Cloud Peak Wildworks

Tip 1: Brush upon your elk language. Verbal and Non-verbal. Be able to emulate a lone cow, cow and calf, satellite bull pursuing a cow near the bull’s harem, dominant and adolescent challenge bull bugles, and know how to make natural sounds elk make. Break sticks, rake a tree, and slap some water. You’re a human the better you can emulate an actual elk the better off you’ll be. I like to carry several different types of elk calls to emulate as many elk as I can. If you can carry an elk shed that would also be a good idea but a nearby stick can be just as good.

Tip 2: Hunt in a pair at minimum if possible. You want the flexibility to set up properly and sound like multiple elk. Elk can pinpoint where the sound is coming from pretty quickly. If you’re using a lone cow or bull call the Harem Bull will not usually just run straight to you. There will be some talk back and forth before he commits, usually stopping out of range wanting you to commit and show yourself. Having a hunting buddy set back up to 100 yds behind you the bull will get a fix on his location and hopefully hang up right where you are or walk by you for a clear broadside shot. Your caller can also have freedom of movement to adjust to try and bring the bull to your location.

Tip 3: Have a plan, backup plan and have a backup plan z. When you are in contact with the elk you need to have several plans you can pull out of your bag of tricks. For example if you are paralleling the herd at a safe distance and waiting for your time to move in. You need to decide if you’re going to call and hang tight, or you’re going to call and send the shooter 30-50 yds closer while the caller hangs back, or the shooter hangs tight while the caller backs off tempting the bull to follow. A good play during the rut is to get in as close to the harem as possible before you let loose with any bugling. This way you represent a direct challenge to the Harem bull and he will hopefully have no choice but to move in to try and chase off the bull trying to move in on his ladies.

Tip 4: Be creative, smart and flexible. Pay attention to what the elk are doing. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. If in doubt don’t be afraid to back off a little to let the herd calm down a bit or get there general direction of travel and maybe try to setup a flanking move or chokepoint of some kind. Being creative can mean being aggressive. Don’t be afraid to light up those cow calls and try to sound like another harem with an adolescent bull in charge. The dominant bull might take the opportunity to add to his harem by strong arming the younger bull (hint, hint).

Tip 5: Respect the wind. Down to the basics of hunting any big game animal you need to be aware of the wind. An elk may tolerate catching a glimpse of you thinking you might be another elk. They also will not mind if you don’t have the perfect sounding call. What an elk will not tolerate is if he smells you. Be patient if the wind isn’t right. Back off or change your approach. (This is why you have multiple plans and are creative.) Just this simple step can save you a lot of time maybe even save you days.

Additional Tips / Advice: Elk can be very sensitive to human presence once the season is underway. They quickly catch on and pattern hunters. When the masses hit the elk woods you need to do some unconventional hunting. One of the first things I like to do is head deep and dark of the beaten path to some thick cover. Another good option is hunting in areas often overlooked by other hunters. Instead of driving up the trail an hour where everyone else is, go ahead and pull over and hunt that first drainage everyone else passed up without even thinking about it. Happy Hunting and go earn it!