The Elk Whisperer 

by Bob Robb
BowhuntingWorld.com

Chad Schearer and I were hunting elk in central Montana that morning, glassing the timbered slopes from an wide-open field and not seeing much. Then, out of the blue, we spotted a big 6x6 bull. He was crossing the open flatlands we were on, from one band of timber to the other, hunting cows. Neither of us had ever seen anything like it -- there wasn’t a tree within a mile of that huge bull. 

We ran as fast as we could, trying to anticipate where he would cross the small creek separating us. I picked a narrow point, but the bull chose a more open spot 100 yards below us. The bad news was the wind was wrong, but we were so exposed we couldn’t move, so we lay down and hoped he’d follow the creek. If he did, I’d have a 35-yard broadside shot. 

He didn’t. 

Instead, he sauntered right below us, straight as a string, until at 60 yards he intersected our scent. That’s when he slammed on the brakes, threw his head up, and wheeled back the way he came at a fast trot, bugling all the while.

Schearer, a former world elk calling champion and one heckuva elk hunter, and I just grinned at each other. As one, we said, “Just when you think you’ve seen everything in elk hunting, something like that happens!” 

Hunting Is Not A Calling Contest 

“One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that competition calling is a different world than calling when actually hunting elk,” Schearer said. “Really, it is harder to convince judges you’re the best than calling a bull elk in. In the RMEF (Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation) competitions, you have one minute for cow sounds, one minute for bull sounds, and two minutes for making any elk sounds you can. 

“The big difference is that when we’re competing we’re trying to sound like a large, aggressive herd bull, but when you are hunting you have to tone your calling down to a more submissive level. The raspy, growly calling that wins contests can be counter-productive when hunting, actually scaring most bulls away. Competition is fun, and you’ll learn a lot, but how we hunt and how we compete are two different worlds. To consistently kill elk, you have to be a woodsman first.” 

In addition to mastering a few basic elk sounds, to be successful you need to hang loose when hunting, Schearer noted. 

“The biggest thing I have learned after calling in hundreds of bulls is that you must be flexible,” he said. “You have to be willing and able to make instant adjustments when you’re working a bull. No two situations are ever exactly the same." 

"One thing that has helped me become a better elk hunter is spring turkey hunting. This is almost identical to elk hunting, except that you don’t have to watch the wind. You do have to be more careful with movement, which has helped me fine-tune my setups for elk. You learn not be sloppy. I recommend that all hunters planning a fall elk hunt with calling involved do some spring turkey hunting.” 

Chad also emphasizes the need for preseason calling practice. 

“People need to practice their calling before the season,” he said. “They’ll shoot their bows or firearms for months and work hard to get into good physical condition, but they won’t blow their calls until two weeks before the hunt. I have had a lot of people tell me, ‘Well, by the end of the season my calling started to sound good.’ It’s too late! You need to be in mid-season calling form from the get-go.” 

Little Things Make Big Differences 

Chad Schearer always carries a cow call, no matter the season or time of year. If he is still hunting and not hearing any bugling, he will blow his cow call every 100 yards or so. 

“I do this in case I break a branch, kick over a rock, or make some other noise,” he said. “When they walk through the woods, elk are generally noisy, and as long as they don’t hear a ‘human’ sound like voices, metal clanging, etc., they might think you’re just more elk cruising the timber.” 

Chad likes to sneak up to a ridge line inside the timber, then carefully peak over to see what’s on the other side. 

“Lots of times bulls will bed just over the top of a ridge, so any time I crest a ridge I peek over, use my binoculars, and try to find a piece of elk, like an antler tip, ear, rump patch, or leg. I also use my own nose. Elk have a distinctive barnyard smell to them, and many times I’ve smelled them in the timber before I’ve seen them.” 

When he sees or smells elk in the timber, Chad then will set up and cow call, hoping the bull will stand up and investigate. 

Calling can be difficult on windy days, when sounds don’t travel well and it is hard to hear. Then, you have to hunt in areas where you can hear, at least a little bit. 

“First, get to a place where you can hear that is protected from the wind,” Schearer said. “The lee sides of hills, little hollows and cuts, places like that. Otherwise you’ll never hear a bull respond to you unless he is right on top of you.” 
When hunting with a buddy, make sure that person is standing at least 10-15 yards away from you when you blow a locator bugle. 

“If they are right next to you, the sound of your call will drown out their own hearing, making it tough for them to hear a distant answer,” Schearer said. “An elk may also answer you in the middle of your own bugle and you can’t hear it, but your buddy can and also pinpoint the sound.” Schearer also recommends always calling away from stream noises, etc., which can also make it tough to hear a response. 

Another big key to successfully calling elk is to not get frustrated. 

“If you are seeing elk sign, the elk are there, and you should always be ready for an elk to come in to your calling,” Schearer said. “So many times after people have been hunting for days and not seen or heard anything, they let their guard down, and that’s when a bull comes in quickly and catches them off-guard and they blow their chance. 

“You’ve done your homework, so you know you are hunting a good area,” Chad said. “You have practiced your calling, and are making quality elk sounds. 
By staying at it and not giving up, you are going to get a bull in. It’s just a matter of time.” 

Article reprinted with permission from Bowhunting World magazine.