huntinwv

I'm asking for a friend of mine that is going to CO for the second week of rifle season. He wants to know how he can locate bulls during this time?

I have watched Elknuts videos and from what I can gather is use a lost cow call or a locater bugle to get one to answer. Does anyone else have something more to throw in?

The hunt will be on public land and he has about 5yrs of knowledge about the area. My buddy doesn't care to walk miles a day. All elk hunting in the past was during bow season.

Thanks in advance!

wyomingtrapper

The likelyhood, especially later in the season, of getting an animal to reply may depend on the pressure of the area. I've had elk bugle in "bussier" area, but never as often as in areas with less pressure.

This could significantly decrease his odds. While I believe in hunting smart, as well as hard, he will likely have to put a few miles on.... or have more luck than most of us.

huntinwv

He will walk all day long to find elk. It doesn't bother him a bit! Sorry for the misunderstanding.

ShatoDavis

Thats a tough one. Second week of rifle season means there has been a lot of pressure. If your buddy has significant knowledge of the area tell him to concentrate his search in the thickest timber he can find. Those elk will likely be holed up in the nastiest stuff they can find. I wouldn't call to them myself. I would guess that they will have heard ever call known to man by then.Calling could hurt you more than help. I would say that its gona be a pure spot and sneak hunt. best of luck!

PaRu

Get to a good glassing place and start looking and stalking, satallites will still come in to cow calls probally silent though.

idahoelkinstructor

They might not dare to make a peep during dayllight, but even in pressured area's most of the time you can locate bulls in the early hours before daylight. Being the second week of rifle season they will not bugle a lot but most will letout a simplehey I am just over here quick 2 or 3 notelocation bugle. Theywill not do this over and over again like during the peak of the rut, but most will do itonce or twicejust tolet you know there out there. Remember the very last cows that didn't get bredwill come intocycle againabout the second week of October.You can use this to your advatage if youknow what your doing and sell it to the elk, meaning become a cow in heat.After the last breadingcycle bulls and cows still cow call, grunt and even chuckle some. Elk are vocal all year long not just during the rut. I like others here know that you can call a elk into you anytime of year, you just have to know what to say to them. If nothing else I would recomendto be able to use asimple cow call. If you have a small opening and elk are comming through ita simplecow call will lock them up and by you some time for a shot. Ialso argree aboutspot and stock for that time of year, but I never leave home with out my calls as well. Last yearI didn't bow hunt so I could finaly hunt with my inlaws on a gereral rifle bullhunt.There was a lot of people both do it yourself and and guided on horses. I was on foot and ran into a group of hunter heading back to camp at midday. I was about 5 miles away from the trailhead and about 3 miles away from camp. We did use horses to pack in camp and to pack out our elk. Anyway when these group of hunters saw me they were poking fun of my elk calls and bugle tuble. I did have a orange vest for safty but was in total camo other than the vest. I asked them if they had seen anything yet and they hadn't. When I told them I had passed on a spike that I called into me (about25 yards away) that morning with two cows I don't think they believed me. I didn't care what they thoughtand still don't becuae thatevening I called a 5 point bull out of thick timber from about 200 yards away. No way could I or anyone else killed that bull without the use of calls. Some might call it lucky but if it is, thenI guess I amlike others that have the knowledge and know how and we arevery lucky! Because I or should I say we can and will do it again and again!