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Old 09-24-2020, 03:44 PM
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Passthru Passthru is offline
 
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Default Elk travel

Hey guys. As I’m new to elk hunting, but not hunting, I’ve got a question. I’ve got some elk that feed regularly on agricultural land at night. They are travelling at first and last light to and from it and bedding in thick cover on the other side of a river during the day. I’m hunting on the bedding side. I’ve got their travel routes picked out but don’t have their bedding area pegged just a general direction of travel. My question is, how far do elk generally travel to and from feeding to bedding areas? I’d like to go in deep cow calling but don’t want to go too deep and bust them out of there. Any comments or tips are appreciated. Also, I’m solo bowhunting
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Old 09-24-2020, 03:59 PM
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The elk i normally hunt travel from 100 yards to 3 miles twice a day to and from bedding. Location, pressure, predators, winds, shelter, water, etc all come into play.
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Old 09-24-2020, 04:05 PM
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The elk we hunt typically range from 1 to 5 km one way depending on which bedding spot they go, they rotate things up regularly. We avoid going too close to their bedding area, we made the mistake once and they vanished for 3 weeks.
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Old 09-24-2020, 04:05 PM
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Default Elk

Set up on their travel route. Let them come to you.
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Old 09-24-2020, 04:09 PM
obsessed1 obsessed1 is offline
 
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My experience. Elk will travel as far as necessary to find good bedding that covers off all their needs. These needs include but are not inclusive.
#1 good cover ( safety) sometimes they bed in stuff a rabbit would have trouble getting through
#2 cool spot ( Elk are built for cold weather.) They look for the coolest spots and will sometimes move during the day to keep cool/ shaded
#3 water. Elk will usually bed with water within a short safe distance. They need water multiple times a day. They don t need a river, sometimes it's nothing more than a large puddle.

Look for Elk possibly bedded on the shady side of a hill. Look for small benches( sometimes only feet wide) Elk typically bed 2/3 up the shady side of the hill.
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Old 09-24-2020, 04:20 PM
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I should add there is a small creek coming out the direction of where think they are bedding, and even a north east slope on the bank of it. Problem with setting up on the travel routes is where I’ve got access to the routes they only travel before and after legal shooting time. I’m thinking I gotta get way closer to their bedding area for a shot.
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Old 09-24-2020, 04:20 PM
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Default Elk travel

Good post and some great responses. I had no idea elk would travel that far twice a day. I thought 1km would be tops. Good to know. I have also been of the impression that elk will only drink from flowing waters, which is why we typically find them and hunt them near the rivers. To the OP, I think it would be ideal if you could hunt the feeding field rather than the travel route. Good luck.
Still hunting for my first elk.
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Old 09-24-2020, 04:50 PM
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I would hunt the travel route before I hunted the bedding area. If your lucky you can bump them a few times in the field or on the travel route. If you bump them out of their bedding area they’ll probably leave.
This time of year get anywhere near the travel route at prime time, play the wind and sound like a lost cow and you should be able to suck a satellite bull over for a look.
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Old 09-24-2020, 06:23 PM
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Be cautious hunting the bedding area, and travel routes. If you leave your scent in these areas, the elk could bugger off, or become more nocturnal.
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Old 09-24-2020, 07:25 PM
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Hunt around the bedding area not in it. Attempt to locate a bull with either bugles or cow calls and set up within 200 yds of where they are bedding. Play off the bulls reaction. If he lets out a lazy bugle don't lip bawl him. Work him up slowly. Start out like your a new cow in the area with a few mews. Slowly add in raking low chuckles moans, grunts and glunks like your a bull displaying for that cow. Work the emotion up slowly, really sell it. Remember your talking to the cow in front of you not the bull your trying to kill. So keep it subtle and quiet. You will probably hear the bull chuckle to call the cow over to him. Cut him off with a short bugle. Give a cow contact call then wait for his bugle. Cut him off again repeat until he's red eyed and frothing. He will come.
If he's already red eyed when you first locate him he will challenge you right off by cutting your bugle off. This means he probably has a hot cow. Use the wind and try to call that cow from him. Use chuckles and bugles ignoring him and just talking to his cow he will get infuriated. Push him somewhat but not hard enough for him to gather his cows and booger.
Make sure the wind is right. If there's elevation try to be either at the same or lower elevation as him.
Have fun, good luck
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Old 09-24-2020, 09:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by obsessed1 View Post
Hunt around the bedding area not in it. Attempt to locate a bull with either bugles or cow calls and set up within 200 yds of where they are bedding. Play off the bulls reaction. If he lets out a lazy bugle don't lip bawl him. Work him up slowly. Start out like your a new cow in the area with a few mews. Slowly add in raking low chuckles moans, grunts and glunks like your a bull displaying for that cow. Work the emotion up slowly, really sell it. Remember your talking to the cow in front of you not the bull your trying to kill. So keep it subtle and quiet. You will probably hear the bull chuckle to call the cow over to him. Cut him off with a short bugle. Give a cow contact call then wait for his bugle. Cut him off again repeat until he's red eyed and frothing. He will come.
If he's already red eyed when you first locate him he will challenge you right off by cutting your bugle off. This means he probably has a hot cow. Use the wind and try to call that cow from him. Use chuckles and bugles ignoring him and just talking to his cow he will get infuriated. Push him somewhat but not hard enough for him to gather his cows and booger.
Make sure the wind is right. If there's elevation try to be either at the same or lower elevation as him.
Have fun, good luck
This is a really good set of instructions! I’ll have to try this when I go out tomorrow. I always just cow call, but I’ll try to work the bulls up the way you suggests and see how it goes.
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Old 09-24-2020, 09:49 PM
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Calf calls trump cow calls all the time.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bynbSw53Tvc

LC
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Old 09-24-2020, 09:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spurly View Post
Set up on their travel route. Let them come to you.
Yup. Good advise here^^^^. Play the wind, dont move a muscle when the lead cow pops out and you’ll be eating fine this winter!
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Old 09-24-2020, 10:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hooter View Post
This is a really good set of instructions! I’ll have to try this when I go out tomorrow. I always just cow call, but I’ll try to work the bulls up the way you suggests and see how it goes.
It is a solid advice. And it works great. Sometimes it takes time. Yesterday, it took me over an hour to make the bull move and come to me. It’s not easy to get them away from the cows. But it works. Perhaps, if one is better at calling different ways, the result can achieved faster.

In my personal experience, two combined > bugle > cow call. Also, one doesn’t need to be the best caller in the world with either.
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Old 09-25-2020, 05:54 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by obsessed1 View Post
Hunt around the bedding area not in it. Attempt to locate a bull with either bugles or cow calls and set up within 200 yds of where they are bedding. Play off the bulls reaction. If he lets out a lazy bugle don't lip bawl him. Work him up slowly. Start out like your a new cow in the area with a few mews. Slowly add in raking low chuckles moans, grunts and glunks like your a bull displaying for that cow. Work the emotion up slowly, really sell it. Remember your talking to the cow in front of you not the bull your trying to kill. So keep it subtle and quiet. You will probably hear the bull chuckle to call the cow over to him. Cut him off with a short bugle. Give a cow contact call then wait for his bugle. Cut him off again repeat until he's red eyed and frothing. He will come.
If he's already red eyed when you first locate him he will challenge you right off by cutting your bugle off. This means he probably has a hot cow. Use the wind and try to call that cow from him. Use chuckles and bugles ignoring him and just talking to his cow he will get infuriated. Push him somewhat but not hard enough for him to gather his cows and booger.
Make sure the wind is right. If there's elevation try to be either at the same or lower elevation as him.
Have fun, good luck
Thanks for all the replies. Lots of good info. Obsessed, this calling situation your describing, would you only do this close or during prime time? Or would you still try this mid day?
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Old 09-25-2020, 09:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Passthru View Post
Thanks for all the replies. Lots of good info. Obsessed, this calling situation your describing, would you only do this close or during prime time? Or would you still try this mid day?
Mid. Day. While they are bedded.
When Elk are moving you will have a hard time calling them of their intended path. Generally they have a destination in mind and wont easily be swayed. You need to be in their parth to connect. While bedded though you have a captive listening ear. Your trying to play on their needs and emotion to draw them to you

Last edited by obsessed1; 09-25-2020 at 09:47 AM.
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Old 09-25-2020, 09:35 AM
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Around here, the elk quickly figure out where the sanctuaries are and stay there till dark and make sure they're back there before dawn. It can be frustrating.

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Old 09-25-2020, 09:43 AM
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Originally Posted by fishnguy View Post
It is a solid advice. And it works great. Sometimes it takes time. Yesterday, it took me over an hour to make the bull move and come to me. It’s not easy to get them away from the cows. But it works. Perhaps, if one is better at calling different ways, the result can achieved faster.

In my personal experience, two combined > bugle > cow call. Also, one doesn’t need to be the best caller in the world with either.
I have called in 3 bulls in three outings between 2:30 and 4:30. Some take 20 min some take an hour or more. All depends on the temperature of the bull you are calling to. The biggest thing to remember is your trying to create a scenario that is realistic to get him emotionally ready to respond by coming to you. Either to fight OR just to sent check the " new cow" in his area. Try to set up the scenario where you are in a realistic display/" conversation" between a cow IE hot cow and a bull. This is a regular scenario Elk know well and hear often. IT WORKS.
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Old 09-25-2020, 10:03 AM
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If when you locate him, he's already red hot warning you away. It means he has a hot cow in his group. Use satellite bulls tactics to attempt to call that cow away from him. Ignore his responses, concentrate on calling the cow. He will do one of two things, push you off or attempt to gather his cows and push away from you. play your level of aggression based on his response. If he pulls out with his cows you need to move FAST. The bull will be in behind the cows, dog them HARD looking for a quick shot. You will probably only get one chance.
If he comes to push you off he will come right at you screaming and frothing.
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Old 09-25-2020, 10:29 AM
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The order of the pushing is interesting to note.

yes, the bull will tend to be last in the line of the herd when travelling.... I think most ungulates operate this way.


I'll add one thing from my last encounter to this piece. I got on the bull and the herd because it sounded like not a terribly big bull.... and he was instantly moving away from us. This was early evening so I figured my locator bugle was too much of a "big guy" bugle..... which I shoulda known based on where I was hunting.

I did catch up to the herd ... and they were moving pretty good at first.... then i accidentally got kindof right in between the wagon train... I got thrown for a loop because a spiker was coming my way. Sometimes spikers can be considered calves... and the herd bull won't push them out. The herd bull was in fact behind the spiker and the last in the travel line. The nice thing about established herd patterns in thick bush is.... man! you'll see the path.

There are some mountain areas that have had herds bedding areas in places for years.... because the lead cow likes it and predators/hunters/quads haven't found them really....these trails are pretty identifiable. Old burns with blowdown spots leading to what used to be a clearing in the forest (with water)can turn into elk fortresses....

Quad activity affect bedding spots lots.... but not so much travel routes to and from said routes.

I know of three spots down here where the herd regularly crosses/uses a quad trail to get to and from their bedding spots.

Setting up on the these trails isn't a bad bet. But many bedding areas will have more than one route out to other feeding spots.

You blow the beds..... they won't be back for long long long time.
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Old 09-25-2020, 06:16 PM
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Got it. Close but not too close. Hopefully things work out.
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Old 09-25-2020, 07:01 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck View Post
Calf calls trump cow calls all the time.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bynbSw53Tvc

LC
Interesting, and makes a lot of sense.
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Old 09-26-2020, 09:37 AM
Big Grey Wolf Big Grey Wolf is offline
 
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Obsessed1, always knew you had good elk knowledge, however impressed that you also speak 'elk'.
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Old 09-26-2020, 02:24 PM
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Obsessed1, always knew you had good elk knowledge, however impressed that you also speak 'elk'.
Lol. In the Bush right now chasing Elk. Got on a decent bull and hour ago but blew it. Played him to aggressive. And he boogered. Only saw antlers. Looked like a 4x4.. I wish I spoke better Elk. I'd be hauling quarters now. 😩
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Old 09-26-2020, 02:40 PM
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^ Good luck, man! You’ll get them!



Quote:
Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck View Post
Calf calls trump cow calls all the time.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bynbSw53Tvc

LC
Thanks for the vid, Lefty. Interesting.
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Old 09-26-2020, 02:45 PM
fishnguy fishnguy is online now
 
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Looked like a 4x4
To add and you are likely aware, but if you know (in this case after seeing the antlers) that the bull is younger, cut down on the aggression otherwise they would usually bounce.
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Old 09-26-2020, 03:02 PM
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To add and you are likely aware, but if you know (in this case after seeing the antlers) that the bull is younger, cut down on the aggression otherwise they would usually bounce.
Yah I just pushed to hard. the wind is crazy today and I rushed and got myself too close with a bad wind. I was tracking a big bull with cows and bumped a satellite. Decided he would be easier than the herd bull, but I pushed it a bit too much and bungled...just need a bit of patience is all. lol
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Old 09-26-2020, 03:31 PM
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I’ll say the wind sucks. So do the random rain clouds.

Winds 35 to 50 here.

Calling not gonna be super duper effective.... unless you know where they are hangin for sure.....

What also sucks is waking up late and getting beat to the first spot you wanted to try today.... cause you know they are there..... dangit!
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Old 09-26-2020, 05:32 PM
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Originally Posted by st99 View Post
The elk we hunt typically range from 1 to 5 km one way depending on which bedding spot they go, they rotate things up regularly. We avoid going too close to their bedding area, we made the mistake once and they vanished for 3 weeks.
Great advice , keep out of there bedroom !!!!!
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Old 09-27-2020, 10:09 PM
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I heard glunking tonight, then cow calls after cold calling with a lost calf call. I let one more lost calf call go after hearing the cow elk calling then they went quiet. I’m setup on their travel route. What about this scenario?
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