Smithbros.1

I have hunted Elk 3x in colorado's national forest. The terrian is so rugged that when you locate a bull it seems like you can never get close enough to call them in. I have went the last 2 years with a bow, I saw Elk, heard Elk, smelt Elk, killed no Elk. I wake up 2 hours before daylight get as far from the roads as I can. Iwalk them mountains until late afternoon, then settle in over a medow and sit until dark (where I see the most Elk).It seems that I see very few Elk in the mornings for they have moved into the high dark timber before daylight, so I try to get high before daylight but I have a hard time seeing Elk with consistancy. This year I drew a muzzeloader tag and will be out there in mid sept. any suggestions on this hunt would be great. Thanks J

huntnmuleys

get elknut's set of dvds and learn his calling method. not only will you know what to say, but what they are saying.

rick_reno

Seeing elk, smelling elk and hearing elk is all part of elk hunting. Keep it up, you'll get in close one of these times.

gleninAZ

Go up at dark in the am and find a heavy thicket where you have seen elk moving. Take hand clippers and get into the thicket and trim shooting lanes. Sit still for a couple of hours and you should have elk coming by. A very minimum of cow calling might get one in close if the rut is right. I have killed them just keeping still and watching for the slightest movements. Later in the morning I will move a bit and glass being very careful to try and spot the first cow. If you see them first there is a good chance for a stalk. Good luck this fall.

elknut1

It sounds like you've had little problems finding elk. It's closing the deal that is eluding you! It is important to know what elk are saying, whether they're vocal on their own or you get them to respond to your calling. When you know what they're saying no matter the situation then it becomes much easier to elvaluate the encounter and form a sound plan, one that won't bump them or shut them up.

For example--You locate a bull with cow calls, he bugles & chuckles back to you. You continue to call he answers. After a short time of this he shuts up, you're not sure if he left or not? Maybe you moved toward him maybe not.

The thing is the bull tried calling you to him, you did not come even though he got demanding you to in his responses. But you didn't know that's what he was saying so you did nothing but cow call. He finally knew something wasn't right, you raised a red flag in his mind, something isn't right!!!! This could've been a herd bull & he wasn't willing to leave his cows unattended for long so he tried calling you to him.

Knowing the situation & understanding what he expected of you, you could've changed your method some to pull this bull in closer.

Too many times hunters don't "setup" properly and stay in one place long enough after calling so the bull must come seek you out.

Too, early on in the season a bull willbed his cows down from 9:30-10:30 in the morning & go & look for other cows to add to his harem. This is a great time to be near known bedding areas "setup" and give a few cow calls & a spike squeal. When doing this don't overcall, make it real, use enough calls to cause interest, the spike squeals & chuckles are key to this setup, it shows he's talking to the cows and really sells this method. Be sure to setup in a way the bull must come look for you, not being able to see you out of range. Stay in one spot up to an hour, he may be slow about showing up, but he will. Watch the wind!!!! Make elk noises like rustling brush cracking branches and light stomping. All this adds to it's realness.

I like doing things as this especially in thick hard to see in elk country, this way elk come to me instead of me trying to slip around and get busted by cows who weren't vocal or raggies hanging around the herd silently that I didn't know was there either. If country is real open, then it's easier to seeif other elk are around to avoid as you try to get closer.

Another method with two hunters that works awesome when bulls will respond to your calls but not come in isCall & Stalk, have a caller stay back in the bulls comfort range , (200yds or more) and keep him vocal as youthe shooter slips in towards the bull. When doing this keep your eyes peeled for any other elk!! Hunt into the wind!!!!! Again don't overcall & don't challenge the bull, be conversational!!!!! Call enough to give the shooter a location!! Good Luck, this is a few suggestions that might get you on track!!---------------ElkNut1

elktracker

First off I need to know whether you will be hunting east or west of the continental divide.Hunting East- find the BEDS, they will be in the stands of pole pine, usually above 8000' on the north/northeast side of the mt. They are usually located within a couple of hundred yards of the top of the ridge. where the drop in elevation is steep and then levels into a bench, may only be a couple of yards wide. Look for a lot of rubs on the trees. They will be in the beds by mid am (10am). They water at night in the meadows and will return to the beds by 10ish. The cows will go to the beds while the bulls will meander around a bit first, usually near the top of the ridge. The bulls like to use saddles to get from one side of the Mt. to the other, about only real place you could sit and wait and have reasonable chance of seeing bulls and cows consistently. They will return to the meadows in the afternoon- go to meadows with running water. Look for wallows above where a stream starts- check topo. When you here a bull bugle and he sounds far away, go to him fast. don't worry about the noise. He will be making enough of his own. Stop after a hundred yards or more and listen. I recommend using a cow call only., bugle calls attract other hunters! try a few cow calls and see if you get a response, again move to him if he responds and you believe him to be 100-200 yds out. Then sit still, pref behind a big tree to give you some room to move around and get in a shooting position..This is the same as turkey hunting, call softly to lure him in or o tell him you are moving away from him. I shoot for the spine, it runs from the butt to the head, concentrate on front shoulder to head area, it will drop where you hit him. You will have to go up and put a final shot in the back of the ear. The elk will be either above or below you so you will almost always have a spine shot, you don't always get a behind the shoulder shot. Play the wind, it is extremely important, be aware of swirls, don't hesitate to move, Elk vision is not that great and if he is bugling his mind is on other things. cover up your noisy mistakes with soft cow calls. This is not deer hunting.

idahoelkinstructor

Ok, I take it your joking right?

elknut1

Jason---When I read his post I kinda thought the same thing!! But I think he's serious as a heart attack!! Go figure!! I'll leave him to you!! <grin>--ElkNut1

idahoelkinstructor

Smithbors.1, Paul (aka elknut) is right on the money. One thing I will add is never go into bedding areas, like Paul said you can be near it but don't go into it! It will blow the elk out of the area if you bump them out of there bedding area. Also do try calling (location bugle)in the early morning in the dark. Elk are very vocal in the night and that will give you a good idea where to be come daylight. I can only hope elktracker is joking if not he is way off base in certin areas. Good luck

elktracker

I meant tosay find the beds and then you will know where the elk will go, I did not mean to imply that you bust the beds or hunt in the beds. Everything else I am dead serious, I have shot way too many elk year after year for the last 20 some years. Yes I know the area, and I had a hard time getting elk consistently before I found the beds. I was dumb then and it took me about 5 years to find the beds and learn to hunt the area nearby- the approaches. These Elk have been using the same beds for years. Elk calls are great, but you don't need them if you are a good hunter. I only started using them about ten years ago and they do make it easier to close the elk. The cow call is easier to master, esp for a beginner which smithbros1 is I was not joking or pulling anyone's leg, try my method and see if it works for you, nothing lost if it doesn't.