Elk calling for a newbie

[spike buck]

Drew an elk tag for Montana and this will be my first time. Counting the days!!! No outfitter and I will be with a few experienced guys. My question is what is the best and easiest call to master and where to purchase them. I would really like to get the hang of a diphragm so I could call hands free. There is a ton of info on youtube for calling but not sure what brand or number of reeds is best. Thanks...James

Track down Dave Peterson's article from TBM, "The Silence of the Bulls." Then get yourself an easy cow call like the Primos Hoochie Mama. You'll do fine.

[bowbenderman]

Only killed one elk with traditional equipment, so I guess I am no expert but I had many calls an could watch the elks reaction to them in a meadow one day.  The one I had the best luck with is a Primo's hyper lip, just the regular one.  All the bulls reacted to this call very well.  I agree with the mouth call also up close, no movement, just practice calling very softly.

[IdahoCurt]

Get a diaphragm and learn how to do the perfect cow call.Listen to tapes of real elk and just practice.
Bugles will come after mastering the cow call plus I call in more elk with cow calling although bugling is great to locate.
I try not to use store bought blow calls because if other people over use them you will scare more elk than call in,they all sound the same.
I like diaphragms because you can change pitch,intensity,you name it.

[jason1040]

Remember that less is more. Every year there are tons of people that head to the mountains after watching all of the latest and greatest elk hunting videos and listening to all of the tapes. What happens is that they over call all day long and all of the elk get call shy and shut up by 8am.

Less is more...if I can tell that it is a dude across the canyon then a bull can definitely tell the difference. Calling is still very effective and probably the most exciting thing you will experience. But remember to keep it low key and get in close before trying to call. I'm sure that you have had a lot of experience hunting turkeys in Indiana, the calling in of these two species is very similar. Roost them the night before (do glassing and scouting to know where the 'elky' areas are). It is always best if you have an turkey gobble on his own so you can sneak in for a close set up (same with elk, if you can sneak to within <150 yds before you make a soft call then your chances for them to come in increase drastically). And with turkeys, think of their route for them to take to come in, make it easy for them such as no blow downs, large meadows, or any other obstacles for the elk to come through.

I hope this helps, but remember that LESS IS MORE.

[FerretWYO]

Jason already said it LESS IS MORE. Practice and Master the call. Use it sparingly.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Pick one call and learn it well then expand to more for diversity.  The best advice is to hunt with one of the experienced guys and listen to them.  The best advice is do not overcall!  Way to many idiots out there buggeling constantly and teaching the bulls to stay away.  Stick with cow talk and spend a lot more time looking and listening than calling.  .05% calling the rest looking and listening.

[rappstar]

It was easiest for me to learn cow talk with an external reed type call like this one:

 http://stores.elknut.com/Detail.bok?no=59

You can easily make excited cow calls, lost cow calls and standards mews with this call.  Sounds good too.  You could be proficient with this call prior to the season.

[MAT]

The elknut guys are the best source of info. Get a tape or DVD to hear how and more importantly when to call.  

The best advice for any new elk hunter is do NOT chase them around!  If you are spooking elk you are doing something wrong!  Half the battle with elk is finding a herd, when you do hunt them but don't push it, if things are not going your way back out and hunt them another day.  They are not like deer, if you bump them they won't return.

That is why you'll find so many prime areas on public with old elk sign, other hunters drive them out because they don't know how to hunt them.

[Montanawidower]

I've hunted elk with a bow for nearly 20 years in both Montana and Colorado.  Calling is just as effective as it ever has been.  Bad calling is just as ineffective as it always has been.   .  We bugle bulls in every year.  It is not rocket science.  The key is the chuckle.  I hunt with a guy from Dillon that turned me on to excited cow calling with tending, herding bull chuckles and squeels.  It is crazy effective if done right.  Elknut out of Idaho is from the same school of thought.  His stuff is the best advice on this subject.   Good luck and pm me with any questions.

[overbo]

Remember!!
Most elk calls are made for hunters ears not elk ears.They are too LOUD if not used correctly

[spike buck]

Thanks for the info guys. I have researched and it seems that you kinda have to see what diphragm fits best. It's not one size fits all. Any recommendations for the best brand / model for cow sounds so I can try a few?

[IdahoCurt]

Here is a link to elk nuts calls  http://stores.elknut.com/Categories.bok?category=Elk+Calls+and+Mouth+Reeds

 These work very well and I also like the primos ultra thin cow diaphragm.

I would just get single and double reeds.I like to sound just a bit smaller than the bull I'm after

Get yourself a bugle tube with an expansion chamber on the end "chuckler"(elk nuts).these tubes make very life like calls and give you many different sounds.
practice and you will be able to make elk sounds like a pro.

For locating bulls you can use any bugle "BUT" when you are in close (under 100yrds) and need to mimic the exact sounds,intensity,chuckles of the bull your after I have found the above setup to consistently fool the elk.When you do get a bull interested and he does start to come your way,as others have said less is more.You are basically trying to call as little as possible while still maintaining his curiosity.
When a bull hears you they have the uncanny ability to pinpoint exactly the spot you are standing on,I very rarely bugle right back in the elks direction with close bulls.I throw calls to the side and behind me trying to throw off my location.
Bugle very sparingly while throwing in various cow sounds and you will be on your way.

[Tracks]

It's all about what works for you...
But for mouth calls the primos sonic dome diaphragm calls for for me.  Practice your calling in the car with CDs.  Practice storing the call in your cheek and flipping it up onto your tongue to make a call.  Get used to having a call in your mouth for hours on end so it is ready when you need it.
 The primos hyperlips single external reed is an excellent cow call producer.  Great sound until you get too much moisture under the reed.  What "they" call the "hyper estrus call" really seems to get the bulls talking back, even if they don't respond to other calls, but I don't know if it draws them into bow range necessarily.  

That's the trick with calling... makes it easier to find elk and get within 100 yds, but it is still tricky to close the distance to bow range...

[Montanawidower]

IdahoCurt has the right idea.  I agree with nearly every thing he's saying.  One thing everyone has yet to mention is terrain and set up.  Bulls know exacty where your call is coming from 100 yards and in.  They will often make this distinct roaring scream when they commit to coming.  My buddy and I usually smile when we hear this because we know he's a coming!  If you have a partner, set up 40 to 100 yards in front of the caller. (on public land where we hunt that is NOT the middle of a meadow like on Primos videos.  IN fact we disagree with 80% of their setups.  Remember those are very exclusive private ranches with big dumb elk) We like to position the shooter where we think the bull will stop to look for the caller.  That is usually no closer than 40 yards and at the edge of thick cover, the crest of a ridge or knoll, a slot in the timber etc.  Experience will teach you this.  If you are solo, you need to shut up when you know he's coming and try to MOVE to the above mentioned position.  AND Quickly.  Elk expect to hear other elk making noise so don't worry about stealth.  Good luck.  PS  Another real killer estrus call for us is Sceery's open reed call. Remember no one call or approach works in all situations.   Don't be afraid to get aggressive and mix it up.  I swear we kill some elk that are just plain curious about all the commotion.  

[PAPA BEAR]

one important part of all of this is that you will make mistakes.every time you call in an elk its a different set of circumstances.learn from your mistakes and you'll be a better elk hunter every time you start calling.i found a call two years ago that i really like.its the primos cowgirl,its small so you can keep it in your mouth hands free.also the rubber sound chamber pulls off easily for a very realistic mew.i have used them all and i will be using the cowgirl most of the time.another important aspect of cow talk is emotions.put emotion into your calls.there are dvd's available with different cow sounds that mean different things.my favorite is the lost cow call.works great.

[IdahoCurt]

Papa bear is right.
The reason I love Elk hunting so much is that no two Elk are the same.Each encounter you have to make quick decisions as to the terrain layout,setup,wind,elk mood and time of the rut.Each variable will influence how,why and where that elk comes in and you have to be ready to move quick.Most times your efforts will result in the Elk winning but that's what makes it fun.I feel if you can get within say 50yrds of a bull,think of it as a success,its when you try to get the distance down to 20yrds that everything does and will happen.

[Montanawidower]

Man all this talk about elk hunting has gotten me fired up!  I was out yesterday organizing gear and tuning equipment.     It is way too early to be this excited.  How many days until the opener again?

[matthewp]

Check out  www.elknut.com.   Pick up the dvd's or the mp3 to listen to.  You will not be disappointed.  Besides calling elk, you will learn a more about elk and their habits.  Also, try to pick up Elknut's Playbook.  It is great.  Elknut - Paul is here on Tradgang.  His handle is Elknut1.  
Good Luck

[Lost Arra]

+1 Elknut's cd  "Sounds by the Elk"

This is especially helpful for all of us who don't live in elk country.