Idahoelk,

Thanks for the reply. I think you make a very good point when you talk about finding the right "BUTTONS" to push. From what you say you have a great arsenal to throw at a bull. I believe strongly that every animal, be it whitetail, bear, elk, turkey.... that I hunt......they all have their own personality if you will. I have hunted very shy/reclusive animals to very aggressive and proud animals. So I agree 100% when you say you have to find what gets to that specific animal.

I have never tried the satelite bull and 3-5 cow scenario. That sounds interesting. A lot of what you describe here parallels the approach my good friend and excellent turkey caller Pat Ely from PA takes on a bird. He has a massive arsenal as you do for the bulls and he sets up all kinds of scenarios until he gets that "Boss" to commit. I witnessed him calling both our birds from April away from hens.... the hens about lost it...it was so cool..... I teased Pat about "bugling turkeys" but in reality, calling a herd bull and calling a boss tom have a lot of similarities from what I have experienced in the wild. I think you would love turkey hunting since you enjoy calling so well. I believe most well skilled turkey hunters....that have never had the chance to hunt elk .....would really enjoy calling elk as well, because of the interaction between hunter and game.

I tend to hunt every animal (big game) like I do a whitetail buck. I like to pattern an animal and then ambush him. I do this with bears (no bait or dogs....and I have nothing against that ...I just like patterning animals), bulls outside of the rut... once they go back to feeding and bucks and even turkeys. Dont get me wrong I love hunting the rut too and love calling..... all of the above....but if I have my choice I enjoy getting a critter the "silent way" more than any..... The one turkey I shot with my bow last fall, I patterned them and set up and never made any calls. This season I did get a turkey as well, but I give all the credit to Pat Ely. He did the calling. I did the scouting/patterning of the birds thats it. Pat got a dandy bird here as well. I think you would enjoy hunting turkeys up North. We have plenty and I hunt all public land or public accessible timber company ground and still find good spots where no one else bothers me.

I will come up with some specific questions for you and email them over in regards to bulls... and calling....thanks again, if you ever wanna come up North for turkeys let me know I will help out and put you in a quality area that holds birds.

Shed

my 2004 bird