Editor’s Note: Nationally-known elk hunter Phillip Vanderpool of Harrison, Arkansas, can get close enough to a bull elk to give him a kiss before he shoots him. Vanderpool will tell us how he does that almost every year and takes a bull with his bow.

Question: Phillip, how do you get close to an elk?

Vanderpool: Before taking the shot, I evaluate the wind and the weather conditions to learn which way the wind is blowing. I also study the terrain to determine how to get close to that elk with a favorable wind. Most importantly, I use the Scent-A-Way (https://www.hunterspec.com/product-category/scent-control/) scent-elimination system to become as scent-free as possible. I wash my clothes and my body and spray-down my gear with

Scent-A-Way products before I start hunting. Then I spray down as often as I can while I’m actually stalking the elk. Too, I use elk urine to cover my scent. Sometimes, regardless of what steps you take to eliminate your scent, an elk still may smell you, especially when you’re climbing mountains and sweating. But if I’ve sprayed down continuously with Scent-A-Way, many times that elk won’t be sure of what he’s smelled. Then he’ll stop and stand there for 3 to 4 seconds, giving me a chance to get a shot before he leaves the area.

Question: One of the most-difficult challenges for most bowhunters is when an elk comes-in and stands out at about 100 yards bugling but won’t come any closer. How do you break that bull down and get him to come to you?

Vanderpool: That question has a two-part answer. If you have a caller with you, about 50 to 100 yards behind you and perhaps off to the right or the left, besides calling the elk, the caller also will hold the elk’s attention on him and not let the elk focus on you. Therefore, you have a better chance of using the terrain to sneak in close enough to get a shot without being seen. If I’m hunting alone, and the bull’s 100 yards from me and hung-up, I’ll make a call. If he answers me, I’ll inch-up another 15 or 20 yards closer to the bull. This way, the next time I call, the bull thinks I’m coming closer to him, and he may move closer to me. Sometimes I’ll use a young bull bugle or cow or calf calls to let that bull know I’m coming to him, so he should start moving toward me. I want to know what call that bull likes before I move any further. Does he like the cow or the calf call? Or, is he excited because he thinks I’m a young spike bull? Even though I may mimic the bugles the bull’s giving me, I don’t want to give calls back to him that will make him think I’m as big as or bigger than him. I want that bull to think I’m a young bull he can whip if he wants. You never

want to sound bigger than the bull you’re trying to call, because if you do, you’ll scare him off. If the bull starts answering the bugle as quickly as I finish the call, I’ll continue to give the call to him because he’s telling me he likes it.

Question: What do you do when the elk comes-in and turns broadside to you but is looking straight at you?

Vanderpool: If that bull’s looking at me, and I’m at full draw, I’ve got that broadside shot, and the bull’s vitals are open, I’ll turn the arrow loose. But you have to be careful about range. That bull will react to the shot and drop-down just a little to jump before he runs. So, I always aim a little low under these conditions. Remember, elk can drop-down, just like a white-tailed deer can.

Question: If that elk’s coming straight at you and looking at you, what do you do?

Vanderpool: Sit tight, and hope I’ve got a caller behind me who’s calling to that elk. Then that the elk will walk right past me toward the

caller, giving me the chance to turn around after he passes me and get that quartering-away shot. When you’re in this situation – and I’ve been in situations like this before – yourscent-elimination system really pays-off. If that elk is coming toward you head-on, you need the patience of Job to let that shot develop. Don’t force the shot, or you’ll spook the elk. Sit as still as you can, as if you’re the invisible man. Expect that elk to walk right past you. More than likely, anything else you do will be wrong.

To learn more about hunting elk successfully, check out John E. Phillips’ book, “Secrets for Hunting Elk,” available in Kindle and Audible at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008KQA40W/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i5. You may have to copy and paste this click into your browser. When you click on this book, notice on the left where Amazon allows you to read and hear 10% of the book for free. On the right side of the page and below the offer for a free Audible trial, you can click on Buy the Audible with one click.

Tomorrow: Take All Your Calls for Elk