Champlain Islander

I have only hunted elk the last 10 years but my experience runs along with what flags said. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to elk bugling. I look at them much the way as turkey. Gobbling or bugling like crazy one day and then nothing and they are still there. In both instances pressure can accomplish that or if the animal through the situation isn't looking for something to breed. Both sound off to protect territory and IMO that is the part most easily quieted. I am a lifelong turkey hunter and found hunting elk to be similar with the calling. Too much or too little and you blow it.

Mando

Champlain_Islander,

Hut elk during the rut. In you're in an area with elk, you'll heard bugle melodies.

TwoBear

I also agree with Flags, bugling activity depends on general conditions, weather, herd dynamics, predators, hunting pressure, and a whole host of other things. You can have a ton of elk in an area but they are not bugling for whatever reason. It can also light up once a couple cows come in to heat or diminish quickly as the rut tapers down.
As for the OP the remedy for your situation is to maximize the opportunities you are getting. When a bull bugles that is really just the first pitch of the first inning, close the distance and really work the bull and commit to him for the day trying your best to get an evening shot opportunity. Never leave a bugling bull to go try to find another one unless you absolutely have no play on that bull.

Champlain Islander

I have always heard bugling even hunting later in the season during rifle. In the rut it can be non stop but mid to late October at least in South Central Colorado they still bugle just not as much.

txhunter58

Doubt we will ever hear from the OP again on this one. Although the first reply to him was without tact, the internet by definition is without tact and you have to take the good with the bad without losing your cool if you want to gleen some useful info.

As to the last part of the conversation, I have been walking in fresh elk tracks with steaming poop in mid/late September when the rut was surely happening, and heard no bugles for days. Had multiple bulls come to cow calls without a peep out of them too.

flags

Well, the so called tactless first post was mine. So tell me, just where was it short on tact? This guy wants to know why he isn't getting elk and he's all about his electronics. I've never seen an elk killed from a computer terminal or from a smart phone screen. If he wants to fill his elk tag he needs to be in elk country from sun up til sun down. There is no other plan that works consistently and that is exactly what i told him.

By the way TX, I've personally killed 25 elk and have been in on the taking of more than 100 others. When you can top those #s then maybe I'll consider your viewpoint worth considering.

kidoggy

lol.how bout if I'M HALFWAY THERE , does that make me knowledgeable enough to comment?

super_hunt54

I personally didn't see it as tactless. Just straight forward even if he was a bit wrong headed. They got them towers just about everywhere nowadays Flags. But, like Flags, I have yet to shoot any of the MANY Elk I have taken over the last 60 or so years of hunting the critters from a computer terminal or smart phone. That's one app they haven't created yet thankfully. Unless you can run an armed drone from your phone.

Champlain Islander

All I have to say is it isn't what you say but how you say it that often defines how people feel about a statement.
Yup that often happens and the very next day the valley and parks are ringing with bugles.

younggun308

That sounds incredible (as in, I believe you when you say you did this, but experiencing it must be mind-blowing). If the area you were hunting had healthy populations of wolves, bears, and cougars, though, would you only do this with companions and would you take turns keeping watch like people do when hunting the African bush?
I wouldn't be surprised if other critters might be following the scent/tracks, too.