There are many methods & strategies one can use in "early season". we've taken bulls in the first week of the season just about every year. From bugling them in, to getting between a bull & his cows purposely and hitting him with a lip bawl type scream. Too, Call & Stalk with two is one of our all time favorites. Bulls are very cooperative even early on to answer your non-threatning bugles or selective cow calls at a distance, giving the shooter time to move in on a vocal bull while the caller stays put, plus it's very intense and exciting!!

But our #1 methods of use are "BLIND SETUPS" We incorporate these around active wallows, between feeding & bedding areas, early or late in the day. Also, we setup in areas close to bedding areas, (we never hunt them in their bedroom) aprox. 300 to 500yds out. We do this because if you bump them out of bedding areas they leave & don't return for days, even weeks sometimes. Stay out of bedding areas & you can hunt those same elk daily if you choose, if they bump, don't run them down and out of the country!!

In blind setups we use a senario of cow calls, 3-4 different sounds, we start slow & build excitement within a couple minutes. We also inject a pre-estrous whine from a single cow and a random spike to raggie squeal with excitement. -- Another form is to use to mature cows battling it out for lead cow position, you also want to throw in a raggie squeal with excited type sounds as well, in all setups make natural elk noises like they're milling around by snapping twigs branches and kicking up dirt, you know imitating a scuffle or just being elk, don't be quiet!!! These setups work awesomely, but you must have patience!!! Be willing to tough it out up to an hour waiting for elk to appear, in most cases they just show up silently to check out the commotion or see who these elk are?

When using this around wallows add in a little splashing to the senario, it usually will bring them your way sooner or later. Heck, I've had bulls start screaming when only splashing the wallow with no calling at all. Too, if you find an active wallow be willing to put in your time and usually a bull will show up with in a day or two. Be sure to do light calling in addition to the splashing to give bedded elk a direction that there are elk in his wallow. Even if he's not aggressive he will mosey over your way sooner or later that day to smell & checkout who the elk were that were there. Again, be patient & willing to sit it out. Stop all calling after your short 5-6min calling method around the wallow, you want other elk to think you left, be very alert at all times. A treestand would work best, but a ground blind can work too. Watch the wind!!!!!!

Last year alone I called in 11 bulls in the first 4 days of the season with blind setups, all came in silent, they're that effective!!! I know ElkCrazy8 uses these as well and is very successfull!!!!-------------------------------Good Luck-ElkNut1