Help with elk calls please

[VarmintSniper30]

First time to maybe go elk hunting for archery. I was wondering what bugle and cow call do you all recommend that is really good quality. And how did you learn to use them

 

[plumber1969]

I would tell you to watch Corey Jacobson and listen to what he has to say along with others on this site.

 

[BrentLaBere]

There are a lot of different shapes sizes and stretches for elk diaphragms. A lot of different ways to amplify the sound of the mouth call as well. The Grunt Tube...
Corey & Rocky both have good instructional videos.
ElkNut Paul, has videos
Steve Chappell
Joel Turner
Glacier Hunting Calls Troy Bungay - helped me a lot with my calling.
This is just to name a couple sources to use. Biggest thing would be to try and find a diaphragm that fits you. If you simply cant use one I would go with a bite and blow type, I think its called a thunder bugle?

 

[bigdesert10]

I can't remember what setup Aron Snyder uses, but he talked about it on one of the Gritty Bowmen podcasts last year where they unloaded his pack and went through all the gear he was using. Aron's a pretty straight shooter, imo, and I don't think he'd use something unless he thought it was worth its salt, regardless of endorsement deals, etc. I've been thinking about upgrading as well and was planning to look into this soon.

 

[les welch]

I have and use Rocky's stuff and Pauls' stuff. Both work great.

Aron uses Jason Phelps' stuff. I have not used it, so I can't give input.

 

[5MilesBack]

You have to experiment and use what works for "you". Here's an example: I had always heard how great the Phelps diaphragms were. So I ordered some of the larges based on the size I was currently using.....the Carlton's 2.5 and Brown Triple. When I got them, they were identical in size and shape to my current calls, but I couldn't easily put them in and get good sound without "over-trying". So I picked up some of his smalls (1/2" I think), and those I can throw in and call away easily. Have no idea why the larges just like my Carlton's aren't just as easy. But I do know that I certainly don't want a call that doesn't work like second nature to me.

 

[ElkNut1]

First off I'd ask can you use mouth reeds/diaphragms? Or are you looking for bite & blow type (like a duck call) cow calls & bugles? Let us know what style & we can be more helpful.

ElkNut1

 

[Hayguide]

I'm no expert-but I use a Hoochie Mama. On three different occation's I called out bulls at dusk and one in early AM from dark timber that I saw they had entered. I killed all three. This past year I watched a 5-5 and a really nice 6-5 go into dark timber to bed at early daylight from 1/2 mile away. I went back in the afternoon, got the wind right and I called a few cow calls about 1/2 hour before shooting hours. The two bulls came out of the timber very fast and appeared to be looking for the cow. I shot the bigger one which was a 6-5- 4 year old bull. This was on public land in Colorado. The other two were similier situations. One was a small herd that I heard, but did not see. When I called a 4-5 trotted out to look for me-allowing an easy kill. I don't call at all unless I think something is close and I know that they are not down wind. My season is always first season in an easy to draw unit. The third bull I got using the call was the same thing, I watched it go into dark timber from a long distance. I hiked up to the spot and called as the light was fading and at a time when the elk are moving. He came crashing out of the timber and was wheezing-with his nose flared-it was Oct 15th-in NW Colorado. I really like that call!

 

[Steve]

Look into Chris Roe on his website roehuntingresources.com He gives advice on not only how to call, but what the elk are saying and when to use it

 

[elkyinzer]

I'll advise practicing while driving. At home it drives both my dog and wife nuts. Really I don't practice a lot anymore but I sure did getting the hang of it.

It has to be almost second nature. When the pressure is on and you are 75 yards from a screaming bull, you have to stay loose and execute a decent call. Getting all uptight and tense is a sure what to sound like a dying whale. I've always been of the opinion that it's better to keep it simple and emphasize the emotions in the call than trying to learn specific language in terms of complex playbook type things. Get close and piss them off (bulls that is). I've never had any luck with cow calling.

 

[VarmintSniper30]

First off I'd ask can you use mouth reeds/diaphragms? Or are you looking for bite & blow type (like a duck call) cow calls & bugles? Let us know what style & we can be more helpful.

ElkNut1

Never used a diaphragm. Are they more convenient to use than the bite and blow ones.

 

[cnelk]

Over 90% of our calling is cow calling. But we shoot any legal adult elk. Cows, rags, mature bulls.

All open reed calls, using 2-3 in each session of calling.

 

[ssliger]

Buy a few different makes and models of mouth diaphragms. Find which ones you can make sounds out of and go from there. I have had great luck with Rocky Mtn calls. Primos work too. Going to try some Phelps this year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TheCougar]

Not a fan of the hoochie mama. I can't get any sound out of it besides mews that sounds like an alarm. If you are going to try diaphragms, buy a bunch and try them out. They are cheap and a call that works for you may not work for someone else. You really need to just try some out. The names recommended in previous posts are good places to start. When you find a couple you like, buy extras. If you don't want to try diaphragms, the primos hyper lip single and double are simple and easy to use. There are others that use a similar design as well. For bugles, you can use a tube and diaphragm call. Or just go buy a primos terminator bugle. It has an external reed that is stupid easy to use and you can make most elk sounds with it. It has some resonance to it also.

 

[ElkNut1]

"Never used a diaphragm. Are they more convenient to use than the bite and blow ones."

If you're not familiar with them then it will take you several weeks of practice to get decent sounds out of mouth reeds. Once you reach a satisfactory level of sounds you then can continue practice to polish your sounds up as needed! Too, mouth reeds can be used hands free depending on the sound used. -- When using them in conjunction with a grunt tube you can now get bull sounds such as Location Bugles & Challenge Bugles etc. In my opinion your elk sounds produced with mouth reeds are more realistic. This does not mean you cannot call elk with bite & blow calls or squeeze calls like the Hoochie Mama & others. There are external reed bugles that can locate elk as well, it really depends on what your personal preferences are once you've had an opportunity to play around with them.

Personally I prefer a good mouth reed & bugle/grunt tube, with those two I can imitate about any sound a cow or bull makes but they take longer to master than bite & blow calls, to me this is a great advantage as I only need two things to effectively hunt elk. Weigh your needs & the amount of practice you feel is practical to you & go from there!

If wanting to try a mouth reed consider single reeds for starters such as the Mellow Yellow reed by Bugling Bull, it's a very good reed & user friendly!

ElkNut1

 

[Beendare]

My take;

The bite and blow type calls work......and are extremey easy to use......but they are also a distinctive same call every time type sound. I like it when other hunters are using these as you can identify them, "Thats a Sceery" For a rookie though...... these are easier.

I've called elk with these but prefer to use them sparingly mixing them in with other calls as I do think there are savvy elk that when hearing this same sound blown over and over they get suspicious.

The diaphragms are best IMO. You can vary the sound and do all kinds of things with them...though the learning curve is a little longer. Diaphragms are hands free, which is a big advantage. Many times I've used one while at full draw to stop a bull. I like that I can sprinkle in short grunts and groans with the D that add realism to situations.

One negative when it comes to D's is you have to go through a few different ones to find which you like. There is no one size fits all when it comes to these D's.

 

[elkguide]

I have called elk in with everything including a "sippy cup" straw. In days gone by, you'd see the old timers with calls made from pieces of copper tubing.
Diaphragm calls do give you the best option to change things up and add just a little bit of your own flavor to the call. I rarely use a bugle other than to locate or to get a bull to move if he's locked down. I like having a diaphragm call in my mouth when moving because if I break a twig, I can quickly make a cow sound and keep on moving like I was an elk. I do use the bite and blow type calls quite a bit too. They definitely are easier to master and you can change up the tones and speed of the call to change the sound.
Practicing your calling in your truck is a really good idea. Watch and listen to every video that you can. Having talked with the elk for a lot of years I still seem to learn and hear something new every year. And just for what it's worth, one of the worst calls that I ever heard was made by a big 6 point bull!!!!!

 

[KMT]

I've used a few different brands of diaphragm calls and they all work just fine. I can't tell difference among them, and I have called in elk with all of them. They all probably cost about $.03 to make. Buy any one that you want and practice with it. The brand won't matter.

 

[Tsnider]

if your new to it do yourself a favor and buy the Elknut DVD set. a little pricey but well worth it, i wish i had seen it before i went out my first few times. i called an elk in without it once but it was by chance. he explains how to actually talk and understand what the animals are looking to hear back. going to try his calls this year too.

 

[Ross]

Buy a myriad of calls, practice and practice more and mimic elk not people. So many options today and the more elk sounds the better that you can mimic. As noted you need to b able to make the sounds in crunch time