As that most wonderful time of the year approaches (the September elk rut), I thought I'd get a few of these "What'd you just say to me" episodes a rolling and spark some elk discussion.
Day/Time: 15 SEP/0800
Location: Somewhere in the elk woods
Tag/weapon: Bull only/stick n' string
Type hunt: Partner hunt
As you're making your way up an old game trail that runs/climbs along the sidehill of a huge timbered, with sporadic tall alder patches, draw, you decide to throw out a few soft cow mews to see if anybody is interested in chatting with you on this fine mid September morning. There is some fresh sign in the area but to this point, you have not heard any unsolicited elk chatter. You're approaching a benched area that has a few small meadows and at present time, you're about 1/4 of the way up the sidehill from the bottom on this ascending trail. You set your partner up just below the trail and climb the sidehill about 25 yards, knock an arrow, and throw out some soft whiny cow mews and calf chirps.
The formerly quiet hillside now seems to come alive. Below the trail, 80 yards or so farther up the draw, you hear a bull scream back w/chuckles. Immediatley after bull #1 makes his presence known, you hear some hard hitting grunts followed by a nasty challenge bugle above the trail from bull #2, farther up the draw perhaps 150 yards. As you make eye contact with your partner below the trail, he gives you hand signs that he sees three or more cows above the trail in the direction where bull #2 bellowed.
What could these fellas be talking about? After taking a stab at deciphering what these sounds may mean in the situation given, what are your options/plan to get a shot at one of the bulls?
