| rt of elk calling is one that can be the quintessential | | | | stay together and converse. |
| turning point for a hunter's success rate with elk. There | | | | You will most often get a response from an active bull |
| are many different techniques styles and methods of | | | | in the early morning and late afternoon hours right up |
| making elk calling an essential part of your tool kit while | | | | until the sun sets and when the weather is cool, the |
| hunting. It starts with some of these basics. | | | | bugling might last all day long. The bugle itself can |
| Bugling Techniques | | | | mean any number of things beyond a basic hello |
| Of the many different calling techniques, most hunters | | | | though – from an aggressive call to fellow bulls |
| start with bugling. As an elk hunter – either new | | | | to a mating call or a simple warning to move on. |
| or old – you should have a bugle. However, do | | | | Your call will usually bring a bull out because they are |
| you know how to use it properly? | | | | curious to find what has come to them. Ultimately, do |
| It used to be that bugling was the ideal way to bring | | | | not be too aggressive – just make sure the herd |
| elk close to you. A bugle would indicate to a bull that | | | | knows you are there. If you find a herd where a bull |
| another bull was coming into the herd and would thus | | | | has been fighting or pushing around all day, he will likely |
| go to encounter the other bull and fight off the intruder, | | | | not respond, but will simply push around in his own |
| opening itself up to a shot by the hunter. | | | | herd. |
| Because every hunter under the sun owns a bugle | | | | If you see a bull is looking for your call though, continue |
| now, the bulls have grown used to the sound and | | | | sounding it until it seeks you out. This is the bull you will |
| have started to ignore it more often, especially when | | | | want to continue watching and seek out. He has |
| the air is thick with bugle and cow calling in August and | | | | probably recently lost his cows and is looking for a |
| September when archery season opens up. | | | | fight. |
| After the second week of September though, when | | | | Afterward, you might need a cow call to slow or stop |
| other bulls start to actively bugle themselves, your | | | | the bull to take your shot. This is rare, but will |
| bugle calls will be much more effective. After dark is a | | | | occasionally happen. If he is large and looks angry, tone |
| particularly good time to seek spreading herds and use | | | | back your call a slight bit so that the bull thinks he can |
| your bugle call to draw out the bulls. | | | | easily defeat you and will continue coming. Use the |
| Using the Bugle | | | | cow call softly to make the bull think you have |
| First, find a good point, high above the herd with plenty | | | | something to come and take and he will get that much |
| of viewing space. Here, you will be able to use your | | | | closer, opening up a good shot many times. |
| bugle to make a series of long and high pitched tones | | | | When you learn to use your elk bugle properly, you set |
| that simulate the call of a bull bugling to a herd of | | | | yourself up to be much more successful in your hunts. |
| fellow elk. | | | | It allows you to better understand how the bull thinks |
| Most often, this sound means nothing more than a | | | | and what you can do to manipulate those thoughts. |
| casual hello from the bull to the herd. They are very | | | | Use your bugle, watch your herd, and make the |
| social animals and communicate with each other often | | | | necessary adjustments to master your new skill. |
| – this is also a survival instinct, allowing them to | | | | |