Current Favorite Bugle Tube

[CrazySRanch]

The metal tube is loud. It is one I'm considering. Not a fan of the weight. Slayer calls look legit as well but it's a long tube. Phelps Renegade sounds good but Dirk Durham can probably make any tube sound good. I prefer tubes with good back pressure.

Thanks for the input size and weight dont matter a ton to me I am on livestock to cover ground. I have a smaller metal tube by phelps only one I have used i like it its loud I just want something a little bigger around i think my mouthpiece detaches i dont like that have dropped it many times for that reason.

 

[High Climber]

How much are guys cutting off the wiffle bat and wrapping with what tape? Does it matter much?

I have a rocky mountain tube, sounds good but it's an older one and rough on the lips!

I bought a few different bats until I found a nice thick one, lots are too thin. Mine is 26” end to end about the same size as the Phelps tubes or other full size tubes. I wrapped mine with camo athletic tape to quiet it down when moving through the brush. Cut the end so it still produces back pressure. Cut the mouth side so it is flared to my liking

 

[TheWarriorYeti]

I'm still using a wiffle ball bat, cut down with a hole cut in the end. Works fine enough in CO where the elk don't buggle back anyway

 

[roosiebull]

Post when you compare the carbon tube to the Chuckler. Interested to hear your feedback.

It’s a pretty badass tube, it sounds good and does have more volume than the chuckler. It reminds me of the Phelps in sound but a good deal louder

 

[WakeCow]

Phelps Metal

 

[kp1992]

Would love to get that Riven wood tube, but I would more than cry if I lost it have been using this bugling bull tube for close to 15 years after I lost my lucky tube. This is now the lucky tube and provides a nice clarity and deep sound. Back in the day we used to make them adding the Big Abe bell on the end to create the added resonance. Likely just keeping this one until I lose it 1st photo the original lucky tube. I find the one I like, similar to my tikka and keep using it. Good luck this season

Looks like it has done a good job!

 

[trophyhill]

I'm still loving my gen 3 Elknut Chuckler! I bought a Native by Carlton a few years ago out of curiosity, and it sounds pretty good, but the Chuckler ain't broke. Out of all 3 Chucklers, the gen 3 is a homerun. Too bad it isn't available anymore that I'm aware of. My second favorite is the gen 1. I can bend that one around and throw my calls.

 

[Elkoholic87]

Whatever the original big Phelps one is. Can’t see any reason to change. The price of the carbon ones and the wood riven ones are insane to me. What a weird coincidence too that we had no carbon ones before this year and now there are multiple brands selling them

Marketing gimmick.

 

[Tradchef]

I've used the Golden Tone Shorty for years now and it has always worked well

 

[Bjandrews]

Still using my original Bully Bull. I have others but this one is my #1 go to.

 

[Hedro7]

I still rock the Phelps Unleashed. The unleashed v2 looks good due to its smaller size and less weight. I just can't justify buying a 2nd tube for only being able to go every few years living in the mid west

 

[TradLife406]

I like the Phelps griz beater.

Honestly I hate carrying it around. Most of the time I try and just locate with a demanding mew off a Rocky MTN open read that's super loud.

A hunter will never bugle at a cow call. But most bulls will answer if they're close enough. Works great mid day. Might just get a low key grunt from a bedded bull. Which is optimal because then three other dudes didn't hear him.

 

[Holski]

I have had a bunch of different tubes. started with a cut down bat then got the Phelps Unleased. Liked it best but bought the small Phelps unrivaled tube, did not like that one at all. After I got Covid in 2021 had a hard time using diaphragm calls so I bought the Phelps metal tube with external bugler, it works great. I also got the interchangeable mouth piece now that I can use diaphragms again.

My wife started trying to learn to call and has really struggled with the diaphragms, so I took a chance when there was a sale and got her the Slayer Enchantress Combo, I will say its crazy easy to use and sounds really good. Hoping she calls a bull in for me this year so she can catch the addiction.

So my vote, Phelps metal or Slayer Combo.

 

[roosiebull]

Well, update on the carbon Riven tube, it makes me want the cambium one, because there is no pleasing me I guess. The carbon tube kicks ass, it sounds really good and is really loud, it’s for sure the best I have used… has really good sound like the big OG Phelps, but it’s loud like the elknut chuckler.

I should be completely happy with it, because it’s a great tube, but I’m a sucker for woodwork. It’s like a recurve, you can get a good performing ilf with a metal riser and carbon limbs, or you can spend more without getting any extra performance but have a beautiful work of art that you appreciate every time you look at it (yes, I’m trying to justify a stupidly expensive bugle tube, but I’m ok with that )

Riven just seems to make good stuff, I have pretty much switched to their diaphragms too, they sound good with less effort.

 

[duckhuntr]

Marketing gimmick.

Gonna disagree here. Different materials produce vastly different sounds based on density. As a long time waterfowler, this is nothing new. Acrylic came onto the scene and changed everything. Heavy AF but so crisp. I still like wood calls though, but acrylic is consistent. I assume carbon fiber is much more dense than cheap plastic. Likely why it’s louder.

I’m really intrigued to try the Cambium wood tube. Pretty disappointed to hear it’s made in China though. They act like all of these are hand crafted. I don’t mind the price at all, have several similar priced bird calls. But for some mass produced china junk makes me a little more reluctant.

 

[duckhuntr]

Well, update on the carbon Riven tube, it makes me want the cambium one, because there is no pleasing me I guess. The carbon tube kicks ass, it sounds really good and is really loud, it’s for sure the best I have used… has really good sound like the big OG Phelps, but it’s loud like the elknut chuckler.

I should be completely happy with it, because it’s a great tube, but I’m a sucker for woodwork. It’s like a recurve, you can get a good performing ilf with a metal riser and carbon limbs, or you can spend more without getting any extra performance but have a beautiful work of art that you appreciate every time you look at it (yes, I’m trying to justify a stupidly expensive bugle tube, but I’m ok with that )

Riven just seems to make good stuff, I have pretty much switched to their diaphragms too, they sound good with less effort.

I also really like there mouth calls. I will say his first series ripped way too easy. Think the newer cosmic is same calls but thicker latex.