Talking to an elk... am I talking their language or do they think I'm nuts?

[Ryan R]

I got an elk tag and I've been trying to get some exposure to hunting them this year. I ran right into a heard of cows in the archery season in a zone you can tag a cow, but I couldn't get a shot off before they ran off.

I was coming home from a hunt last weekend when I saw an elk standing right in the middle of a stream. I pulled over and checked the regs for the wmu I was passing through and it was still archery season so I grabbed my bow, (I was coming back from a rifle zone) but only 3 point or better bulls were on the table in that zone.

I snuck down to the water's edge to take a peek and the elk was up on the shore, about 60 yards away staring right at me, facing me square on. There was a bush between us, so I couldn't be sure if it had any antlers or not, so I crept over and it let me get right behind the bush, less than 50 yards away. I peeked out and saw that it was a cow.

Since that's only the second time I've ever even seen a wild elk I figured I take advantage of it and see if I could get her interest. I whistled at her trying to mimic a cow elk and it worked! She perked up her ears and took a step towards me.

After a while she started loosing interest and took as step like she was going to walk away and I whistled again and she turned broadside to me and stopped, so if this would have been the right wmu at the right time, I might have been able to sneak a little bit more to get a valid shot.

Anyways, I heard a noise in the bushes behind her so just in case there was a bull back there I whistled again, but nothing happened.

Just for the heck of it (because I didn't have a real call) I tried pulling out a blade of grass and tried to bugle through it. Nothing came out of the bushes, but the cow seemed pretty interested in that too.

My question is, was she interested because I was making strange noises, or might she have actually been fooled into thinking I was another elk?

[rustynailz]

I guess you probably don't want to know that if archery season was open there, you could more likely than not have shot a cow with the general tag? :D

[Ryan R]

I guess you probably don't want to know that if archery season was open there, you could more likely than not have shot a cow with the general tag? :D

Oh NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're totally right!

I think the archery dates were printed on the bottom of the previous page, so it was an empty column on the page I was looking at.



O well. When in doubt, better safe than sorry.

Poo.

[Reeves1]

I was working in the Cranbrook/Creston are one time, operating a 200 size hoe doing site prep for tree planting.
One of the other machines had worn chains and each time he moved forward the tracks would squeal bad (really dry ground).

He had a Bull Elk chase him most of the day wanting to do battle.


Had much the same happen with Bull Moose.

I was working in the Valemount area, and one of the hunters in the area that saved hunting Moose for during the rut, would drive down along McNaughton (sp ?) lake and stop. Get out, then slam his door a couple times.
It was his way of "calling" Bull Moose when they are in rut.
Worked every year for him, he said.

Seems when they are in rut, having the calls perfect is not needed...

I had them (Bull Moose) in the Kisheneen (sp ?) area (very S.E. area of BC, next to the US border) want to come close enough to stomp you, from just seeing a person.

[Grizzly Adams]

I was working in the Cranbrook/Creston are one time, operating a 200 size hoe doing site prep for tree planting.
One of the other machines had worn chains and each time he moved forward the tracks would squeal bad (really dry ground).

He had a Bull Elk chase him most of the day wanting to do battle.


Had much the same happen with Bull Moose.

I was working in the Valemount area, and one of the hunters in the area that saved hunting Moose for during the rut, would drive down along McNaughton (sp ?) lake and stop. Get out, then slam his door a couple times.
It was his way of "calling" Bull Moose when they are in rut.
Worked every year for him, he said.



Seems when they are in rut, having the calls perfect is not needed...

I had them (Bull Moose) in the Kisheneen (sp ?) area (very S.E. area of BC, next to the US border) want to come close enough to stomp you, from just seeing a person.

I always claim, when they're in rut, you can blow a car horn and they'll come.:lol:

Grizz