Topic of the week - Locator Bugle

[kentrek]

In my own experience early season locating is dependant on specific locations, herds, etc...  Therefore I will use this call all season it just may not be as effective as it is later in the season.

The rut is triggered by photoperiod (length of day, but there are a lot of other factors that affect bugling such as when the cows go into estrus, how many cows are in estrus, bull density in an area, cow density, etc...

Many times when scouting the weeks before the opener I will be in an area watching elk and the bull will not bugle or act rutty but rather just tend his cows.  I will move to an area that is a 20 minute drive and that herd bull will be going nuts bugling, chasing satellite bulls, pushing cows and so on.

x2..except i kind like to let the elk tell me what to do,if the herd isnt "hot" im def not going to be "hot" either..

[JPhelps]

Kenetrek, I agree 100%.  After I locate I let the aggressiveness of the bull determine how aggressive I will be. 

In some situations I will create excitement through use of pleading cow sounds and estrus whines.