As I sat quietly in the pre-dawn darkness the scream of a bull elk
split the silence. I knew the bull was close because I could hear it
coming through the trees. I waited a few minutes, then cow called
softly.
The elk screamed again and stepped out of the pines 75 yards away. The
big 6x6 bull took a few steps, stopped, and grunted, ugh. At first I
thought the bull had sensed something wrong and had barked an alarm.
But, when it took a few more steps, looked around and grunted again, I
realized it was trying to find the cow it thought it had heard.
T.R. Michels
Since I was scouting I didn't want the bull to know I was there, and I
didn't want it to come any closer. I waited patiently for the next ten
minutes while the bull walked around me, looking for the cow it was
convinced was there. When the bull finally gave up looking I quietly
left.
A bull elk bugles away
The next morning I sent one of the guides and a bow hunter back to the
same area. Within fifteen minutes of setting up they heard a bull
bugle.
Ten minutes later the bull responded to the sound of a cow call and the hunter put an arrow into it at 15 yards.
In the fall of 2001 I began researching 9 different herds of penned
elk, to find out how many calls they used and what they used the calls
for. I also wanted to know when bugling and breeding began, peaked and
ended. During the peak of the rut I regularly heard as many as 100
bugles every 5 minutes, from over 150 different bulls. I also heard as
many as 30 cow/calf calls every five minutes, from over 200 cows and
calves.
Common Elk Calls
Cow elk use a variety of mews to communicate with their calves and
other members of the herd. Cow/calf sounds range from the Maternal Mew
(meuw) of a cow trying to locate its calf, to the higher pitched Calf
Mew (eeeuw) of a calf trying to locate its mother, to the whining
Submissive Mew (meeuw or mee-eee-uw) of a cow being herded or chased by
a bull or another cow. Bull elk sometimes use a deeper version of the
Submissive Mew when another bull chases them. Both cows and calves use
a loud Contact Mew when they've been separated from the herd. When cows
fight, they often use a Fighting Squeal (mee-eee-eee-eee-eee-euu) as
they stand up and flail at each other with their front legs. Bulls
often use this same call when they are sparring with each other. All of
these calls are easily reproduced with a single or double reed mouth
diaphragm, or outside the mouth call.
Bull Elk Rut Calls
The most familiar elk vocalization is the bugle of a bull elk, which
may be made up of one or more different calls. The Full Bugle
Sequence of a mature bull elk consists of three calls; the Roar, the
Bugle and a series of grunts referred to as the Chuckle.
These calls may be used by themselves, or in combinations. When they
are used in combinations the Roar is generally used before the Bugle
and the Bugle is generally used before the Chuckle. The Full Bugle
Sequence of a mature bull starts with a loud, low-pitched roar (rrrr),
changes to a high-pitched scream (eeee), and ends with a series of
grunts (ugh-ugh-ugh-ugh).
Older bulls may also use a quieter version of the Roar that I call the
Growl, which can be reproduced by saying rrrrrr, or growling in your
throat. The Roar can be reproduced by doing the same thing, but doing
it as loudly as you can through a grunt tube. The Bugle can be
reproduced by using a double reed mouth diaphragm or an outside the
mouth call, with or without a grunt tube. The Chuckle can be reproduced
by using a grunt tube and saying ugh-ugh-ugh-ugh as deeply as you can
in your throat.
After listening to over 125 bulls per day, and hearing over 600 bugles
per hour, as close as ten feet away, I realized that it's almost
impossible to make a mistake when you're blowing an elk bugle. While
some bulls perform perfect Full Bugle Sequences, others perform only
the Growl, the Roar, the Bugle or the Chuckle. Some bulls have clear
high-pitched bugles, that sound like the screaming of a woman, others
sound as if they are being strangled.
When bulls chase cows they inhale and exhale loudly, and they often end
a charge at an uncooperative cow with a loud exhale or Cough. When they
are herding cows bulls perform the Gulp or Glug. This call usually
consists of a series of two note glugs, but it may have as many as six
notes. It can be reproduce by saying glug-glug in your throat, as if
you were gulping water. When I used this call the bulls often stopped
what they were doing and came closer. Bulls also use a quiet,
low-pitched Threat Rumble when they approach a smaller bull. I have not
been able to reproduce this sound yet.
The Rut
Bull elk rarely bugle outside of the rut (early September to early
November), or before they shed their velvet. Bulls over the age of
three may shed their velvet and begin bugling as early as mid-August.
Most bulls over the age of three shed their velvet and begin bugling by
the first week of September, and they regularly growl, roar, bugle,
chuckle and perform the full bugle sequence. Two year old bulls may not
shed their velvet and begin bugling until early to mid-September, and
they usually perform high-pitched bugles, and occasionally roars and
chuckles. Yearling bulls may still be in velvet in late October, and
they rarely bugle; I have not heard them perform a roar or a
chuckle.
Bull elk bugle to express dominance and attract herds of cows; and the
gathering cow/calf herds attract other bulls. As the cows come in to
estrus in early September more bulls gather around the herd and try to
out-bugle each other for breeding rights. By mid-September a majority
of the cows over the age of 2 are in estrus, and this is when peak
breeding and bugling generally occurs. Yearling cows usually come into
estrus two to three weeks later, in late September/early October. Cows
that did not get bred during their first estrous generally cycle again
21 days later, which often results in a second breeding and bugling
peak during the first and second weeks of October.
Since older bulls start to rut earlier than younger bulls, they are the
ones most likely to be bugling during late August and early September.
Because these bulls are trying to establish dominance they often answer
ad come in to the calls of another bull. Most bulls over the age of two
will respond to cow calls during this stage of the rut.
During peak bugling the older bulls are actively breeding and
protecting the herd. Although herd bulls may answer the calls of
another bull during peak breeding, they generally pursue other bulls
only when they see them getting too close to the herd. However,
satellite bulls may come in to the calls of another bull to protect
their breeding rights. Herd bulls may respond to cow calls at this
time, to get the cow back to the herd. The bulls most likely to respond
to cow calls during peak breeding/bugling are the satellite bulls, and
any bulls that are not associated with a herd.
Breeding and bugling drops off in late September,
after most of the older cows have been bred. This is when the yearling
cows come into estrus, and when the satellite bulls and the bulls that
did not participate in breeding become most aggressive. It is also when
bulls of all ages are likely to respond to both bull and cow calls,
because they want to establish or protect their breeding rights.
Breeding and bugling may begin to peak again in early October as the
cows that didn't get bred earlier come in to estrus. Bulls may not
respond to bull calls at this time because their testosterone levels
have dropped and they aren't as aggressive. But, bulls of all ages may
still respond to cow calls during this second breeding/bugling peak,
and during the post rut.
Which Calls To Use
If you're not sure where the bulls are you can locate them by using a
high pitched bugle, without the roar or chuckle. The best place to use
this call is high on a mountain, where it can be heard by any bull
within hearing. Which bugle you use depends on the size of the bull you
are calling.
The bulls most likely to respond to the bugle of a big bull, or to the
Full Bugle Sequence, are older bulls; generally the herd bulls or
satellite bulls. A herd bull that hears the sound of another big bull
may respond by bugling back and then coming in to investigate, or it
may push the herd away from the call, to avoid confrontation. But, a
herd bull will often try to drive off a smaller bull. A satellite bull
will rarely challenge a bigger bull. It may come in to a small bull
bugle, because it wants to protect its social status within the herd.
The best bugle to use when you are not sure of the size/age of the
bulls in the area is the bugle of a young bull, because it won't
intimidate most bulls. If a bull is willing to respond to your bugles,
and come to your call, it may also respond to the roar or chuckle.
These calls can be very effective in heavily hunted areas, especially
where other hunters have been bugling a lot.
Mews are the best calls to use to get a bull to come into range,
because they don't threaten bulls; they calm them down and arouse their
breeding interest. You can also use a cow mew to stop a bull long
enough for a shot. After watching several cows get bred I have never
heard a cow-in-estrus call, and neither have any of the biologists I
have talked to. The loud mew referred to as an "estrus cow call" may be
the Contact Mew of a cow trying to locate the herd. Because this call
is louder than other mews it will attract the attention of any elk
within hearing distance. I have used it to get bulls into range on
several occasions. I have also had bulls respond to a whining
Submissive Mew, probably because they thought another bull was after
one of their cows.
I've had herds of up to 50 cows and calves stop what they were doing,
turn around, and trot toward me when I used a Fighting Squeal. I
usually have to blow it two or three times before the cows come toward
me, if they don't I keep calling. They usually stop within 10 to 20
yards of where I am standing, and I quit calling. If they don't detect
anything wrong they generally stay around long enough that the herd
bull comes in to push them in the other direction. And the bull often
walks within 15 yards of me as it herds the nearest cows, providing me
with a shot. I've also used this call to bring in a 400 class 7x8 bull
from 300 yards away.
What Not To Do
Don't setup where there isn't any cover, especially on the downwind
side. Bulls often approach a call from downwind, and they stay in cover
if they can; setup where the bull can use cover to come in crosswind of
your position. Don't make any noise when a bull is coming in. If a bull
smells, see or hears you as it comes in, the hunt is probably over.
Don't stop checking the area around you, and don't abruptly leave your
setup sight; more than one bull may come in, they may come in silently,
and they may come in long after you stop calling.
Don't stop trying, give each location at least a half an hour; you and
the bull may not be able to hear each other because of the terrain. If
you don't get an answer move a mile away and try again. Don't sound
bigger than the bull you're calling; bulls rarely challenge bigger
bulls. Don't call too often, especially if a bull is close, it gives
your position away. Although it's difficult to make a mistake when
you're calling, don't try to cover the mistake by cutting the call off
short; elk don't stop in mid-call unless they're alarmed.
References
* Michels, T.R., 2001, Bugling Activity of North American Elk. Trinity Mountain Publishing.
* Michels, T.R., 2001, Communicative Sounds of North American Elk. Trinity Mountain Publishing.
If you are interested in more elk hunting tips, or more elk biology and
behavior, click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting
Tips at www.TRMichels.com.
If you have questions about elk or elk hunting log on to the T.R.'s
Tips message board. To find out when peak bulging occurs in your
area click on Peak/Elk Bugling Dates Chart. T.R. Michels is a nationally
recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and
speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and
Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail
Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2005 Revised
Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2005 Revised Edition of the
Duck & Goose Addict's Manual. For a catalog of books and other
hunting products contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors,
E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com , Web Site: www.TRMichels.com
