Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Why call after releasing arrow

I've noticed in a lot of TV hunting shows that after the hunter hits the elk with his arrow the guide will use his cow call repeatedly. This seems really strange. Why do they do this?

It will usually stop the Elk in his tracks and he falls right in front of you versus he runs down hill into a hell hole and dies. Remember the Elk does not realize what just occurred. Tom

I was going to say, I haven't seen it work yet.

I've done this with deer 7 different times.

Normally after each grunt they stand and wait, typically after I stop them the second time they lay down and pass. I think the believe the pain in thier side came from a buck poking them.

It works often if the elk was completely oblivious to your presence before the shot. I've seen it work a few times in person (on hits and on misses) and many times on video - I think it's worth doing either way. On this one I shot from the dead snag just left of center in the photo. The arrow passed through and was lying under the limbs with the Spanish moss on the right of the photo. He stopped when I cow called and stood there looking for probably 30 seconds or longer before he finally fell. 20 yards to the left the hill quickly drops 600 feet in elevation down to private property. If I had known the landowners were going to let me use their road to get him out I would have let him bail off, but at the time I thought I was carrying him 2 miles back up the hill.

I typically see 7-10 bulls killed a year. I would say that if ONE of those bulls reacted I would be pleasantly surprised. Most run like hello as soon as you pop the release.

Now a lot of times I can stop a surprised bull for a second or two by hitting a cow call ONE time pretty hard. I think they have to process two conflicting things and they stop long enough to give a rifle hunter a standing shot rather than a running shot but they usually don't give more that 2 seconds.

as others have said it may work it might not, but it is definitely worth trying. I've seen elk called back for a follow up shot after the first one is missed. it can happen. I've also seen where two bulls are killed on the same stand with archery tackle. the first one was dead and the second was so convinced there was a cow there he kept coming in. it can happen, but I wouldn't make a bet on it.

Your problem could be hunting wild elk on public land. It helps to have the advantage of a lodge and private hunting to keep the elk as available and plentiful as they are for filming...

several years ago I called in a young bull. I made a poor hit with my first shot and I began calling immediately as he ran off. I called him back and was able to shoot him again and placed my second arrow where it belonged.
Not saying it's the norm, but it happened.

I truly believe if they're relaxed and have no sense of danger before the shot stopping them is not out of the ordinary. What percentage of elk shot with a bow fits that scenario is another question.

I have seen other bulls turn on wounded bulls more often than I have seen wounded ones come back. Amazing how often another male animal will instantly turn on another as soon as he sees that his defenses are down. I have seen it with elk, buffalo, deer, cattle and in videos on African game. Kick 'em while they're down!

This bull I called up from a canyon, over the edge another unit. I really didn't expect the hunter to shoot this bull, had some others bugling out on the flats, but he did so I hammered the call and it stopped him long enough to die right in front of us on the edge.

Got my camera out while waiting a few minutes and another bull came up, decided to try videoing for the first time so it's crappy. The other bull walks over and sniffs the dead bull and I have to run him off.

http://vid289.photobucket.com/albums/ll237/kentpowellp/videos/2010elkforvince.mp4