Hunting Educated Elk
 

Have you ever had 9 screaming bulls in the willows within 100 yrds and couldn't pull em out while bowhunting?[:@]
Dang it. It wasn't just me that couldn't get the bulls to budge as many other hunters in camp and eslewhere had the same scenero, but they would not respond to cow calling or bulging at all and if anything it would spook them. Cow calling did work with the cows and calves though at times.I had one bull bed 25 yrds behind me and a couple other times I had bulls about to go to battle around me. I hunted on the frences of these willows totally scent free and had the oppurtunity to shoot a couple cows and a 2-1/2 yr old calf several times but I wanted one of these bulls but they been bumped and educated in previous yrs and pulling these bad boys out was just to ambush them. I set my ground blind out in several attemps to ambush them as I camoflaged the blind as not to be seen. I lasted 11 days getting up at 4:00 a.m. and hiking an avg. 8 miles a day and did some fishing in the afternoons catching seagers, catfish, goldeneyes and I think a white fish and go back and hunt the afternoons, then come back to camp and cook and crash and do it again. WHEW!!! I did see a couple 320 plus bulls taken and 2, 160 class whitetail and speed goats up the yen yang.
It was the hardest fun this old man had since last year, but gun season just opened.;)

Bobby

RE: Hunting Educated Elk
 

Hey Bobby I know what you are talking about.What I usaly have done is get in there zone 50-70 yds and act like I'm tearing up their living room.Sometimes this works sometimes I get busted.I do know if you can get the p*ssed off they will come running.Another thing is trying a decoy and cow calling out of a set-up or blind.Also just raking a tree realy loudly works also.

Them elk at the willows are tough customers,I think that would be a good challange for elknut,and since he is from Idaho he could do the calling and you and me could do the shooting.:D

BBJ

PS Next time your through your inveted over for a beer.If ya don't drink beer well you can have water and I will have the beer.LOL;)

RE: Hunting Educated Elk
 

When calling is the answer, always remember the squeaky wheel gets the attention! It applies to elk hunting as well.

ElkNut1

RE: Hunting Educated Elk
 

Have another hunter set up behind you and slowly make your way towards the bulls. Act like another bull, if you are calling in the calves and cows then you should be able to get the bull to come try to kick your butt for stealing them. Chuck Adams doesn't even try to call most of the elk he shoots because they are so old and wise they would never come. Figure out their patterns and wait for them if callin will not work.

RE: Hunting Educated Elk
 

And ol Chuck hunts where you were Bobby...If you were where I think you were;):D.

The successful hunters I'veknown or talked tothat huntdown on the river, say those bulls definately can not be called, simply because there's hundreds of guys walking around calling all the time...with good reason, because of all the dam bulls everywhere.

Bareback does have good beer...and it's very rare that he offers to share with anyone:D:D:D

Good to se you again. Sounds like you had a good time.

RE: Hunting Educated Elk
 

I wish I was in your shoes just to hear them. Have never hunted elk before but plan to do so soon.

RE: Hunting Educated Elk
 

Good hearing from ya Hillbillie, and yes you and BJ both know where I'm at and know how the bulls react. Lets plan a trip next year.
Clinty, trust me, in most cases, I would work my way to the bull one way or another and if nothing esle push him or piss him off for a confrontation, but the willows are so freakin thick that a shot is impossible and they'ed just stayed in the thicket. I'm talking about thicker than thick.On a couple occasions a bull would be screaming around me during the evening and when I went back for the morning hunt, that bull(s) had not moved at all, it appeared. The freakin things would just hang up and I kept on thinking they'd work there way in along the fringes for me to get a shot. Dang it, my hair was standing on my neck they were so close thinking they'd step out. You know your close when you can smell em.
Hi ya Nut, yes I thought about what you would do in these ciricumstances. I left last sunday 9/30/07 and the small bulls were just starting to try to acquire there harems. This would be the time to go is now. Get your butt over here next year and show me how to do it. ;)
BJ, I got it in writeing now that you owe me a dang beer, keep it on ice for me and we'll hook up and swap stories and sling an arrow or two.

Bobby