Right call for my hunt

[hollysdad]

I've drawn a fishlake archery LE tag.
My problem is that as hard as I've tried through the years I can not seem to get the hang of a diapham call. I'm just plain horrid. Is there a bugle call out there that would be easier to master? I'll be hunt for the most part with my brother-in-law who is an awsome bugler, but since he lives up north, is there a call I can master and use, that when say I'm able to run up on the mountain for an afternoon hunt on my own. I already have a few cow calls that I think I'm not bad at.

 

[NMPaul]

Primos Pack Bugle is an easy one to use and to carry.

 

[BUGLEMN]

DEEP TIMBER SOUNDS BUGLE. I'VE USED THIS CALL FOR 12 YEARS AND I LOVE IT. IT REALLY SOUNDS GOOD. ANYBODY ELSE USE THIS CALL?

BUGLEMN

 

[coloradoelkhunter]

The macdaddy by wayne carlton is a pretty good one. You can buy the miss macdaddy which is the same call with just a different muffler on the end and then buy a compatible grunt tube and then you can make all kinds of sounds with this call from mews to bugles by simply switching between the muffler and the grunt tube. If you decide to pick one of these up, I would suggest purchasing some replacement diaphragms that that fit inside the call, since, like all diaphragm calls, they do wear out.

 

[slamdunk]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-05-07 AT 12:03PM (MST)[p]I suggest shying away from any big bull sounds, they tend to push away bulls. Big mature Bulls don't necessarily bugle to fight, they bugle to see where their rivals are at. If they already have cows, they'll listen to where you (the rival on the bull call) is and move away from you. I have guided and hunted monster bulls for 17 years with one of the best outfitters in the west and have learned this technique to hold true 9 out of 10 times. I suggest you only use cow calls....trust me on this, and good luck!!

 

[proutdoors]

Using a bugle to locate can be very effective. I prefer silence most of the time when hunting Utah's archery season. Hunt the waterholes and wallows. Maybe use a cow(low-key) call every now and then. I would only use a bugle when 'cruising' ridges for locating. The ONLY rule to calling elk is to keep the wind right, everything else is a gamble. What works for you today may not tomorrow. Sitting at trailheads, wallows, and waterholes will work if there are elk in the area. There is NO sure fire calling method. IMHO

PRO

 

[slamdunk]

Bingo proutdoors, i totally agree.
Use the call for a locator, then get the wind in my face and move in.
I have noticed however, that "being slient" can kill you. If i am moving in on a "lazy" heard, or a relaxed heard, i make light noises on the ground (like snapping a twig on occasion) and cow call so they think a wandering cow or two is coming in and not a sneaky predator. I use a mouth diaphram along with a hand held to make plural cow sounds....it works incredibly well!!
But if i'm watching a water hole or wallow, it's wind in the face and pure silence and patience.
I'm all excited now, let's go!!

 

[Packout]

Hoochie Mama. I find bulls in the rut will respond to a cow call just as much as they respond to a bull. And any 5 year old can make a Hoochie Mama squeal. I use Carlton palate calls for both cow and bull, but once I did lower myself to call in a bull with a Hoochie Mama, which I took out of the gene pool.

 

[elknut1]

http:www.elknut.com


I would seriously reconsider the mouth diaphragm. It's the absoulte best sounding tool out there today. I would consider trying a variety of different calls before I threw in the towel! (grin) Make sure you stay with single reeded calls, thery're the most user friendly ones out there today. You don't mention having an issue with gag reflex or tickling.

It appears that you just don't sound good yet!!Persistence pays off, I would give it another go around, a mouth call is so versatile to use & is hands free in crunch time for crucial sounds. You by all means will need the use of a bugle to be a complete elk hunter. By being properly versed & able to make various sounds there will be no encounter that you won't be able to handle with the right knowledge & sounds. Hang in there, it's worth it!!

You might even practice into a tape recorder so you can track your progress, you may be doing better than you think!

ElkNut1

 

[coues52]

I agree with "slamdunk",A big bull doesn,t want to fight no more than you would with a girlfriend or two,lol.If I,m by myself I like to use a cow call,if I have a friend with me,we tag team him (young bull with a girl in the bushes)drives an old bull crazey.I use sceery or H ma ma ( I also use mouth calls)just takes practice.Good luck,sounds like a great tag.Danny

 

[slamdunk]

hollysdad-
Another tactic that works well for those early "pre rut" archery hunts if you want to use a lot of bugeling, is too sound small. The younger bulls start rounding up cows before they are in heat and the bigger bulls wait for this to happen before they step in and take over. Those big bulls arent dummies, they let the young guys do all the work, then they bully their way in there and take 'em all. The big boy lying in the tree's might come check out what that young dude is doing, and that young dude will be YOU. And that could be his worst mistake.

 

[Muley69]

I use a bugle a lot, and with excellent success. In fact, I'm not much of a fan of the estrus whine cow calls at all. The majoirty of the bulls I call in are done with bugling, not cow calls. Every Tom, #####, and Harry is running around the woods calling like a banshee with a cow call. The best method is to consider the time of year, and the situation you are in, and have a multiple calling arsonal to work with, including cow and bugle calls. I have just harrassed big herd bulls with an agressive bugle until they were cutting me off with a scream and comming in on a string. Bugling has gotten a very bad rap over the last decade, but it is still very effective if administered properly. Cow calling is effective to if done correctly. I can't count how many time I've listed to guys doing a lost cow call while a bull is bugling at them 80 yards away, or guys doing an estrus whine in the early season. Every call has it's place, but the circumstances should dictate what call and how it is used.

 

[hollysdad]

Thanks for all the input guys, it was very welcomed.
after reading all the responses I've decided to go with 'NMPaul's sugestion, the 'primos pack bugle'.
Thanks again for your responses they were much apprecated.

 

[southmountain]

MULEY69 made more sence then I have heard in a while . Now adays guys pack a bugle and with a few exceptions dont use them much . In the eighties everybody used the bugle I feel its swung back to the bugle being a bit more effective. Of course if your hunting within a mile of a road in one of Co otc units the elk are gonna be slient but you will hear alot of Suburbanite neophytes.
Over the last 6 years the number of elk we have called in with cow calls has dropped significantly and the number of bulls we have literally pissed off with agressive bull sounds has sky rocketed. We only resort to aggresive calling if the rut is very hot or nothing else is working otherwise locate em and head em off .

 

[Muley69]

Glad to hear of your bugling success SouthM. Listening to most of the guys around here, you would think that a herd bull is a total coward, makes one wonder how they got to be herd bulls in the first place. Let me say this right here right now, a herd bull will fight much of the time. I'm not saying that is the preferred method by bulls, but given the right circumstances, he'll come to fight. In the early season there may be a few bulls who are out of their leauge and can't hold their cows, they'll run. There is a poster on here named Elknut, I suggest a look at his videos. He comfirmed a lot of what I already knew, gave me some fresh ideas, and explained some things I didn't quite understand. Mainly, I thought I was alone in my pro-bugling style, turns out there are lots of guys who stillo live by the bugle. I suggest everyone read Lipinski's book on solving elk problems. Again, some good ideas and fresh prospective.

 

[ultimateshedfreak]

i have hunted a lot on fishlake during the spike hunt and most of the time they responde more to cow calls and bugle to locate them i use a primos pack bugle and there hyper lip double reeded call and they work great

 

[400PLUS]

Muley69 has been around the block a time or two I have taken some giant bulls and they were called in with a bugle not a cow call when that big bull has a cow in heat that he is chasing he does not care about a cow on the outside of his herd, but bugle at him and see what happens. Its not what call that works it's all timing to how and when to use each one that works.

Well said Muley