satellite pick up the pace heading towards his new found treasure without any challenging involved. -- As a lone hunter I like making my last cow sounds excepting his invite then moving up 30-40 yards making this oncoming bull think I'm still where he heard me last.

  If I need to call again to give last second coaxing, I will turn & cast my call behind me through my bugle making it seem I'm further back there still, this bull will come in search mode to seek you out!

  ElkNut1