My search for Quetone Overlook elk began with several bulls bugling north of the parking area. I followed those calls into the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. Before the morning ended, one bull came back over a ridge and stopped to look at me.
Finding Quetone Overlook elk by their bugles
I parked at Quetone Overlook and hiked north toward the bugling. At the base of a hill, I stopped for a few minutes to listen.
One bull sounded close, on the other side of the hill. The wind favored my approach, so I continued toward it without carrying my scent in its direction.
After working around and over several boulders, I spotted the bull with a cow and an older calf.
From there, I could see no way to get closer without the elk spotting me. The dry, brittle grass around the rocks made plenty of noise underfoot. I sat down and watched.
After a while, the cow and calf fed over a ridge and disappeared. The bull followed them out of view.
A bull returns over the ridge
I continued toward the spot where I had last seen the elk. Near the top of the ridge, I spotted the bull coming back in my direction.
I had nowhere to hide, so I got ready to photograph it. I expected the bull to see me and leave. I hoped to get a few photos before that happened.
It came over the ridge and spotted me, but showed no obvious alarm. The bull stopped and looked at me.
That pause felt long, though I think it lasted only a few seconds. We were close enough that I had to zoom out to fit the entire bull in the frame.
After a few moments, the bull walked away and disappeared into the brush.
A younger bull appears in the brush
I moved to a spot behind a small tree. I was glad to have that cover when the bull chased a younger bull from the brush.
The younger bull still had some velvet on its antlers. I watched the two for a few minutes as the first bull drove it from the area.
I shared another encounter with bugling bulls in A Day With Bugling Elk in the Wichita Mountains.
Once the younger bull left, I headed back to my truck. I had photos I liked and a close encounter I hadn’t expected when I left the overlook.