Bad Elk Callers in the Woods

[PNW bow hunter]

I have asked, "What is that sound you're making? I've been bowhunting elk for 47 years and never heard that. Where did you learn it?" Usually results in a sheepish response like, "Yeah, I'm not very good." Last year in WY I asked a couple guys why they were offering up serious challenge bugles from where they parked in the dark to start hunting, instead of a benign locator bugle. I went on my way, the other direction. Later they stopped by my camp and asked what the difference was, offered me a beer, and I had the opportunity to give them a little calling clinic. We became friends after that and they mostly quit with the random aggressive bugles that were pushing bulls out of the area.

That’s sounds like a great way to handle that.

If someone is that horrible at calling they are probably very new to elk hunting.

They would probably love to hear some tips from more experienced hunters

 

[nphunter]

Man, I heard some real horsesh!t elk callers in the woods this past week.

I mean they were TERRIBLE. [And yes, it was hunters not elk]
They moved the elk out of the area!

I really wanted to go talk to them, but we just went and found the elk again.

Should a person approach another hunter and take their bugle tube away?? lol

I was hunting with my uncle about 10 years ago and he had this really loud shitty sounding cow call. After a couple of hours of him blowing it, I asked if I could see it for a minute. He never got it back and I still have it somewhere

 

[kentuckybowman]

last time i hunted colorado i heard a noise coming from the other side of some large boulders and it sounded like a toucan or some other tropical bird throwing a fit. i walked over to see what it was and it was another bow hunter in a white t shirt and blue jeans sitting on top of one of the rocks blowing a cow call. i asked him how he got an elk call to sound like that and he laughed and said " i aint seen an elk all week, how bout you"?

 

[hobbes]

Yea that's what we need in the elk woods, people that think so highly of themselves confronting others that may not be as good a caller as them, wtf! anybody that considers this needs to think twice, I am glad cnelk did not do this and I hope no one else does as a result of this thread. I am not a bad caller or an unfriendly person but if someone confronted me for a stupid reason it would not be a good thing for them, just leave me the F alone and don't come into my zone unless you are of friendly respectful mindset, bullshit is not tolerated and there will be no sheepish response.

Do I like bad callers out in the woods, hunters that place camps in stupid locations, road hunters or hunters with bad ethics and morals? nope but better and smarter than thou confrontation is not a good thing

I think it was a tongue in cheek question.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

When our kids first learn a musical instrument, the main lady in our life let’s them practice indoors. Then awhile later the kid gets so “good” they get to practice outside so they can share with the neighborhood.

But when we want to learn to call, it’s a big fat “no”. We can’t practice in the house. We can’t practice in the garage. We can’t practice outside…

On a more serious note, folks should practice calling no matter the species. Find a place that you can practice and work it. You may get some weird looks but who cares. And if dogs start howling and barking, take it as encouragement to continue to improve; just don’t do it during the night while jogging as the neighbors may not like it.

 

[WCB]

Yea that's what we need in the elk woods, people that think so highly of themselves confronting others that may not be as good a caller as them, wtf! anybody that considers this needs to think twice, I am glad cnelk did not do this and I hope no one else does as a result of this thread. I am not a bad caller or an unfriendly person but if someone confronted me for a stupid reason it would not be a good thing for them, just leave me the F alone and don't come into my zone unless you are of friendly respectful mindset, bullshit is not tolerated and there will be no sheepish response.

Do I like bad callers out in the woods, hunters that place camps in stupid locations, road hunters or hunters with bad ethics and morals? nope but better and smarter than thou confrontation is not a good thing

You sound like a ton of fun...

Guess I shouldn't have went over to a group of guys sky busting snow geese one spring about a mile from our spread and told them let the birds work and they don't always have to shoot the first birds in the flock. Some may slide off but ones above them may commit. I could watch in my binos as they made the same mistake over and over knowing if they had patience they would pull birds lower and get better shooting.

Bet they really hated me after they shot more birds after that.

The OP was being semi serious in a joking tone.

 

[mbv3]

I like thinking about the elk perspective here, that every fall lots of weird skinny elk come sneaking through the woods on two legs making strange elk sounds....

 

[Flatgo]

I like hunters who call bad. Its the one that call well enough to trick me that i don't like hunting around. Lately with the advent of youtube, insta, podcasts, and all the other elk hunting content it seems like most elk hunters have become way better callers.

i miss the old days where people had to learn calling from the lesson of hard knocks.

 

[trophyhill]

Im no expert bugler, but I have to say that I have heard some really crummy (real) elk bugles, too.

I’ve heard that said a time or two however I contend that an elk bugle has a distinct sound no matter how good or bad we humans might think it sounds. When I hear that “Godzilla” like guttural nasally sound, there is no mistaking it for a hunter.

I’ve heard guys say we as hunters don’t have to be perfect to call elk in and that is true in some cases. Like when peak rut is happening and a bull may throw caution to the wind and come barreling in.

In a limited draw unit you might get away with poor calling to an extent. But in a heavily pressured otc unit? I’m a firm believer a guy should be on his A game when calling. Otherwise you get what happened to Brad and his crew happening. And the majority in otc units aren’t as good as finding or getting back on them when they get blown out.

 

[Randle]

I’ve heard that said a time or two however I contend that an elk bugle has a distinct sound no matter how good or bad we humans might think it sounds. When I hear that “Godzilla” like guttural nasally sound, there is no mistaking it for a hunter

Godzilla and guttural is what we listen for. that bull is about to lose his mind and maybe his life.
We humans can't get that much volume in our lungs

 

[Poser]

Don’t be a asshole, I mean duck hunter….
Everyone has to cut their teeth somehow and for every new elk caller you “talk with” there will be another one next year. You’re not going to fix anything.

 

[S.Clancy]

This thread reminds me of the time I called a guide and his client into my set up when I was 17 or so. I let them get to 30 yds then let out a whistle and waved. The look on the client's face was hilarious.

Funny thing is, I basically never call now.

 

[corey006]

i have made them follow me around the woods then escape silently

I do this when I am bored...

I usually let them know it was me IF I dont want them back in area...

IF I dont care about that area I sneak away.

Some guys get quite pissy...LOL ...one tried to insist I scared the "real" Elk away....LOL.

 

[Kwa_bena]

I'm all about minding my own business and letting others mind theirs. I once bumped into a guy one time that had such a funny/awful sounding bugle it made me chuckle the first time I heard it. The bull he was bugling to loved it though. It would respond to his bugle but not mine or my brothers bugle.

So the bad bugling led to the elk being really bad a bugling? I love it XD

 

[Seth]

The other side of this is hunters who “think” they know how elk behave and call (not a knock on the OP, he’s the real deal). Just this weekend my brother and I had a nonresident lay into us for carrying a bugle tube and doing some locator bugles because it was “too early” and “the elk weren’t talking yet.” Within 10 minutes of leaving this “expert” we called a bull into 18 and killed it. Bulls had been responding all afternoon.

 

[150plusB&C]

Here’s the thing guys. All of us are nonresidents in 49 other states. Being from Tennessee I can see how the western guys get sick of us coming out and not knowing shit because when you only get to actually hunt elk for maybe 10 days a year it’s kinda hard to learn anything. Learning is trial and error. Hands on teaches way more than book smarts. IMO. Coming out west on an elk hunt is something we dream about since we were little kids watching real tree monster bulls and the truth. Some guys make it a yearly thing and some make that one bucket list trip.

I bet you come to my house and try to deer hunt, I bet you look like an idiot too. That guy may have thought he sounded like Corey Jacobson. Just remember that everyone has a different perspectives and level of knowledge so be careful being to judge mental. That guy from Tennessee has just as much right to be there as cnelk.

I understand the frustrations of other hunters. I hunt public land in Ohio. If you know you know.

Sorry that kinda struck a nerve.

Oh and I know a guy from Tennessee that bugled a 340” bull in so we don’t all suck apparently

Mic Drop

I’m out


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[cnelk]

Here’s the thing guys. All of us are nonresidents in 49 other states. Being from Tennessee I can see how the western guys get sick of us coming out and not knowing shit because when you only get to actually hunt elk for maybe 10 days a year it’s kinda hard to learn anything. Learning is trial and error. Hands on teaches way more than book smarts. IMO. Coming out west on an elk hunt is something we dream about since we were little kids watching real tree monster bulls and the truth. Some guys make it a yearly thing and some make that one bucket list trip.

I bet you come to my house and try to deer hunt, I bet you look like an idiot too. That guy may have thought he sounded like Corey Jacobson. Just remember that everyone has a different perspectives and level of knowledge so be careful being to judge mental. That guy from Tennessee has just as much right to be there as cnelk.

I understand the frustrations of other hunters. I hunt public land in Ohio. If you know you know.

Sorry that kinda struck a nerve.

Oh and I know a guy from Tennessee that bugled a 340” bull in so we don’t all suck apparently

Mic Drop

I’m out


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Yeah, well your post struck a nerve too.

Maybe if all the whitetail hunters that come out west wouldn’t hunt elk like whitetails their success would be better.

Here’s your mic….

 

[KineKilla]

Look at it this way...

The bugler scares all of the elk and makes them leave the area. Maybe you have placed yourself in a position where those fleeing elk will cross your path.

Or....

The bugler manages to attract some elk to see WTF is making that noise. Maybe you have placed yourself in a position where those curious elk will cross your path.

You have to make the pressure work FOR you sometimes.



And really, in the end, isn't sitting on the mountain listening to some yahoo blow their call still better than being at work, home, school.......you get the point.

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[150plusB&C]

God Bless you Sir. We are two completely different ends of the spectrum.


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[Whaledriver]

Wow I thought I have seen it all. The elk calling police in the woods. Only the interwebz can bring this kind of outstanding entertainment. I have heard all kind of calling in the woods. The worst bugle I ever heard was from some "jackass" novice, most likely Texan. We sat there and laughed about it. Then came a 7x tank right to us with 8 cows. Joke was on us. We were not ready. Stay humble out in the woods. That way you don't have to worry about being a jackass. A real elk hunter knows pretty sounding bugles and soft sounding cows don't equal animals on the ground.