Elk Barking

[huntinggirl]

Yesterday was the first time I heard an Elk bark He was only 10 yards from me Scared the you know what out of me 
 There were two other bulls bugling is the area along with some cow talk. This went on for 40 mins until it got to dark and I
had to go. This was almost as good as a kill to hear something so powerful at one point I could hear his breath but you all know
its thick in those woods can't see 2 ft in front of you  One more weekend to try again

[coachcw]

barks mean the jig is up busted !

[trophyhunt]

barks mean the jig is up busted !

game over!

[Firedogg]

  Just like a dog they are barking at something, either a warning or trying to spook you off.

[Torrent50]

I have been told you are supposed to bark back at them.   It's a challenge to see what you are.   

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[elkrack]

BUSTED

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

It's a sign u have been winded or seen.  GAME OVER at that point

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[PlateauNDN]

   barking is elk speak for "danger, run"

[vandeman17]

I have been told you are supposed to bark back at them.   It's a challenge to see what you are.   

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I have called in a few spikes and cows by barking back

[The Gobble-stopper]

I have been told you are supposed to bark back at them.   It's a challenge to see what you are.   

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I agree, a few years ago I had a cow barking at me. I have seen and heard many an elk bark. But this time I decided to bark back. I imitated her. She responded. I kept it up until she walked over 300 yards, to right in front of me. Would have been any easy bow shot. But it was rifle season and only open for branched bulls, but it worked. Anxious to try it again, bow season. Not sure if I will get one to bark at me, or if I should just try it when I see some cows. Anyway, very cool to hear!

[Crunchy]

When a cow barks at you 99% of the time the jig is up.  If you have been calling and a bull comes in, they will sometimes bark which is their way of saying "i am here now show yourself.

[Grizman]

I got between a cow and a calf one time and they both starting barking.  I started barking also trying to alternate between a cow bark and a calf bark.  Both of them walked up to me in the heavy timber and we were all barking like a pack of dogs.  Good times.

[TheHunt]

It can mean that they saw you and you are considered danger. Or they feel something is not right and they will bark. 

I have only experienced barking back makes them move off but not run like a car thief.  If the move off you still have a chance for a second opportunity.  But like I said if they see you and the elk that saw you identifies you as danger they will run like a car thief and it is over.  WAY over.  hahahaha

[Buzz2401]

My experience is that a bark means they know something is funny but they haven't smelled you.  I have never experienced any reaction besides moving out of area when they smell you.

[chester]

I've had cows bark at me for over an hour. I generally sit right down and get comfortable and don't move. They give up and go back to whatever they were doing if the don't get a response . Takes anywhere from 5 minutes to over an hour before they give up.


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[Reidus]

 

When a cow barks at you 99% of the time the jig is up.  If you have been calling and a bull comes in, they will sometimes bark which is their way of saying "i am here now show yourself.

 

When you're calling and bull comes in and wants a visual he will bark. Elknut refers to this as a nervous popping grunt. Many times a bull will do this when he should be able to see the elk that's making the noise but can't.

[sneakyjake]

I had a non-lethal pass through on a bull and he stopped and barked at us.  That was a first for me. I still don't know what the proper response would be.  We backed out and ran into him two days later.

[Turner89]

I got between a cow and a calf one time and they both starting barking.  I started barking also trying to alternate between a cow bark and a calf bark.  Both of them walked up to me in the heavy timber and we were all barking like a pack of dogs.  Good times.

[runamuk]

I got between a cow and a calf one time and they both starting barking.  I started barking also trying to alternate between a cow bark and a calf bark.  Both of them walked up to me in the heavy timber and we were all barking like a pack of dogs.  Good times.

This is exactly the sort of ridiculous thing I would do    that is awesome

[GameHunter1959]

We had a cows calf surrounded in a clear cut 3 years ago. The cow slipped out the back door and stood up on the hill barking at her calf. Sounds pretty cool. We backed out and let the calf pass thru to go back to mama.

Probably 25 years ago we walked down an old cat road and ended up surrounded with elk. A cow kept barking at us, while bulls were bugling in mid-November. Surprised bulls would bugle that late, but we know what we heard and saw them in the timber. It was crazy to be in the mix like that. Real cool..

[huntingbaldguy]

We got barked at over the weekend.  It was cool.  You learn a lot just watching them go through their progressions when something isn't quite right to them.  I think it helped us in the long run but it sure sucked watching them bolt up a massive hill knowing we weren't going to catch them.

[WAcoyotehunter]

I have been told you are supposed to bark back at them.   It's a challenge to see what you are.   

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Exactly right.  Bark back a couple times and try to transition one into a chuckle or grunt.  It works sometimes, if they're not staring at you

[Grizman]

Here's another funny one.  I was hunting in N Idaho. First thing in the morning I was walking in on an old grown over road to jump into the drainage we were hunting that day.  To my surprise, I met a hunter walking toward me.  He told me " might as well turn around because he had just heard a couple of dogs barking down in the woods".
He and his brother had came all the way from Pennsilvania to hunt elk for the first time.  We were over 15 miles from the nearest house!  I smiled and continued on knowing I would soon be in Elk!!😄

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

LOL, that is hilarious! They probably don't see elk that often in Penn. 

[Bickley]

Here's another funny one.  I was hunting in N Idaho. First thing in the morning I was walking in on an old grown over road to jump into the drainage we were hunting that day.  To my surprise, I met a hunter walking toward me.  He told me " might as well turn around because he had just heard a couple of dogs barking down in the woods".
He and his brother had came all the way from Pennsilvania to hunt elk for the first time.  We were over 15 miles from the nearest house!  I smiled and continued on knowing I would soon be in Elk!!😄

Thats a great story! Poor guys probably went home hungry.

[buglebrush]

Here's another funny one.  I was hunting in N Idaho. First thing in the morning I was walking in on an old grown over road to jump into the drainage we were hunting that day.  To my surprise, I met a hunter walking toward me.  He told me " might as well turn around because he had just heard a couple of dogs barking down in the woods".
He and his brother had came all the way from Pennsilvania to hunt elk for the first time.  We were over 15 miles from the nearest house!  I smiled and continued on knowing I would soon be in Elk!!😄

He almost certainly heard wolves IMO. 

[Grizman]

Hey buglebrush,  I would agree with your idea today, but this actually happened in the late 70's.   Idaho wolves had not been invented yet

[Twang]

Yes the bark back to them can work.  Sometimes.  It can even get a different herd into the party to bark at the first barking elk. At one point it was face to face 125 yards and motionless stare down with mixed barks back and forth and 3way When everyone is done they go right back to feeding providing you haven't rushed it. I think you have a caution bark, bark, bark, and so on as typical but so is the bark run
Generally when arriving at winter range a bull will bugle some but hey the cows can bugle too in the same conditions and sound better than most of us.

[buglebrush]

Hey buglebrush,  I would agree with your idea today, but this actually happened in the late 70's.   Idaho wolves had not been invented yet

Gotcha

[gavinboone]

Wow. Guess I'll have to try barking back. What could it hurt, already busted right?