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LIst Of BowMasters Magazine Articles
Third Time’s The Charm, by Greg Brush
As he made a sudden semi-circle up the draw towards the Montana cow elk decoy, I quickly scrambled 15 yards to my left, keeping the wind in my face and repositioning myself partially behind a small pinion pine. Mere seconds later, the fired-up bull momentarily stopped in a small
opening at 23 yards, and as the Titanium-100 tipped arrow zipped through
both lungs, two past seasons of elk hunting frustrations instantly melted
away. A broad smile of satisfaction grew across my face as the multitude
of minute details leading to this success flashed before me.
Now, allow me to say that I am anything but an elk hunting authority. As an Alaska resident, I am far from it, especially after getting humbled on my first two trips to far-away states. I am, however, savvy enough to learn from my mistakes, sharpen my skills and make the necessary changes after several elk-hunting disappointments. As it turned out, a few adjustments were all I needed to up my elk hunting odds and finally score on a decent bull. Here are a few important points that stand out in my mind — hopefully you’ll catch on more quickly than I did! Timing Is Everything!
The key to getting started is to do some research on your chosen state and particular area to determine when peak breeding season falls. A few brief phone calls to local guides, outfitters and Game and Fish biologists are worth every penny. Similar to Eastern whitetails in the pre-rut stage, the time when bulls are just beginning to gather a cow or two often presents better opportunities than when the rut is in full swing. During actual breeding time, many “shooters” don’t want to confront a competitor or nab one more cow. At this time, big herd bulls will often answer your calls while taking their harem directly away from you, teasing the beginning bowhunter with lots of vocal excitement but few shot opportunities! Get Some Help
In many ways, bowhunting elk is different than bowhunting other big game. Take it from me, the slow learner, learning from trial and error promises years of empty freezers and oodles of frustrations. You see, the only constant when calling big bulls is that there are no constants! Every situation, every bull, every setup is uniquely different, and only an experienced elk hunter knows whether to stay put or charge ahead, tone down the calling or pick up the tempo. In one instance, a challenging bugle from an imitated satellite bull pushes a big bull’s buttons, while the next bull may be best lured slowly in with seductive cow mewing only. My friend Ned Smith initially located my bull with one bugle, and we quickly set up for subsequent cow calling. After several minutes of seductive cow pleading with minimal response, we opted to move in another 100 yards and step it up a notch. Several cow calls and one medium bugle later, this bull had had enough. Ned’s serenade with Primo’s Hoochie Mama and Hyper Lip One calls proved just the right combination. Toning down the frequency of the calling once the bull had committed to cross the small draw, Ned used the bull’s own curiosity against him to draw him into easy bow range. Years of elk calling experience led Ned to make correct “what, when and how much” decisions based on this particular situation.
The decisions Pete instinctively made were those only a veteran elk hunter could possibly know, and I eagerly tagged along, absorbing the priceless lessons like a thirsty sponge. Ultimately, in the bottom of the ninth inning, Mike and Wayne’s nice 6x6 bulls were a direct result of acquiring the help of an expert elk guide. A Game Of Details
Pre-hunt physical conditioning assured that we could not only cut a traveling bull off at the pass when necessary, but that we were still able to give 100 percent after seven days of canyon running, elk chasing and meat packing. Months of broadhead practice from awkward stances at unknown yardages gave us priceless confidence at the moment of truth. Finally, a never-say-die attitude is essential; if you’re not having fun every day, your chances of success will drop like a stone when the hunting gets tough. Bowhunting mature bull elk is serious business, and anyone serious about harvesting a dream bull with archery tackle should prepare in every way possible. Time your hunt carefully, don’t be afraid to seek some help from someone with more experience, and cover every controllable detail possible. The end result: Your elk hunting goals will likely be met a lot sooner than this slow learning bowhunter! |
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Later
in the hunt, after my pal Mike had numerous close encounters of the wapiti
kind, we solicited the assistance of elk calling guru and professional
guide Pete Davis of Southwest Outdoors (928/535-4122) to seal the deal.
With the archery season drawing to a close, Pete and cameraman Rick Kimball
continually amazed us as they not only monitored the winds and thermals
but also assessed the set-up and terrain, working bull after bull into
close quarters for my partners Mike and Wayne. In each situation, Pete’s
superb calling sequences differed according to the individual bull and
its particular mood.