Silent calling?

[Trad Bow 1979]

I put in for all my archery elk hunts here in northern NM. All hunts are for Sep 1-15, so I'm sure I'll miss the swing of the rut. I've been reading a bit about silent calling. The routine I am seeing is a combo of heard talk, a few estress sounds, and ended by s single bugle with no growls or chuckles every 5 min for at least 45 min. Anyone have any luck with this?

 

[Anaconda]

That is basically the sequence I have used to call in a number of bulls.

Try to sound like a small herd that contains several cows, at least one in estrus. The only bull sounds are the short, high pitch bugle of a frustrated young rag horn. Include a few calf sounds. I use several different calls, and include a squeeze bulb call so I can produce two simultaneous calls.
Have a good set up and be ready. I blew a chance at a decent 6X6 in Montana a few years back when he came in running within seconds of the first call. It happened so fast I wasn?t ready.

 

[Trad Bow 1979]

Thanks for the feedback! So I practiced the routine just now, I found it hard juggling calls. LOL! I got a hoochie mama but I am always cautious about using it because it seems to sound a little too much like a warning chirp or bark. The bugle I'm using is a primos bull horn. I am glad I started practicing now, this is gonna take some work.

 

[WapitiBob]

Grab one of the Abe and sons estrus calls on camofire whan they show up. Add a hyperlip single with the tone converter, nice relaxed bugles and no grunts. You can add a little toilet paper or cotton balls inside the tone converter also.
Bulls will be bugling well by the 10th if you're in a decent area. Add some raking too.

 

[muley505]

I also primarily hunt elk in NW NM, and the majority of the bulls I've called in have come in silently or nearly silently because the archery season is poorly timed (too early) in this part of the state in my opinion. It definitely works better if you have glassed them up beforehand and know their general location so you can get the wind in your favor and know that there are actually elk in the area you are calling. Most of the bulls I've called in have been on the smaller side, so I usually go very light on the bugling as I don't want to scare them off. However, if you do know the bull you are after is a large, dominant bull (determined by your glassing efforts), bugling is fine. I have used the Hoochie Mamma with very good success, and I do like being able to have more than one call going at the same time because I think it's more realistic. I would definitely wait no less than 30 minutes, and an hour would be better (especially if you know there are elk in the immediate area); most of the bulls I have called in have come in within the 25-45 minute timeframe.

 

[drthornton]

I hunted Northern NM last year 1-15. I called a small bull in with a single locate our first evening on the 6th.

I don't think you'll have much problem locating bulls.

 

[WillPower]

I have had lots of action off silent calling in NM over the years. Above advice is good. I don't do the bugle part. Patience is key and not getting winded is the hard part ! Good luck on your hunt!

WP

"My only regret in life is setting my goals too low"

 

[Trad Bow 1979]

Thank you all for the feedback!