That's why I wouldn't bother bugling for em on public land unless it was in a limited draw, low pressure area. I don't know how many bugles and other elk calls have been sold too "weekenders" that hightailed it too Colorado over the last 30 years, but I doubt a convoy of semis could haul them. The best thing for the "public lander" to do is keep is flappers shut and possibly even learn about an escape route or two. The same goes for turkey hunters on similar areas. The animals hear the calls, they may or may not take flight in the opposite direction but they for sure are going to become silent and cagey.

I'll never understand why the majority of eastern hunters who go out west will watch Primos and other tapes and expect their hunts to go like they do on the tube . Do they not understand the difference between limited lands in AZ/NM vs 'Johnny come alls' in other states?

Walk much, look long and shoot far is the best methodsfor such pressured animals! (lol that or wade impossibly thick brush and take em at arms length.)
RA

"Those weekend wariors tend to really suck at calling.... "

I've heard a few weekend warriors that were good too though. Some of the nicest sounding bugles I've heard were hunters and some of the gosh awful worst sounding ones turned out to be elk.

Ditto what Wyoming said, and just about everyone else for that matter. I love the posts about hunters practicing bugeling to tapes while driving to work.

Oh I have surely had more then one weekender get my blood boiling... And I agree that every one does have to start somewhere... I guess I was just fortunate... My dad beat Wayne Carlton in the first ever RMEF Bugleing Contest Back in 83'. Which is really cool because he taught me to Bugle with just my throat. But the younger hunters of tomorrow do need someone to Learn from. That's why Hunting is just so darn cool. The Memories in the Field!
Good Calling Boys.

Coming from a rookie just back from his first ever archery elk hunt, I can now attest to some of the lousy bugles given by some real Elk. I left one a CD so he could learn.

My hunt was almost over in the first 90 minutes. Some hunter was giving the worst bugles back to us. It sounded like a little girl screaming. Ihear this hunter coming up the ravine, busting branches and brushing bushes. He was noisy, too! I was very careful not to draw on him. Next thing I know, this hunter has grown a 5x5 rack! All I saw was rack, head and shoulders as 25 yds, but this Elkstood there fortwo minutes, sounding off his little girl scream three times. I finally decided its now or never, drew and he busted me.

Two days later my son tried bugling, muffed it big, like he was passing gas, and got an immediate answer! We got about 60 yds from that one.

I also learned early in the hunt that cow calling was much more effective. Saw lots of Elk and learned a lot, but nothing to show for it this year. It was enough fun that I don't even care about not having to gut and quarter. You got me hooked.

The best bull that I guided on after several years in Idaho's Selway Bitteroots had the worst bugle you could imagine. My hunter got all bug eyed and looked like he wanted the hell out of the woods. Sounded like what I'd vision a sick gorrila to sound like.

Here's to all the "weekend warriors" out there. You have as much right to the woods as anyone else and if you get out there enough, it will come together for you.

First off, one of my rules of thumb is to never assume it's another hunter. However, there are times when there is no doubt its another hunter and this was one of those times. I am not bashing the weekend warriors, in fact, as I stated in my orginal post its an area close to home that was a convient spot to get out to, I wasn't really surprised somebody else was in there. Had I hiked in, I probably would have been much more upset. I found the incident to be funny, very funny. Some have taken it the wrong way. I am not bashing people who are just starting out hunting elk either, if they sound like idiots, they sound like idiots. I just posted because I found humor in the whole situation, and frankly I still do.

I've been following this thread from its inception. I've refrained from commenting because I didn't want to sound like an idiot. I am a rookie at elk hunting I suppose. I've hunted them for 4 years, hardly enough to know it all. This season was the first time I've actually tried calling on my own. I got lucky on a nice 6 x 6 bull. I will say this though, in my experience bulls rarely sound as good as the tapes. I bought elknuts videos and practiced up so I gave it a whirl. Funny thing is I taught my guide a couple of the things I learned on the video. He thought it was terrific and intended to use it on the following hunts. I guess what I'm saying is give it a try. whats the worst that can happen?

That was exactly my reaction as I was reading through your post. Though I have no personal experience with the subject matter I can relate it to some of things I have heard turkey or deer hunting. There are some real "pros" out there.