When calling, it’s imperative you give each session about 20 minutes to work. If they’re being cautious they will slip in and then you’ll scare them off if rushing it. I learned this the hard way last year and switched up technique. Ended up bringing them in but we couldn’t get a clear shot. Then my daughter was born and I quit the season.

Soft cow calls and not constant goes a long way. Some of the more successful guys on archerytalk say that the bugle shouldn’t even come out if possible. Their bread and butter is proper cow calling and pre season scouting. Met up with a lifelong archery hunter last year who gave me and my buddy a crash course right there in the woods. Our method we would see an elk once a day. His method, we saw them 2-3 times a day. Was astounding how backing off frequency and loudness was so effective.

Keep at it. Even if you don’t get one down, you’re learning and you’ve seen more elk than the dudes stuck at home.

Can’t believe I missed this season, but alas...