The Caller\'s Friend

[Swede]

There are a lot of videos, DVD, books and other aides for callers out today. These did not exist when I first got started hunting elk. It was trial and error for me, with mostly an emphasis on error. The other day I helped in the development of a calling tutorial on another forum, for elk hunters just starting out. Though the resulting product is quite useful, I believe there are other brief references that could be useful, to go about giving information, that can be referenced in camp or while taking a break during hunting. Attached is what I have personally come up with. It is called The Caller\'s Friend. What I would like is to get ideas from some of you on how to improve it. Let\'s keep it short. A line or two can be added, but the idea is for it to be brief, and useful for elk hunters with little experience calling elk.

THE CALLER\'S FRIEND
1. Location Bugle ? Use to find elk. If the bull answers, get as close as possible w/o being detected, Then cow call. If he calls back to the cow sound, bugle at him and stomp around.
2. Cow sounds ? Use few, at a time. If you get a bull responding, go to him (see tip #1, 6 & 7)
3. Chuckles tell an elk to come. Squawky small bull bugles make them curious.
4. Non-vocal elk sounds when close can aid in attracting elk. These include twig snapping, brush/tree raking, ground stomping, water splashing. A decoy often sells the calls you produce.
5. A series of 1-2 second high pitched, well spaced (lone small bull) can attract other bulls.
6. Options when close to a herd. a. Give one to three, very soft & somewhat whiny cow mews, spaced 2 to 4 minutes apart to draw a satellite bull. b A bugle sometimes with grunts plus stomping, & cow calls, may result in a bull coming. To have the bull between you and the herd is best.
7. Nervous grunt to stop elk for a shot. Time your single grunt/bark for an immediate shot.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Listening: After hearing a bugle, get as close as possible (100 yards or less) before making elk sounds. Go undetected.
Cold Calling: When cold calling use short 2 second or less calls. They are natural & non-intimidating. Be patient. Elk don\'t always answer before coming, & they take their time. Wait at 30-45 minutes or more during these setups & watch, listen. Always be alert & ready. If calling after dark, leave immediately after receiving a bugle back. Return in the morning.
Setup: Always set up when calling. Get as close as possible. Set in front of cover, & in the shadows if possible. In a partner situation, shooter is set (up to 100+ yards out depending on the visibility) in a position to the front and right or left (downwind) from the elk, to get a shot. Caller/decoy should be the focal point for the elk to draw it past the shooter. For a solo hunter, call from a place where the elk is in shooting range, by the time it sees your location. Oftentimes it?s best to call & move to your setup spot that has shooting lanes (the bull will be going to the spot you called from).
Moving in: Stay undetected & move close to the elk. Set up shooter in front, if team hunting. Following tip #1, 2 or 4. If alone, quickly & unobserved move forward, or to the side & set up.

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

I think it\'s important for me to state that hunters need to be careful when talking about grunts, chuckles, and barks.

Elk chuckle and can chuckle with greater impact. Fact is, both have the same general meaning. Defining two different sounds, grunts and chuckles, will only lead to confusing the newbie.

Same with barks. Situation and delivery does not change the overall meaning because a bark is a bark! Sure you can attempt to describe it better by saying \"nervous bark\", but that\'s like saying \"Wet Water\". The bark itself is a nervous sound and when used by elk, it demands satisfaction to ease nervousness.

My 2-cents.

 

[WW]

Lots of lookers but no responders. But let me say this with a little humor!

The next time I call a bull and he hangs up about 50 yards out, I just hope he stays there long enough for me to look through my playing cards, my playbook, my RHR smart phone app, my YouTube computer, or give a phone call to the Worlds Leading Expert in the Elk Hunting Field.

Any more junk and I\'ll have to hire a packer to haul it all for me. :crazy: :wtf:

 

[Swede]

John: You are right. I am not sure how to include your input. Is it just for information? I will hold off on making changes, or you can, when we see what anyone may want to offer. WW: I don\'t know if a person would want to carry a card with them on their hunt. If they are thinking of packing a book, or know what is on the card, then why bother. The card is just a brief way for inexperienced hunters to get a quick plan. The book and videos may have a whole catalog of options. Even if I had never seen an elk, I wouldn\'t want to try to sort through a book of options when I get close to an elk, or want to sit down and try some cold calling. The card will give you one or two proven tactics that should cover most situations.
I saw a typo and changed #5 a bit.

Thanks for the input guys. That goes for you too WW.

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

\"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.\"

I feel the same way a out elk calling. Give the hunter a sequence, feed him for a day;teach the hunter what sounds mean and you feed him for a lifetime.

Most instructional material out there, if not all, will only given the man a fish. And some criticize me by saying, \"Why does it matter what the sounds mean?\" Well, I guess I\'d rather be feed for a lifetime. :upthumb:

So, what do I think the newbies should learn? Teach them what the sounds mean, start a spark in them, and let them apply it against the behavioral flavor of elk they chase.

That\'s my addition to the card and only my 2-cents.

JF

 

[otcWill]

I think its a pretty good list for an inexperienced elk hunter in terms of calls. Only input I have is I\'d not recommend a new caller do any chuckling. IMO chuckling is for contests and way too many guys ruin their perfectly good bugles with chuckles at the end. In my experience, a chuckle has never increased my odds or sealed the deal when calling a bull in. I guess its kind of a \"less is more\" hypothesis of mine.

 

[cohunter14]

We have got a very solid list of some longtime elk slayers here, so let me pose a few additional questions based on some of the responses:

1) WW mentioned that having something to refer to can get cumbersome and also may not be realistic in the heat of the moment. So, how did you all (and anyone else) learn to call? How did you learn when to use each call? Do you believe that this is simply something that can only be learned with experience or can someone increase their learning curve in another way?

2) JF mentioned figuring out what a sound means. It seems that there are a lot of different interpretations on what each sound may or may not mean and each individual has their own opinions that may or may not match up with others. So is there a way to truly know what each sound means? Or are there a few basic sounds that everyone can agree means basically the same thing, i.e. a nervous bark/grunt means \'show yourself to me\'? It just seems that when talking about the elk language, we always end up with this cartoon:

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

We have got a very solid list of some longtime elk slayers here, so let me pose a few additional questions based on some of the responses:

1) WW mentioned that having something to refer to can get cumbersome and also may not be realistic in the heat of the moment. So, how did you all (and anyone else) learn to call? How did you learn when to use each call? Do you believe that this is simply something that can only be learned with experience or can someone increase their learning curve in another way?

2) JF mentioned figuring out what a sound means. It seems that there are a lot of different interpretations on what each sound may or may not mean and each individual has their own opinions that may or may not match up with others. So is there a way to truly know what each sound means? Or are there a few basic sounds that everyone can agree means basically the same thing, i.e. a nervous bark/grunt means \'show yourself to me\'? It just seems that when talking about the elk language, we always end up with this cartoon:

2) I feel the biggest problem is reading too much into the sound. It seems like all the \"professionals\" make it so much more complicated than it really is. Like Bill stated on a previous thread, elk don\'t reason they react. A bark is a nervous expression, period. And the nervous expression can be replied to in many different ways(ie the elk shows itself, calls back, the hunter moves and the elk gets a visual,etc).

Others can add purpose and logic to certain sounds but that only narrows down the scope. Then when confronted with a conflict, they use phrases such as \"You have to have many years experience to hear and understand the difference\". Hmmm....whatever!

Bark is a bark not matter what. And a bark is a nervous expression!

My dos centevos and worth no mas!

 

[cohunter14]

So what other sounds could you teach a newbie the meaning of John? Teach us to fish! :upthumb:

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

Bark = expressing nervousness.
Growl = expressing a warning.
Pure Bugle = expressing ones geographical location.
Chuckles = expressing dominance.
Moan = expressing agitation.

I use to drink the \"Challenge Bugle\" cool-aid. My many days of hunting combined with what I witnessed out in the woods taught me that many of the \"labeled\" sounds are an attempt to add more content than what\'s really there. Hunters scratch their heads and think now was that a Challenge Bugle, Advertising Bugle, or a Warning Bugle? In the mean time, little Johnny Satellite Bull knows exactly what the meaning was. :think: Remember, elk have a lot smaller brain then we do and do not reason or express logic.

Once again, my 2-cents and worth nothing more.

JF