I'm looking for some Elk hunting tips

[tenrag]

I have been hunting for about 5 years and I want to start focusing on elk. I have had success each year with deer but I want move onto something bigger and a bit challenging.
I recently found an area loaded with elk sign but I'm trying to figure out their movement pattern and habits. I always thought the big bulls stayed high in the alpine until late season and the cows and calfs hung in the valley bottoms. I have seen lots of cows/calfs and found some decent rubs. I would like to know your thoughts on elk movement.

I'm wondering if you would share you call patterns. IE) do you typically let a locate bugle go before sunrise or do you find cow calls work better? Once the sun is up do you change tactics? How often do you call if no response? Do you scrape trees in parallel to bugle? I'm full of questions and curious to learn what has work for you.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

[palmer]

put up some trail cams....see what's there and movement patterns

[j270wsm]

Try a locator bugle and see what happens. You could find a vantage point and sit for the first/last hours of day light. If those don't work try a few cow calls.

[J_T]

Lots of threads on elk hunting. Start searching.

[wideopenthrottle]

a friend made a comment to me a couple years ago while elk hunting that got me thinking.......has anyone noticed that sometimes the satellite bull(s) is actually a dominant bull letting a smaller bull do all the work tending the cows...so sometimes taking out a smaller (say 6x6) will force a big boy to start looking after the harem better?

[J_T]

^ yup, for sure. Often the breeding bull won't tend the cows. He'll have an arrangement with another bull to manage the ladies.

[wideopenthrottle]

the "arrangement" .....after a long day of keeping the ladys in line, the big guy walks in and says i'll take it from here....heheheh

[benevs]

Just finishing up my trip, no bull down but got close. Stalked a herd up the mountain and started calling while a spotter on the ground directed me. Once I started hearing cow mews I let a couple lost cow mews downhill away from me. Got a bugle back instantly. My spotter tells me the herd bull is looking in my direction now downhill and I am starting to get pretty excited. At this point I can't see any of the elk, so I let off a satellite bull bugle then run back ten paces to a better shooting position and to make it harder for the bull to pinpoint me. Almost instantaneously I hear a bugle and a bull come crashing down the mountain like a freight train. I grab my rifle waiting for it to come out into small clearing but he is smart and stops short in thick timber. I let out a couple chuckles downhill and throw a couple rocks down the mountain, thrash this little Charlie brown tree, now his curiosity has peaked. He steps out broadside and I lift my rifle- oh no! he's only an effin 3 pointer!! Where did this a-hole come from!! Meanwhile the herd bull ( only about 150 yards up and out of sight) calmly gathers up the cows and trots up the mountain and out of sight.... How come the herd bull didn't come take care of business, you guys think that the 3 pointer was the more dominant bull? Or did I use the wrong calls. Either way it was a success because I know more for the next spot and stalk, and the experience itself was unreal. The next day I was ready to climb the mountain again only to hear a pack of wolves howling ...always next year I suppose

[todbartell]

knowing your country is key. You need to hunt where the elk are, not where they were. That means covering ground and trying to locate a bull to hunt. I can cover 3km an hour looking for elk, use location bugles (high pitch with no chuckles or grunts) to reach out and try to get a bull to respond. If you're in an area with fresh sign, and you feel elk are close, stay put and wait for one to arrive. We've had bulls show up silently, 45 minutes after we gave a handful of location bugles. A lot of times we are in a rush when hunting. Elk don't have watches, and can be in laid back moods. Once you locate a bull I would get the wind right and then get in as close as possible before calling. Often a few soft cow calls can bring a bull in

[todbartell]

How come the herd bull didn't come take care of business, you guys think that the 3 pointer was the more dominant bull?

You were far enough away from the herd bull that you posed no threat to him. Nothing that would warrant him leaving the cows to come confront you 150 yards away. Herd bulls are more lovers than fighters, less risky for him to just take his cows and head away from you. Good luck keeping up to a herd especially if you're following them and bugling. Best to go silent and try to get ahead of them for an ambush of sorts. That 3 point was likely just curious to see what bull was making all the fuss. If you had a second chance I would of suggested getting as close to the herd as possible , downwind, then try to get the bull to sound off by giving him some cow calls. If you're inside 75 yards or so and can't see him, you could try introducing some raking, that can drive bulls nuts and isn't very confrontational. Just puts the image of a bull trying to display in front of his cows. There are no cut & dried rules when elk hunting! Be aggressive will pay off more times than being conservative

[benevs]

That's some good tips, thanks! Yeah I know now for next time...the plan originally was to get up and over the herd as they were following this gulley up the mountain. Unfortunately the terrain to get up and around was almost impassable, very steep with loose shale and not many trees to use as cover(or anchor points), so I had to use the outer edges of this gulley to make up time just to get close to them. All in all it was a great trip, got one white tail buck and more experience for next year :smile:

[benevs]

When you say "raking" are you talking about using a spare set of deer antlers to paw the ground with or thrash a tree with? Thanks

[todbartell]

raking, I use a broken limb to rub on trees, brush etc

[tenrag]

Some great tips. Thanks.