muley69

Hey boys, have not been elk hunting in a week. How is everybody else doing? Bulls still bugling? Seem to me the rut has been slow this year and bugling has been at a minumum. I was going out today but just couldn't get up. Preparing to head to eastern Montana on Friday for lopers/bird for a week. Thought maybe I would get in some last minute elk hunting.

BareBack Jack

Muley,
I called in 5 point bull for my brother-in-law three weeks ago,and he was just going nuts ran right to us.
Then I have been hunting solid 1 full week and got close but no cigar on a huge 6x6 maybe 340 bull,I don't know I was shaking to hard to draw.He came in but did not bugle,that evening I'm shure I saw him with 2 other bull about 600 yds away on a ridge,when I got with'in 100 yards of them I cow called and they showed no intrest at all.That was 2 weeks ago.I huted weekend before last and called in a spike and a small 3x4(need browtines to shoot them).They came in real quiet.Then I hunted lastSaturday up at Agusta and didn't even hear a elk let alone see one.Changed places and hunted close to home yesterday and had a few bulls bugle and you know the rest of the story(it's in you bugling idiot post).
I feel the rut is late this year,or realy slow alot of weather changes to.
BBJ

muley69

It has been s strange rut in my area as well. Every year there are a few days where it just seems nuts, those days I never expierenced this year. I have heard some bulls bugling real lightly a week ago, almost like they didn't want to be heard. Hopefully they will be bugling come rifle season.[8D]

BareBack Jack

Hey Muley,
I took yesterday afternoon off and went back where I called the bull in on Sunday.We have been getting quite abit of snow,so I hiked in to where I was the day before.I cow called and got no awnswer,I reached a small saddle and cow called again and recived a bugle,not real even a bugle it was more like a bugle-chuckle.I went towards the bull,about 1/2 way and called again,he awnsed back the same way and sound like he was coming closer.I set up alittle better this time and got ready.The snow was melting in the trees and falling loudly to the ground soI had a hard time picking up any sound of a elk coming in.I sat there for hour and 1/2 calling about 30 minute itervals,never could get another sound.About 6 I called it quits and headed for the pick-up.I jumped in the truck and started heading home,puting my bow in the front seat with me.I rounded a corner and here stands two beautiful 4-point muley bucks about 27-28 wide.They jump off the road and stop about 30 yds.I grab my bow and they take off.So I take off again,and come down a hill and come around another corner and here is two small 2-points,but they don't run off the road they run around the truck.As I'm watching the deer I catch movement on the hill about 50 yds,well low and behold through the snow flurie I see about 7-8 cows walking away from the road.They stop and are staring at me and the truck,I quickly push the e-brake and bail out,they head into the trees,and I fallow.I come truogh the trees and there is a big cow standing braodside,I draw,judge her at 50,and put my pin on her.I realese and she jumps and bolts,I wait a few minutes and walk to where she was,I find my arrow no blood but I got hair.She must have been 60,but I follow a few 100 yards and check for blood just to be careful,no blood in the snow.Now it's realy snowing,can hardly see.Get back to the truck,and take off again come around the bend and I see about 20 head of elk and realy nice bull about 200 yds and running for the road,they see me swap ends and head back for the timber.They stop right at tree line,and I'm glassing the bull,realy nice bull.I look down the big meadow off to my right and I'm not $h*ting you,I would geuss about 200 head of elk are comming out of a Big drainige and running for the road,I did learn one thing,me going 0-60 in the mud takes alot longer than elk.I had a nice veiw of them though about 100 yards away.So I continued home,and start coming down off the mountain and the road follows a creek bottom,well up a head I see two deer dart up the hill,so I slow down and I'm looking in the trees,and here are two dandy white-tails,the bigest I geuss some wheres in the 24-27 inch spread,nice 5x5 and the smaller a real pretty 4x4.I new if I opened my door they would run so I just watched them for few and continued home.I got home about 9:30 pm and was sitting and telling the wife about all the animals I saw and what a great day I had.
Even though I did not kill an elk with my bow I feel a great sense of acopmlishment(sp).I've had 3 bulls with in bow range,I called in my own elk,somethingI have never done.I had stalked,and came close to some great memories.I have however killed two grouse with my bow,both one shot kills.One great shot took a ruff'ed,right off a tree stump at about 20yds.
I would say this I was realy wishing,that it was opening rifle season with all those elk running around,might have to give that place a try this year for rifle.
Best of luck on your goats,and birds
BBJ

muley69

Dang, BBJ, you got me back in the mood to hunt elk! I love a great story and you told that well. Days like that are always exciting. I've pretty much put elk out of my mind until rifle season now. Lopers and birds this weekend, than maybe a few hunts for some doe meat, then my big muley buck and if I have time, I'll go in for elk. Sounds like you had a great hunt, it's always nice to see elk as alot of times when I'm bow hunting I can only guess what they bugling monster looks like.