# How to kill this bull



## DevilDog09 (Oct 4, 2016)

Here’s the new question; how to kill the bull I’ve repeatedly found. Here the run down. I have found this bull on 3 separate occasions, but he is in an incredibly hard spot to stalk. He has a raghorn, and three cows with him. They will feed in an open safe field early in the morning, then as light starts to barely show(still before shooting light), they make their way back to the small canyon they head up and bed in. It’s like clock work when I get in there, they feed then make their way back up the shallow canyon to bed. Western facing side is heavy pine and eastern facing is sage/oak mix. I could get in the canyon way before they make their way up, but with the cold morning air rushing down canyon they will wind me. I could get parallel with them in the pines to the east, but there is no shot under 150 yds. They make their way up canyon on the eastern facing slope of mixed sage/oak. I got up on an the hilltop this morning and was parallel with them for a bit, but never did see them again. I did get into a pretty good bugling match with him and his raghorn 3 days ago; that was blast; we were cutting each other off and racking trees, truly amazing - but he wouldn’t come down and fight. Do I try my best to get rid of as much scent as possible and throw on some elk urine? There’s some really good spots mid slope that I could get in really early, but my worry is winding me. What do you guys think? He’s a dandy bull, hence me looking for some input


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Sent away soap in a shower, sent killer laundry detergent, on a fresh pair of cloths every time you go in, I even do the UV killer, then sent up with cow elk piss or estrus. Check your thermals, warm air rises so, I would think the air would be going up the canyon in the morning as the air starts to warm

Ambush them in his bed, I would think the big bull will be first up the trail if he’s not rutting yet, if he is rutting he won’t have that Rag horn with him


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

No matter what you do, if you don’t have the wind, they will smell you. Honestly I’d try stalking him in his bed, or I’d be waiting for him when he gets up in the afternoon. If you know where he beds, doesn’t matter how thick it is, if you move slow and are careful with the wind in your favor, you can walk right up on them if you take the time to do so. Once an elk lays down, they don’t constantly look around all paranoid the whole time like a muley does. I’ve walked up on many herds in the pines mid day, and I wasn’t even quiet. Sticks and trees pop and make noises all day with the squirrels and such. Noise isn’t uncommon to them. Move slow, if you snap a branch, hold still and wait 5 minutes to let things calm down. If you do everything right, you’ll be on top of them. The only thing to worry about at that point is the lead bitch spotting you when you’re close. She will be your biggest enemy in all of this.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I'm not a big fan of challenging Bulls when they already have cows. More than likely they will try and move away so they don't have to fight.
I would get in close and then see if you can call a cow out away from the bull. He will most likely follow the cow out to round her back into the harem.
Now if you can get between the cows and the bull a bugle challenge will probably bring him in on a string.


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## mtnrunner260 (Feb 15, 2010)

Get the elk nut app and execute the slow play within 200 yards of their bed.


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

You might be misunderstanding thermals. You said the cold air rushing down the canyon but that’s not right if you’re talking about thermals. The cold air will move up the canyon in the morning so hunt high and down to the elk to avoid getting winded. Hunt low or up in the evening to try and get him coming down to the field before dark. Thermals can be tricky in a canyon depending on a bunch of factors but I’d give coming down on him while he is putting his harem to bed a try from what you are describing. 



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## derekp1999 (Nov 17, 2011)

Thermals explained better than I can...


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

derekp1999 said:


> Thermals explained better than I can...


You Newberged me Derek!! I stand corrected kinda. I'd still try it, what do you have to lose? Just don't forget your wind powder.

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## derekp1999 (Nov 17, 2011)

I spent all last season during the deer and pronghorn seasons trying to instill in my then 11 year old son that you can overcome just about everything when it comes to hunting except for one thing... the wind. Hopefully he remembers this year since he's got tags.

Regardless of the direction of thermals or prevailing winds have the wind checker available at all times and use it frequently!


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## cdbright (Aug 24, 2016)

Any update? Did you get em????


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## DevilDog09 (Oct 4, 2016)

It was by far and away the craziest hunt because of 10 minute encounter I had. So I got up to the bottom of the ridge I had been getting into the elk at on the last Thursday of the hunt. I started lightly cow calling and got an immediate response from both 2 bulls and some cows higher up. As I got in closer I could tell the bigger bull was heading up hill and away from me. Well, I let out a locator bugle and the game changed. That bull did a 180 and screamed at me from probably 200 yds up hill. I waited a bit and let out a more aggressive bugle and before I was done he had cut me off and was starting to chuckle on the end. I quickly surveyed the country to plan where I could bring him and where my best shooting lanes would be. I waited maybe 2 minutes and let out another bugle with the same result; him cutting me off. This time he had cut the distance in half again and was maybe 80 yds out and I could hear him making a b line down to me. I got into my shooting position and waited. He bugled again from the tree line 40 yds away. There was a well worn game trail that I expected him to come walking down which would have given me a 22 yds shot. The bull hung out for maybe 3 minutes but wouldn't come investigate further. I could hear him snorting and walking around up there. He let out one last bugle and I responded and cut him off this time. Instead of walking down the game trail, this bull made a hard left turn and began walking through the trees towards my position. I could see him through the trees and hear his antlers hitting as he aggressively walked towards me. I got my first look at him and all I saw was a mass off antlers. I was in shock at what was happening and how big he was. He was maybe 10 yds away when he let out another screaming bugle right in my face and kept walking. I drew back as he passed a tree that was between us, he was now 5 yds away and headed at a slanted angle right at me!!! From here my mind was overloaded and went blank haha. In my head I thought I would have a good enough angle that I could thread my arrow right through the back of his lungs as he was getting closer. As soon as I released the bull simultaneously turned more into me and I got the rear part of his neck. He jumped back to about 20 yds and stared at me. As I frantically tried to nock another arrow, I drew back and he ran back up the ridge. After trying to contemplate what had just happened, I waited and slowly began to follow the bull tracks which led me to a blood trail. I trailed the bull from 9 am until 4 pm. His blood trail dried out around1/2 mile. He was headed directly uphill into where they had been bedding. I retraced my steps and retraced the blood trail u til dark hoping that I was wrong. No luck. I made a decision to not hunt a different bull with my remaining day and continue to try and locate this bull I hit. Tag soup.

Hind sight is always 20/20 right. Maybe I shouldn't have let out the last bugle; that most likely allowed the bull to zero in on my location and kept him from walking down the game trail I figured he would take. Maybe I could have waited 10 more seconds and let him walk past me (he would have hit me) and maybe got a 2 ft broadside shot. In the end, it was such a dynamic situation that I don't have an answer. It was a memory that will last a lifetime for sure. Now my 5 year wait starts, and I can't wait to do it again, with a better outcome this time.

Thank you again for everyone's help with my questions. I appreciated all the knowledge and help[/QUOTE]


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Glad you had fun. You unfortunately joined the group of 60+% hunters that had a great experience but did not collect a trophy.
Sounds like an experience that most people would relish.


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## 7mm Reloaded (Aug 25, 2015)

My brother in law had like the same situation happen but about a week later he found him dead. But at least he got the 350" rack. [email protected]#$ happens . keep looking good luck


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