In the rut a lead cow wants nothing to do with another herd of elk. You can t always do that, but try. Watch or listen to a bull and sneak as close as you can, says Primos. Move down or up, circle, come over the backside of a ridge, whatever. The best-case scenario is slip within 150 yards or so of a bull before making a peep.
Some elk respond best to lots of cow calling and bugling.
Others prefer softer and more sporadic calls. The Setup and The Right Notes Primos, who hunts mostly with a bow and films his encounters for outdoor TV and videos, prefers to tag team a bull. The shooter slips as close as he dares to an elk and sets up, he says. The caller backs off 75 to 100 yards and tries to set up where he can see the action. But the caller should also pick a spot where he can hide and move around, bugling and cow calling not only out front, but also to the left, right and behind.