Ever been Fooled by another Hunter answering your Elk Call

[AL WORRELLS KID]

After calling and moving for a full half hour along the forest service road, we both knew the Bull was getting closer....until we both rounded the bend and spied each of us pleading to the other from about 400 yards out.
 How embarrassing, but not a bad caller I must say, but I expected a bigger Rack! 
Doug

[Henrydog]

No, but I have had the opposite happen.  A really crappy and weak bugle..I tell me buddy " hunter up that drainage"  5 minutes late we hear the bang.  30 minutes we see the 4 wheeler dragging out a raghorn. 

[724wd]

my dad was hunting idaho with two buddies 30 years ago. On his way back to camp, really just right around the corner, he heard one of his friends rip off a TERRIBLE bugle. dad answered and as he walked around the bend in the trail with his arrows all safely in his quiver, he came face-to-face with a 5pt bull. Dad said that bull had the worst bugle he had ever heard! 

[vandeman17]

I have called in hunters multiple times and by no means am I a good caller... 

[boneaddict]

No, but the opposite sure has happened. A LOT

[Okanagan]

my dad was hunting idaho with two buddies 30 years ago. On his way back to camp, really just right around the corner, he heard one of his friends rip off a TERRIBLE bugle. dad answered and as he walked around the bend in the trail with his arrows all safely in his quiver, he came face-to-face with a 5pt bull. Dad said that bull had the worst bugle he had ever heard! 

Can ditto this story several times with myself and friends.  I have decided that if it is a really lousy call sound, that it is likely a real bull.  Almost no hunter would bugle that badly.    I've heard real bulls merely wheeze like they have emphysema, bellow like a steer, etc. as their version of a bull bugle.

A newbie elk hunter friend tried bugling his first season.  Immediately he heard what he thought was two other hunters on a nearby hill doing little bugles back at him and laughing.  He started to sneak away when a very nice bull come off the hill and ran right up to him.   

[jstone]

We bike in miles. We where at camp for lunch. Heard a bugle, a horrible bugle. Thought someone was bugling as they where walking up the road. Sat there and bugles to screw with them. It ended up being a big 6x6. You never know

[Magnum_Willys]

Indian heaven - 6 mile loop.  Come back within 300 yards of landing where rig is parked and hear a perfect bugle near where rig is.  Way too perfect.  I answer back.  I bugle back having fun with supposed other hunter at the landing.  I Get within 100 yards of my truck and startle a 5 point bull looking for me at 35 yards.  I wasn't ready of course.  No other hunters there.   

[Fl0und3rz]

No, but the opposite sure has happened. A LOT

  But not as much. 

[Mudman]

Have called in 2 hunters with a cow call (all I am good at) and cougar once.  Of course I didn't get a shot off at either. Truthfully around wetside if I hear bugles I assume its a person. Unless its dark or I have eyes on elk.

[acnewman55]

I would think this would happen all the time. Watching elk hunting videos on YouTube and these hunters all recognize one another’s call separate from a real elk.  They all sound the same to a newbie so far.


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[Pete112288]

I have been fooled twice, one of those two times the other hunter was fooled too. And I had a third occasion of fooling another guy as well.
First one I had been right behind elk, and heard a bugle. Went back and fourth to find out it was another hunter on the other side of the brush. Never did see where the elk went since they had been headed straight for where he was standing and he claimed to never see or hear anything.
Another time me and another hunter got eachother super worked up. We were on Weyco land and it was the only hard to get to area with no roads with miles. Both of us got super excited until my head popped around a blind corner to see straight into a bow at full draw 5 yards away.
Then another I was trying to get a reaction out of a bull in a drainage. I would rush foreward in the brush, bugle, make noise, etc. Only get a chuckle back occasionally. Popped out on an ancient overgrown road to hear the tell tale signal of another hunter, a short light whistle.
I dont know how many times I have moved towards a sound in the woods to hear that quick pitch of a whistle that turns out to be another hunter.

[Fl0und3rz]

It's always funny when the other guy comes up on you all hopeful, or you to him.  And then you're both like, "oh, it's just you," then one of you slinks on back into the brush like the walk of shame.

[LongBomb]

yeah I was on a herd going along a ridge and the bull would answer back. We went rounds moving along the ridge but he would never commit to coming in. I heard a bugle come from a little higher up the ridge that sounded like a smaller satellite bull. I figured I would have a better chance at him coming in so i moved in his direction with an occasional bugle. He started ripping them off more and more which started my suspicions. I came up to a clearing and bumped into a guy all posted up. We had that awkward moment and he said something about how he rarely bugles because of other hunters........he was surely ripping them off that day.

[MADMAX]

I always listen for the sounds of a truck door closing after it stops

 

[boneaddict]

I like the roar of the diesel truck, silence,  doors slamming then the call.  Some with real sneeky skills even wait 2 minutes before letting a bugle go.

sometimes I like to answer back with a nice rip and chuckle just to give them their thrill so they can come back on here and declare how the elk are really fired up

[Stein]

I like the roar of the diesel truck, silence,  doors slamming then the call.  Some with real sneeky skills even wait 2 minutes before letting a bugle go.

sometimes I like to answer back with a nice rip and chuckle just to give them their thrill so they can come back on here and declare how the elk are really fired up

You must be in a good area if they get out of the truck to call.  Someday I'll invent a bugle that mounts to the exhaust and all you have to do is give it some gas every hundred yards up the road.

[Jonathan_S]

I creeped into a wallow area last year...cow called and immediately got a response from two hunters sitting on it.  So I gave a goofy sounding call to let them know and I left. 

I get about 300 yards back up the hill and hear them following me and calling again.  So I start cutting and yelping like a hen turkey...still got a bugle in response.  So I second guess my original thought and sit for a minute until I see Big Enis and Lil' Enis working their way up to me 

[Pathfinder101]

I called in CoryTDF a few years ago on an archery hunt.  We both thought we were about to tag out...

[Crunchy]

I like the roar of the diesel truck, silence,  doors slamming then the call.  Some with real sneeky skills even wait 2 minutes before letting a bugle go.

sometimes I like to answer back with a nice rip and chuckle just to give them their thrill so they can come back on here and declare how the elk are really fired up

Hey it works!  Not what I recommend but when elk are rutting they dont notice much other than other elk sounds.  I  called in a bull within 50 yards of my truck by accident.

[DOUBLELUNG]

As far as I know I've never been fooled by a hunter's elk calling, though there are hundreds of times when neither elk or hunter was ever seen.  I have DEFINITELY heard a lot of really awful elk calling by elk.  I have called in a few other hunters unintentionally, and also messed with other hunters but never had it turn into a real elk. 

I'm also not an excellent caller but I've only once had a fired up bull spook off from bad calling - as long as I just keep calling.  That one time the latex in my call split at a really bad time (snot-slinging, red-eyed heavy 6x6 at 65 yards whipping his head around after a 200 yard dead run to come kill the bull bugling below his cows), that sound was like someone stomping a burlap sack full of dropkick dogs, I tried to bugle a second time, same sound - he stopped motionless for a few seconds, trotted silently back to his cows and pushed them down into a canyon.

I have heard it said a real bull could never finish in the top 5 at the National calling championships. 

[zwickeyman]

I have never been fooled by a hunter thinking it was a Bull but have been fooled a few times thinking it was a hunter but ended up being a Bull

[Nice Racks]

I've called in a wdfw employee with some chuckles.  I also called in a father and son team twice within 2 hrs. The first time was funny, we laughed about it. The second time they came in to my bugeling using hoochie mommas. Me and my friend just snuck away.

[Pathfinder101]

I've called in a wdfw employee with some chuckles.  I also called in a father and son team twice within 2 hrs. The first time was funny, we laughed about it. The second time they came in to my bugeling using hoochie mommas. Me and my friend just snuck away.

in my experience, tooting on a hoochie mamma is like pulling a fire alarm at a high school... best way to clear your side of the mountain...

[branches]

I have never been fooled by a hunter thinking it was a Bull but have been fooled a few times thinking it was a hunter but ended up being a Bull

Dang it !!!!! I have had a few times that I would have bet the farm that it was a hunter only to find out it was a real bull.

[Fl0und3rz]

I've had a few times where I was crashing through the brush, looking to exit the area or no better way to get out of a hole. Twice I got to within 10-20 yards of unknown elk (one bull, one cow).  Thats pretty fun. Another time, a hunter came to investigate.

[baker5150]

I heard some twig snaps up a drainage from me 2 years ago and let out a cow call, 15 minutes later a guy snuck by me from that direction.  I guess we kinda fooled each other. 

[dscubame]

Absolutely, chase enough bugles it is going to happen.

[gee_unit360]

I've called in a wdfw employee with some chuckles.  I also called in a father and son team twice within 2 hrs. The first time was funny, we laughed about it. The second time they came in to my bugeling using hoochie mommas. Me and my friend just snuck away.

in my experience, tooting on a hoochie mamma is like pulling a fire alarm at a high school... best way to clear your side of the mountain...

[gee_unit360]

I've called in a wdfw employee with some chuckles.  I also called in a father and son team twice within 2 hrs. The first time was funny, we laughed about it. The second time they came in to my bugeling using hoochie mommas. Me and my friend just snuck away.

in my experience, tooting on a hoochie mamma is like pulling a fire alarm at a high school... best way to clear your side of the mountain...

I got a Bull with his 30 cows to come in to my hoochie mama last year. Never had any luck with it before that, but after listening to that heard of cows chirping back and forth a soft hoochie mama call was pretty spot on.

[The scout]

I have called in a few guys. Haven’t been called in yet though. The first year I did archery I carried a hoochie mama and was using at one point to get my buddy’s attention because I had just shot a bull, and ended up getting a big herd bull fired up and he ended up shooting it. So they can work even though they don’t sound realistic.

[Old Mule]

Id rather look foolish than be foolish, I was hunting in the thick reprod with Himalayan blackberries hanging all over it and some fool kept bugling He was horrible and I kept wishing he would shut up before he scared all the Elk out of the country, well he kept getting closer and the next thing I know out steps a nice six point. I don't take anything for granted anymore if I hear a bugle I always assume it's a bull until I prove otherwise. 

[idaho guy]

I have called in a few guys. Haven’t been called in yet though. The first year I did archery I carried a hoochie mama and was using at one point to get my buddy’s attention because I had just shot a bull, and ended up getting a big herd bull fired up and he ended up shooting it. So they can work even though they don’t sound realistic.

The hoochie does sound realistic its just sounds the same all the time. If you can find an elk that has not heard it 100 times a day since a week before season they work good especailly as part of a calling sequence. I call you Washington guys in all the time when you come to Idaho but not usually with a hoochie!

[Pathfinder101]

I have called in a few guys. Haven’t been called in yet though. The first year I did archery I carried a hoochie mama and was using at one point to get my buddy’s attention because I had just shot a bull, and ended up getting a big herd bull fired up and he ended up shooting it. So they can work even though they don’t sound realistic.

The hoochie does sound realistic its just sounds the same all the time. If you can find an elk that has not heard it 100 times a day since a week before season they work good especailly as part of a calling sequence. I call you Washington guys in all the time when you come to Idaho but not usually with a hoochie!

Exactly.  The problem with the HM is not that it doesn't sound like a cow elk, the problem is that you can't vary the tone.  It sounds exactly the same no matter who pushes it.  And it's so easy to use that tons of guys carry one (and a lot of them overuse it). The elk get educated to the tone and know only a dude with a weapon makes that noise.  If you found elk that weren't educated, it would be a great tool.  But I know using it in the Blue Mountains during archery season you'd be lucky to find a spike that still thinks its an elk.

 

[AL WORRELLS KID]

The problem with the HM is not that it doesn't sound like a cow elk, the problem is that you can't vary the tone.  It sounds exactly the same no matter who pushes it.  And it's so easy to use that tons of guys carry one (and a lot of them overuse it).The elk get educated to the tone and know only a dude with a weapon makes that noise.  If you found elk that weren't educated, it would be a great tool.

Pathfinder101, I have great results calling in the Cows with my HM Call.
 Problem will be, if and when I finally call in a Big Bull! 

[Pathfinder101]

The problem with the HM is not that it doesn't sound like a cow elk, the problem is that you can't vary the tone.  It sounds exactly the same no matter who pushes it.  And it's so easy to use that tons of guys carry one (and a lot of them overuse it).The elk get educated to the tone and know only a dude with a weapon makes that noise.  If you found elk that weren't educated, it would be a great tool.

Pathfinder101, I have great results calling in the Cows with my HM Call.
 Problem will be, if and when I finally call in a Big Bull! 

 

[Tbob]

I've called in a wdfw employee with some chuckles.  I also called in a father and son team twice within 2 hrs. The first time was funny, we laughed about it. The second time they came in to my bugeling using hoochie mommas. Me and my friend just snuck away.

in my experience, tooting on a hoochie mamma is like pulling a fire alarm at a high school... best way to clear your side of the mountain...

My buddy of mine  called in a monster 7x7 using only his Hoochie momma.. ya just never know!

[scoutdog346]

One time i was calling back amd forth to what i thought was a bull but it was a person.  Once i saw him i had a small 3x3 standing in the skid road 50yards away.  Was not able to get the shot off...felt very dumb.

[willapawapiti]

In a Hancock gated road system, GATED I say, hear a deep throated bugle one ridge away.  My buddy and I put the sneak on, pop out on the road, find a stashed mini-bike along the road and a guy with an electronic caller on the landing playing the same bugle sequence over and over again through his speaker.  All day long we could hear this guy bombing around the unit on his mini-bike, behind the gates  .  Run bike, electronic call, run bike, electronic call, over and over and over. Called him in to WDFW Enforcement but don't know if he was ever caught.   

[Pathfinder101]

In a Hancock gated road system, GATED I say, hear a deep throated bugle one ridge away.  My buddy and I put the sneak on, pop out on the road, find a stashed mini-bike along the road and a guy with an electronic caller on the landing playing the same bugle sequence over and over again through his speaker.  All day long we could hear this guy bombing around the unit on his mini-bike, behind the gates  .  Run bike, electronic call, run bike, electronic call, over and over and over. Called him in to WDFW Enforcement but don't know if he was ever caught.   

Would have been easier for WDFW to catch him with the air let out of his tires...

[4fletch]

Have to throw this in about funky calls but back in the 70's Larry Jones one of the Pioneer s of elk calls produced a bugle that sounded like a duck call sounded like feces but
It 1 called in lots of elk

[mikelonsford]

We had a few experiences of listening to really bad calls and then waiting to see the poor guy who was so bad and have it turn out to be elk.  Also had what we thought was a hunter come up behind us and use the Hoochie Mama, then we waited and it was a cow trying to chase us down, squeezing her call as she came.

After those incidents we decided to consider every elk sound an elk until we saw a person and knew it wasn’t.  Then we started getting into Mexican standoff’s with lots of hunters.  And we did call a Lot in.  Enough that we quit hunting Lewis River as much as we had.  It was several times a day and we were hiked back up in the wilderness.  There was a lot of wasted time.  So then we decided to play the scenarios like we do elk.  Have the shooter stay up and have the caller head back.  Draw the other party, elk or hunter, forward and that definitely helped speed up the game.  It started only taking a few minutes to pull hunters in.  Like I said there were too many though.  So we found some other areas with fewer hunters.

[greenhead_killer]

not for elk, but a few years ago my wife and i were turkey hunting. we were naturally brushed in great under a tree and had a decoy out. i started calling. about 25 mins later, 10-15 mins of calling, we heard all this crashing/ruckus type noise. i thought a bear was coming in! i grabbed my sidearm just in case. we were both scanning the surrounding area when we found the culprit. a guy with his bow in hand(!) thought he was stalking turkeys, turned out to be us. i had to whistle half a dozen times to get his attention! he sadly turned around and walked away. i dont know how this guys thought he would have sneaked up on any sort of critter with how much noise he was making!! might as well have been driving a harley through the woods! was pretty funny seeing the look of defeat. i guess im a better caller than i thought!