Post by: Elknut1 on February 02, 2008, 10:44:31 AM
OK guys, it's mostly the off season here, yet, there are many here like myself that live, eat & sleep elk everyday! It seems I'm thinking about past encounters or sounds I've heard & try to analyze things to be a better & smarter hunter this up coming elk season. I thought it would be great for all for those inclined to share what they feel is one of their ""deadliest" elk methods that works for them. This doesn't mean you would use it for any & all encounters but when one fits it it's your GOTO method & one of your favorites that you just can't wait to use!
I have one as well that I'll share, but I'd like to hear from some of you first! Thanks & don't be greedy, be willing to share & help others out!!
ElkNut1
Post by: Crunchy on February 02, 2008, 10:55:30 AM
Post by: Elknut1 on February 02, 2008, 04:53:39 PM
My Favorite method without a doubt is what I call "The Threat" here's what another hunter said about it's effectiveness just this last elk season!
Hi Paul,,
Was just killing some time on the hunting sites, and read a bunch of your stuff on wallowing. Great stuff.
I am an AVID elk hunter in MT. And about 2 yrs ago,, I bought your set of CDs. OMG. it has completely COMPLETELY changed my elk hunting. THANKS for all the research and everything in those CDs.. I will prob be buying a new set soon, as I think mine are wearing out.
Last fall, Sept 21, we were hunting an OTC area in SW MT. I was calling, as I had already killed a bull. We had been hunting this area for several days and knew a few of the bulls by name. We came into the meadow and heard the Monster bugling. I sent both of my buddies out in front,, and backed off and started with the threat. From there on, it was like a fairy tail in the Elk woods. We took 2 6 points within 5 mins and 30 yds apart,, and passed on 7 or 8 other bulls that offered us 30 yd shots, as we were waiting for the time to expire on the 2 dead ones!! THEY WENT CRAZY over the threat!!
THANK YOU for helping with the single greatest morning of elk hunting I could ever imagine!!
As I said, it's a great method when used right, it will not let you down! (grin)
ElkNut1
Post by: Coasthunterjay on February 02, 2008, 05:12:04 PM
I found a great game trail the elk use when pressed. I get in and sit. Let other hunters push them to me. Got two elk the last two years from the SAME spot.this goes good for deer hunting to...set up on certain draws and when you know people are going to push stuff out. wait for them to push it to you....
Post by: boneaddict on February 02, 2008, 05:26:07 PM
Post by: Elknut1 on February 02, 2008, 06:20:54 PM
Does this mean from your answers that most here do little calling? Or do you have a scenario you go through once you're there or setup?
ElkNut1
Post by: Crunchy on February 02, 2008, 06:28:09 PM
This last season opening morning went to that exact spot. About 40 minutes in shooting light I could hear them coming. Shot the lead cow at 25 yards. Guess what next year I will be there waiting.
Post by: mossback91 on February 02, 2008, 08:11:32 PM
Post by: tmike on February 02, 2008, 08:17:52 PM
Post by: coonhound on February 02, 2008, 09:07:54 PM
Coon
Post by: M_ray on February 02, 2008, 09:23:58 PM
Post by: Elknut1 on February 03, 2008, 05:31:18 AM
Man, I sure agree with getting off the beaten trail! The more we penetrate the better the results for sure! This doesn't mean we don't hunt/call from near roads though. There's times we find areas where guys drive by year after year to get to more hidden areas, this leaves some great looking elk country un-touched that's very close by. At these types of areas we call at night to see if there's elk in them, we find elk in them 50% of the time 2 of the 3 bulls were killed this way last year that you've seen on our website. I mean the trad ones.
We located at night & took care of business in the morning. But we do take quite a few in the 3-5 mile range everyear. This is about the longest I don't mind packing them out on our backs!
Boneaddict--Ernie (hornseeker) is putting a double carbon T/D longbow together for me! I hope he leaves a little of his mojo on it so I can have some of the success you have with yours! (grin)
ElkNut1
Post by: boneaddict on February 03, 2008, 08:07:56 AM
Post by: jimkirk on February 03, 2008, 08:47:51 AM
Post by: sasquatch on February 03, 2008, 09:45:27 AM
I will say this method has been very successful for me but has meant raghorns and smaller bulls, not the big boys. And that is because I am not a good tracker. Unless I have snow it is difficult if not impossible to track lone animals. However, I can track a herd under normal conditions and that is why this method has meant smaller bulls. They tend to run with the the cows and calves the areas I hunt here on the westside.
Post by: high country on February 03, 2008, 08:42:42 PM
Post by: MooseStock on February 03, 2008, 09:54:05 PM
Post by: runningboard on February 03, 2008, 11:38:37 PM
When I was talking with my buddies about my success in three consecutive years, I told them along with a lot of luck I don't bugle, cow call or otherwise announce my presense. I tease them and say, "you guys tell them you're there, no one knows I'm there until someone falls over."
Sure there are many folks who can bugle, cow call, and coax them in but I'm not one of them, so I just try to be as stealthy as possible and let others chase 'em to me.
Post by: popeshawnpaul on February 03, 2008, 11:50:36 PM
Whenever I start to call the elk in, I put 3 to 4 baseball to softball sized rocks at my feat. When the elk get relatively close but hang up, I throw the rock the opposite way the elk is coming or in a direction that will take him right by me. Last season, my bull hung up so I threw a couple big rocks down in front of me. The elk thought it was the cow leaving so he followed the sound. Walked right into my shooting lane.
I then bugled to calm him down and let him die. As I was bugling another bull came in . He hung up 50 yards below me. I took the remaining rocks and threw them way up behind me. He walked right into my shooting lane. Too bad they don't give out 2nd tags...
This tactic works great because often I'm calling alone. It also takes the focus of the elk off the cow that's calling and they begin looking for the source of the rocks. I'm sure it sounds like a herd when i throw them.
Shawn
Shawn
Post by: Slider on February 04, 2008, 08:53:27 AM
Post by: Elknut1 on February 05, 2008, 05:29:37 AM
Lots of ambushers here, nothing wrong with that!! I've done it a time or 2 myself!! I guess I do mostly calling though because of the sheer excitement for sure! If elk hunting were like deer hunting for the most part in locating & killing I probably wouldn't have near the passion for it. I'm not there to just fill a tag, I look at it as the ultimate calling challenge, I love beating them at their own game. Calling bulls to bowrange is the ultimate adrenalin rush! It's what I live for! So when I personally think of "Tactics" I think of calling scenarios that are what it takes to seal the deal. Even if I started out my hunt with stalking/ambushing it seems calling comes into play more often than not because of the elk throwing a "wrench" into things! Anyway you look at it you gotta love it!!!
Shawn, your "rock rolling" was the best one yet!! (grin)
ElkNut1
Post by: high country on February 05, 2008, 05:37:34 AM
Persistence!!! ;) Pope were do you purchase the Elk Rocks?.............lol
you can get them just up past the goat rocks.
Post by: BLUEBULLS on February 05, 2008, 06:13:05 AM
Post by: Fish4Fun on February 06, 2008, 11:38:32 AM
At least they get to see what it was they were in hot pursuit of laying on the ground. :IBCOOL:
Post by: WAcoueshunter on February 06, 2008, 07:34:28 PM
Post by: Alchase on February 07, 2008, 12:12:36 PM
Ebay just under the October 15th Mulie Rut Hunt
Sorry could not resist
Post by: Opportunist on February 09, 2008, 05:32:39 AM
Man that's a good one! I do alot of calling for myself also and I usually make my last setup and if it looks like the bull is on his way I'll shift left or right 20 yards. I'm going to use the rock trick.
Hell, if you market it right you might be able to sell 'elk rocks' through Cabelas or Sportsman's. Think of all the people that bought 'pet' rocks.
Post by: Elknut1 on February 09, 2008, 07:24:32 AM
Hey, I'll take a couple, in diet please!
ElkNut1
Post by: popeshawnpaul on February 09, 2008, 08:56:56 AM
I was sitting watching my shooting lane below me which was only 20 yards. I was in THICK repod so I could hear this elk coming for quite a ways. The problem was he was coming straight at me as I had been cow calling. If he came out on the track he was on, he would be 3 yards away. It would have been impossible to draw and get a shot from 3 yards. I was panicking, but I knew I couldn't move. So here he comes... He had those cow calls locked in from a long ways off. I thought I was going to spook him by throwing the big rocks, but I knew I wouldn't get a shot if he came out right on top of me. Additionally, his focus was going to be on me as the source of the calls. When he was 30 yards out (estimate based on sound), I threw the rocks 20 yards down in front of me. It completely took the attention off my position and I immediately heard the bull change course and he popped out in my lane at 20 yards. I drew my bow before I could see him because I could hear he was right there. When he popped out in the only shooting lane, he noticed me out of the corner of his eye and started to look up at me...but it was all over. The slick trick went right threw him mid body and out the other side. He never made it far.
Like I said, while waiting for this bull to die, I had another hot one that I heard come down the opposite hillside at me. When I heard him slosh through the creek I was telling myself, oh no. 3 minutes later he was nearing my position below me. He was heading too far to my right so I took some boulders and threw them 20 yards to the left of me. He changed course. He was now heading right for me. I had a harder time hearing this guy come in, so I threw another boulder to my left hoping to draw the bull back to my left and into my infamous 20 yard shooting lane. He must have heard the boulders because he just popped out in my shooting lane in the exact same spot I shot the other bull about 15 minutes earlier. Too bad, he was a nice 5 point and I knew I had only shot a 3 point on the first bull. That's always my luck.
I truly believe this tactic works good in reprod. When you are crawling down in the thick stuff with them, you need to be able to lead them into you a bit as it is too thick to move quietly through that stuff. As I think back to those previous 10 days of hunting, if I had used this trick in a couple of my other setups I have no doubt I would have got shots at some bulls that hung up. On three other bulls, they hung up or came right at me hanging up sometimes 5 yards away through the reprod. I definitely think this is a better tactic in thick areas. It is especially useful in reprod.
So, rocks is my key and something I plan on using when calling in the near future. And no, they don't get spooked by it as I thought they would.
Post by: Slider on February 09, 2008, 02:45:26 PM
Post by: Elknut1 on February 10, 2008, 06:13:11 AM
Shawn, good stuff there! Thanks for the scenario used too! It's hard to beat the right elk sounds at the right time as well as the right natural elk sound/movements at the right time as you've demonstrated! Thank You!
ElkNut1
Post by: HEADSHOT on February 10, 2008, 10:29:29 AM
Post by: popeshawnpaul on February 12, 2008, 10:40:45 AM
Post by: DeKuma on February 12, 2008, 08:35:57 PM
Can't wait to try it. Would work on just about anything you are trying to call in I would think..........
Post by: Slider on February 13, 2008, 08:41:22 AM