Is anyone calling them in right now?

[JakeL]

I'm in unit 1. From what I am hearing and seeing the rut is going here a little better than some other places. I've been stalking in on moving and bedded herds, making probably 2-6 stalks per day. Usually I just haven't quite closed the distanced beneath 60-80 yards. Sometimes I get close then try cow calling. Sometimes I bugle. Sometimes both. Sometimes neither. I'm beginning to realize I'm not as sneaky as I need to be to count on getting a shot just from sneaking.

 

No matter what, every time I call, the herd moves away from me. Occasionally (rarely) a satellite will come in for a look, but they always sneak in downwind, so a shot hasn't happened there yet.

 

Is my calling that bad? Or does the rut need to pick up more? Is anyone out there successfully calling bulls in right now? If so how?

[goinhuntn]

I would call to locate them than quite calling & try to sneak in on them. Try to pattern them & ambush them as they head to their bedding area. Keep at it & good luck wish I had a tag this year.

[Coues79]

When youre as close as you say you are getting, the faintest wind shift will cause your bedded elk to detect you. Especially if you are in a bowl..... The wind will swirl. I don't know why you would want to cow call when you are that close. If a herd bull has a bunch of cows, there's not much that your cow call is going to do except give off your location.

 

We had a couple of guys around us this morning using a cow call and it sounded horrible. There's a big difference in man made calls vs the real thing. You gotta be real good with a call to deceive them. Just IMO

[JakeL]

Yup. That swirling wind is killing me. If I stalk in too slowly the wind shifts and they bust me. If I stalk in too fast, they see me moving. It's tricky stuff.

[Dustin F]

Satalite bulls are coming in hard to cow calls. I shot a 5/5 yesterday in unit 8 he was the 5th bull I called in and I got ancy and let one fly but the trick I noticed was get in on them close enough to where you physically hear the cows calling then start your calling. I'm no expert this is my first bull but I did call a heard bull in to 80 yards and he hung up with out giving me a shot but it definitely seemed to work. Good luck on the hunt

[WHALE]

We called in a 6x6 yesterday to 26 yards but our shooter never got a shot off.

[COOSEFAN]

Where i've been i've had better luck bugling and raking a tree with a shed antler. There are still lots of bulls checking out the competition and they'll come in to size you up. If the bull already has cows it's more likely he'll grab his cows and move off to put distance between you and his girlfriends. In that case you have to run in and challenge him to take a stand but that's hard to do and more likely ends up in a desperate race you won't win. It's been a weird year for sure where I've been. JIM>

[twigsnapper]

I went and bought the Ms September montana folding decoy for the same reasons you stated. I used it to be able to move when in site of the cows and close in on the Bulls. It worked good. Got me to 45yds and I got it done on a small 6 point. Having the decoy between me an the heard helped a bunch, still have to move slow but I wasn't blowing the whole heard out with my movement. I held my bow in one hand and the decoy with the other. It is tough as heck to get in front of the heard and keep the wind in your favor. Good luck, hope you stick one.

[520HUNT]

They are coming in fast to the Hoochie Mama call right now

[Guest wdenike]

 

 

 

Take care, Willie

[rookiearcher09]

Was helping a buddy this weekend. Found that a lot of guys were just sitting back trying to call the bulls in. Where we were the bulls were bugling all morning but not moving in on one another. We moved between 2 groups of hunters blowing their bugles and cow calls non stop on 2 different occasions and got within 60 yards of 3 different bulls with relative ease. I am still very new at this, but it definitely seems like people get complacent with calling and trying to bring the bulls in like the shows instead of letting the elk do the talking and putting some miles on their boots. Saw a few small herds of cows with no bulls in sight....dont think the rut is in full swing up in the area we were in.

[Will K]

Lots of satellite bulls checking on the bugles. Bigger bulls with cows are moving away from call unless you get in tight to them.

[JustinB]

very slow in the portion of 8 where we are. they are barely bugling 30 minutes in the morning and 30 at night. Not really responding to either cow calls or bugling. Still hunting is working to find them and get in on them.