To call or not to call

[luv2huntelk]

To call or not to call? That is the question.

 

[wmr89]

Call

 

[SlimWhitman]

Easy. It depends.


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[Bärenjäger]

You mean call a moderator?

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[Bärenjäger]

What are you selling?

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[Beendare]

Its easy to get screwed up on this with so many folks selling their calling advice.

The best answer to your question is; It depends on the situation. If you don't know what you are doing, calling can easily work against you...or you can just get lucky.

Consider this; when you call, the elk now know exactly where you are....vs being invisible to them prior. Now your only option is to keep calling.

Contrary to the youtube vids....calling is NOT a guaranteed strategy, lots of editing in those vids of the scenarios that didn't work. Many times elk call to create a buffer between them and other herds.

Overall, I like calling....but there are many sub strategies within the calling umbrella.

____

 

[Swede]

Many new archery elk hunters think calling is the magic ticket to getting elk. It is way over used in many areas by hunters that don't know the subtleties involved. Frequency and even length of the call can make a big difference. Every elk bow hunter likely wants to be the Pied Piper of elk, but many are actually training the elk or running them off.
I advocate learning to hunt first then add calling where it fits. You will find a call is a tool and not a magic sound, that puts elk into a trance, to be at your command.

 

[Anozira]

Here is an example of this:

Last year during CO archery season we finally located a small herd of elk in a large bowl and bumped them once or twice but couldn't get into range. I was hunting with a buddy who is very call happy and he couldn't figure out what the problem was. It wasn't until he stopped calling and started silent hunting that we were able to move in and seal the deal.

After reading Beendare's explanation about the elk being able to locate you it makes perfect sense as to what was happening. It was a good learning experience for me personally.

 

[luv2huntelk]

What are you selling?

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What are you selling?

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Ignorance must be bliss! I’ll research hunt units my way thank you. Good luck this season.

 

[BBob]

You can absolutely kill elk regularly without calling if you choose. In heavily pressured areas it might be a good strategy to not call or call very minimally for location purposes only. You can totally sneak on them and kill silently without ever touching a call.

 

[luv2huntelk]

Here is an example of this:

Last year during CO archery season we finally located a small herd of elk in a large bowl and bumped them once or twice but couldn't get into range. I was hunting with a buddy who is very call happy and he couldn't figure out what the problem was. It wasn't until he stopped calling and started silent hunting that we were able to move in and seal the deal.

After reading Beendare's explanation about the elk being able to locate you it makes perfect sense as to what was happening. It was a good learning experience for me personally.

Hate to burst your bubble but Melania is in fact HOT. With that out of way...always let the elk determine if right time to call or not.

 

[Overdrive]

I've always had better luck without calling, I can call just fine and do so for clients when guiding, cause that's what they expect. But when I'm hunting in my off time I don't call, I might give a cow call to see if a bull will bugle back. But if the elk are already talking on their own, I move in quietly and as quick as I can to get the shot, but I do keep a diaphragm in my mouth to stop an elk for a shot. I've been way more successful on mature bull's doing this over the last 15 years. Calling fun, but those elk come in looking for another elk and any little movement to draw your bow or get into a shooting position and they'll pick you out.

 

[5MilesBack]

To me that's like asking "to hunt or not to hunt". I'm not hunting without calling. Even on my moose hunt next month, I'll still be bugling. Can't help it.....it's September, that's what us bulls do.

 

[WVELK]

It depends would be my first answer as well, but that depends as well. I am of the opinion that mistakes teach you more than most things. If you are young and have many falls ahead of you, then my opinion is to call and learn. Now that does not mean open the package your brand new “Giant Bull Gizmo - HERE HE COMES BOYS” call for the first time the first day of season and give it a blow or two. It means utilize what is out there on Youtube and through other avenues to practice and practice before season even gets close. Personally, I really really really like ELKNUT’s APP that can be downloaded and used to teach you a lot about calling.

Now that you have practiced, take the time to ask friends or people on this forum or otherwise to give you some private tips. Hunting with someone who has a lot of experience is even better.

Then go hunting and try calling. Yes, you are going to make mistakes. Yes, you are going to learn from everyone one you make. No, you will not be the only one who does something stupid with a call and an elk within earshot. Everyone on this forum who has hunted elk from anywhere other than their recliner has made mistakes too. So for me, I say call and learn. Then take the time to teach someone what you learned. Pass it on . Good luck to everyone this year!

 

[ganngus]

99% of calling on public land results in calling in other hunters...

 

[WVELK]

99% of calling on public land results in calling in other hunters...

I am going to have to respectfully disagree with that statement. In 29 years of elk hunting I have only hunted private land one time. I have only called in other hunters once in 29 years. If there are that many hunters where you are hunting, find another place to hunt because they are going to run the elk out of there in a day or two anyway.

 

[ganngus]

I am going to have to respectfully disagree with that statement. In 29 years of elk hunting I have only hunted private land one time. I have only called in other hunters once in 29 years. If there are that many hunters where you are hunting, find another place to hunt because they are going to run the elk out of there in a day or two anyway.

I was being facetious.

 

[Swede]

I call in more hunters than elk. The last time I went out calling I brought in two groups (5 hunters) within an hour. (Elk called in: Zero.) And I thought I was in a good area to try calling. After that I just went back to my tree stand in a different area where I got a bull soon after.

 

[trophyhill]

I call in more hunters than elk. The last time I went out calling I brought in two groups (5 hunters) within an hour. (Elk called in: Zero.) And I thought I was in a good area to try calling. After that I just went back to my tree stand in a different area where I got a bull soon after.

funny..... I've called in more elk than hunters. i can spot a phony a mile away. the last thing i want to call in is a hunter. then they'd know where my secret honeyholes are

 

[trophyhill]

To me that's like asking "to hunt or not to hunt". I'm not hunting without calling. Even on my moose hunt next month, I'll still be bugling. Can't help it.....it's September, that's what us bulls do.

agreed 100%! asking me not to call, would be like asking you to sit in a blind