Location call --- how long to respond?

[mtbiker]

So, I was curious how long do you wait after sending out a location bugle.  That is how long do you wait till you try one more.  For example, you put out a good high pitch location call and if elk in the area are interested in responding would you expect an immediate bugle back?  Seems to me if an elk is going to respond it will happen within seconds after you bugle.  Does this seem right?  Or would they maybe contemplate a response for a minute or two, then respond?

[JPhelps]

95% of the time a bull will respond within 5 to 10 seconds.  The other bull is communicating his location to you.

The majority of the time I will wait a minute or two and try once more.  If I don't get a response I usually will not try to locate again from the same location.

[throttlejocky20]

I have always goot a reponse when there was one right away. I have also located alot of bulls with my mouth reed cow calling. I like the mouth reed because its never in the way, makes alot of different sounds, and I can get a louder call when needed.

[BowBender87]

Here's what ive learned.  When a bull answers immediately it seems like he's a little easier to get to come in into bow range, and most of the time they do answer right away.  Other times ive called and called in an area for 20 min and finaly a bull answers.  I usually call and listen in a spot for atleast 15 minutes before moving on to another. 

[Little Fish]

My experience is similar to BowBender's. Some of the time I won't get a response until after 2 or 3 calls spread over 10-15 minutes. On the flip side I often get an immediate response.....especially when right on top of the bull.

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

I threw out a location bugle yesterday and sat down on a stump.  About a minute later a bull responded first time I have ever had a bull take more that 10 seconds to respond.

[Fullabull]

Quite often we move to soon after sending out a locator bugle. One thing I do is, I move along slowly and call every 100 yards or so. Sound only travels so far so every 100 yards I hit the same area I just came from and a little more area with every bugle. This has worked very well in locating bulls in the past.

I have had bulls respond immediately or later if I stay in one spot. The same principal applies, if you stay in one spot and a bull is to far away to hear your bugles but is moving in your direction, at some point he will reach a spot where he can now here you and respond

Fulla

[mtbiker]

I threw out a location bugle yesterday and sat down on a stump.  About a minute later a bull responded first time I have ever had a bull take more that 10 seconds to respond.

What was your confidence level that it was indeed a bull and not another hunter?  Not saying that it was a hunter, but this is kinda where I'm going with this.  Last weekend, before first light I was sending out some location bugles off a ridge into a large area with multiple drainages.  I knew there was another hunter in the area because they had passed me on the FS road going out onto the ridge (and a very large on at that).  Anyway, sent out a pretty good location bugle and listened.  About 1 to 2 minutes later I got a response from probably 1 to 2 miles away.  It was in the general direction that the other hunter headed, but I didn't think that they were that far away.  Also, the response sounded pretty good and real to me.  So, I'm standing there wondering was that a bull or another hunter with some pretty good bugle skills.  I was leaning towards that it was the hunter and speculating that they heard my bugle, paused to contemplate it for a minute or two, then responded back.  Had I received an immediate response (i.e. within a few seconds) I would have been more confident that it was a bull.

Anyone have any tips on determining if a bugle is the real deal or just another hunter?  In the past I have heard a few hunter bugles that sounded like a sick duck.  Pretty easy to figure that one out.  And obviously, if you can see someone from where the sound came from you know what the story is.  The only thing I can think to do in a questionable situation is just chase it and find out.  But I hate wild goose chases.   

[Little Fish]

For me most times when its the real deal the elk calls back with a bugle and chuckles. Also...hunters often call back several times sounding the same every time.

[50CalJim]

Last Friday I put a T-Cam in a area where I knew a 6x7 has been hanging out. Just for the heck of it I threw a couple locaters out their with a few minutes of Cow talk & then wrote down date & time when I got back to the Truck. Anyway I went & pulled the Cam today & it shows that this Bull showed up about 35 min after I left. Not a good pic but I'm assuming its a 6x6. 

[Little Fish]

Interesting....good information to have. Thanks for posting your observation.

[PA BEN]

I've had a lot of bulls bugle 20 to 30 min.s after I've called a few times. You might not hear them call back or they are coming in quite. If you wait that long and not call they will let one out to see if you are still there. I've sat down to take a break did some calling then eat a snake, been sitting there quite and BAM and bull called to see where I was.

[Skyvalhunter]

What kind of snake are you eating?

[coachcw]

I've found that in the early season some bulls will walkl in without making a peep if you start a call sequence be carefull not to vacate an area to quickly . some bulls are real causious and will take a half hour to work in other bulls just come running . Jim Horn has a dvd that talks about this and is worth picking up.

[Mr Mykiss]

Three times this season I had bulls come in silent about an hour after I had STOPPED calling...