Abhishek Agarwal asked:
Elk hunting has long been considered an extremely challenging hunt. Elk are very sensitive animals and are weary of anything new or unnatural to their area; for this reason it takes a lot of skill for a hunter to track and get close enough to shoot. Another reason elk hunting is considered such a challenge is because they are known for being very unpredictable. Sometimes they are timid, and other times they can be very aggressive. It’s important for a hunter to take great caution as a bull elk can easily reach eight hundred pounds.
It just so happens that the time of year most elk hunters prefer to hunt is in the fall mating season, when an elk is most active, and most unpredictable. This is especially the case for bulls, who’s hormones are running in overdrive. This excess amount of testosterone in their system can cause them to be highly aggressive. It’s important for a hunter to do a lot of research and know his quarry thoroughly. Studying elk behavior can be very helpful on the hunt, and especially for the first time hunter, hiring a guide to take you on your first few elk hunts can prove an invaluable resource. The experienced guides spend their lives tracking and studying elk, a hunter can do nothing better to increase his chances of bagging a trophy than hiring one.
Bugling is something a hunter will hear about profusely when doing his elk research. For many avid elk hunters, practicing their bugling becomes their hobby in the off-season; there is no such thing as too much practice in this art. Bugling is meant to mimic the call of a mate, so not using the call properly can have just the opposite effect and steer an elk far clear of the sound. As mentioned, elk are highly sensitive and cautious; if anything sounds amiss they will not allow curiosity to get the best of them to investigate. Bugling for elk really is an art form; a hunter must bugle enough to be realistic to other elk, yet not too much to make them weary. A hunter strives to perfect his craft in order to have the innate sense when enough is enough. That being said, don’t be afraid to buy your first call and start practicing. Many come with an instruction booklet or audio instruction to demonstrate the proper sound. This can be a great resource for the hunter unfamiliar with bugling.
Elk hunting has long been considered an extremely challenging hunt. Elk are very sensitive animals and are weary of anything new or unnatural to their area; for this reason it takes a lot of skill for a hunter to track and get close enough to shoot. Another reason elk hunting is considered such a challenge is because they are known for being very unpredictable. Sometimes they are timid, and other times they can be very aggressive. It’s important for a hunter to take great caution as a bull elk can easily reach eight hundred pounds.
It just so happens that the time of year most elk hunters prefer to hunt is in the fall mating season, when an elk is most active, and most unpredictable. This is especially the case for bulls, who’s hormones are running in overdrive. This excess amount of testosterone in their system can cause them to be highly aggressive. It’s important for a hunter to do a lot of research and know his quarry thoroughly. Studying elk behavior can be very helpful on the hunt, and especially for the first time hunter, hiring a guide to take you on your first few elk hunts can prove an invaluable resource. The experienced guides spend their lives tracking and studying elk, a hunter can do nothing better to increase his chances of bagging a trophy than hiring one.
Bugling is something a hunter will hear about profusely when doing his elk research. For many avid elk hunters, practicing their bugling becomes their hobby in the off-season; there is no such thing as too much practice in this art. Bugling is meant to mimic the call of a mate, so not using the call properly can have just the opposite effect and steer an elk far clear of the sound. As mentioned, elk are highly sensitive and cautious; if anything sounds amiss they will not allow curiosity to get the best of them to investigate. Bugling for elk really is an art form; a hunter must bugle enough to be realistic to other elk, yet not too much to make them weary. A hunter strives to perfect his craft in order to have the innate sense when enough is enough. That being said, don’t be afraid to buy your first call and start practicing. Many come with an instruction booklet or audio instruction to demonstrate the proper sound. This can be a great resource for the hunter unfamiliar with bugling.