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Elk Hunting Strategies

Elk hunting the new millennium! 3 parts

The Elk Capital of the World!

Elk Rattling with Excessive Cow Talk

Ralph's Javelina Hunting Tips!

Sportsmen's Dollars Benefit Wildlife

X-Zone Your Elk for Success
 

The bull continued blasting off deep-throated bugles fiercely; consistently challenging every bull in the area as he was enticed by other elk calls in the vicinity. Surely he will come into our calls. This bull bugles after every chirp, bugle, or whine we imitate. He is hot, interested, and slobbering in search for some action. Without a doubt he is coming in, hurry-up, setup, call, get ready. Instantly things change, darn it, to put it lightly! The hot interested bull hangs up again, only coming in part of the way, holding tight bugling out at a short distance inside the timber. Soon elk bellows of success begin to fade bringing silence and the bull walking away. I didn't even get to see him, replies the hunter. This happens time and time again during a bow elk hunt. Most of the time bulls are reluctant to come in all the way to allow a bowhunter a shooting opportunity, or a chance to see the bull. Few bowhunters see movement through the brush, but are grateful for the excitement of bugling action they encountered. Man that was awesome, let's try again!

Traditional approach sometimes works.
Trying again is the right attitude, but trying with the proper setup is how to harvest an elk. Looking for calling success, partner up and back off your hunter! When hunting elk with a partner, your odds of success are greater if stand setup is done properly. Most bowhunting partners locate vocal game at a distance, check wind, move in for the stand, and begin a calling session. During this conservative calling setup, bowhunters position in front for a shot at game, while the caller moves back thirty to fifty yards behind a shooter calling. This traditional method has been successful. What has worked more consistently for me with excessive calling while bowhunting, is for the shooter to distance himself at least 100 to 150 yards from the caller. I call this setup technique the X-ZONE.

Why the X-ZONE?
Study the illustration above and imagine real elk behavior. Naturally, a bull elk will bugle over and over at real cow talk expecting the ladies to come to him. To the contrary, we are trying to get the bull to go to the cow. When a traditional archery elk caller sets up only 30 to 50 yards behind his shooter without movement, most bulls will hang up bugling frantically from a distance of 100 to 150 yards from the caller, not allowing you a shot. This traditional approach is what normally causes a bull to hang up, because of no movement or because he doesn't see any cows. When a calling team sets up for the X-Zone, the caller needs to be a minimum of 100 to 150 yards from the shooter. This allows a caller to be mobile in the background, and unseen within the natural tree cover while walking normally and calling noises from within the X-ZONE. As the bull moves from side to side in front of the shooter, the caller needs to move in the opposite direction of the bugle. The caller should listen for bugles, moving to the right background of the shooter, only if he hears the bull bugling from the left front of the shooter. If the bull bugles from the right front of the shooter, the caller moves to the left background of the shooter. The caller should move either left or right behind the shooter opposite from the bull, possibly 30 to 60 yards at a time depending on how far that bull moved. The caller should know the shooter's position at all times. Keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to commit the bull to walk inside the X-ZONE, giving your shooter a close 10 to 20 yard shot as the bull walks by. This can only happen if the caller is consistently calling, listening to the location of the bull bugles, and moving accordingly, enticing the bull into the X-ZONE.

Distance between the caller and the shooter in the X-Zone.
Distance between the caller and the shooter is important! I like to move in toward the bull, being at least within 250 to 300 yards, setting up the shooter initially. I prefer being above or on the same level of the bull during the starting setup. Once I set up the shooter, I begin to back off and start calling. When the caller feels the bull approaching his calls, he should continue to move away from the shooter allowing a greater distance from the caller and the bugling bull. After all, when the bull begins to feel that you are walking away from him, he is more apt to keep coming, trying to catch up with your calls. If the bull begins to slow down his approach, wait for him or move in toward him and your shooter; be patient, listen to the bull… he will tell you what to do with his bugles. Getting the feel for bugles and the distance they are coming from takes practice, although the more setups you encounter, the better you will become using this technique.

The traditional approach still works!
Experience has taught me that the old traditional calling setup works. However, I have tweaked this handed down approach and have modernized the technique. I have learned that calling in bulls works more consistently using the X-Zone, in conjunction with excessive cow talk, than the common conservative method. Elk hunting is an ongoing mental and physical challenge. Fifteen years of tromping the woods in the fall, has helped me see the changes we've had to make in elk calling. Today, elk calling still works with persistence, good timing and new technique. I believe in calling as well as using this X-Zone technique. I can't wait until this fall, as the bugles will keep bellowing with excitement and anticipation. Again, good luck, partner up, and back off for success!

Team Efforts and Aggressive Bugling Techniques for

Public Land Elk Hunts

By: Ralph Ramos

Learn Experienced in the field tactics on when to use elk bugles. Don’t be intimidated with all the hype about being silent with your bugling on public land. Bugling works all day long, just learn when and how to use it!

Elk bow hunting is very challenging, mind boggling, and physically demanding.  Even with a low elk harvest success rate of 12% in most western states, experienced bow hunters would still agree elk hunting on the ground during any rut season is the most rewarding when it all comes together. Today’s modern bow hunter must rely on multiple techniques not only to induce elk to respond toward calls, but to entice call shy public land bulls to come in for a point blank range opportunity. Not only should modern elk hunters be able to blow on a call and produce a bugle; current elk hunters must learn variable bugling techniques such as when to bugle, setup tactics, followed with knowing when to change his calling style from traditional single elk bugles to the most exciting aggressive multiple bugling tactics. 

After spending twenty elk rut crazed seasons out in the woods learning, researching by trial and error; I share in this article my in the field experience using public land elk bugling techniques.  This style of calling has been very successful during early September to late October elk seasons.  My accomplishment in the field guiding hunters for San Francisco River Outfitters, in New Mexico has allowed me to produced 180 elk on the ground with a ninety-five percent success rate.  Being blessed whether during a green wet year or a dry hot season, I have averaged killing one bull every two days with the bow.  Working and hoping to call elk in for all my hunters, creating multiple opportunities at either satellite or herd bulls within bow range; I have learned to change my calling techniques adjusting to the elk activity at the present time of any given hunt.  The following bugling techniques should very much be used to locate as well as bring in both satellite and herd bulls on public land as they travel towards their bedding grounds, as well as calling them out of their beds.

 Partner Up For Bugling Success

(Team photo throwing high fives the end result, possibly two callers bugling photo)

Stimulating the curiosity of any bull to come into your bugles works best using a teamed partner approach.  What a great way to spend quality time with friends, family, or any hunting party out in the woods chasing elk.  Aggressive bugling should begin with a minimal two person approach but three to four people working the bulls together as a team is best.  What I find most favorable is when you have two bow shooters combined with two callers committed to keeping focused on doing their individual job; either shooting or calling, not both.  Obviously, the bow hunter’s goal will be focused on closing the distance towards the live bugling bulls trying to get a shot.  While a callers objective is to produce elk bugles imitating two to three different bulls enticing live bulls to walk in close to the shooters, positioning the bull for a shot.   

Locating Bulls with the Bugle

(Photo different tubes, Mouth peaces, & diaphragms)

Locating bulls is very exciting as well as heart pounding once you hear your first morning bugle.  I like to use at least two bugle tubes, but prefer to have three different brand types available at all times in the field; using the original mouth peaces that come with the calls attached as well as interchanging them with different mouth diaphragms.  As a rule I gather my elk hunting party early in the morning prior to sun up, climbing atop tall long ridgelines to begin locating elk.  I plan to cover as much ground quickly and efficiently from above lush lower meadows or night time feeding rutting areas, as early in the morning as possible. During the locating process; I have the group spread out three to four yards from each other listening quietly for elk to respond, while I call bugling.  It is sometimes easier for others in the party to hear real bulls bugle, as well as pin pointing the direction of where bugles come from, than the caller himself.  Initially, I blow on my bugle tube somewhat quietly with no aggression followed with no chuckles at the end of the call.  If that doesn’t produce a bugle, follow up with a louder bugle ending with chuckles.  If that doesn’t work then I like to have two people begin team calling, bugling two or three different times using different mouth peaces or diaphragms towards different locations sounding like multiple bulls bugling.  After working the area and still not stimulating a bull to bugle, I begin walking working both sides of the ridgeline covering 100 yards or so at a time. I like to repeat this three step bugling process for at least a one mile stretch.  If you have done your homework scouting, as well as being persistent out in the field; locating stimulating bulls with a bugle tube is quite fun and easy. 

Bulls are Quiet, Now What?

(Photo of drainage, canyon)

Although sometimes elk will not respond right away due to wind, rain, or other factors such as previous hunters pressuring bulls or even vehicle traffic in the area. If the bulls are quiet for that morning; I recommend moving to a high vantage point sitting down patiently, where you can listen for bugles into a drainage, canyon, or ridgeline draws with fresh elk sign.  Sit down and bugle every five to ten minutes for at least a 45 minute session, start out slow then pick up the tempo to your bugles.  Bulls sometimes hear you early in the morning, but neglect to respond to your calls because they tend to be lazy from night time rutting activity.  Bulls sometimes would rather settle in to their beds for an early morning siesta, being quiet; rather than responding to your calls.  So don’t give up, be patient, don’t wait for bulls to bugle on their own, create a serenade; remember the purpose of using your calls is to encourage bulls to bugle giving up their location.

Moving in during a Morning Bugling Session

(Two Shooters Setup and Callers Backing Off with Bugles)

Once you locate a bugle or group of bulls bugling, let’s say during the early morning hours.  What I advise an elk party to do is to move as quickly as possible in towards the elk bugles together as a group playing the wind.  I tend to be aggressive and move in as fast as my hunters can keep up with each other, not allowing them to get too winded physically.  Don’t worry about noise; elk generally are very loud as they walk breaking branches and twigs during their movement.  Keep the party moving into the sounding bugles; try to feel the bull’s temperature by calling and listening for his bugle.  Ask yourself, if he is coming in or is he going away from the calls, how far is he, are we gaining or loosing ground?

During most early morning setups, bulls will tend to move away from calls unless you are set up in front of his daily pattern as he travels towards his bedding area.  Therefore the party should keep closing the distance in on a bull until the bull gets tired of you approaching him. As the party encroaches a bull’s comfort zone, the two callers must imitate two different bulls arguing back and forth moving in towards the bugling bull.  This stimulates a bull’s curiosity getting him to wonder, who the new guys on the block are. 

Push a Herd Bull to His Limit!

Ordinarily, when a party pushes a bull for lets say one mile or so with running and gunning efforts trying to close the gap on a bull, even herd bulls will finally give up to  investigate.  At this point while tired of being pressured, bulls will scream furiously stopping and challenging the callers.  His distinct loud raspy screeching bugle will let you know he is fed up moreover he will now approach the party. Immediate setup spreading both shooters apart approximately 25-30 yards from each other is a must.  Tuck, roll, knock an arrow, move, and get into position rapidly; whereas both callers have got to continue bugling at each other while backing off their distance from the shooters.  Possibly one caller should back off 75 yards from the shooters, while the other about 125 yards, staying apart from each other as the bull comes in.  The callers must not slow down with the bugling, challenging each other, keep arguing, stimulate the calling session back and forth, possibly rake a tree. Do not stop calling stimulate sound aggressive, make elk noise, keep calling until a bow hunter shoots or blows a shot. 

This technique is the most exciting, yet enduring taking the best out of you physically.  During these fast paced elk gunning experiences, I feel it is when you realize how good or bad in shape your body is in.  Challenge yourself, remember elk hunting is not easy, push yourself; when the going gets tough the tough gets going! 

Working Midmorning to Midday Bedded Bulls

Even when bulls are most active being vocal during early morning and late evening, I have experienced great success killing bulls during midday hours of 10:30 am through 3:00 pm in the afternoon. I like being out during this time when most hunters are back at camp.  Herd bulls tend to arrive at their bedding grounds usually by 8:00 am and continue to bugle trying to get a sense of location on other satellite bulls in the area prior to him settling in for a midday siesta.  Normally, once bedded, settled in by 9:00am; herd bulls will continue to bugle from their beds monitoring his cows with a shorter prolonged moaning sounds to his bugle.  Bulls will typically moan bugle when other satellite bulls or hunters bugling are closing into his bedding territory.  I believe this moan bugle is a form of communication to his cows letting them know to stay put and demanding them not to move until he decides what’s best for the herd.

(Get Comfortable for your setup, photo of a hunter set up waiting for bull to come in)

Once you have determined a bedded bull’s location, hunters should position themselves downwind spreading apart between 25-30 yards from each other.  Normally, the party should position themselves on even ground or below a bedded bull, where he previously traveled to his bed.   I feel the closer you get to a bedded bull, better your chance is to call him in.  Although I recommend playing it safe, rather than blowing an opportunity; therefore shooters should setup within 200 yards from a bedded bull.  Hunters must get comfortable ready at all times for a shot; this setup may take up to an hour or so. Hunters on standby waiting for the bedded bull to come in must also look in all directions for other silent satellite bulls approaching the caller’s bugles.  I have had silent bulls appear within twenty yards with no warning what so ever, so be knocked and ready. 

Position Shooters While Callers Back Off for Bugling Serenade

After leaving shooters in position, callers must back off a maximum of 75 yards from the hunters.  I recommend keeping both callers together for this type of midday setup.  A single caller must begin the calling session with one faint moaning bugle, letting the bedded live bull know he is also bedded.  Produce one moan bugle about every one to three minutes for a 15 minute session.  Try to get the live bedded bull to perk up wakening with a full bugle, let him know that you are also bedded but in his area.  During this moan bugle session, if the bedded bull begins to bugle loader with excitement, then answer him with a full bugle also.  Try to imitate the bedded bull’s language, answer him the way he answers you.  Next after you stimulate him with a few bugles, sound more aggressive; then introduce the second caller by bugling from a different direction closing his bugles with chuckles adding excitement.  Try to serenade two bulls arguing back and forth carrying vulgar conversation towards each other for about five minutes.  Pop bugles with and without chuckles, add grunts, chuckle without a beginning bugle, stimulate, sound excited; create some aggressive bugle activity.  Callers should stay within 20 yards from each other but bugle towards and away from the bedded bull, remember you are trying to call the bull in between your hunters.  After a 5 minute aggressive bugle session, slow down for about ten minutes with no bugling, become silent; and then repeat the process aggressively for another 5 minute session.  Continue repeating this procedure for about an hour or so, have patience, this type of setup takes time. Remember this type of aggressive calling is to create curiosity to the bedded bull, forcing him to awaken, as he will eventually walk in towards your hunters and calling team investigating the loud bugling serenade.

Closure

(Multiple Photos of hunters in the field with bull kills)

Twenty years of bow hunting elk has helped me see numerous changes in wildlife behavior, forcing us to become more creative as hunters a field.   There is no question elk have become more educated game animals. This is why I strongly believe in aggressive calling tactics mentioned above. Team efforts while using aggressive elk bugling is very effective as well as rewarding.  Although in order for these techniques to work correctly and consistently, everyone in the hunting party has to be dedicated as well as proficient with their role. Callers are callers and shooters are shooters, not both!  Don’t get discouraged when things don’t work out perfectly the first time, be persistent, persevere.   Remember this is bow hunting; encourage each other, don’t give up, be versatile with calls, the more you use and get familiar with these techniques the more successful and easier they will allow you to be. Good luck and I wish your hunting team my very best as you hunt elk this fall.  

The Land of Enchantment Brings Year Round Hunting Opportunities

By: Ralph Ramos

If its big game hunting that you want, New Mexico offers plenty of world class hunting you will get! Our state brings some of the best year round hunting any place can offer for Archery, Black Powder, or Rifle type of hunts.  Habitat diversity varies with multiple world class assorted types of record breaking big game heads ranging from high mountainous big horn sheep terrain, pinon juniper cedar elk ranges, to low desert prairie foothills, including trophy pronghorn flatlands.  The Land of Enchantment Public Land Hunting expectations are brought to you with both ample over the counter hunting license action coupled with high odds at lottery big game draw opportunities. 

Over the counter Big Game hunting licenses are available for Fall Black Bear, Cougar, Rio & Merriam’s Turkey, Multiple Furbearer Critters, and three deer species including American Whitetail, Couse, & Mule Deer on Private Landowner permit hunts. But don’t let native big game hunting limit you, New Mexico also offers trophy over the counter exotic hunts for African Barbary sheep, Persian ibex, and private landowner hunts for African Oryx.

With a little effort from the hunter doing his homework, these over the counter public land hunts have a lot of shooting opportunity with plenty of game available.  Black bear opening date of August 16th and Cougar opening date of October 1st are abundant throughout the state, both spot and stalk on foot is quite possible, but the assistance of hounds and a qualified outfitter is recommended. April 15^th – May 10^th you can find plenty of Turkeys Gobbling throughout most mountain ranges, while deer hunts start as early as September 1^st and end late January 15^th.  Barbary sheep can be hunted for the entire month of February, while Ibex outside the Florida Mountain Range can be hunted year round. These are general hunting dates for your over the counter hunts, please checkout www.wildlife.state.nm.us or contact the New Mexico game & fish for all the exact dates for your specific hunts.

New Mexico offers the best odds of drawing lottery big game public land tags for both Residents & Nonresidents with a no bonus point system.  Every hunter applying consistently has a good chance to draw repeatedly every year. A deadline for applying either by application or over the internet is April 7, 2007, please don’t wait till the last days prior to the deadline as this website gets bombarded giving you minimum access or internet problems to deal with prior to deadline. These world class quality hunts consist of species such as Elk, Pronghorn Antelope, Whitetail Deer, Couse Deer, Mule Deer, Oryx, Black Bear, Ibex, and both Desert and Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep. I suggest doing a little home work on the NM Game & Fish website where they list all big game odds for drawing permits from previous years for all these lottery big game hunts.  You will find some great opportunities to draw some awesome units with trophy class animals. 

Last but not least, New Mexico also offers year round hunting for feral hogs, private land buffalo hunts, and plenty of predator hunting of critters any person could ask for.  Also, New Mexico offers plenty of small game, duck hunting, and world class fishing. 

For your information, please don’t forget to submit a New Mandatory Harvest Report to the NM Game & Fish office by March 31^st if you hunted in New Mexico during the 2006-2007 hunting season or you will be rejected from this years big game draw.  This can be done through the NM game & fish website. 

All hunts in this state are awesome with plenty of opportunity to harvest record book heads for multiple big game species. Whether you are a youth, handicap, novice, or even an experienced hunter, reputable New Mexico Outfitters are available to help make your hunt a trophy success.  For questions about planning your hunt or recommended outfitters contact Ralph Ramos at (505) 642-3219 or visit www.hotspotelk.com on the internet to gather information for your next New Mexico hunt.

Authors Note:

The author of this article is a professional staff member representing the following companies:  PSE Archery Products, Rocky Mountain Broadhead's, Scott Releases, Trophy Blend Desert Sage Scent Covers, and Montana Decoys.  Ralph Ramos a native to New Mexico, guiding elk hunters in the “Land of Enchantment” works with San Francisco River Outfitters www.gilanet.com/sfroutfitters.  He strongly believes assortment of calls in the field are a must for success, and prefers to be neutral on hunting calls knowing that all industry elk calling companies produce awesome realistic calls.  He educates hunters with his creative field based calling, multiple elk tones, rattling techniques, and x-zone method when he presents elk hunting seminars throughout the Southwestern United States.  Ralph also is the owner of Ramos Hunts & Video, where he is producing hunting videos from all his guided and personal hunts. To book an elk-calling seminar, purchase his hunting videos, or just for simple advice about elk hunting, contact Ralph at (505) 642-3219 or e-mail ralpramos@comcast.net or check out his website for all his latest elk hunting techniques at www.hotspotelk.com.

Book an Elk Seminar with Ralph

Book an Elk Seminar With Ralph Ramos, contact him at (505) 526-1314 or ralphramos@comcast.net he specializes in training Outfitter and Guides on how to use the most modern techniques on calling in Elk. He also conducts seminars to hunting groups, clubs, and various archery / gun shops, as well as sporting goods stores.

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