Call elk during rifle season

[acc]

Will any calls work during rifle season? Is it worth it to even try? I plan on going miles from any roads just thought that if i could use a call it would help me get on them qwicker. I seen a few guys on here saying they called some bulls in this week. Thanks for any help. Plan o posting pic's when i get one and it will be my first..

[jaymark6655]

I am going to try calling this rifle season.  I have a buddy that hunts rifle on public land and he calls.  He has shot elk in the past and I still haven't gotten one.  SO, it seems to me like it makes a difference.

[boonerboy]

never done it. wouln't think it would be very effective. You would most likely push more elk away than you would attract.

[billythekidrock]

I have called in bulls with a cow call during the late part of rifle season. 

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

From my experience on the west side is bulls are not talkin in rifle season nor are they in post rut. One thing that you can do is if u get busted sometimes u can stop them or keep them around a little longer with a lost cow mew. U can mew into holes & possibly get a response but as far as calling them in I've never had success.

[Mudball]

A good buddy of mine called in a nice 5 x 6 with a cow mew in the late 80's on the east side. He does do it quit a bit with good success in the area we hunt. There is allot of pressure so they feel better in numbers. Most of what he calls in are cows looking for company but he still has fun doing it. Best done for him if he can see them first then get them to come join other lonely cow's. I think he does it mostly for fun just to see if he can get them closure. He now only bow hunts but he still comes over to help the kid's and younger hunters.

[fair-chase]

I think it's very difficult. I have only managed to call in one during the late season. After hunting hard for several days and not getting close to anything I decided to throw conventional wisdom out the window. Dropped all of my hand calls and picked up the Foxpro. Set up in a saddle and started playing most of the elk sounds that I have, leaving the estrous sounds out. Playing them constant at a VERY loud level. Trying to make it sound like a large herd milling around. Took one hour to get one to come in, a raghorn that snuck in the back door and caught me off guard.

After getting busted I decided to backtrack him to see where he came from. I couldn't follow him because when he busted out he went onto land that is not huntable. Followed his tracks and appeared that he was heading into his bedding area when he herd the sound and made a sharp turn to come in. This was 1.5 nautical miles from my call to give you an idea of how loud it was.

I am not recommending this by any means. Sometimes you just have to step outside of the norm. I may try this method again but only if I am starting to taste the tag soup starting to simmer.

I have called in several elk but never put a tag on them. There are guys on here much more knowledgeable than myself. This is just what I have witnessed.

[Bigtine96]

Yes cow call and they will come in if there close. Had a cow almost take me out last year

[Little Fish]

I think its worth trying. Cow call only.

[HEADSHOT]

i have had bulls answer bugles during the November season. I will be cow calling in my area as it works for us down in our neck of the woods. Also has worked great for me second season archery for getting them to feed out during the mid morning. Elk are a herd animal and will come into check things out. Plus calves and cows talk. Specially if spooked by something and during the first sun of the am. I dig a bull squeel or two during the morning but only up high or in a creek bottom and not over killing it either. I believe in calls if you know what your doing they work well when your on the herds. Either way I hunt elk the same as I do rifle season as previous bow seasons. OUT OF THE RIG and spot n stalk style... I have also used varmint calls to stop bulls.

[Fl0und3rz]

This is only my second year trying the cow calls.  This year I set up on a nice saddle ridge with a small pond just below the ridge line and adjacent to some nice dark timber. 

It was the perfect area that I had figured elk would love due to the lack of pressure in that area. (It was pretty remote and had almost no vehicle traffic.)

The area had tons of fresh sign, so I set up off a main game trail in clear view of a scrape that looked like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.  After about an hour of sitting in the rain, I decide to start calling.  After about 15 minutes, I managed to call in . . .





. . . another hunter.

[tshoote30]

This is only my second year trying the cow calls.  This year I set up on a nice saddle ridge with a small pond just below the ridge line and adjacent to some nice dark timber. 

It was the perfect area that I had figured elk would love due to the lack of pressure in that area. (It was pretty remote and had almost no vehicle traffic.)

The area had tons of fresh sign, so I set up off a main game trail in clear view of a scrape that looked like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.  After about an hour of sitting in the rain, I decide to start calling.  After about 15 minutes, I managed to call in . . .





. . . another hunter.

    Go figure. HA the suspense was KILLIN me till i scolled down to the end. NICE!!       

[Sliverslinger]

I think it's very difficult. I have only managed to call in one during the late season. After hunting hard for several days and not getting close to anything I decided to throw conventional wisdom out the window. Dropped all of my hand calls and picked up the Foxpro. Set up in a saddle and started playing most of the elk sounds that I have, leaving the estrous sounds out. Playing them constant at a VERY loud level. Trying to make it sound like a large herd milling around. Took one hour to get one to come in, a raghorn that snuck in the back door and caught me off guard.

After getting busted I decided to backtrack him to see where he came from. I couldn't follow him because when he busted out he went onto land that is not huntable. Followed his tracks and appeared that he was heading into his bedding area when he herd the sound and made a sharp turn to come in. This was 1.5 nautical miles from my call to give you an idea of how loud it was.

I am not recommending this by any means. Sometimes you just have to step outside of the norm. I may try this method again but only if I am starting to taste the tag soup starting to simmer.

I have called in several elk but never put a tag on them. There are guys on here much more knowledgeable than myself. This is just what I have witnessed.

Just a heads up - I'm pretty sure it's illegal to use the FoxPro for elk hunting, or any big game hunting at that.

[fair-chase]

Just a heads up - I'm pretty sure it's illegal to use the FoxPro for elk hunting, or any big game hunting at that.

I don't disagree that it was a bad idea. But it is legal. Electronic calls are prohibited from deer and waterfowl hunting only.

[jimmyt]

I think you should drive up to every landing and bugle multiple times during modern season it works see allot of people doing this during archery and muzzle season  i guessit works and  :)the bulls will come right to you