Sunrise on opener of archery bull elk season

[Outdoors]

Sunrise is breaking to the east. First day of a 10 day hunt.

You now hear a bull bugle over the ridgeline. Cows are in estrus. Given the chance, you will shoot out to 50 yards.

How do you close the deal when hunting alone? Sneak in silent? Run and gun to get ahead of the bull and cows? Cow call right away? Bugle as get close?

Interested in your experiences and advice.

 

[ElkManDan]

Get as close as I can without being detected, then I'd start with some cow calls and see what kind of response I get. If he bugles back, I blow the biggest meanest fighting bugle over the top of him!!! If no response to the cow calls i get a little more aggressive with the cow calls followed by a small bull. After I call I don't mind sitting for a while letting him search for me. I've got all day!!!

Man, now you've got me daydreaming again