Elk Tactics, Elk Tactics Options

[roger View Member Profile]

Below are a few of my Twitter Elk Tactics Tweets....

Have you ever been busted by a cow while calling in a bull elk? If you play the game of trying to look invisible you'll be busted for sure. She knows you're there, but not what you are. Wave your arms to get her out of there. She probably won't bark and will just run off. With the noise she makes running off try a soft spike bull bugle. This may make the herd bull think that another younger bull has tried to move in on his cows. This may be enough to make him come check you out.

Treat life like tracking a wounded animal. Don't start heading off in some direction and hope your way is blessed. Be led to the blessing.

After the herd bull? An aggressive bugle inside the bulls trouble-bubble (the key) may be enough to get that bull to come run you off. How big is his trouble-bubble? It depends. It depends on the number of elk in the area. If there are a lot of elk, such as in Colorado, their trouble-bubble is relatively small (~50-100 yards). This is due to bulls being used to having lots of elk close. For areas where there are fewer elk a bulls trouble-bubble may be several hundred yards.

When trying to locate elk focus on drainage's on north facing slopes and when calling start first with the least aggressive calls. Try some cow calls first. If that doesn't work try a locator bugle. Locator bugles simply ask, non-aggressively, "where is everyone"? This bugle has no growl or chuckle, it's simply a short high to low bugle and lasts about 2.5 or 3 seconds.

If you have other tips... please share them.

Rog