Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: Shank on September 13, 2022, 10:24:50 PM

Title: Calling tips
Post by: Shank on September 13, 2022, 10:24:50 PM: Alright, I admit I'm not the greatest at calling.
I drew a quality bull tag on the Eastside, it's taken 4 days to get into bulls, they are super quiet in this unit for some reason. I've managed to bugle back and forth with 2 different bulls. They seem pretty interested in what I'm doing. Then I throw out a cow call then it goes silent or I get a bark back.
Obviously they don't like the cow calls. Should I just stick with bugles? Or am I cow calling wrong?
I'm doing short cow calls.
Help please!! It's been 12 years of applying lol

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Title: Re: Calling tips
Post by: elkrack on September 13, 2022, 10:45:27 PM: Get the elknut app!
Title: Re: Calling tips
Post by: LayMdown on September 14, 2022, 01:21:26 AM: Bark back, they want the cow to show itself, barking back may get them to get past the hang up spot.
Title: Re: Calling tips
Post by: fowl smacker on September 14, 2022, 05:21:17 AM: If they're hanging up, close the distance if cover allows and get aggressive. I've found many times once you get inside a bulls comfort zone and challenge them from within they almost always accept the challenge and it's game on!
Title: Re: Calling tips
Post by: boneaddict on September 14, 2022, 05:23:41 AM: :yeah:
Title: Re: Calling tips
Post by: fishngamereaper on September 14, 2022, 05:37:03 AM: Not every bugle is a challenge and not every bull is looking for a fight.
Locate bugle then get as close of possible as silent as possible . then get aggressive.
The bark you hear may not be the bull. If he has cows the lead cow could be alerting.

But not every situation is the same...elk are unpredictable. Satellite bulls act different than herd bulls..

And ya... listen to elk nut.

It should only get better this week as the weather cools. Keep at it.
Title: Re: Calling tips
Post by: High Climber on September 14, 2022, 06:41:26 AM: Quote from: Shank on September 13, 2022, 10:24:50 PM
Alright, I admit I'm not the greatest at calling.
I drew a quality bull tag on the Eastside, it's taken 4 days to get into bulls, they are super quiet in this unit for some reason. I've managed to bugle back and forth with 2 different bulls. They seem pretty interested in what I'm doing. Then I throw out a cow call then it goes silent or I get a bark back.
Obviously they don't like the cow calls. Should I just stick with bugles? Or am I cow calling wrong?
I'm doing short cow calls.
Help please!! It's been 12 years of applying lol

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

Stick with bugles! Close the distance as close as possible And don’t call from the wide open :tup:
What unit are you hunting? Seems like it’s been fairly quiet all around so far with a few exceptions
Title: Re: Calling tips
Post by: Shank on September 19, 2022, 05:35:30 PM: Thanks for the reply's all.
I'll have to do the elknutt app when this hunt is over. Reception is hit and miss.
Long story short, one bull got vocal and I put the stock on him.
Got to within 60yrds with brush between us, we had ourselves a good ole bugling contest. watched him rake a tree to death scream and piss himself, but would not leave his girls. Finally one cow spooked and the whole herd broke. So I guess I'm leaving as I go.
But damn they are quiet here in bethel at least for me we

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Title: Re: Calling tips
Post by: haftard on September 19, 2022, 07:44:09 PM: Idk maby your not paranoid about the wind enought. Only reason I can see a cow barking is if he caught your wind or has eyes on you.
Title: Re: Calling tips
Post by: tallcooljuan on September 25, 2022, 07:33:27 PM: Just because it's silent doesn't mean they're not coming. Be patient. Bugle less. I know it's tempting, but you can't force it to happen. Cow call more. YOUR bull of a lifetime may not be looking for a fight. Carry three different cow calls so you sound like an inviting herd.
Title: Re: Calling tips
Post by: snake on September 25, 2022, 07:38:15 PM: Locate, close the distance, then start slow with chuckling, use bugling sparingly when you're close. I use 80% chuckling and grunting when I'm close. Also remember you can always turn up your intensity, but its impossible to bring it back down once you've gone all in super aggressive. so ramp it up slowly.