Silly Elk Calling Question... How do you call in a Spike ?

M

MsDestiny

Guest
I know I must be totally insane... but how do you call in just a spike Elk ? I'm figuring if I just pick up the spike tag... I don't want to be bothering the bigger bulls...

Would I just limit myself to cow calls ? The sun is warming up and its time to drive the neighbors crazy. I found out Saturday that Primos is marketing a calf call... more crap for my neck.

Destiny
 
I dont think there is a way to call in just a spike without getting the other bulls attention. The spikes will mostlikely be with or around the cows. I have called a few spikes in but in my experience they dont respond very well. If you can call the cows in the spikes will follow.

No matter what, if you are using a call you will bother the bigger bulls. I think a cow call would work the best to try calling in a spike.
 
THINK I'D INVEST IN ONE OF THEM MOTL CALLS!!!

BASICALLY IT'S GONNA BE LIKE HUNTIN COWS!!!

TELL ME YOU'RE NOT GONNA PLAY WITH THEM BIG BULLS IF YOU GET THE CHANCE???

"I'M NOT COMPLAINING,I'M TELLING IT THE WAY IT IS,SOME OF YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,THATS O.K.,SOMETIMES THE TRUTH HURTS & YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT IT,OR YOU FIND OUT WHAT THE FACTS ARE,STAND UP & VOICE YOUR OWN OPINION,THIS IS STILL AMERICA THE LAST TIME I CHECKED"!!!

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REMEMBER!!!

THERE'S ONLY ONE bobcat!!!
 
http://www.elknut.com
Vortex Optics Dealer


If I were the one who was interested in Spikes the 1st thing I'd do is look at the time of year I'd be hunting them & go from there! Late Oct. to Dec. I'd focus mostly on glassing & looking for groups of elk, snow for tracking these herds would be a plus. Cruising off road for elk sign (tracks) can be a plus. A single elk track would not be best at this time as rare is the case Spikes are alone at that time, look for several elk or larger groups & your odds will increase a spike is in the group. Late Fall & into Winter is not a profitable time to sit water in most areas for obvious reasons. Calling can work at that time but isn't your best bet, glassing & covering ground in variuos ways is.

If your spike hunt falls during the phases of the "rut" now calling can be a huge advantage once elk are located by sound or sight. (glassing) Too, getting into areas where fresh sign is around will enhance your odds. If sign is near feeding areas your best time would be first light to 1 1/2 hour after light. Then again the last 2 hours of daylight or evening. Look for meadows or parks big & small for such activity.
Active water sources or even wallows are a great time to sit during Aug. Sept. hunts as spikes, cows & other elk can frequent them. While sitting spots as these I would keep calling down to a minimum using light chirps & mews with no bugling.

If using "blind type setups" in these feeding areas or transition areas where elk travel to & from, yet elk aren't coming your way now you can introduce selective sounds to draw them over. At times social cow sounds will work but you can up your odds using sounds that require attention or aid from other elk instead of just social sounds.

One of these sounds is a separated calf chirp as you yourself mentioned. This sound does not require a special call, it can be done with a single reed mouth diaphragm or most external reed cow calls with a bit of practice. This sound can attract both cows & spikes first as opposed to mature bulls. Bulls can answer vocally letting this calf know where the herd is but rare is the case they show up 1st or at all. That's a big advantage to you the hunter! When calling is needed as this make sure your setup is in a good place where you're hidden from their view as to where sounds are coming from, you must have these approaching elk come look for you or these sounds! This distance will depend on your choice of weapon! Here's a clip of a separated calf sound, you can see how effective it can be when presented right!
http://www.elkheaven.com/video/calf-web.wmv

Another sound to consider at such areas as "blind type setups" to pull elk your way is the "estrus buzz" this is a sound elk will use especially cows when looking for another elk or group of elk, this sound can really attract attention to any elk within earshot & pull them your way. Once again especially cows & spikes 1st. Cows & spikes are very curious & will investigate other elk groups readily especially if they feel you are really an elk requiring assistance! That's key here, you're are playing on their desire to help out or aid you. Here's the sound!

As you can see from both clips elk will make & rely on selected sounds outside of social chirps & mews to find or attract other elk their way.
Setup is important in all cases & watch that you have the wind in your favor from where you expect their approach. I also like adding in natural elk sounds while calling such as light foot stomping & rustling limbs & brush as if there were elk milling around in the area.
Be willing to wait up to an hour after using such sounds during a setup, be patient & allow things to develop! Good Luck!

ElkNut1
 
We have had outstanding success at calling in spikes and other bulls (mostly raghorns) with the hyper-hot call. Also, the mini-mutator works well too and allows you to really utilize the calf and lost cow calf combo technique. Of course, we hunt the "land of the raghorns" as some people have been calling Colorado... Lots of good advice on hear on how to do it--the main thing (an obvious to most) is to find a area with a lot of fresh sign and better yet, actual elk to observe!
 
Now as Chris Berman once said in an ESPN commercial - "There are no stupid questions - only stupid people who ask them"... (For JB)

JK Ms. Destiny! Just razzin a little!- you didn't say a "stupid" question anyway, - you said "silly" - but that doesn't mean you are silly.

Good question and looks like you got some good answers. In my experience, the best way to find a spike is to find a herd of cows and watch them - they stay near the cows and the herd bulls don't really mess with them too much unless they get overly aggressive.

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)
 
You can use a rubber surgical glove filled with milk to represent teats.
Hold them out from behind a tree and get ready to shoot.
LMAO!!










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Haha.... I'd set out a bowl of milk if I thought it would work

I'm willing to try anything if I thought it would work... Elk Candy... Elk Milk, Plant a field in Elk Yummies for their tummies and install Elk Air Conditioning. LOL

I picked up the new Primos Baby Hoochie Mama today at Smith & Edwards... saved on shipping from the internet... it does sound like a calf. Practice Practice Practice....

Wonder if a Cow Elk Decoy would work????


Destiny
 
RE: Haha.... I'd set out a bowl of milk if I thought it would work

I SEE PUNK IS FAMILIAR WITH THE MOTL CALL!!!

LMAO!!!

"I'M NOT COMPLAINING,I'M TELLING IT THE WAY IT IS,SOME OF YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,THATS O.K.,SOMETIMES THE TRUTH HURTS & YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT IT,OR YOU FIND OUT WHAT THE FACTS ARE,STAND UP & VOICE YOUR OWN OPINION,THIS IS STILL AMERICA THE LAST TIME I CHECKED"!!!

493c3bb236d04499.jpg


REMEMBER!!!

THERE'S ONLY ONE bobcat!!!
 

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