Learning to Call

[dreadi]

Yesterday Amazon delivered a Rocky Mountain Hunting Calls Full Rut Tone and Wapiti Whacker. I think now the neighbors are questioning the sounds coming from our home...more so than usual.

Does anyone have any guidance to offer for learning to use these?

[WapitiTalk1]

Have you used elk diaphragms before?

[dreadi]

No, never. Actually never used any diaphragm calls before.

[WapitiTalk1]

I’ll send you a couple of links on the basics later. If you’re not an axe murdrrer or escaped convict .., I can have you out to my place outside of Rainier and help you learn a bit. RJ

[dreadi]

Well...they gave me an FFL last year and my fiance works for a LEO agency...I can come up with a third credential if needed 
I'll be looking forward to the link and will definitely take up up on the lesson at your convenience. I've been watching some YouTube videos and doing my best to mimic the instructors and animals.

[WapitiTalk1]

Ha, sounds like I'm safe to invite you out for some calling practice (grin).  I enjoy helping hunters get rolling with their elk sounds.  Sent you a couple of good links that'll get you started in the right direction.  RJ 

[Stalkin Prey]

I would buy a few different brands as well. They are not all made identical, some have different profile palate plates. They also have different thicknesses of latex as well. I’ve tried a few different brands and have found that Phelps amp diaphragms work the best for me. I practice in my truck while listening to bugles as well as cow and calf calls and do my best to somewhat mimic. By no means am I anywhere close to challenging Corey Jacobsen but I’ll keep trying. The several hunters I called in last yr must’ve thought it sounded ok (I was not calling well in my opinion, maybe that’s what called in hunters and no elk?) practice with your bugle tube as well. I’m no way an expert, I learned a lot from elk101 and lots of trial and error. Hope it helps.


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[dreadi]

I would buy a few different brands as well. They are not all made identical, some have different profile palate plates. They also have different thicknesses of latex as well. I’ve tried a few different brands and have found that Phelps amp diaphragms work the best for me. I practice in my truck while listening to bugles as well as cow and calf calls and do my best to somewhat mimic. By no means am I anywhere close to challenging Corey Jacobsen but I’ll keep trying. The several hunters I called in last yr must’ve thought it sounded ok (I was not calling well in my opinion, maybe that’s what called in hunters and no elk?) practice with your bugle tube as well. I’m no way an expert, I learned a lot from elk101 and lots of trial and error. Hope it helps.


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It does help and confirms why I bought a few. I just have the one now and a couple others will arrive next week.

[Crunchy]

Out of 10 different diaphragm calls, you will be lucky to get 5 to make consistent calls, and tones that you like.  Consistent is the hard part.  Some calls just fit better.  I probably have 15 different calls in my kit, but only use 5 of them.   Not sure why i keep the rest, but I buy 2-3 extras of the ones I like cause they are easy to lose when you are in the woods.

[ljsommer]

Man I gotta echo this - I am so awful at diaphragm calls.

[dreadi]

WapitiTalk1 got me started off on the right foot. I need to keep practicing though.

[acnewman55]

Care to share the resources WapitiTalk sent?


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[dreadi]

Some videos by Elknut on YouTube for reference but, even better was the time he spent with me to get me on the right track.

[The scout]

Well it looks like you live in Tacoma, so best advice would be keep them in your truck or car and practice when you are stuck in traffic.

[dreadi]

Well it looks like you live in Tacoma, so best advice would be keep them in your truck or car and practice when you are stuck in traffic.

Traffic? I don't commute to work.  So while I'm working I blow the calls a few times a day with the windows open.  I'm sure the neighborhood loves it.

[Rubenation1981]

I practice during my commute. Find a diaphragm that fits your palate. I have found that diaphragms differ greatly I width and it can really affect the tone that your calls will have. Also will determine how easy it is to make a decent sounding call.

[WapitiTalk1]

Wow, huge advancement mister; you’ve been practicing. 

Coming along fine as you started from scratch merely days ago. Keep it up!

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

Buy the elknut app!

[10mmg]

What is your opinion of the calls you got from amazon. I am in the beginners boat as well. I want to ensure that any failure is do to me not the equipment. Learned this the hard way with duck calls.

[SteelheadTed]

What is your opinion of the calls you got from amazon. I am in the beginners boat as well. I want to ensure that any failure is do to me not the equipment. Learned this the hard way with duck calls.

ditto

[kycarsydad]

ElkNut app is great, elk101 course as well

[tlbradford]

Buy the elknut app!

I second this as well.  Out of all the elk hunters in the world Paul's way of teaching is the easiest for me to understand and he is fune to listen to.  Here are a few podcast that focus more on elk calling tactics and situations, rather than producing calls, but I have listened to them several times.

http://www.therichoutdoors.net/ep-158-wapiti-wednesday-with-elk-nut-paul-medel/
https://exomountaingear.com/tag/paul-medel/
https://interviewswiththemasters.podbean.com/e/elk-nut-paul-medel-schools-us-on-when-where-and-how-to-use-your-bugle/
https://interviewswiththemasters.podbean.com/e/elk-nut-part-2-paul-medel-and-john-stallone-discuss-elk-laguage-945/

I know I am missing a couple.  I think their was a second one with the rich outdoors.

Also, I love the Podbean App.  It fixes a lot of little problems that would frustrate me with just downloading them and using my normal player on my phone.

[lamrith]

Well it looks like you live in Tacoma, so best advice would be keep them in your truck or car and practice when you are stuck in traffic.

While I agree with practicing while you drive, I will caution folks, do not keep them in your vehicle.  Keep them in a pocket, or bag you carry, but not in the vehicle all day.  Heat really nukes them, and summer time (when most of us practice because OMG season is a month away) it is very hot in a vehicle in the sun..  Don't ask me how I know.

[KFhunter]

Everyone's mouth is different so you gotta find what fits.  I take a narrow to medium frame and prefer a tight stretch latex.

[Special T]

Riverside archeryin mount Vernon is having a calling demo on the 5th

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[tlbradford]

Just remember, what, when, and why you make a call is 100x more important, then how great you sound.  At least where predators, ungulates, and turkeys are concerned.  I can't speak for waterfowl.

[Special T]

timing is also very important with waterfowl.

[Calvin Rayborn]

Fun, Fun, Fun! Carlton's oh yeah 

[huntnfmly]

Get a hold of Paul  (elknut)I bought 1 of his package deals some calls tapes DVD and his playbook.
It was very informative.
As tbradford said it's more important why and what call you make and pauls info is great.
Call him he will talk your ear off he loves this stuff and his enthusiasm is contagious.

[dreadi]

I didn’t get an elk for myself but, thanks to Rory’s teaching and suggestions I was able to call out some cows that were beaded so a friend could get a shot a them.

[WapitiTalk1]

That's awesome Dana!  Congrats to your buddy and you on a job well done.  RJ

[huntnfmly]

Good job congrats calling one in for your friend to me that's just as good you hunted just like your friend only difference is you didn't pull the trigger.
Thank you for the up date I was curious how your season went

[Okanagan]

WTG!  This has been a fun thread to follow.

[dreadi]

Good job congrats calling one in for your friend to me that's just as good you hunted just like your friend only difference is you didn't pull the trigger.
Thank you for the up date I was curious how your season went

I definitely did feel like the cock of the walk for this kill.

I camp alone and have friends that camp a mile away and some times I join them on hunts. After running into them one morning and listening to all the radio chatter, I just stayed to the rear and watched with my spotting scope. He and number of other people were after a couple herds. This ordeal went on for hours. I would leave, go glass elsewhere and come back and the ordeal was still going on. It’s almost worthy of it’s own thread.

So I went back to a low pressure area that I stalked a herd on the previous day only to find 50+ of cows and calves. I glassed and didn’t see anything, sage is 5’ tall. I cold called. Heads started popping up. I called my friend and he came in hot. Spotted them and made his plan. Some other friends came over. I stuck with spotting since I had the spotting scope and relayed the herd movement. Another friend kept him informed on the radio.

Unfortunately he got winded by the herd and they got to moving away. He was 50yd away and now they are 200+ and moving. I’m 600yd away and call them again, they stopped and looked and he shot. Herd moves. We didn’t know what animal he shot. He shots again. One animal stammers and the herd moves some more. He shoots a third time and and it falls right over. Recovery time.

We were fortunate that he had so much recovery equipment that we only had to drag her ~50yds and then she was brought in the rest of the way with his winch, gutted, and five grown men hefting her into the back of a truck.

So far I’m 2-2 when spotting legal elk that won’t require long and arduous recovery. The one I took two years ago was 80yds from a road.

[huntnfmly]

Good story thanks for posting

[Fullabull]

YouTube is your friend, look up Corey and his dad on how to use calls. Look up Elknut, he will help you understand how to respond to what you hear. There's are lots of how too videos and hunts to learn from on there.