Maybe he had a cold and was hoarse ?

All kidding aside... over the years I've always thought the clearer sounding bugles were from younger bulls and hoarser sounding ones were from older bulls, but I don't know that for sure. Don't think I've ever heard anything that sounded like a bark though.

I know it came from him we were looking right at him when he did it. Unfortunately we are hunting in a spike only area.My son 10 years old saw two bulls at about ten yards, but they were both branched antlered.

usally when a bull barks its a warning sign to other elk that something isnt right in the area.

I always thought it sounded more like a hoarse grunt, rather than a bark... but I guess you can interpret it differently.

Did the 'bark' come after a bugle? Older bulls will make more grunting noises after they've bugled to intimidate other bulls too.

Yes it did come after a bugle, then the grunt and a long pause then this loud bark. I have never heard a bull sound like that. I have bugled in my fare share of bulls and never encountered a sound like that.

That's interesting Cuttplug, I have never heard one bark. Too bad you didn't have a tape record!

I have never heard it while in the field but I do have a hunting video where a bull barks and I mean it sounds just like black lab. It was just one bark, not like he was yapping on and on. But I had to rewind the video 3 or 4 times cause I just couldn't believe it. The bull was less than 20 yards behind a little brush but it was a very distinctive "dog" bark. However I have no idea what it means. Like someone else said its probably a warning signal of some sort but I'm guessing.

[ This Message was edited by: rather_be_huntin on 2003-10-16 14:41 ]