# PRE RUT ELK HUNTING



## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

This is the only article I can find with the most information about hunting the pre rut.

http://www.huntingnet.com/staticpages/staticpage_detail.aspx?id=182

Let me know what you guys think or if you have something to add from past experiences. I'm most interested in knowing if anyone has had expereince with the "wake 'em up" topic. Has anyone out there found bulls to be quiet and not interested but then bugled cow called etc and got them interested? I was also thinking you could buy some sexual attractant and set that up at different rub spots or wallows. That too could possibly help get the big guys in the mood. Any thoughts?


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

WATER. Find it, get in a tree on the down wind side, hold still, stuff all your elk calls somewhere, shut your mouth, and wait. Period.


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## ktowncamo (Aug 27, 2008)

Until last year I would have agreed 100% with Tex and although I still do about 90% I tried a pre rut call technique (silent calling) I heard on a Jim Horn cd and by golly the elk came in, no calls or warning from them but they did come. That said I will most likely follow Tex's wisdom.


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## bullsnot (Aug 10, 2010)

Sitting on water is a great way to kill a bull in the "early" rut. BUT you can call in bulls as well and the article is right on. It works well as a matter of fact. It bugs me they call it the "pre-rut" but that's another discussion for another day. The way to do it is make stand similar to coyote hunting. You find a spot and sit for 20 to 30 minutes. You do some hot cow sequences and herd talk (It's good to sound like mutliple cows) and then sit for about 5 minutes looking for a bull to come in silent. Don't bother with any bugles. After 5 minutes do it again. If nothing comes in after 20 to 30 minutes then get up, move a ways or to the next drainage and make another stand.


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

Cow calls are great almost anytime of the hunt. I have had much success bringing in bulls using nothing more than different cow and calf calls. I prefer hunting around water they frequent and/or a wallow. Sounding like a small herd of cows is a great way to bring in a bull. Be ready, more times than not they come in quiet and you have no idea until they are standing in front of you. Good luck and have fun!


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## Snag32 (Sep 11, 2010)

If you are hunting over freshly used wallows try this before calling....take an evergreen bough and splash in the water. If there is a bull near by and he hears this he will come to investigate to see who is in his wallows!


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

I think I'll try a bit of everything. Setting up on some wallows and some soft cow calling. I'm sure a hunter like Jim Horn can't really be wrong. One of my favorite things he said was "zero plus zero equals what? That's right zero!" So doing something is better then doing nothing. When have you guys found most bull start scraping off the velvet? Will I find Bulls fully scraped by the last week of August?


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## nacho (Jun 14, 2011)

The mature bulls will have scraped off their velvet by the end of August.


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## north slope (Sep 8, 2007)

It has been my experience and by looking at trail cam pics that most bulls are velvet free by the third week in August.


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