PRWLR is correct, cows talk a lot. I carry a cow call when stalking for those times I snap a branch. A cow call a few times calms things down. Antelope also have a squeaky talk when startled.
Saw a bull bugle on 4th of July one year. A few years ago I had a rifle tag and they were bugling like crazy Oct. 30. This entire bow season (Aug. 30-Sept. 30) I heard 1 bark and one grunt. Never did hear a bugle (from an elk) and hunted every weekend.
Last edited by centershot; 10/06/20.
A true sportsman counts his achievements in proportion to the effort involved and fairness of the sport. - S. Pope
I've heard both the Mew and the bark. I assume the bark means warning/danger? or?
Little bull I shot 2 weeks ago barked when his cows got up and started moving off. It was hot out and he did not want to leave his shady spot under the big rock to go round them up. He made a fatal mistake when he took a step from behind that rock.
A true sportsman counts his achievements in proportion to the effort involved and fairness of the sport. - S. Pope
5 or 6 years ago I shot a cow out of a large herd way up in a very steep bowl. It was almost hand and foot climbing to get up to her after she was down. I rolled her down nearly 1/4 mile to dress her in a place that wasn't too steep to stand without wearing a safety harness. While I was rolling her, 6 or 7 cows got up on a low knob about 100 yds away and kept barking at me the whole time. I guess they felt safe up there in a herd except against idiots like me.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
Rut seems a bit late in Northern AZ this year - but it's been crazy dry and hot. It's just really getting going now. Couple buddies said the bulls bugled until 10 AM this morning, and that's with the morning low in the mid 30's and the high in the early afternoon around 80. One of them got a nice bull this morning. I got a cow on 27 Sep, and there was not much talking going on then.
Saw a bull bugle on 4th of July one year. A few years ago I had a rifle tag and they were bugling like crazy Oct. 30. This entire bow season (Aug. 30-Sept. 30) I heard 1 bark and one grunt. Never did hear a bugle (from an elk) and hunted every weekend.
I hunted the Sawtooth Zone - the smoke and heat had the bull elk silent, but rutting hard - we watched this guy at 80-100 yards for a couple hours - he was on the cows, rutting and rubbing - lip curling while chasing within the herd. Definitely rutting, but a bugle would send him over the next ridge at a run - two hunters chasing him in the morning ran him out of his drainage over to us.
First three days were in the smoke pictured - fourth day was rain - fifth day was the clear and cold we were waiting for - the bulls did finally get vocal on the last day, but it was later than expected, and later than "normal".
We were camping this last weekend. It was in the high 70's during the day, got down to 27 Sat. night, and very dry and smoky. The elk were silent during the day but we heard them off and on all night.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
Prwlr, (or anyone else!) can you recommend a good cow call? Thanks, Ed
A diaphragm call for bugling is the easiest for me to use. A guy can make different sounding cow calls, rather than some of the other cow specific calls I've seen.
Casey
Not being married to any particular political party sure makes it a lot easier to look at the world more objectively... Having said that, MAGA.