best elk diaphragm call

[_TONY_]

Phelps Dragon Slayer!!

[MountainWalk]

I've always relied on the red Promos and Carlton yeller calf plate

[nw_bowhunter]

I bought a Bugling Bull Game Calls palate plate which was ok and didn't take long tolearn how to use it but I did find it rather large. Normally use Sonic Mini's

[blackveltbowhunter]

The best one is the one the bull comes in to   Seriously tho, with all the sizes, shapes, latex thicknesses, stretch, Dome this, palate plate that etc... it really is a matter of trial and error IMHO. I have found that some  manufacturers have different standards, and call quality can vary within identical calls from some. My hunting partner swears by the primos red reeds, but every third one seemingly gets thrown out due to stretch quality or latex thickness. I had a similar issue with the Bugling Bull herd master a couple years back. One would sound amazing the next would sputter and crack... All of them offer a good warranty but for the price I seldom use it.  I still love it as its one of the few calls I can personally transition from bugles to cow calls seamlessly with. Same with the Berry X herdmaster Rad reffered to. I like the range of the Berry Roosevelt reed, but have trouble getting the top end notes out of it. I am having good luck with the canyon crusher from phelps as a quality locator noise for me. If I had to pick 1 it would be the BB herdmaster. If I could take 2 it would be the Berry Roosevelt and Phelps Canyon Crusher. But Like Rad I seldom limit myself to 2 and normally have 5-6 in a pouch ready to go. Also I like to have a couple spares of my favorites since I seem to always lose them.   

[RadSav]

Also I like to have a couple spares of my favorites since I seem to always lose them.   

   I learned you want to bite down on them pretty good when you bend over to check out a nice big steaming pile of bear poo

[Netminder01]

While I do very little calling in WA anymore I have two calls I never go without.  Quaker Boy Screamin' Green Double and Berry Game Calls X-Series Herd Bull.

I do have a bunch of new Phelps calls.  I am trying to decide which ones will come to Utah with me.  They are nice!  I also have some custom reeds from Knight and Hale that I like quite a bit too. 

They are small, so I usually carry half a dozen with me in the field.  Even if the first two listed get 80% of the work.

Is this because you think the elk have become call shy or ....?

I get a bigger thrill by killing elk than bugling them.  And with Washington's short season I don't really mess around with them.  I prefer to just sneak in and kill one.  Guess I'm just a better ferret than I am a crow.

 

I'm neither right now - just hoping to get into a few good shooting situations. Can't wait!

[ridgefire]

Pretty much any of bugling bulls from Rocky Jacobson. I prefer the brown raging bull for bugling and the mello yellow for cow calling.

[deerhunter_98520]

Mellow yellow and a Phelps are always with me when I elk hunt 

[buglebrush]

Try 5 or more.  Seriously.  One style will fit your mouth much better than the others.  Bubbling bull palate plate for me personally, but my buddies can't use them at all.  They go Glen Berry.  Try until it is right.

[steelnducks]

I have spent a lot of money on diaphragms. phelps and bugling bull works best for me.

[LeviD1]

I just started using diaphrams this year and really like my phelps calls. He helped me a lot in selecting easy to use calls for a beginner that still sound great. Im very excited even though I dont do much of the calling since my dad does it for me as he no longer bow hunts. But I still like trying to be good at it! One of these days i gues someone will want to hunt with me lol.

[Fullabull]

Hey Vande, I think you and I are in the same boat. I have been trying to call in a bull for my dad for years now. He can't go to far so we can't hunt more than a half mile from the road where a lot a pressure is. I do a lot of calling to bring elk to us since we can't go to them. He uses mostly a blow external call and I use an internal mouth read so I can bugle and cow call. He uses a single read primos and some other call he found that works pretty well. He has had his chances but never seams to work out,I have taken bulls that came to me while calling for him but we keep trying. Would love to get him one (even a cow) with his bow before he quites hunting and becomes camp cook...

[pianoman9701]

I used diaphragms for cow calling exclusively for 10 years. The last few years I've been using Phelps' EZ Estrus calls. The range of sounds you get on them is excellent. A couple of Bearmanric's calls are also great as cow calls when you're hunting somewhere where you might be both elk and bear hunting. No need to go outside the forum for these calls.

[jackelope]

Phelps Dragon Slayer!!

Check the medium framed Phelps calls. It seems like they fit universally more than the full sized ones.

[splitshot]

cant use one cuz they tickle my mouth and throat.  mike w