Elk: Hunting Elk in the Northwest

Hunting Elk of the Northwest
How to hunt in the thick timber
by Rockie Jacobsen

I don’t know what is more aggravating, a bugling bull at four yards in brush so thick that there is no shot possible or a bull in the wide open country, scoring 350-plus, that won’t come anywhere near you. I grew up hunting elk in the Northwest - mainly in Idaho, where the terrain is steep and filled with mountain maple, snow brush, and chaparral, mixed with timber so thick an ant would give up crawling through it. Several times other hunters in my area would tell me of their morning hunt, explaining that they had called in a 340, 6×6 but had no shot. I never did understand how that could happen, heck, most of the time I couldn’t tell if the animal had horns or not, until I shot one and tracked him down. I’ve been fortunate enough to learn some good techniques for hunting elk in the thick cover. This strategy can work in open country too; you just need to be aware of the elk seeing you move from a further distance. This is a trick I use a lot since I hunt by myself; I call it the “Half-Moon Drive.” Remember, elk can pinpoint where you are calling from to the inch and when they approach you they will almost always sweep downwind of you so the game is in their favor. Once you have a bull respond to your calling, try and locate him so you have a good idea of where he is coming from. You may need to bugle at him or cow/calf call to him. Another good rule of thumb is that if he responds and starts to advance towards you, stay with that sound. Obviously, the bull liked what he heard and, as long as he keeps coming, don’t change your call. Other sounds may be used to get the bull interested and can be used in different scenarios to make an elk come all the way in if he is being stubborn.

Picture this set up. You begin to call and a bull quickly responds back. Quickly check the wind with a good wind checker. Now, imagine the bull has bugled back from 300 yards out and at your same elevation. You are by yourself, doing all of the calling and the shooting. You determine the wind direction and, in this case, it is going downhill to your right. You would need to quickly move downhill and forward in a half-moon sweep and not straight-forward towards the bull. If you were to move straight-forward and turn off the trail to the right or left, you would leave a scent trail that the bull will cross. Once the bull picks up your scent, he will stop on a dime and take off. A more successful strategy would be to move ahead approximately 30 yards and look for a good set up with an open shot the bull may come through. Don’t get in behind a tree or brush pile; get alongside of it or out front and blend in with the surroundings. Do not call from this location and give up your position, wait a few minutes and see what the bull is doing. If you can hear or see the bull coming, let him come looking for you. Remember that the bull is going to the location where he last heard your calling. At this point, nock your arrow and check your yardages. Imagine in your mind that if the bull were to come…”I will do this” or “If he goes over there, I will have to do that.” Always check the wind. If the wind changes, you will have to move to adapt.

Now, let’s say the bull has not moved from where you first heard him but is still talking and responsive to your calls. Move back up the hill close to the level where you called from first. When the bull answers again, try the same half-moon drive again. Keep this up until you’ve reached the point when you feel you are close enough that you could be busted when the elk spots you. This is when you will have to change your calling sequences to get him to come in the rest of the way. A few tricks to consider are to try calling by throwing the sound further behind you. You can also point the tube into the ground or muffle the end so the bugle sounds further away.
Calling in the Thick Brush and Trees
Rockie Jacobsen likes to hunt the thick country for the close encounters it provides

This is a good time to put into action a combination of calling methods to make the bull think something is going on and that he doesn’t want to miss out on the action. For example, mimic a cow in heat making estrus sounds or maybe a younger bull sounding off chasing the cow around. Tell them a story and give them something to be interested in. Even moving just ten feet from where you first called can give you an advantage over the bull. This is where two-on-one hunting has its advantages; your calling partner can hang back calling while the shooter advances closer for the set up. The caller can direct a bull to his shooter by moving uphill or downhill, calling to get the bull to turn at the right time in front of the ambush set up. Once again, if the bull is within range but behind a tree, and you need to get him to move for a shot, try carefully picking up a rock or stick and throwing it towards the area that you would like to make the bull move to. The bull will possibly think that the sound came from another elk and move for a closer look in that direction. I have used this technique a few times and it has fooled elk. Just don’t let the bull see you move your arms as you throw. An important thing to consider in thick brush elk hunting is to always be aware of what’s in front of you when you are getting ready for a shot. Hidden twigs always seem to pop out from nowhere when the shot goes off. Remember, close in front of you is a common problem area. Your arrow will come off the rest in a lower sight pattern than what you are looking at through your sights. Shooting through small openings can arch your arrow and hit brush on the way out. A bow which has a flatter shooting trajectory is a good idea or, just wait for a better shot (which may sometimes result in you having to let the bull go.) A wounded animal isn’t worth it as there will always be another bull some other day.

Sportsmen hunt the thick country for the close encounters it provides. The bulls seem to be more aggressive which causes them to come in quicker and closer. Elk cannot see their target and have to get close to make things happen. The number one reason I like hunting in thick brush is because it is the terrain where I live and it is close to home. I have hunted in other types of terrain and the elk tend to respond a little differently; you just have to develop the instincts of a hunter and go with the flow. Make things happen and don’t be afraid to try something different in your calling or hunting tactics. You will learn from your mistakes and this is what develops your instincts. I have produced the DVD, Full of Bull III, which shows these sequences on true public land hunting. You can utilize this set up either by yourself or hunting with a calling partner.

I wish you the best in your hunting experiences and good luck.

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