Elk barks
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nidahunter
Well-known member
From my experience if you hear an elk bark every elk within hearing range is gone in no time flat. I have never tried stopping an elk with it since every time I hear it they tend to vacate the area quickly.
Phaseolus
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yup,
Barking is a danger signal, they won't stick around long after they hear a bark. I'd cow call instead, at least that isn't a warning sign.
Barking is a danger signal, they won't stick around long after they hear a bark. I'd cow call instead, at least that isn't a warning sign.
npaden
Well-known member
I agree that barking is a danger signal, but the last 2 elk that I've been involved in killing have both barked before they were shot and obviously stuck around long enough to get shot.
I didn't bark back at them, I cow called when they barked. In both instances they seemed to be distressed enough to bark, but not distressed enough to bug out of there. It was almost like they were telling the cow (me) to show myself or something. They knew something was up, but not exactly what.
In the past I've had plenty of elk bust me and bug out without barking and they just flat picked up and moved out.
Also in both of the two instances the elk were either solo or with just one other elk, not a big group.
I didn't bark back at them, I cow called when they barked. In both instances they seemed to be distressed enough to bark, but not distressed enough to bug out of there. It was almost like they were telling the cow (me) to show myself or something. They knew something was up, but not exactly what.
In the past I've had plenty of elk bust me and bug out without barking and they just flat picked up and moved out.
Also in both of the two instances the elk were either solo or with just one other elk, not a big group.
sra61
Member
Young bulls will often bark when they are nervous and excited. I used to use it sometimes when I had a young bull in. I had a hard time barking with enough force to really sound like a spooked elk. I don't think I ever was able to spook them with it. I tried sometimes just to get them to move off without screwing the pooch.
Topgun 30-06
Active member
I'd use a cow call before I'd bark to try and stop an elk. Their bark is an alarm just like a double putt a turkey makes before it takes off! IMO a cow call would be a lot less likely to alarm one than a bark.
whiskeydog
Active member
I had an avg size 6-pt bark at me last year from about 80 yards. He was by himself and stayed in the same spot for over 20 minutes. I was behind a bush with the wind blowing towards me so he couldn't scent me and probably couldn't quite tell what I was for sure. He probably barked 15-20 times over the 20 minutes before he finally walked off. Heard a spike barking several times the year before also.
I think what the guy in the article was saying was that if he had a bull in the trees that was hanging up and he didn't think he could get a shot, he'd bark at them and it was like they would get a bit curious and come out into the open where he might be able to get a shot. It wasn't that he was barking at a bull so that it would stop, it was more like a last ditch effort where bulls would sometimes expose themselves just enough to get a shot. I agree that if you just needed to get a bull to stop, a cow call would most likely be best. Just thought I'd see if anybody else has done this. I am always trying to learn something new and have never heard of this before.....
Anyfish
Member
An elk barking is up there with a whitetail snorting and stomping. The jig is up! He knows something isn't right but hasn't pinpointed it yet. You've got seconds to react!
Gerald Martin
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There is a difference between when a bull is barking at you versus a cow in my experience. When a bull comes to the call he expects to see another bull. Sometimes they will hang up and give a nervous bark when they can't see another bull. In that scenario I've had some success barking back and responding call for call. After several responses to barking I'll start bugling again and it seems to settle them down.
When a cow barks, it is more of an alarm call and I've never had a situation in hunting season where I was able to call a cow closer once she started barking. I have had them come close in the spring after they barked, but my experience in hunting season is once the cows start barking its over. One thing to remember if you do blow a herd out of the area is that often satellite bulls will be on the peripheral of the herd and may not be aware of what spooked the other elk. I've called raghorns in several times by cow calling very loudly and excitedly as the herd spooked. They would sneak in silently several minutes later to investigate if there were any elk around. It may take as long as ten or fifteen minutes.
When a cow barks, it is more of an alarm call and I've never had a situation in hunting season where I was able to call a cow closer once she started barking. I have had them come close in the spring after they barked, but my experience in hunting season is once the cows start barking its over. One thing to remember if you do blow a herd out of the area is that often satellite bulls will be on the peripheral of the herd and may not be aware of what spooked the other elk. I've called raghorns in several times by cow calling very loudly and excitedly as the herd spooked. They would sneak in silently several minutes later to investigate if there were any elk around. It may take as long as ten or fifteen minutes.
MT_Nate
New member
I have lucked out with kill shots twice now using the Bull Nervous Grunt to bring bulls closer when they hang up. Bugling back and forth and no progress after 10-15 minutes...try a Nervous Grunt. It can be genuinely surprising what happens...they come right in to investigate what's going on and show themselves.
I haven't tried much after a cow barks. It seems to be a different story...the game is usually up.
I haven't tried much after a cow barks. It seems to be a different story...the game is usually up.
From the research I have done and personal experience I believe that a bark is the elk saying show yourself. I read that if you get in close and use bark at them before they bark at you they will come in on a string. It really isn't a sound that is easily duplicated or one they are used to hearing every Sept.
The elk i have had bark at me normally don't bust, they normally stand there bobbing their head looking all around and after a few minutes they normally move on in the opposite direction. The only time they normally bust is if they see or wind me and the only time they go very far is when they see and wind me. I am pretty loud when I am elk hunting which I believe works out better for getting close to elk than sneaking up on them.
Here is a video from a couple weeks ago that I took while heading to my trail cam. I got barked at several times when I started walking again and the elk just started feeding the opposite direction from me. Also I had several elk wind me, they would run off about 30-40 yards and look around for a bit and go back to feeding. I don't have any of the barks on video because I stopped recording before I moved, I was sitting on a wide open hillside with some small saplings at my back breaking my silhouette, I was also wearing a bright orange shirt, shorts and was sweating up a storm from walking a mile in 95 deg weather.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxo4Tk0A1tc
The elk i have had bark at me normally don't bust, they normally stand there bobbing their head looking all around and after a few minutes they normally move on in the opposite direction. The only time they normally bust is if they see or wind me and the only time they go very far is when they see and wind me. I am pretty loud when I am elk hunting which I believe works out better for getting close to elk than sneaking up on them.
Here is a video from a couple weeks ago that I took while heading to my trail cam. I got barked at several times when I started walking again and the elk just started feeding the opposite direction from me. Also I had several elk wind me, they would run off about 30-40 yards and look around for a bit and go back to feeding. I don't have any of the barks on video because I stopped recording before I moved, I was sitting on a wide open hillside with some small saplings at my back breaking my silhouette, I was also wearing a bright orange shirt, shorts and was sweating up a storm from walking a mile in 95 deg weather.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxo4Tk0A1tc
Great video Maxxis.
My experience with barks is the same, bulls wanting to see what was making elk sounds and they usually hang around a bit.
My favorite was a few years back my dad and I had just nodded off for a nap and got woken up by a bark and hooves crashing. That bull nearly tripped on us and scared him just as much.
My experience with barks is the same, bulls wanting to see what was making elk sounds and they usually hang around a bit.
My favorite was a few years back my dad and I had just nodded off for a nap and got woken up by a bark and hooves crashing. That bull nearly tripped on us and scared him just as much.
WapitiBob
Well-known member
From my experience there are 2 sounds they make that sound real close to the same. A warning bark, and a "where are you grunt". I've called bulls that came in on a dead run, stopped, then let out the "where are you grunt".
The Popping/Nervous grunt or bark as some call it (not to be confused with a warning bark) is used by all elk in varying situations. By experiencing this sound in its many forms by elk under different situations one can come to his or her conclusions that if it's good enough for the elk to use it under particular situations then it will also work for us hunters! This sound is used out of Curiosity or Wanting Identification & at times to Create Excitement. But it's not held to just that! Bulls will use it in front of a screaming bugle or at the end of one instead of a series of grunts. Why? Because not only are they trying to intimidate the other bull but he wants to see this new challenger. At times a bull will give his threatening scream & give a couple coarse barks trying to run the intruder bull off! Elk will also vary volume in its use depending on nervousness or lack of it. Many times you will hear an elk give a soft one then another with a bit more volume. Too, I've seen calves squeal this sound along with small chirps as they were hopping & darting around with a sense of excitement & the more mature cows not even giving them a glance. Seeing things like this firsthand really helps us to know when & where we can best utilize such sounds.
We've taken many bulls with the use of the popping/nervous grunt, timing of sounds is key, too, they must fit the encounter or fit a method of use. Do not confuse this sound with a "bark" a bark is used by elk as a warning to others in the area, it will be given by them several times in just a few seconds or within 60 seconds & they are getting further away, other elk may also chime in with this warning as they exit the area. Nervous/Popping grunts are given in a single note fashion, in most cases they're no closer than 30 sec apart, generally closer to a minute sometimes more as they remain in the area waiting for a satisfying visual or response.
Maxxis31, shows an interesting video that really should not be overlooked! Between the 3min--4min mark you will hear a cow giving an "estrus buzz" this shows it's a sound used by elk to keep in contact with or looking or inviting other elk their way, this is not a sound used when a cow is ready to be bred! Nice clip! Thanks.
ElkNut1
We've taken many bulls with the use of the popping/nervous grunt, timing of sounds is key, too, they must fit the encounter or fit a method of use. Do not confuse this sound with a "bark" a bark is used by elk as a warning to others in the area, it will be given by them several times in just a few seconds or within 60 seconds & they are getting further away, other elk may also chime in with this warning as they exit the area. Nervous/Popping grunts are given in a single note fashion, in most cases they're no closer than 30 sec apart, generally closer to a minute sometimes more as they remain in the area waiting for a satisfying visual or response.
Maxxis31, shows an interesting video that really should not be overlooked! Between the 3min--4min mark you will hear a cow giving an "estrus buzz" this shows it's a sound used by elk to keep in contact with or looking or inviting other elk their way, this is not a sound used when a cow is ready to be bred! Nice clip! Thanks.
ElkNut1
