The ever feared "Bark"

[Scrillznac]

Well I thought I would bring this up and see if anyone had any experiences or opinions on the topic. I was out hunting elk this week and came across a nice big 5x5 just thrashing a little aspen tree at about 80 yds. I didn't have a clear shot outside of about 20-30yds from him so I thought the only thing I could do was throw out a couple small calls at him. He wasn't interested in the calls and started quartering away and downhill from me. I thought I could go straight downhill and cut him off for a good shot because he just started feeding. I went about 40 yds downhill and got setup in a great spot and he was coming at me at about 80 yds out. At this point a cow stepped out about 10 yds from me looking straight at me. There was a fallen tree with a big root right between the cow and myself and all I could see was her head. The bull stopped in a small clearing and started looking straight at me and the cow. After what seemed like forever the cow spooked and ran a complete circle around me and the bull and belted out the feared "Bark". She proceeded to bark about 8-10 times while trotting complete circles around me. I called a few times back to try and settle her down but to no prevail and they both spooked and trotted down the ridge. This is a pretty secluded spot in a General Season unit with not much pressure so I didn't want to pressure them too much being that I'll be up there next Wednesday through Friday hunting the same area. So my question is........Have you guys had any experiences with the "bark" and what have you done or would do in this situation? My cousin said that he has heard of guys barking right back at them but does/would this work? Any opinions or experiences with this?

 

[BigWooley]

i got it when i ran into a herd of cows while helpin a guy on a bull hunt last year. No bulls in the area but i ran into them and had em within 20yds for a bit till one came around and saw me. looked at me for 30 seconds and barked....i was on my way to standing from kneeling and never moved and inch. after a few minutes she kept feeding about 20ft away and the rest of the herd followed her over the knoll and down without spookin just caually walkin and feeding.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." -- Abraham Lincoln

 

[Willametteriveroutlaw]

Bark back at them.. They'll come

 

[67trinity]

Yep- Have had several Elk stop and start to feed when I barked back at them. Has worked for me quite a few times

 

[bearman]

If you are going back in and don't think anyone else will be in there to spoke the elk I would hold tight don't move just let them move off at there own speed not too spooked. On the other hand if you need to get it done or the bull is big enough get aggressive , once you get barked at they wont be calming down by calling start barking back and moving to get a position for a shot. Don't sit in one spot and think it will happen move and make it happen. When you start barking back it will hold them there for a short time and has worked for me a number of times. Good luck!!