I agree that Bear Claw was probably a little out of earshot to hear the cows well. With that much commotion going on (bugling)one would bound to hear very active cow chatter!

On the other hand just to clarify the "barking" thing, both bulls & cows make a nervous or popping grunt sound in singular fashion sounding to many like a bark, in reality it is not a bark, at least not the mountain side clearing event type! <grin>

This sound or "bark" is something bulls & cows alike use to greet one another at times or if not sure of who's in their surroundings they'll issue this grunt-bark out asking the intruder or noise-maker to identify oneself. They want to make sure you're not a possible threat!

A good example when you as a hunter may hear this sound is if you're working a bull with either a cow call or by bugles & he hangs-up just out of bowrange because he expects this real elk to be somewhere close he'll give this "popping grunt" which sounds like a bark asking you to show yourself. You'll notice once this sound is heard by you that the bull or cow is still standing there not running off at all. This is because he or she iswaiting for an elky or positive response, if he or she doesn't get a satisfactory response within 30sec they then walk away.

So yes, all elk make both barks & popping type grunts, you just need to know when you hear them which one they're using!! <grin> ElkNut1