Elk Hunting Forum - Trial and Error

[trophyhill]

So if you\'re looking for calling approaches here is mine right or wrong. Going on my 7th year hunting elk with my bow, I\'ve made a ton of mistakes calling as one can imagine. After some tutelage from the best caller I know, I\'ve gotten better at the core calls we should all be able to do. I\'ve learned to call less but at the same time give my calls meaning thru timing and adding emotion to my sounds. By calling less and hopefully at the right times I have narrowed down my calls to the ones I do best and have the most control over my reeds on. I don\'t want to sound like a phony when the \"moment of truth\" could be staring me in the face screamin and chuckling. I\'ve narrowed it down to locate bugles, challenge bugles or screams with or without grunts and courtship bugles with chuckles, and a few cow sounds. The reason I\'ve narrowed down my calling is to keep it simple and perform at my best. With all the information floating around out there it\'s very easy to complicate a simple situation. I\'m not where I want to be yet as a caller but I\'m working on it. My successes have come out of trial and error and my unsuccesses spawn from trial by fire. How bout you guys?

 

[Deertick]

My calling improved, I think, when I moved from concentrating on the \"notes\" (as if I was playing a song from music) to \"emotion\" (think jazz or blues).

Much more \"communicative\" and the elk seemed more interested.

So now, if I want to sound like a \"pissed-off\" bull, I just get pissed-off and let it rip.

Sounding \"horny\" is a little trickier. :lol: :lolno:

 

[Bob Frapples]

Think you right on with that deertick, calling with emotions seem to get better results and the sounds flow much better when I use any kinds of game calls.

 

[Bullnuts]

That\'s exactly why I won\'t use the hoochie mama type calls. They sound the same no matter what. Emotion, longing, and those oh so sexy, raspy, Stevie Nicks - like tones that say I\'m a bad cow and will probably need a spanking pretty soon just aren\'t possible with the hoochie, no matter what the name.

 

[Bob Frapples]

?.........Stevie Nicks - like tones that say I\'m a bad cow and will probably need a spanking pretty soon........

Lol, dang, I forgot how much a coke burns coming out your nose.

 

[cnelk]

I also call with emotion most of the time, and with multiple calls with good success.
BUT...
There are times that just a soft lost calf call works wonders.

Here is a short vid we made a few years ago.
Some of you may have seen it, other may haven not
This is very very deadly where we hunt.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTbeRBmVfyE[/youtube]

 

[flystrait]

I totally agree about using emotion in your calls. Your spot on. I work on my calling several times a week because I\'m never satisfied. I do believe that the type of tube will be a negative or positive no matter how good one is. Since this is different forum than the other I will come out and just say that most tubes that are being pushed are not very well made for great sounds and some actually suck IMO. Rocky\'s tubes Bugling bull game calls makes one of the best production tubes for use with a reed on the market and there are a few others out there as well just not on the store shelves.

 

[Bullnuts]

Lol, dang, I forgot how much a coke burns coming out your nose.

You\'re welcome! :lol:

 

[cnelk]

Since this is different forum than the other I will come out and just say that most tubes that are being pushed are not very well made for great sounds and some actually suck IMO. Rocky\'s tubes Bugling bull game calls makes one of the best production tubes for use with a reed on the market and there are a few others out there as well just not on the store shelves.

This right here everyone is what this forum is about.
We want to hear your opinions.
What works. What doesnt.
We are here to learn.

My personal thanks to \'flystraight\' for this post

 

[americanbwana]

I started leaving my crew served, after market modified bugle tube home years ago.

The best tube I ever had was a Wayne Carlton tube I lost about 8 years ago.

Taped together water bottles don\'t work so well :downthumb:

 

[Bullnuts]

A lot of tubes just have a plastic sound to them. I personally like the sawed off whiffle ball bat that I made last year. It doesn\'t have a huge bell on the end and doesn\'t resonate as badly as others I\'ve used.

 

[trophyhill]

I also call with emotion most of the time, and with multiple calls with good success.
BUT...
There are times that just a soft lost calf call works wonders.

Here is a short vid we made a few years ago.
Some of you may have seen it, other may haven not
This is very very deadly where we hunt.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTbeRBmVfyE[/youtube]

Great video Brad!

 

[Deertick]

Brad ... that is a great video, and it would seem like a killer technique ...

But ... your point above said it was an example of how the softest cow call is all that is needed sometimes. But you were putting some emotion into it. Those were some pretty \"excited\" cow calls.

In that set up, do you generally use just soft mews and chirps, or get more \"excited\" like that?

 

[cnelk]

For setups like the one in the video, pretty much excited calls.

When we call from our tree stands, we use just soft mews, every few minutes

 

[trophyhill]

For setups like the one in the video, pretty much excited calls.

When we call from our tree stands, we use just soft mews, every few minutes

Brad, I really like my Fighting Cow call and my Temptress. That call you\'re using has a different pitch. I like it! What call are you using?

 

[cnelk]

Elk Junky

If I remember correctly, that call was the Primos \'I MAKA DA BULL CRAZY\'

I like that call, but dont have it anymore, gave it away.
The Wayne Carlton \'Fightin Cow\' is one I will always have with me

 

[elkmtngear]

Rocky\'s tubes Bugling bull game calls makes one of the best production tubes for use with a reed on the market and there are a few others out there as well just not on the store shelves.

Rocky had a booth right behind us and \"called me in\" at the NABA Show in Reno about a month ago...dear Lord he\'s amazing! I had never met him or talked with him before, very nice fella. I learned a lot about the realities of Wolf hunting from him.

Impressive sounds he was getting out of that tube...but hey, he\'s Rocky

Good team strategy for ground setups, Brad. We have used similar tactics over the years...and I also just use soft cow mews from treestands !

 

[WW]

Before I get myself in trouble here, is it alright to mention a product by name, and the manufacturer, and point out the (bad) as well as the (good) points about their product?

 

[bowhunter]

I am not the one to say \"yes\" or \"no\" but you opinion is respected. Ok by me......

 

[cnelk]

Bill
I dont see an issue with you giving a \'Gear Review\', as I know you will be professional about it