UtahMountainMan
Active Member
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Hey guys - being a few days away from leaving for my archery elk hunt, and having been skunked the last 2 years, just wanted to start a thread to get some feedback.
When you guys are elk hunting the rut (mid september) what is your go to strategy? I would love to see all the different ways guys get it done.
This is what I generally did 2 years ago when I had a good archery elk tag in the rut (keep in mind where i am hunting is really thick and spot and stalk isnt really an option):
1 - Either listen for a bugle or throw out a locator bugle.
2 - Once I heard a bull, I would use the wind to get within 100 to 200 yards and cow call. I got into this scenario probably a good 7 or 8 times.d I would never bugle once I moved into a few hundred yards of the bull.
3 - The bull would USUALLY make his way towards me. Sometimes a 2nd bull from a different direction would move towards me.
Doing this, a couple raghorns came into view, but the bigger bulls that were bugling would come into 80 to 120 yards and then move off. I never had any come in.
This year I think I am going to focus more on locating a bull, through a locator bugle or just listening, and then I am just going to go stealth mode. Use the wind, move in on the bull, and try to get a shot without him ever knowing I was there.
I also think I am going to try following the bull more often if he starts to wander off and try to piss them off with more bugling.
Any feedback or thoughts on my strategy? What have you guys found to work? What would you do differently?
"You sure you know how to skin grizz,
pilgrim?"
When you guys are elk hunting the rut (mid september) what is your go to strategy? I would love to see all the different ways guys get it done.
This is what I generally did 2 years ago when I had a good archery elk tag in the rut (keep in mind where i am hunting is really thick and spot and stalk isnt really an option):
1 - Either listen for a bugle or throw out a locator bugle.
2 - Once I heard a bull, I would use the wind to get within 100 to 200 yards and cow call. I got into this scenario probably a good 7 or 8 times.d I would never bugle once I moved into a few hundred yards of the bull.
3 - The bull would USUALLY make his way towards me. Sometimes a 2nd bull from a different direction would move towards me.
Doing this, a couple raghorns came into view, but the bigger bulls that were bugling would come into 80 to 120 yards and then move off. I never had any come in.
This year I think I am going to focus more on locating a bull, through a locator bugle or just listening, and then I am just going to go stealth mode. Use the wind, move in on the bull, and try to get a shot without him ever knowing I was there.
I also think I am going to try following the bull more often if he starts to wander off and try to piss them off with more bugling.
Any feedback or thoughts on my strategy? What have you guys found to work? What would you do differently?
"You sure you know how to skin grizz,
pilgrim?"