You’ve got an elk chuckling….now what

[Lunkerhunter]

With peak calling season behind us the most exciting part of my weekend is now reflecting on my encounters from the season and how I could have played them differently.

I am wondering what people’s experience is when an elk chuckles and how they play the situation.

I’ve spoke to a gentleman who said if it chuckles it’s a dead elk but I am not having that luck.

Had two chuckle this year on separate days. First one we exchanged chuckles, I eventually just raked and couldn’t bring him closer and then I think he got bored and slipped away.

After that experience the next elk I had chuckling I was aggressive and attempted to close the distance quickly and he just went silent and nothing further came of it.

I would love to hear how others play a chuckling bull.


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[obsessed1]

In my experience a chuckle is a bulls method of saying come here! Situation is everything! Did he chuckle because I cow called or did he chuckle because I bugled? I much prefer to play a scenario out in front of a bull rather than engaging him directly. If he chuckled as a result of my cow call i will create a scenario where a " bull attemps to keep his " cow" away from the other bull playing on the emotions. Remember its the cow who chooses which bull will breed her so you can either give a contact buzz ( a cows way of saying no you come here!) Then continue the "bulls" attempts to keep her away from the real bull and keep the real bull away from his cow. These are all really normal sounds and actions played out daily by real elk every day during breeding season. A chuckling bull is a bull that has not yet been worked up to red line but can quite easily brought to where he comes in looking for a fight.
Another method to engage a chuckling bull is to simply cow call continuously while moving towards him. Cows will chirp constantly as they head towards a bull who has called them over. This is a normal response and the bull will generally stand there and let the " cow " come right up to him. This ploy requires very fast shooting as the bull will bust out the moment he catches signal that something is" off" when he burst away cow call him and give him a nervous grunt. This will lock him up right now for a couple seconds hopefully giving you a quick shot. Obviously a decoy is a big help using this tactic as he is looking for an elk coming towards him.

[roper1]

I agree with the cow call on a chuckler. He's looking for love, not a fight. He might be a smaller satellite bull, still fun when they vocalize in any manner!

[Lunkerhunter]

Originally Posted by roper1

I agree with the cow call on a chuckler. He's looking for love, not a fight. He might be a smaller satellite bull, still fun when they vocalize in any manner!

Thanks roper! It is electrifying and the most amazing experience to be a part of. A few fleeting moments a season keeps me hooked waiting for the next rut.


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[kingrat]

I agree 100% with obsessed. Do yourself a favour and pay for roe hunting experience the elk module. Its one of the best 50 bucks or whatever it is you'll spend on elk hunting. He goes through every elk sound and explains what it means , when and how to use it and has actual footage of him doing it later. Alot on elk behaviour etc.

[SouthWestRanger]

We tend to find the same, chuckling bull wants you to come to them, they are looking for love not a fight.

[obsessed1]

A big thing to remember is most of my calling is not meant to engage the elk I'm hunting. Its to create a scenario that is real and believable to real elk. Most of the time I'm talking like a bull I'm talking to the " cow" beside me ignoring the real bull who is also engaging " the cow" ignoring him and creating a scenario that gets him right fired up will result in a situation where the only time I, as a bull engage the real bull he is already red lined and has almost no choice but to come in hard.

[Lunkerhunter]

This is great fellas I will try those vocalization’s next year.

My first encounter the bull responded to my bugle and then I did attempt to create a scene of a cow and bull with lots of raking, her mewing and I’d bugle on top of him when he would bugle to call the cow over. There was back and forth for 15-20 minutes and then I feel like he expected the bull or cow to do something I didn’t and slipped away. Also just as likely he snuck in and busted me . I know wind was good that day I was compulsively checking it during the encounter.

The second encounter I was just doing a location bugle at dawn and within a couple hundred years got the immediate response. I’ve always heard to read the emotion in a bull and for my first couple seasons I didn’t really get what was meant by that but this bull was excited and would fire back within 30 seconds each time I responded. He chucked first and we exchanged a couple as I practically ran across a slough to get to the next timber section and I’m wondering if he also closed the distance and spotted me in the open crossing.

So many little details to analyze in the moment I’m thinking if I get an “emotional” bull talking again I’ll try to bring him in and be patient

Obsessed1 I read your crash course post on elk hunting tips three years ago and it’s provided me with such a head start as I ventured out solo with no mentor. I was able to put a lot of your tips into action right away and get immediate success and positive feedback from the elk. Thanks for sharing your input as this is one consistent deficiency in my calling


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[Stinky Buffalo]

Smoky, that was awesome. I can totally relate!

[Dubz337]

I’ve found they’ve always came in after chuckling, usually a sign they’re on a beeline