I've been hesitant to stick with my recurve for elk hunting but maybe some good ideas can help.
So I mainly call them and end up with them coming looking necessitating having to draw and hold for extended periods before the bull clears cover. As all die hard elk hunters know, if they spot movement at close range they are usually gone pretty quick.
So, what can I do differently? Do I need to more sneaking and less calling.......super slow draw even in their line of sight.......or just go to ambush strategies?
I've had luck with the super slow draw. I love calling in elk, but getting drawn can be tough for sure. I think picking good setups with good background cover is huge. And, I dotn always call. Sometimes its mor of a spot and atalk or ambush endeavor.
I also have had some of my best encounters with more spot and stalk and trying to get in front of where they want to be. I've had some good success calling as well, but like you, getting drawn unseen can be a problem.
For calling it sure works better if you can partner up with one person doing the calling and the other set up in the direction the elk will approach from.
If you are on your own, try throwing the calls out and then quickly moving up 20-30 yards. When doing that, I often will pick out my set up spot, then move back to do the calls before hustling forward again to my chosen spot.
My hunting partners and I have had success with putting the shooters about 50yds out in front of the caller and ambushing the bull. It works well because the shooter(s) are way out in front of the caller and the bull is focused on finding the source of the calls. If the bull hangs up the caller will move back and forth and usually can entice the bull in closer. This strategy has worked well when the elk are talkin.
We take turns being the caller and shooter. Sometimes it is just as fun being the caller, matching wits with a hot bull.
Squat,ALOT when hunting elk cover.
If a bull hangs up to rub his antlers.Run at him as hard as you can(if cover permits)
In heavy cover,be very aggressive on your approach.Especailly in the heat of the rut
Depending on how much calling pressure your elk are getting.You adjust your calling.
If you are hunting elk in a unfirmilar area.Try to get as much info from any locals as possible.Especailly ranchers
good luck and post pics
QuoteOriginally posted by huntnmuleys:
I've had luck with the super slow draw. I love calling in elk, but getting drawn can be tough for sure.
So you have done the slow draw and it worked...more often than not?
Heck, I've had those bulls go on high alert while coming in, with me at full draw and just swinging slowly about 6"just to stay on them. They detect movement thats for sure......
I've never hunted Elk but what would you guys think about, if you were on your own, set up a cow decoy about 30 or so yards behind you or off to the side and call sparingly in hopes when one comes it sees the decoy and takes the attention off of you. Just a thought
I have used a decoy, but really haven't had a lot of luck with it yet. Often there is too much cover, but the biggest problem is that more than likely I want to move at some point as the encounter progresses. Having to go back and grab the decoy before moving just slows me down, and increases the chance of messing it up. If you are working with a partner and he can have the decoy near him while calling that is a better scenario.
Yeah recruit another trad hunter. Ideally one who can call. I have spent twenty years chasing these beasts and nothing IMO, nothing is as fun or as effective as a caller shooter setup during the rut.
That said I hunt primarily wilderness elk . Guys that hunt open ground or heavily pressured elk do better stalking bulls or their bugles.
Regarding their ability pick up movement, lodge pole forests are great. Draw as they pass their head behind a tree. Hold and stick em in the goodies. You will get busted sometimes. but that is half the game.
I hunt alone and I've called in lots of elk but they come on red alert and looking at everything.. but,,,I've had my best 'luck' ambushing elk on trails to h20. ..
Joe
Tuned in to this!
Check out Elknut's response to my Elk/recurve thread on AT. He addressed this exact issue and I'll be trying it out this year.
It is tough to get a clear shot AND get drawn on an elk that has heard you and knows EXACTLY where you are at.
Teaming up (2) is a great way to swing the odds in the shooter's direction. I also think it is real easy to over-call, especially if they are being vocal.
For the single hunter, calling and quickly, silently moving to a position downwind, at the right time, is also helpful.
The C-bow may offer an advantage as far as holding longer at full draw... but I'll take the trad bow and the fun and feeling of accomplishment when successful anytime.
along with all the good advice above here is what has always worked for me...
when a bull comes in head on and there's no shot just wait untill he turns to leaves then stop him with a whistle (NOT COW CALL)try to sound like a deer blowing...let him turn until you cant see his eyes then stop him while you draw...make sure he's atleast half way turned or he wont be turned far enough for a good shot...ive done this to many times to remember over the years and it has never failed unless i rush it and he see's me draw
when you have one coming in to another caller i try to set up so i have a shooting lane to either side of me...when a bull comes in he's looking for the other bull or cow. when he doesn't see one he will normally try to get the wind on you...when he give you a shot just use the whistle (sound like a deer blowing)he'll stop and stair at you for 3-5 seconds before leaving...ive never had a problem with them moving when i draw after the whistle...just time your draw to start as soon as you whistle.
with all this up close and personal dont forget to pick a spot...not always easy to do when there moveing and ur trying to stop them and draw at the same time...been there done that to many times.
QuoteOriginally posted by beendare:
QuoteOriginally posted by huntnmuleys:
I've had luck with the super slow draw. I love calling in elk, but getting drawn can be tough for sure.
So you have done the slow draw and it worked...more often than not?
Heck, I've had those bulls go on high alert while coming in, with me at full draw and just swinging slowly about 6"just to stay on them. They detect movement thats for sure...... [/b]
for sure they detect movement well, and the times ive done this were situations where i hadnt called. but case in point, this fall, i shot my bull at 12 steps, drawing slow while he was in plain sight the whole time...
Hunting with trad equipment means you have to pick your spots when the time for killing is there! Sometimes you have to stop a bull or cow then take your shot, but not always. Thing is to be prepared to handle any situation at the moment of truth. Know how you're going to handle an elk if this or that happens, experience is a great teacher but not everyone can wait on it. This is where Sites like this can play a big part in ones success because of others willing to share what works in many cases & what doesn't work as well!
There are various ways to handle oncoming elk whether you are a lone hunter or with a partner, some elk stop at the right time for the shot, some look away or are concentrating on a caller, other will look right past you in the direction they heard the last sounds, others will pin you down, in many cases you can win these battles.
One of the things we do to minimize movement is to have our bows in the ready position when we know the elk is coming in, as it gets closer we have our bows at 1/4 draw where our right hand (right handed) is tucked tight to our lips & our left bow arm is still bent because of just a slight bit of draw weight on it, we can maintain this position for quite sometime. As the elk gets to the point of shooting it we now only have to pull back the last few inches in a smooth horizontal pull, no jerking actions. If the elk is standing still, great! If he's not & we must stop him we do so. About 5% of the time it's with a cow sound. If the elk is close & doesn't appear nervous or on high alert just a voice mew can do it, if he's 15 yards or more an abrupt shriek type cow whine is needed if a cow sound is chosen .
But our all time favorite sound for stopping any elk is the Nervous Grunt, it just never fails! It will lock elk & anchor them in their tracks even if they are trotting by, there's just no better sound out there! We've stopped elk yards away & all the way to a couple hundred yards.
We've had on many occasions elk take 2-10 more steps after using various cow sounds in an effort to try & stop them, they'd look our way but in most cases they'd take a few more steps, in our situation with lots of thick country that isn't good, we try & stop them many times in a small window at best, with trad gear this can be a make or break deal!
The Nervous Grunt just simply does not fail. We can draw & make this sound with either our voice or with a mouth reed that's always in our mouth, we do this simultaneously. The elk is so intent on identifying this unseen elk that it gives the shooter the needed time to do his thing. Learn this sound well & it will amaze you, we've never had an elk not respond to it by locking up the second they hear it! It's things like this that can make the difference in ones elk hunt!
As lone hunters/callers on occasion you will have elk come straight at you, note this can still happen if you are in line with a caller behind you & an approaching elk in line with the two of you, it's best to be off to one side of the caller 15yds or so!
If an elk comes inside 20yds or so giving you a frontal or quartering to you shot then be very still & patient! This bull will generally only come so far if calling drew him, he expects to see this elk of interest, if not he will either continue forward in "search mode" or turn around there & go back the way he came because it was a safe place! -- If he continues forward do not move or draw until his whole body & eyes get past you in a quartering away fashion, this is your time to draw & give the Nervous Grunt simultaneously! -- If this bull/elk stops looks around in range & you can see he is nervous & is going to turn around & leave, let him!!! As soon as he's turned to exit & his eyes are now away from you draw & give the Nervous Grunt simultaneously! This elk will lock up quicker than you can imagine & turn to see where this other elk is that he must have missed seeing!
Why is the Nervous Grunt so effective on all elk? It's because this Grunt/Bark like sound is asking an "action" from other elk! It's asking for a visual or identity to something they heard or saw movement & now wants an identity vocally or visually from them. A mew or chirp asks nothing! It merely means there's an elk there but requires no action from this elk you are calling too! This is why in many cases elk do not anchor right there when they hear a cow sound, it's not asking them too! Cow sounds can work but are 50/50 - The Nervous Grunt is nearly 100% effective! It's easily imitated with ones voice or with a single reed latex mouth diaphragm!
ElkNut1
(http://i330.photobucket.com/albums/l434/rhooley/Unit%2076%20Elk%202012/bull_zpsbeb7b5be.jpg)
Took this guy back in Sept. I worked him for over an hour cow calling and moving with him. I was set up on a narrow bench and he came in above me first and stood for about 10 minutes. He was looking down at the bench looking for the cow and I couldn't move. He wandered off finally and I cow called again and he came right back. This time I got lucky and he was coming down onto the bench with me. He walked about 20 yards broadside to me, stopped, and seemed to be looking straight at me , although I think he was looking past me. I figured why not and very slowly drew, hit anchor, and released. He never moved until the arrow went through him and then only went about 60 yards and fell over. I decided to draw on him because if he went another 10 yards he would hit my scent. Used a 56# Bighorn, 600 grain arrow w/ Grizzly head.
Wow, Paul- thanks for taking the time for the long answer- excellent full explanation. Though I have seen right about 50 elk die to an arrow not one has been with trad gear-good info, and thx to all.
I have your Elknut tapes and "The Play book" and though I know I've told you this before- its far and away the best tutorial of elk behavior I've seen. What I like is that its not just, "make this call" but a deep understanding of what to do when....and why.