Novice ... Bulge Tubes, are they any different?

[philcox]

I was looking at the new BT from Elk 101 on the Peax site. Then I thought "is it really any different than my current Rocky Mountain Wapiti Whacker Bully Bull Extreme? Was wondering of I should spend the $ on calls, because the tubes are really mostly the same, or if tubes really make a difference. Any insight is appreciated?

If there is a difference, I'd be curious as to thoughts on the ElkBros Soloist and the Elk 101 (very different formats).

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

Unpopular opinion from an outfitter


Honestly, no if you are using a diaphragm call, an old cut whiffle ball bat works just as good as a $100 name brand bugle tube.
Honestly I don’t even bugle anymore in CO on public land unless I have to or am having fun.

It’s a marketing scheme the same as camo


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[philcox]

Unpopular opinion from an outfitter


Honestly, no if you are using a diaphragm call, an old cut whiffle ball bat works just as good as a $100 name brand bugle tube.

This is not surprising to me, and what I viscerally think. Appreciate the input.

 

[Ross]

For the vast majority of callers it does not matter what you use, it is still is crappy and make no difference.

 

[Wheels]

IMO they are all the same, some claim they have baffles to resonate the sound but in the hands of a novice they all sound like a human. I would like to try one of the wood ones on the market but not paying what they want for them.

 

[spike camp]

I’d say the biggest difference, is in the opening size/shape at the mouth side of the tube.
Some just work better than others, depending on your face.

Some of the best sounds to my ears, have come from a whiffle bat.

Another difference I’ve noticed is that when you accidentally bump certain tubes, they can make a much louder sound, compared to others.

I like the elk nut tube, but not for any particular reason other than it works well for me.

To answer your question, I’d get a bunch of different reeds. I think that’s really where things happen naturally, or not.

 

[KyleR1985]

No it doesn’t matter, for most people.

 

[KyleR1985]

That said, I’ve landed on the one that looks like a vacuum cleaner hose. Easiest to pack around.

It doesn’t reach fourcanyons across like the wiffle ball bats. But it’s way easier to tote around.

 

[Buglebrush]

There's differences, but most hunters aren't good enough callers for the tube to matter. Master the mouth reed and then try different tubes. You'll see then that there's differences.

 

[butcherboy]

I won’t spend good money on the foolishness of commercial grunt/bugle tubes. I’ve been using an old vacuum cleaner tube for over 30 years. I use it sparingly now since calling elk has changed dramatically from the late 80’s and early 90’s.

 

[High Climber]

The tube matters… it’s all about Volume. I prefer my wiffle bat but the Phelps, Elknut and a few others are just as good. Once you get decent you’ll be able to notice the slightly different tones between tubes but I doubt an elk can tell

 

[Maverick1]

There are differences, but most aren’t good enough callers to get to that point. Myself included. The right sounding sound, not perfect sound, at the right time makes more difference than anything else.

One season my bugle tube got crushed and I cut the end off a large Gatorade bottle off. Worked fine.

About the only thing that I look for is the size of the opening, personal preference is for a larger opening.

 

[Wagondriver]

I haven't carried or used a bugle tube in at least a decade or more. Elk hunting everywhere I hunted in Colorado was so over called that a bugle sent elk running... away from the bugle.

I can't remember how many times I listened to someone tooting on a bugle every 30 seconds for half an hour or more. The elk, IF they had been there, were long gone.

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

Most guys aren’t qualified to use a bugle anyway, I’ve heard the RMEF calling contest perfect note bugles, the guys that sound like they are trying to play the Star Wars theme song, throwing challenge bugles out at spikes, etc. if you don’t know the 6 basic different bugles that an elk uses and what they mean you shouldn’t be out bugling anyways. Or that’s probably the reason you’re not getting responses.

I’ve seen guys walking in an area with elk right below, scream a bugle and then keep walking, elk bedded 100 yards below them. Their thought was if they don’t answer they’re not there. Bugles are a specialty tool, not something like a crescent wrench,


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[Hnthrdr]

Unpopular opinion from an outfitter


Honestly, no if you are using a diaphragm call, an old cut whiffle ball bat works just as good as a $100 name brand bugle tube.
Honestly I don’t even bugle anymore in CO on public land unless I have to or am having fun.

It’s a marketing scheme the same as camo


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wait we aren’t supposed to bugle every other step?! How does everyone on the hiking trail know it’s September if you don’t bugle 98 times an hour?!

 

[mtnbound]

I was looking at the new BT from Elk 101 on the Peax site. Then I thought "is it really any different than my current Rocky Mountain Wapiti Whacker Bully Bull Extreme? Was wondering of I should spend the $ on calls, because the tubes are really mostly the same, or if tubes really make a difference. Any insight is appreciated?

If there is a difference, I'd be curious as to thoughts on the ElkBros Soloist and the Elk 101 (very different formats).

I have been using the ELK Inc Power Bugle tube (just the tube) for many years, not because it sounds any better, but because it's flexible and stays under whichever armpit I am carrying it under, without getting in the way or rubbing me.

 

[Dmoua]

Power bugle has called in more elk than most would like to admit.