only when I’m close to him yet feeling
that a shot opportunity isn’t going to
materialize otherwise. My sounding-
off usually doesn’t end well, so I only
try it as a last resort. When stalking
a herd bull, remember the immortal
lyrics of Kenny Rogers: “You gotta
know when to hold ’em, know when
to fold ’em, know when to walk away
and know when to run.” In other
words, if it looks like conditions for
remaining undetected are deteriorat-
ing, leave before you spook the herd.
You’re much better off living to fight
another day than going down in
flames in a futile effort.
Your odds of successfully call-
ing in a bull go up dramatically if
your goal isn’t necessarily to kill
the biggest bull in the woods. All
of September is excellent for such,
and increasingly better as the month
progresses. “Satellite” bulls, as
they’re often called, are naive, dumb
and prime for a dirt nap, so be will-
ing to cover a lot of ground in search
of one. Often found tagging along
on the outskirts of a herd, these guys
are accidents looking for a place to
happen. Sexually frustrated out
of their minds, a simple elk sound
of any kind will often bring one of
these youngsters into your lap. Find
a satellite bull running frantically
to and fro, and you’ve most likely
found the surest path to elk steaks.
I often walk ridgetops, sending out
loud bugles along the way, in hopes
of locating just such a traveling youth
— you can usually tell one by his pip-
squeak bugle. When you locate your
quarry, get in a position that favors
an easy approach by the bull, making
sure the wind is in your favor. Find a
large tree to use as cover and then hur-
riedly clear out a small area around
its base so you can quietly shuffle
around in a semi-circle. Always stay
back from the tree far enough to hold
your bow at arm’s length, concealed,
without interference. Send out a soft,
weak bugle, or a soft cow call, and get
ready for the show. Many times, I’ve
had satellite bulls within point-blank
bow range in less than a minute.
If things don’t go your way,
though, don’t despair — hit the
ground running and go find another
likely candidate. Repeat the process
until you succeed!Expect some botched hunts dur-
ing the rutting frenzy of September,
as just about every other red-blooded
bowhunter in the country will be out
there trying the same thing — espe-
cially on public land with OTC tags.
Don’t let such trials get you down;
go farther, hunt harder and stay out
longer. You’ll finally find a rutting
frenzy of your own, and when you
do, it won’t be long before you’ll be
wrapping a tag around an antler.Calling in a fired-up bull elk is one of
the greatest thrills a bowhunter can
experience. September is the time to
try this tactic, as the rut is in full swing.