What elk call for a newbie?

[MichelD]

I'm just trying to talk myself in the bloom of youth at 63 to give Rocky Mountain elk hunting a try.

Looking at the bewildering array of elk calls on the market I am, well ... bewildered.

There are in the -mouth-calls, blow type calls, bugle horns, you name it. For a complete greenhorn, what would get a guy started?

I have a little black plastic thing around somewhere called a Cow Talk.

I blew it when I saw a herd of cows in the Kootenay region one summer and they ran like hell.

I've even played around with one of those roof of the mouth calls, even made one one time from Internet instructions, but I've never been elk hunting on the mainland or heard an elk call.

[ACE]

Use an ancient 'Abe & Son' diaphragm/tube ...... works well.
Have found that the reed/tube type calls don't have the range of note that the diaphragm/tube calls have.
Bugling early season bulls is exciting ...... adrenaline rush!

[Ferenc]

Check out the Power Bugle by Elk Inc.... Good price and easy to learn.

[kebes]

The success I've had is with a combination of a primos style diaphragm call and an estrus squeeze me cow call.

The diaphragm calls take a lot of practice to get proficient with.

[Bugle M In]

Try this,

http://buglingbull.com/shop/elk-calls/116-pack-a-bull-elk-bugle-system/

sort of a hybrid between learning to use reeds, and using diaphragm calls.
Sounds good to, otherwise start with a Primos, with the Blue Diaphragm...many versions.

[Brew]

Check out the Power Bugle by Elk Inc.... Good price and easy to learn.
Best bugle out there if your not into learning how to use the diaphram

[albravo2]

I find the cow calls easier than the bull bugle.

On our first elk hunt my 14 year old son mewed a distant cow into shooting range with an open reed call. A day before season opened, but that is not part of the story.

[BgBlkDg]

Michel, also be aware that scores of "egspurt" hunters call constantly and poorly in most decent elk areas of BC, especially the Kootenays. Many elk seem spooked by this and I find that using calls is best done after much practice when working 1-2 bulls bugling a storm...and then some coaxing with a "Hoochie Mama".

My cousin in Nelson, is a real master at this and has a stack of BIG elk racks in his shed behind his house that would totally blow your mind.....some HUGE monster racks. I know where he takes most of these, but, it is NOT an "easy" hunt and success is rare unless skill, luck and fast, good shooting all work together.

I would try the bugle that Ferenc and Brew suggest and a HM.

[todbartell]

Its unlikely you'll be able to master a mouth diaphram call this late in the summer before you head out hunting, so I would suggest grabbing a Primos hoochie mama cow call, primos cow girl or hyper lip single cow call, and a bugle. Ive found any of the blue reed Primos bugles to be easy to master, I'd sugges the Terminator. It's fluty, but high pitched and a great locator call. Get a bull to answer the high pitch terminator then move in downwind to approx 100y of where the bull sounded like he was at and give him some assorted cow talk.

[todbartell]

Just going to add, there is no magic call. I've tried dozens, they all can work. Just pick a few, practice until you're confident in the sounds you can make with them. Lots of great info online on calling instruction and advice. Read and watch/listen as much as you can and find what works for you

[hunter1947]

If I was a new elk hunter I would do a research on the easiest one to use as for the one that has had the most success..

[GetLethal]

I have a primos tube with their blue reed mouth piece. I could never get the tone or volume out of it. I prefer a mouth reed and tube. The primos mini sonic's fit my mouth really well and are easy to get a good tone and volume out of. I really like the hoochie mama too, its fool proof.

Any type of call advice will come down to personal preference. What fits your mouth the best, the type of calling youre planning to do ect. I think universally the mouth reed is the most versatile call if youre proficient with it.

[.308SLAYER]

Believe it or not opening day last year called in a bugling bull with only a primos cow girl....got good with mouth reeds this year they are the best you can do anything I find from predator howls to doe beats and elk mews to bugles simply awesome

[Bugle M In]

AS others said, it's personal preference and what you find is easiest.
It might mean that by the end, you are the proud owner of 4 or 5 bugles sometimes,
until you master how to you reeds/mouth calls.
My Dad uses the power bugle, and his bands get messed up quite often, but he doesn't care.
And he sounds like an Elephant out there, that just broke it's leg, but he still from time to time
bugles elk in, but cow calls are probably what we use much of the day, with the odd bugle here and there these days.
But, remember, Elk come in silently quite often now, so sometimes waiting I nthe same area for an hour or 2, does pay off.
They don't always come in screaming or right after you make the first call

[Jrax]

A hunting partner and I were heading up elk hunting in the peace, I pressured him heavily to practice and master his elk bugle and cow call. On the drive there, he unpackaged his calls and began to practice.... made for an amusing drive at first but agonizing torture for the remainder. By the time we got there, he had to settle for sounding like a moaning female cat in heat - that was his cow call. Well guess whos call got the bulls hot and heavy!? I realized later that my calls sounded much like many others out there while his may have sounded unique and desperate cow. I switched now to reed calls to get my own 'unique' sound, one day I will try the moan call if nothing else works.

[dprocter]

I started with bugling bull mouth reeds, seem to work good.

[albravo2]

There is a great elk calling app available for Android phones.

Listen, and try to mimic.

Same guys do a moose call app. We play the apps and practise calling intermittently on the drive from Squamish to Fort Nelson. My buddy says it beats listening to country, but what does he know?

[hunter1947]

I have used this power bugle and had good success with it and its east to use,,I usually use reed diaphragm with a locator tube but it's hard for a person to master the reeds.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/00383.JPG http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/00295.JPG

These are the reeds to use if you can master these calls............................................. ......................These two below are my favorite ones I use most of the time with a locator tube at times I take the end off
.................................................. .................................................. .............................................the power bugle in the picture shown above to use with the different reeds..

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/00540.JPG http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/00639.JPG

[ElliotMoose]

Another vote for the power bugle. Super easy to use, I just hope whoever you live with is very tolerant haha. Would definitely suggest picking up a spare pack of reed bands though. Those buggers can fall off pretty easy and usually at an inconvenient time

[Seth]

I prefer open reid style calls myself but to each there own. I do agree with previous posters that it's too late to become proficient with mouth reids before this season so open reid or hoochie mama are your options. Google "Roe hunting resources" and watch some of the videos on calling and elk behaviour. Hands down the most informative site I've ever come across for elk hunting. Good luck. Once you go, you'll wonder why you waited so long to try it.

[MichelD]

"Once you go, you'll wonder why you waited so long to try it. "

1. Don't know anyone who hunts mainland elk

2. Work/time off issues

3. Money issues

4. Vehicle issues

5. Distance from Vancouver island/Lower mainland to Rocky Mtn. elk habitat

6. Other hunts such as deer and moose taking up all my free hunting time.

[Bugle M In]

I have used this power bugle and had good success with it and its east to use,,I usually use reed diaphragm with a locator tube but it's hard for a person to master the reeds.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/00383.JPG http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/00295.JPG

These are the reeds to use if you can master these calls............................................. ......................These two below are my favorite ones I use most of the time with a locator tube at times I take the end off
.................................................. .................................................. .............................................the power bugle in the picture shown above to use with the different reeds..

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/00540.JPG http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/00639.JPG

Hey, wheres the screaming Carlton 2.5.....a must have!
Those are bright, but, atleast when you drop one in the tullies, it is easily spotted.
Just saw recently the HS Specialties is selling their "dome styled" reads again.
I think they had copyright issues with Primos, and stopped making them.
Saw them at Cabela's usa, and those were my most successful ones for me,
But those Carltons are really good too.

[rides bike to work]

I like the terminator elk call but I usually take the tube off for a cow call and rarely bugle. Comes with a good how to cd and is easy to learn. I can't do the mouth reed the buzz on the roof of my mouth is like nails on the chalk board