"Charged" by a bull elk?

NVPete · Oct 7, 2016

I had a most interesting and really neat experience happen recently. I was out in elk country driving around, looking for elk to capture on video. I encountered three cow elk hunters who had just walked up to me, when we all heard an elk bugle, and I told them they'd better go check that guy out, as he might have some cows with him. I walked up a fenceline and was able to see him, a nice 6-pt. bull just strolling along, calling for cows as he went about 200 yds. away. I wasn't prepared for what happened next, and I'd left my cow call and bugle in the truck. I hunkered down behind the sagebrush, and made a really lousy attempt at a bugle, but that's all it took. He'd been angling away from me, but he wheeled around, and came straight at me on a dead run! I couldn't believe what he did, and I got a case of "bull fever"- trembling and shaking, and fumbling with my camera! (not from fear, but the excitement!)I didn't know what would have happened if there wasn't a fence about ten feet away, and he pulled up and was looking around. And, incredibly, my equipment FAILED me at that precise moment! So, I just stood up with him only at about 20 yds.! I swear, I could determine the look of surprise, (that "WTF?" look) as he turned and bolted down the fenceline, right between the hunters and I. I've seen videos and called elk in, bugling as they came, but this is my first experience of one coming at me on a "beeline"! Anyone have similar experiences?

mmwb · Oct 7, 2016

I've had bulls and cows do that, though it has been a long time. I was never ready when they did.

mntman · Oct 7, 2016

cool stuff!
Had a LE tag in UT a few years ago, Dad and I were calling when a 6x4 came out. He was nearing maturity 5-6 years old and was looking for a fight. Didn't want to shoot so right at dark we started to sneak out of there. A bull bugled opposite of the 6x4 though and he thought it was us. He could see us sneaking through the low brush and making slight noises. He started running towards us bugling non stop. We took off running down into a draw with brush and thought he would stop but he didn't. Dad started laughing and saying I was gonna have to shoot him in self defense and punch my tag!
F' that and I dropped my head, crossed my arms and barrled through the thickest brush I could follow down that draw with dad's head tucked into my lower back. That dang bull kept coming for another short distance before he realized it was too thick and he stopped finally.
Dam hilarious

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

feddoc · Oct 7, 2016

A friend of mine had a nearly same experience hunting just a bit north of the La Garita wilderness area (at least that's what it is now) about 20 years ago.

He had a 6X6 screaming at him, thrashing tree limbs, etc. He swore up and down that bull was coming after him.

About an hour prior I had wounded the biggest 5X5 I had ever seen. Kinda romantic, in an elk hunting sort of way.

I wasn't gonna hunt that day, but my BIL had asked me to help retrieve a broken down truck. So we hooked up the trailer and retrieved the truck. I carried my gun just in case. We decided to drop the truck/trailer and take a detour; he dropped me off at the top of the hill and said 'I'll see ya at dark' and went off to get the truck. I sat down for a few minutes then took off. It started snowing, then it worked up to near blizzard conditions. I was just about to give up when I crested a small rise and saw nothing but elk slowly moving down hill. It was getting kinda dark, so I figured the next legal bull that went through this clearing was mine. I shot him, saw him fall, and went down the hill after him. When I got to him, he was trying to paw his way uphill in my direction. One shot to the head and he was done.