Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Got in an hour ago from a 12 mile horse ride out my back door. Was gettin close to dark when 2 bulls lit up across the canyon from where I was not more than 5-600 yards off. SWEET!!! Its been super hot here and clear skies. Seems like an early start for around here but sure gets the heart pumping!! Saw a 7x7 on Saturday morning flanked by 3 raghorn 4 and 5s. The pressure is on to shoot my Ram on Sept 1st so Im ready for Elk opener on the 10th!!!!!!!

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Just love that sweet sound. Sounds like a great trip.

Lots calling in my basement & on thedeck these days :D. Hopefully come Sept they will be answered!

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

That's awesome to hear!! It is early, wow. I know bulls will bugle at one another as they begin the show and tell as they match voices with horns. I'll bet there are starting to scrape and playing show and tell.:D

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

i had bulls answer me in july, it doesn't mean that much. but it is nice to hear!

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Doesn't surprise me and actually is right on time. The oldest cows will start breeding in a couple of weeks. Yet the majority will be in Sept.

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

SWEET! Oh I'm getting so antsy. Come on sept 9! roll on days, roll on.

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

You guys have to stop realy if you keep posting stuff like this Iam going to pop !


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RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

I know this sounds crazy but a little known fact about elkis the cows do bugle somewhat, its not a good sounding bugle like a bull makes but they do make a short2 or 3 note very high pitch cow bugle. Iam not saying that the bulls are not starting up and trying to bugle right now and they themselves don't sound very good right now either but I am just saying cow do make a bugle sound themselves. So if you hear a bugle early on, and it doesn't sound very good, try to get a visual to see if in fact it came from a bull or maybe a cow.

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

If you really sit and listen to Elk alot, when a cow gets whiny and drawn out she can sound like a spike or rag bull. It's pathetic as idahoelk mentioned, but it is easily mistaken for a bull. Anyone seen any Elk in the field starting to rub yet? Should be starting up. Another great sign the times a comin!! :D

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Its amazing the knowledge that can be gleened from this site. I never knew that cows could bugle, interesting. I wish I lived closer to the mountains so I could spend the time to understand these beautiful creatures. Thanks for the info, and keep it coming.:)

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

as far as rubing have not seen it yet. did see a small group of 6 bulls on sunday 2 real nice ones. they were all full velvet yet.

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

I saw a herd of about 50 cows with one raghorn 3point and a nice 5 point herd bull. You could tell the 5 point was felling the urge. He was pushing the herd around and struting around when the raghorn got close. I didn't hear him bugle but they all were mewing like crazy. It looked like he was just starting to rub his velvet off, but it was hard to tell with the heat waves in the binos.

I can't wait for September!!!

BM

RE: Bulls are a calling already!!!!
 

ShatoDavis

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Its amazing the knowledge that can be gleened from this site. I never knew that cows could bugle, interesting. I wish I lived closer to the mountains so I could spend the time to understand these beautiful creatures. Thanks for the info, and keep it coming.:)

_____________________________

"Well, If'n I had me a horse pistol like that.... I wouldn't be afraid of no bogger man." Rooster Cogburn



Shato, I know what you mean, I wish they lived in my back yard so I could watch and learn from them everyday. They are such beautiful and majestic animals, IMO they symbolize all that the west and the rocky mountains stand for. I love Dwight Schuh's (well known author and bowhunter)quote "Elk, perhaps more than any other big gameanimal, truly symbolize wilderness values, and it's the wilderness expedition that most hunters dream about." I don't think it can be said any better, also since this thread is about bugling bulls I love the quote by Ed Wolff "In my opinion there is one sound that typifies wildness, a sound that stirs contemporary man's primitive instincts and makes an outdoor experience rich. Its the deep, guttural roar of a herd bull elk rising from the dark of a north-facing lodgepole jungle." Again I only quote because I don't think it can be said any better. I always say any man who thinks he has learned it all about elk and elk hunting is a fool and come elk season, theelk will make and prove him a fool to all. I try to learn as much as I can every yearbeing in the outdoors, the elk's classroom. When I am not out in the woods I try to learn from others because after all education is the exchange of ideas. No way can one person learn it all! But if we put our heads together and format a plan,we can learn to sometimes beat the elk at there own game and the odds and take home some good tasting meat. But if we loose and most of the time we often do, in my opinion we still come out of the woods a better man or woman for the experience shared with friends and family with elk and elk country.

RE: Bulls are a calling already!!!!
 

Good call, cows do indeed bugle. Also, bulls can and do bugle all year. I've heard bugles in May through Dec. I heard my first bugle this year (a bull) on July 4th. This kind of bugling is most often prompted in a really big mixed herd when the cows and calves are really getting vocal.

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

I called in a small 5x5 early this morning. He was still in full velvet. He came in silent, to check me out. He never did see or smell me. He was looking hardfor the bull, thatcalled him in.:D

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

That keeps my hopes up. Thanks.. Seems how it has been so dry in Idaho Lately. I figured they will only be talkin at night! Maybe there still is a Elk God!!!

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Bulls are in full velvet here as of last weekend....will be riding this weekend scouting for fresh rubs,wallows etc... will keep you guys posted!

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

So how did the weekend scout go?

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

I saw 25 elk thismorning about 1/4 mile from my house. There were 2 4x4's, a spike and a 5x5. The bigger bulls were all completely out of velvet, I could not tell if the spike was or not. I even got to watch the two 4 points spar for a while. I can smell fall in the air now.

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Shato,

My posting on here is pretty irregular due to the fact that I work out of town durring the week. Im home only Fri nights to mon mornings...........anyhow did not see any fresh rubs in 30 miles of riding last weekend.. HOWEVER!!!!! I called in a big 6x6 last night a couple miles from the house that was partially rubbed out so things are coming along great!...Moon was bright last night and I snuck up toa piece of private land that I have access to hunt. Large alfalfa fields flanked by heavy dark timber draws that drop up to 2500' in elevation etc...Im using the primos blue double reed mouth reed and a thunder bugle tube. Barely got my bugle out and he was on it from across the field. He did not hang up at all.... wind was in my favour and he walked in to approx. 45 yards of me....I could count his points and see that he was a good bull starting to rub out. I watched him for 15 min until he left so as not to spook him... could hear approx 4 other bulls bugleing in the valley!

Will be taking out my young colt this evening to scout some more....will keep you guys posted if your interested........

Its hard to be focused on my upcoming Bighorn hunt when these elk are rippin up the turf!!!:D

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Hemi
Thanks for the report 10 days till I leave.


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RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Hemi,

Great report.....Yes please continue to keep us posted....:)

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Man, all of this talk about elk hunting is driving me mad!! 30 days until I go on my 9 day hunt!! Can't wait!! I will, however, go out tomorrow and do some scouting for my area. I will also get to go out around the 8th or so of September for my days off and check things out before I start my hunt on the 19th. Hopefully I will see something tomorrow and will have a report. I know my boss saw some bulls last week along the highway in my hunt area and he said they were starting to rub their velvet off. I have a cow muzzleloader tag!! Later.

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

My two head Wranglers on our Elk scouting trip!!
5 yr old daughter "Nevada" onmy old ropehorse and my 3 year old son"Colby" on my 3 yr old Colt I started a couple months ago.

Found 1 new rub and a good sized wallow being used right now! Will be riding solo tomorrow so I can cover a bunch more ground!

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Hemi - Good pic, and glad to see someone taking their kids out into the field!! I remember my dad dragging me along elk hunting when I was about 4 or 5 years old. He didn't care if he got one or not when I was with him, just glad to be I was with him!!! I was to scared from all of the bugles to know any better[8D]

BTW - Leaving here in a couple of hours for my scouting trip, will also through in a little trout fishing.

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

I loaded up the mountain bike yesterday afternoon and took it up to the mountains. Biked about 9 miles through the back country and didn't see jack squat. Got the shi* scared out of me by a couple of exploding grouse, but that was it. No rubs nothing. I ran down to the bike shop and purchased a rack and saddle bags for my bike, makes those long distance rides much more comfortable with food and drink and toys. Got some good pictures and and had a nice time.

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Just got back from Ely. My dad was running late, so didn't get there until about noon or so. Didn't see any elk. I mainly went out to narrow down the huge area I have to hunt down a little bit. I have it narrowed down to a couple of more specific areas now. I will be going out again in a couple of weeks on my days off to spend the entire weekend there and do some hiking into the backcountry a little more as well. Also talked to a guy that was archery hunting for cows and saw a few. Had one cow at about 90 yards but couldn't get her any closer.

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Hemi,

Great report. sounds like things are coming along good. Don't let that big horn get away! Have I mentioned that I'm envious as hell about your big horn hunt?;) 14 days until I fly out to your neck of the woods to chase those big buglin boys! Maybe this is the year I get a "booner"!

RE: Bulls are a callin already!!!!
 

Shato...

5 days until the Bighorn hunt!!!!... starting to get jittery already just thinking about it!!! Couple of my best buddies will be along as well as another guy that has the BC Sheep Slam will be along to field judge. All four of his sheep are book rams and he took his California book ram from the same area I will be hunting. Will seem strange that I have the only tag of the year in this zone! The guides have a tag also but their hunt starts 10 days later.

where are you flying to hunt wapiti?