Bull Hung Up In A Hole

[hunter1947]

There is this bull elk in the last two years that will not come out of this bottom hole I have been trying to get him to come up from this bottom hole it is thick in there and I did not want to go down there to push him away and I don't know if he is a legal bull ?? ,this bull is very close to the USA boarder I am thinking he is just across the boarder or just this side of the boarder its hard to tell ???.

I have only had the satellite bulls come out of this hole and out into the opening if this bull is there for the third year this coming season what would you elk hunters do to get him out of the thick larch or go to him ???? here is a link of the one of 3 satellite bulls I called in. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xthdINGItVE

[CanuckShooter]

Go get him......go slow, check the wind lots.....he probably has a big harem of cows thus the hanging up.

[Elkaholic]

Wayne I know for year my father and a few of his buddys would walk the line down there on our side and get bulls going crazy and call numerous yank bulls on over to canada.

[.303]

Just curious Wayne, as it was kind of hard to tell, how many points were there on the sat bull?

[Ride Red]

Wayne,
If its as thick as you say, you'll be busted before you see him. Those cows have eagle eyes, incredible noses and ears like satelite dishes. I've tried to get in on herd bulls like this one with little luck. I've belly crawled into them with a strong wind in my face only to have them stampede out of dodge. Although, I've had my sucesses, try cow calling to locate where the bull is at. Know your wind, but if its in a hole, the wind will most likely swirl around in there thats why he's been safe there. Once located, you may be able to do some aggressive calling to pull him away enough to get a shot. I've never tried a cow decoy, but have always wanted too. You never know, it may work for you. Good luck.

[The Dude]

If he's smart enough to hang up in a thick hole like that for two years I'd bet my left egg that he's a pig. Like was said, he doesn't have to come out, 'cuz he's got all the ladies yarded up. Spend a whole day crawling with your nose in the wind. He has no reason to come out if he's not challenged, so get him, Wayne. (Or just send me the co-ordinates, and I'll check him out for you :-) )

[pescado]

Gotta go for him 1947. Have you ever been down there for a look? I have most of my luck with Elk in the timber. Challenge him close the gap, repeat till you get in tight. I like to make some noise like they do, we are an elk. Make sure you when you cow call and your in tight you have a little room around you so when he comes out you get a bit of time to count tines. I made the mistake of cow calling after he bugled in tight when I was in a mess of small thick jack pines, he came in hard to within a few yards, I had a little time with him but couldn't put a confirmed 6 on him. If i had only walked a little further it opened up a touch and it would have made a big difference. Those are the small openings I look for now. I think you have to go and make some noise on your way; thats what elk do when they go thru the timber.

[bearass]

I would say go in after him after trying bugling on top of him and cow calling on top of him or interrupting him when he is part way threw his bugle.If he is answering you frequently I would have someone keep him going and have the shooter go in after him.If no success in the morning stay on him all day and start back up in the evening.Elk don't stop calling because they left the area most of the time they are just bedding down.70 % of the bulls we shoot are located in the morn and finished off in the evening. Dam I love hunting elk just thinking about this has got me all revved up for this season. Thanks 47

[BCrams]

Get in there and scout it out before the season and find the main game trails and quite possibly a wallow or two or more in a semi open spot you can't see from your vantage. I found one such spot last fall in a real ugly hole and then it was a semi open spot with a pile of wallows.

You're going to have to go in after him. He's not going to come out to you. You ought to know that with your experience. Mine is lacking with elk but I do know you gotta get into his space to get him.

Made the rookie mistake a few years ago in a similar situation as you .... trying to call out a big herd bull from the thickest ugly timber into a nice open bottom area of a cutblock .... succeeded in getting the cows moving and the glimpse of the bull cutting them off at the edge of the trees and putting the run on them.

I don't care how thick or ugly a spot is - if a bull answers and doesn't come - I'm going in.

[bighornbob]

I read elk hunting book (cant remember the title) but it was about hunting pressured elk. This guys strategies for this type of elk would be to try and get as close as you can then let out a big bugle. The thought of another bull this close to his cows will drive him nuts and he will be coming fast and hard. Basically use the bugle then drop it and get ready with the rifle because he will be coming fast.

BHB

[hntcrazy]

Go get him .Any way to come down from either side ?
Slow and steady early in the morning .....

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I read elk hunting book (cant remember the title) but it was about hunting pressured elk. This guys strategies for this type of elk would be to try and get as close as you can then let out a big bugle. The thought of another bull this close to his cows will drive him nuts and he will be coming fast and hard. Basically use the bugle then drop it and get ready with the rifle because he will be coming fast.

BHB

Mike Lapinski's "Radical Elk Hunting Strategies"??

SSS

[elkdom]

if you think the Big bull has been in the same hidy-spot for a couple of years and you can not entice him out to you with bugles and cow talk, in an area near where he" hangs-up", go in mid day make some of your own (elk scrapes) a few hundred meters away from his hidy-hole, with a couple of rutting bull scents pads and sprinkle the man made scrapes generously with elk bull scent, several meters away hang a couple of scent pads with cow in estrous scent, go in early in the morning, make some cow calls and some challenge bugles, if not successful in the morning, mid-day, renew your man made scrapes and cow elk scents, be there for repeat cow calls and bugles in the late afternoon,
eventually the herd bull will challenge you and it will be on your turf!

I have used this method several times over the years, it usually pays off, a 6X7 bull made me do this for about 10 days , before I had a chance to kill him, when I did get him in close, at 6:15 Am one morning,he was facing me, within 15 meters of me when I shot him right under his chin with a 250 grn NP, .338 Win Mag,,,, booom-flop!!!

[open-sights]

First thing I would do is throw away your Hoochie moma and Primos bugle, get a mouth reed and stick to cow/calf calling. Move in slow before first light or at midday, have a Montana Cow decoy and be as quiet as you can.
The Hoochie momma is over used in the Koots and doing exactly opposite of what it should be doing, lol. Mouth reeds will still bring in the big guys with a decoy of course, this is all dependant on how strung out the big guy is as well, if he is in full rut, then it doesn't really matter, go straight at him crashing through the woods with any call and he'll be going nutz.

[pescado]

Like your technique Elkdom. Nothing beats hunting elk in the timber. I bet it was boom-flop... classic.

[elkdom]

I called in a couple of "morons" mid September in 7B last year, they were cow chirpnig and stalking through thick the bush with their flimsy cloth imitaion COW ELK decoy, at 20 yards I finally yelled at them and they still continued to cow-chirp, lmao,,,
a September GOS 3point or better elk season including any antler-less elk, and these 2 TURKEYS are sneaking though the bush with a cow elk decoy ???? duh???????????????????

[bighornbob]

Mike Lapinski's "Radical Elk Hunting Strategies"??

SSS

Thats the one. Great read.

[kootenayelkslayer]

I wouldn't expect to call a smart bull out into a huge opening like that even if he didn't have cows. If he has cows, then that's a whole other level of difficulty. You better go down into the timber, on the edge of the thick stuff, and see if you can call him out next year. You might have to put some pressure on him, but don't mess up, because you don't get many chances at the herd bull! ;)

[Weatherby Fan]

Hey Wayne,
if you can go in preseason to the thick shit and find there trails to their main bedding areas thats half the battle, they will have it set up so they can bed on a ridge or a knoll for height of eye and watch downwind ,
if it's in season check out all the open feeding areas around his daytime hide out,when you can determine where they're feeding out in the open or sparse timber at night as Elk do not like to stay in the thick shit at night for fear of preditation-cows especially and if in rut that bull will follow those cows out ,maybe after dark but will not leave them alone for long,

you have to figure out their feeding routine and then set yourself up 1-2 hrs before it lightens up or the same for the evening set up 1-2 hrs before dark and wait till after dark if you have to but he will show if the cows do,This has worked for us time and time again.

Your next option is to bugle him in if you can get him riled up enough into thinking your stealing his cows in the heart of rut he will show,

Your last option is to put a stock on him that's why you need to know where theyre bedding and the prevailing wind,if you put the run on him that may be the last time you see him there for a while,it's tough to sneak up on a bunch of cows to find a bull but have done it on occasion but have been busted more often than not.

[hunter1947]

Just curious Wayne, as it was kind of hard to tell, how many points were there on the sat bull?
He was a 5x5 bull elk.

[hunter1947]

Get in there and scout it out before the season and find the main game trails and quite possibly a wallow or two or more in a semi open spot you can't see from your vantage. I found one such spot last fall in a real ugly hole and then it was a semi open spot with a pile of wallows.

You're going to have to go in after him. He's not going to come out to you. You ought to know that with your experience. Mine is lacking with elk but I do know you gotta get into his space to get him.

Made the rookie mistake a few years ago in a similar situation as you .... trying to call out a big herd bull from the thickest ugly timber into a nice open bottom area of a cutblock .... succeeded in getting the cows moving and the glimpse of the bull cutting them off at the edge of the trees and putting the run on them.

I don't care how thick or ugly a spot is - if a bull answers and doesn't come - I'm going in.

This is a very good point I will do this for sure ..

[hunter1947]

if you think the Big bull has been in the same hidy-spot for a couple of years and you can not entice him out to you with bugles and cow talk, in an area near where he" hangs-up", go in mid day make some of your own (elk scrapes) a few hundred meters away from his hidy-hole, with a couple of rutting bull scents pads and sprinkle the man made scrapes generously with elk bull scent, several meters away hang a couple of scent pads with cow in estrous scent, go in early in the morning, make some cow calls and some challenge bugles, if not successful in the morning, mid-day, renew your man made scrapes and cow elk scents, be there for repeat cow calls and bugles in the late afternoon,
eventually the herd bull will challenge you and it will be on your turf!

I have used this method several times over the years, it usually pays off, a 6X7 bull made me do this for about 10 days , before I had a chance to kill him, when I did get him in close, at 6:15 Am one morning,he was facing me, within 15 meters of me when I shot him right under his chin with a 250 grn NP, .338 Win Mag,,,, booom-flop!!!

This is very good feed back Doug will try this for sure.

[hunter1947]

First thing I would do is throw away your Hoochie moma and Primos bugle, get a mouth reed and stick to cow/calf calling. Move in slow before first light or at midday, have a Montana Cow decoy and be as quiet as you can.
The Hoochie momma is over used in the Koots and doing exactly opposite of what it should be doing, lol. Mouth reeds will still bring in the big guys with a decoy of course, this is all dependant on how strung out the big guy is as well, if he is in full rut, then it doesn't really matter, go straight at him crashing through the woods with any call and he'll be going nutz.

This the only thing I have used for 25 years a reed will be using it again this fall.

[hunter1947]

Lots of good feed back I have read every post and lots of things to think about till then ,thanks very much for all post I take all posts serious and remember them all :)..

[todbartell]

Mike Lapinski's "Radical Elk Hunting Strategies"??

SSS

just ordered a copy on Amazon :D I'll pack it with me when hunting elk this September:mrgreen:

[BlacktailStalker]

You already know where he prefers to be.
Now find out where he needs/wants to go. More importantly, where the cows need/want to go because he wont leave those cows at a certain time, that you know and can bet on.
Get those trail cams in there and somewhat learn his routine and put your time in waiting for him to show up where you know he's due to be again at some point.
If he's that limited to where he goes, he's going to have a sure fire routine or trails he uses religiously. Unless he's gay, which would explain why he's hung up in a hole :lol:

[GoatGuy]

Use their rutting behaviour.

Keep the wind at your face and go in hard. If you're communicating don't worry about noise, site and smell that you're worried about. Once you're inside his safety zone he'll come hard.

He also has to leave his cows, that's how they collect their harem. Just gotta be there when he's making his rounds.

[hunter1947]

I thought about lots of things to do if this bull is in the same hole again for the third year in a row with the help from you members ,thanks again for your help :) ..

I will go in to this place the first week of Aug before the bulls get into the rut I will try to find his domain rubs and where he and the cows might bed as for the best possible way to approach him if he is there ,I also will put out one of my trail cams where his rubs where from the other years I also will check on the direction of the wind early morning late evening I will do this wind check every time I am in this area ,I also will find a runway that I think he might use in order to put my tree stand up for bow and rifle ,I might get a chance at him in the early bow season would that be nice :-D..

[MOUNTAIN MICKEY]

In the past I have used a bit of revese "sicoligy" to push an elk out of an unhuntable area. Try getting behind them so your scent and the noise you make on purpose will drive them to a huntable area. kinda just like doing a drive or push to chase them to other hunters. Its all those boundaries that you have to make sure you know where they are so you dont cross over.Hunting around the minesites here in Elkford makes you learn a few different "methods" and you definatly want to keep it legal as there are lots of eyes out there keeping us inline. Mickey

[BlacktailStalker]

Set up that salt lick thing you had going in other places. He'll hit that hard in the spring. Put it where you think he likes to be.

[hunter1947]

Set up that salt lick thing you had going in other places. He'll hit that hard in the spring. Put it where you think he likes to be.

Yes Andy and my tree stand 30 yards from the lick after I know he had had his picture taken a dozen times before the start of rifle season kicks in :mrgreen:..

[hunter1947]

I just looked at this area where this hole is on google earth and about 1000 yards down near the boarder is this big swamp and wallow this is whee I think he is held up he has all he needs to be there thats why he likes it so much ,water ,food cover the wallow is not far from the boarder so hunting this bull in bow season will be out of the question I would have to drop him in his tracks so he does not cross over to the US side will check this wallow swamp out the beginning of Aug or late July and see what gives in there ??????.

[Ltbullken]

You just got to go in there and get him! Go in there the night before or before dawn and hold up where you think you'll get go overview. Why not try a good spotting scope to see if he's legal? That would probably save a lot of hassle. Is it so close to the US border that you're worried about shooting across or even crossing it? If so, you'll have a battalion of Homeland Security operatives on you before you can say "I'm Cana..." and you'll be renditioned to Bolivia. So check your GPS very carefully.

[hunter1947]

You just got to go in there and get him! Go in there the night before or before dawn and hold up where you think you'll get go overview. Why not try a good spotting scope to see if he's legal? That would probably save a lot of hassle. Is it so close to the US border that you're worried about shooting across or even crossing it? If so, you'll have a battalion of Homeland Security operatives on you before you can say "I'm Cana..." and you'll be renditioned to Bolivia. So check your GPS very carefully.


The cutline between the US canda tells you that you are at the edge of the boarder.