What could we have done?

[steeliedrew]

Hunting with a buddy this weekend. First light saturday found us walking an old road cow calling every so often up into the draws. We get to a certain point and we can hear a calf running towards us on a string, chirping excitedly. A few seconds go by and a bull rips a bugle and chuckle within 100 yards of us. They were above us in the timber. Phelps grunt tube in hand I cut his bugle off and started to copy his bugles, and I kept the cow chatter up too. Trying to make him think I was a satalite bull that had broken a hot cow off the herd. this back and forth battle went on for 30-40 minutes and all the while the bull was up in the timber above the road pacing back and forth. there was a couple times where he came to the edge of the timber above the road and showed just his head and neck. I was at this point on the downhill side of the road raking trees and calling while my buddy was on the road crouched down in some alders. He had the bull at 20 yards but didn't end up with a shot.

After a while the bull lost interest and took his cows up hill. The whole time we had a flawless downhill thermal and I'm convinced that there was not really any way to get him to come down on the road because it was too risky for him to expose himself on the road to try and get down wind of me in the timber on the downhill side of the road.

He was a good 5x6 and was all rutted up. Very musty smell coming off of him that the thermals brought down to our noses!!!

What would you have done?

I have an idea but would like to hear what your move would have been. There were two of us hunting...

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

I would consider that a success! Buddy at 20yds! No shot is what happens at times. With the wind in your favor maybe ran right into him between him and cows if possible?

[Forks]

Drew, you might want to look into "glunking". It's produced for me in situations like you've explained.

[steeliedrew]

Drew, you might want to look into "glunking". It's produced for me in situations like you've explained.

I'll have a look. I've heard bulls do it on videos but have yet to try and duplicate that sound. One tactic I think could work in the future is leave the caller down on the road or just off of it like I was and send the shooter quietly down the road until he is 100 yards or so to either side of the herd.  Then the shooter could slip up into the timber and creep up on the bull while the bull was focused on the caller.

[Reidus]

Seems like any sort of physical barrier will hold them up, roads, thick brush, thick stand of trees. Herd bull at 20yds is great! IMO a lot has to do with where you set up. Maybe have the shooter set up on the other side of the brush road whatever it is. Can't get em all but it sure is fun to try

[lokidog]

Montana decoy.  Sometimes they just need to see something.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Montana-Decoy-Fred-Eichler-Elk-Decoy/1617672.uts?productVariantId=3484190&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=40-81080939-2&WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03669953&rid=20

Another option would have been to keep cow calling and move away, he might have advanced after "her".  Still sounds like a success in my book, especially after a quiet weekend where I was hunting.

[steeliedrew]

Montana decoy.  Sometimes they just need to see something.

Another option would have been to keep cow calling and move away, he might have advanced after "her".  Still sounds like a success in my book, especially after a quiet weekend where I was hunting.

We actually were both talking about how if we just had a montana decoy out it would have been a game changer.  I like your idea about moving away and calling to see if the bull will chase me down.  Definitely a success though that I was able to keep his interest as long as I did.  I have pics of this bull too. He was actually sitting in front of my camera on Friday evening as we were packing in. haha. I hope to be able to post some pics soon. 

[wildmanoutdoors]

Your on the right track! Keep up the good work. 

[tgomez]

Try it like turkey hunting. Put caller 70-80 yards back from shooter, that should have bull focued on caller and not the shooter. Worked for hunts past. Give it a shot, good luck!

[coldsteel3d]

Decoy is the ticket, in most situations it gives you that extra edge to pull them in that extra little bit.

[4fletch]

I've had that happen , after his bugle , slide into the timber 30 /40 yrds  and the caller out of the timber  , I for the most part have hunted aggressively. Close the gap

[TheHunt]

I think you were successful as 20 yards as you did not have a shot.   you just had no shooting lanes. 

No shooting lanes might have been problem but not every 20 yard encounter is successful.  When you set up did you think ahead of time about shooting lanes?