Just how noisey are elk?

[Jmac604]

Just how noisey are elk?

I ask because, in prepping for my elk hunt this past October, I read tons of articles online and in print re: tips and strategies for a successful elk hunt (majority of them American). A common tip was to listen for elk as they are allegedly noisey calling, bawling, and grunting to one another while in herds.

However during the scout trip prior to the hunt I was able to observe 2 separate small herds of elk within 300-400 metres and not a peep out of any of them. No calling, grunting, bugling, etc...

Are elk as noisey as some of those articles suggested? Is it a seasonal thing ie the rut?

I am interested in hearing thoughts / opinions of more experienced elk hunters than myself please....thanks

 

[Eagleye]

I have been hunting elk for several decades now, and they are definitely the most vocal of the cervids.

They call back and forth and generally are not particularly quiet. In the open, though, they may actually be fairly silent compared to when they are in timber.

I always carry a cow call in my mouth, and chirp a bit if I feel the elk may be around. I have managed to get very close to the herd on numerous occasions.

Regards, Dave.

 

[CreamySmooth]

I've hunted elk for years and have been fairly successful, and I'm just into the double digits.

What I find, and this is for Sask, they are very vocal in the AM before sun up, mostly mewling between cow and calf in the herd. Then come light they shut right up. I use this to locate a heard on the forest fringe before going into the bush where I last heard them, or finding a choke point for that evening to try to catch them coming back out. I rifle hunt, so bugling is a complete waste of time I find, and from what I've heard the archery guys find it more useful. I rarely make any calls unless I'm desperate or to stop an animal.

The biggest hint I can give, is you need to know where to start, or its needle in a hay stack. Out here I ask farmers to watch where they are and that's my biggest trick. It narrows it down to start.

Once they hear shooting, by day 3 it's all bets are off... They completely stop vocalizing.

Lots of luck.

 

[sheephunter]

At this time of year the cows and calves will chirp back and forth, especially when moving through heavy cover but the bulls are basically silent

 

[norskie]

It really depends on a number of things - time, hunting pressure etc.

I hunt areas of Private land that have a fair amount of chirping/bugling and areas of high pressure where talking elk have learned to keep quiet.

Bulls were still bugling on Saturday on the private land.

Do what the elk do - if they are quiet, your best bet is to be the same.

 

[Jmac604]

I have been hunting elk for several decades now, and they are definitely the most vocal of the cervids.

They call back and forth and generally are not particularly quiet. In the open, though, they may actually be fairly silent compared to when they are in timber.

I always carry a cow call in my mouth, and chirp a bit if I feel the elk may be around. I have managed to get very close to the herd on numerous occasions.

Regards, Dave.

Now that you mention it, both groups were out in an open slash feeding along the tree line at about 2pm (each group).

One group was out of my MU so after they grazed through, I went down to see what they were feeding on but couldn't figure out what exactly. The slash was old with no new growth....

 

[Jmac604]

I've hunted elk for years and have been fairly successful, and I'm just into the double digits.

What I find, and this is for Sask, they are very vocal in the AM before sun up, mostly mewling between cow and calf in the herd. Then come light they shut right up. I use this to locate a heard on the forest fringe before going into the bush where I last heard them, or finding a choke point for that evening to try to catch them coming back out. I rifle hunt, so bugling is a complete waste of time I find, and from what I've heard the archery guys find it more useful. I rarely make any calls unless I'm desperate or to stop an animal.

The biggest hint I can give, is you need to know where to start, or its needle in a hay stack. Out here I ask farmers to watch where they are and that's my biggest trick. It narrows it down to start.

Once they hear shooting, by day 3 it's all bets are off... They completely stop vocalizing.

Lots of luck.

I was lucky on getting a starting point as:

a. one of our hunting party had hunted succesfully the year before and knew the area;
b. I chatted up a crew supervisor for a logging crew that had just started in the general area and he pointed to where they had been seeing elk.

Bad news was the spot was approx 2 km off the road and down into a thickly wooded river bed...
Good news is I lost 8 lbs going up and down that damn hill....
Best news was I got the bull where I completely didn't expect it much closer to the road!!

 

[hawk-i]

They seem to be a lot more vocal when in the deep woods. Learning how to use a mouth diaphragm call is for sure a worthwhile endeavor.