Elk Tactics 101 - Episode #5

[WapitiTalk1]

Date/Time: 20 SEPT/8:40 AM
Location: Somewhere in the elk woods                                                                                                               
Hunt Pressure Status: Who cares, you’re 100 yards from a screaming wapiti                                           
Terrain: Steep, thick, steep and thick
Tag: Archery season; branched bull only

After locating the night before, you park the rig and head back on an old, half grown over, gated road that you know takes you to the head end of a long, steep draw with thick alder patches, some wet benches, some wallows that are hit hard through mid-September, and a few natural meadows.  You heard no less than 3 different bulls calling back when you located from the ridge above them the night before.  After a bit less than an hour of headlamp hiking, dawn (shooting light) is nearing and you figure you’re getting very close to where you heard the bulls the night before.  The lamp goes off and after stopping, listening, and taking in the unmistakable pleasure that is arguably the best time in the world for a few minutes (the pre-dawn elk hunt moment), you get eyes on a “bull” standing in the old road around 150 yards ahead.  Now you hear them, a bull above you in the alder sounds off advertising his prowess and the bull on the road immediately hits backs with his own “I’m the man” answer and moves up into the alder field. 

That’s it, that’s all you get.  What’s your next move to maximize an opportunity to bring an elk home for dinner? 

[coachcw]

I'd slip up hill a bit and  try and work the lower bull . I'd throw estures  calls his way and slip 15 to 20 yards uphill angling between them between calls . If one of the bulls starts to close I really lighten up on the calls my arrow is knocked  . I'm not gonna setup where I call from since that's a great way to get pegged . The thermals haven't shifted up hill yet .so if they don't move in within 15 minutes or so I bugle for a response if he screams back  I'm gonna run at him half way while not calling them beat up on a tree . Again moving in after calling and raking.

[Shawn Ryan]

I have had success at confusing or at least holding a bull by moving as loudly and quickly as I can-running actually and intentionally breaking sticks along the way, pausing occasionally to scream a bugle. In each instance, the bull held its ground until I was within bow range. I've  only been brave or stupid enough to do this about 4 times and was surprised it worked so well. The first time I did it was out of frustration at a bull I could not get close to, even though I could see or hear him almost every day, but could never close the last 100 or so yards.

In the scenario, I'm confused whether it's 8:40 or just light enough to turn off my headlamp. If early, I probably sneak uphill quietly and let the two bulls talk as I sneak in silently. If later, I might be stupid enough to create a racket while running up the hill, hoping at least one of them is curious enough to wait.