Silelence in the high country

Myself and 2 friends spent 3 days last week at / above timberline looking into 3 different basins, about a 5 mile 4,000 verticle feet climb. We never heard a bugle or a cow call. Minimal hunters in the area, and none up where we were at. After a few days of silence we dropped down lower and still never heard anything. This in an area where I saw 5 branch antlered bulls a month ago on a weekend "cache dash". What a bummer!!
I have to go back next weekend to retrieve a tent & stove I left up there, so maybe I'll see or hear something then. The country is beautiful but the quiet was downright spooky.