D
dawgvet
Guest
Getting started elk hunting and would like recommendations for my first elk calls (cow and bull). Been looking at Primos and E.L.K.,Inc. calls. Any input appreciated.
Jed
Jed
D
dleonard3
Guest
I like the E.L.K. Power Bugle mouth piece, on an Abe & Sons grunt tube. It's easy to make perfect sounding bugles, and it has authentic volume (power). There are lots of squeeze type cow/calf calls out there that sound fine. You might want to get several different ones so you can switch up and keep the bulls guessing.
C
canhunter
Guest
Primos Single reed cow call. Primos plates in different colors with any tube you prefer.
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AHT
Guest
I carry the Primo's Pack Bugle. It's pretty easy to get some good sounds out of it with just a little practice. It's also small and compact. For cow calls, I agree with the above posts to carry more than one. I use the "bite-n-blow" type calls, which produce good sounds with virtually no practice.
G
gil_wy
Guest
>Hoochie mama
What he said...
What he said...
S
slider
Guest
First Calls? The Primos Hoochie-Mama,The Primos Pack Bugle and a White Primos Reed(Its the easiest to blow)!!! Good Luck
M
maddglasser
Guest
LAST EDITED ON Mar-15-07 AT 06:27PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Mar-15-07 AT 06:18?PM (MST)
The advice on a call you can get is no call. First learn elk and their behavior. Second learn why elk make certain sounds : bulls don't always bugle to challenge and cows don't always hyper call to breed. Third learn when elk make individual sounds. Fourth learn what other hunters sound like and try not to be like them! First things first, making elk noise is easy but knowing when, where, and why is more important to being a succesful caller. Spend some time amongst elk and then make up your mind what call sounds the best to you. Even then use your calls sparingly and try to stalk as much as you can. All elk calls can sound like elk, it is your job to make it sound like elk. Remember call manufactures make money on selling "secret" cure alls for success, if they told you all were pretty much the same they wouldn't make much money!
Travis
www.southwesthuntingadventures.com
The advice on a call you can get is no call. First learn elk and their behavior. Second learn why elk make certain sounds : bulls don't always bugle to challenge and cows don't always hyper call to breed. Third learn when elk make individual sounds. Fourth learn what other hunters sound like and try not to be like them! First things first, making elk noise is easy but knowing when, where, and why is more important to being a succesful caller. Spend some time amongst elk and then make up your mind what call sounds the best to you. Even then use your calls sparingly and try to stalk as much as you can. All elk calls can sound like elk, it is your job to make it sound like elk. Remember call manufactures make money on selling "secret" cure alls for success, if they told you all were pretty much the same they wouldn't make much money!
Travis
www.southwesthuntingadventures.com
3
30inchbuck
Guest
"elk noise is easy but knowing when, where, and why is more important to being a succesful caller"
Well said !
With that I will recommend the Elk Nut series of DVD's - You will learn more watching those videos than any other thing you can do.
The calls are more about preference. I perfer diaphrams and found the Elk inc. ones fit me best. When Primos went to the "Sonic Dome" I had a hard time making them sound good. I am actually thinking about ordering the kits to build my own this year.
Well said !
With that I will recommend the Elk Nut series of DVD's - You will learn more watching those videos than any other thing you can do.
The calls are more about preference. I perfer diaphrams and found the Elk inc. ones fit me best. When Primos went to the "Sonic Dome" I had a hard time making them sound good. I am actually thinking about ordering the kits to build my own this year.
woodruffhunter
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 3,675
LAST EDITED ON Mar-16-07 AT 03:10PM (MST)[p]Diaphram calls (cow) are very inexpensive. But a few, listen to
"real" elk talk and practice until you wear a few out. The
Hoochie Mama is a good call, but they do not last long and can
malfuncion in extremely cold weather (mine did). Buy 2 of them, so you have a backup. Depending on this call only would be crazy IMO. Since they are so easy to use, most elk hunters use them. I truly believe that some elk grow wise to the same call.
As with humans, elk have distinguished, different sounds (raspy, low, high....). Now is a great time to start practicing.
They elk we got last year was with a "Hoochie Mama". However, I
did use a Diaphram call often. Good Luck!!!!
PS: the previous poster gave some great advice....
"real" elk talk and practice until you wear a few out. The
Hoochie Mama is a good call, but they do not last long and can
malfuncion in extremely cold weather (mine did). Buy 2 of them, so you have a backup. Depending on this call only would be crazy IMO. Since they are so easy to use, most elk hunters use them. I truly believe that some elk grow wise to the same call.
As with humans, elk have distinguished, different sounds (raspy, low, high....). Now is a great time to start practicing.
They elk we got last year was with a "Hoochie Mama". However, I
did use a Diaphram call often. Good Luck!!!!
PS: the previous poster gave some great advice....
M
manny15
Guest
well thats how they do it on T.V...
R
Roadtrip
Guest
I have come to learn that "Less is More".
One trip, I had to steal this guys Bugle and hide it from him before he ran every bull out of the basin. Think about it, If a bull has cows...and you challenge him, 50/50 he's packing his bags and leaving. He has his ladies...why fight? Mess up your call and it becomes 80-20 he's gone. If anything....learn a simple "lost cow" and only hit it a couple of times. Be patient...and wait. Just like someone said above, learning Not to blow, and resisting...is so key. Also...if your area is heavily hunted...they will be so call shy...the only thing that may work is a single mew....very, very sparingly used. I usually carry 3-4 cow calls, and nothing else. Mostly to cover my own noise when I'm careless and step or fall on some blow down. I like using my nose and 6th sense to find them.....then the cow call is handy when they are sketchy...and you need to relax them.
Cheers
Roadtrip
"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life son" Dean Wormer, Animal House
One trip, I had to steal this guys Bugle and hide it from him before he ran every bull out of the basin. Think about it, If a bull has cows...and you challenge him, 50/50 he's packing his bags and leaving. He has his ladies...why fight? Mess up your call and it becomes 80-20 he's gone. If anything....learn a simple "lost cow" and only hit it a couple of times. Be patient...and wait. Just like someone said above, learning Not to blow, and resisting...is so key. Also...if your area is heavily hunted...they will be so call shy...the only thing that may work is a single mew....very, very sparingly used. I usually carry 3-4 cow calls, and nothing else. Mostly to cover my own noise when I'm careless and step or fall on some blow down. I like using my nose and 6th sense to find them.....then the cow call is handy when they are sketchy...and you need to relax them.
Cheers
Roadtrip
"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life son" Dean Wormer, Animal House
B
Bozeman
Guest
B
boneaddict
Guest
Roadtrip nailed it!
I spend a ton of time out messing with the elk. Most of the time I can tell it's a man and not a bull by the sound. Every once in awhile a good caller will almost fool me. I can ALWAYS tell its a man by how often he blows his call.
out of all the bugles, I think Abe has the best volume. Many of the others are too flute like, but as previously mentioned, they are more for preference. Diaphrams can be hard for some to learn. The can produce great sound. It will all depend on you!
I spend a ton of time out messing with the elk. Most of the time I can tell it's a man and not a bull by the sound. Every once in awhile a good caller will almost fool me. I can ALWAYS tell its a man by how often he blows his call.
out of all the bugles, I think Abe has the best volume. Many of the others are too flute like, but as previously mentioned, they are more for preference. Diaphrams can be hard for some to learn. The can produce great sound. It will all depend on you!
N
no_draws
Guest
I try to only use my cow calls when I get busted. If the elk act like they know somethings up then you can sit still for a while and let them settle by dropping an occasional cow mew.
JG >>-------->
JG >>-------->
