Elk. Do you speak it?

[WapitiTalk1]

Do you speak elk? What would you say your current level is for both interpreting what elk are saying/asking for, and, your ability to throw out realistic sounds to evoke a response for most elk woods situational scenarios is?

A. I pretty much get it completely.... and, can understand what elk are saying/asking for (needing) and speak (when necessary) to the elk appropriately for the given situation, maximizing my potential for success in harvesting a wapiti in almost all situations.

B. Not too shabby. I know the difference between advertising sounds, challenging sounds, chuckles, grunts, nervous/popping grunts, normal herd sounds, alarm barks, glugs, etc., and in most cases, respond accordingly with my own sounds fitting for the situation.   

C. I understand the basics but need to work on a better understanding of what elk are saying and/or how to respond with sounds fitting for the situation.   

D. Need quite a bit of work on both the comprehension of elk language interpretation, and, my own elk sounds .

E. The only thing I need to know is that I heard an elk and the direction it came from.  My style of hunting does not require sound interpretation, or, calling.

F.  Other. 

[vandeman17]

I am a mixture of B and C. I am still working on recreating some of the different calls but I can distinguish them when I hear them.

[Fullabull]

I would say B...

I can tell what sounds are being made from what you listed above also including a bull rounding up his ladies to move them away to safety, or when a bull is trying to call you to him. My biggest set back is I tend to not be aggressive enough once I have located elk, but I'm learning 

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

A and F.  Between some phelps instruction and calls and elk nut DVD.  I learned most everything I need to know in a few seasons.  I have been trying new things year to year and learning too, but for the most part keep it simple.  Calling elk is a lot easier than killing elk.  But one compliments the other.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

I would say B...

I can tell what sounds are being made from what you listed above also including a bull rounding up his ladies to move them away to safety, or when a bull is trying to call you to him. My biggest set back is I tend to not be aggressive enough once I have located elk, but I'm learning 

Aggression is clutch.

 http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,101268.0.html

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

After 34+ years, I learn something new every year.
Kind of like my kids... I thought I said this.. but they heard that...
I just try to match my sounds to what I hear, and respond with what I think I am supposed to say.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not.
I also have found out that calling elk is kind of like calling my dog, sometimes they come when I call, sometimes they take their own sweet time...
I have to reccommend Elknut, his DVDs put together a lot of the peices of the missing puzzle.
I went from 1-2 close encounters in a week, to 5-6, but still the biggest problem was silent animals sneaking in to look.
Getting caught after waiting for what I thought was a reasonable time has been my biggest problem, or too much brush in the way.
But I feel that I am in the small percentage of hunters that actually get to talk to them every year, no matter what season.
I say "F" because the more I learn, the less I think I know.
If it was easy, everyone would do it.

[pd]

E. That's why we are hosting Jason Phelps on May 17th, on Bainbridge Island, to learn a bit more about elk calling.

For anybody who answers B to F, come and learn. For those who
answered A, come and teach!

(Thanks for the free PR, Phantom!)

[WapitiTalk1]

No problem pd. I'm gonna do my best to make it up thata way for this event

[JPhelps]

E

I will usually have a good idea of what is going on but my elk calling and hunting is 95% prescriptive and 5% reactive 

[deerhunter_98520]

In between  B & C..getting a lot better after getting elknut's CDs....although I have got very good at calling in other hunters so I must be doing something right...well I hope so anyways most of them had hoochie mommas  and really knew how to squeeze them when I bugled at them

[huntnnw]

herd bull isnt running the herd. the lead cow is running the herd. The bull is always bringing up the rear cause hes following the lead of the lead cow

[jason stevens]

I'm a b graduated to a after new calls (thanks jason phelps) biggest problem is I can't draw a bull tag. Someday maybe.and I hate the westside.

[usmc74]

I'm about a B.

Not sure what I said to the bull in my avatar, but it was self defence when he came at me.

[Tbar]

I don't know where I fit in there. I do know I'm a work in progress and every time I "know" some situation and how it's going to play out the elk humble me.  I learn a little more every time I'm in the woods though.

[jackmaster]

I am at the expert level, when a bull bugles he is simply saying, Damn one of you chicks have to be in the mood.... when a cow mews  she is simply saying over here ya big stud. See pretty simple