Elk Calls?

[iRem]

I am highly intrested in learning correctly on how to call elk, and want to purchase an elk call that would be the best for a beginner. I know that there are a lot of calls out on the market and I would like to find some thing other than what all Big Box stores carry, which is usually the same Primos type calls. I would like to purchase a call that not most or all of these hunters have, do to the fact that the elk have been trained to these type of calls. I would just like to purchase a call that I can learn on at home that would be suitable for me start practicing with. I have done some calling in YEARS past with my father ( 15 years ago ) and want to start over do to bad habits. Thanks, Paul

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Well.....
As far as what I have tried (just about all of them)
Buy diaphragms, it really does not matter at this point, but practice as much as possible, try as many diff ones as you can find, you will find one brand that you like.
as a beginner, you will probably do best with single reed, but.. 
I swear by my Sceery cow call, still has the best sound (in my opinion) and I can keep the volume at what I like.
Check out Elknuts stuff.

[BallisticsNut]

http://phelps-game-calls.primetime-outdoors.com/

Take a look.

[bearmanric]

I make a awsome louder elk call with my RR1 Toneboard. Very easy to learn it is a openreed call. I can make it out of any antler. or I can make one out of any of the exotic wood's I havall kinds of wood's or I have Laminates colored wood's. Turkey huntinting right now in colville. Can help with sounds. Rick

[wildmanoutdoors]

Give me a Raging Bull and a Mellow yellow diaphragm with an Elk nut chuckler and thats all I need. The Mellow yellow sounds soooo good and easy to manipulate.
You'll have to practice with a Diaphragm, but man is it worth it!

[pianoman9701]

Use a diaphragm cow and calf call. Best thing for a beginner. Also get a Larry Jones CD to learn what it's supposed to sound like.

[JPhelps]

iRem,
I make custom elk calls and can tune it how ever you would like.  They make very good cow and calf talk but more importantly great estrus whines.

Check out my new webpage to give you some ideas on what my calls look like.  You can also look under the sponsors forum to see some of my past calls and reviews from the members, as well as pricing. 

If you would like get a hold of me.  I am always willing to talk elk calling.

Jason Phelps
Phelps Game Calls
360.402.2617

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

diaphrams are the way to go if you ask me.  Jason i would like to try one of yours this year.  I will get ahold of you next time I head out that way. 

[iRem]

Looks like I have a lot of research to do. I really like the idea of having one made for myself. I will definitely look into the diaphragm for both cow and bull. I will also look into getting some thing made just for Me.
Thank you so far for the advice.  I will have to make a decision soon, so that I can pratice, practice and yeah.

[gasman]

Give me a Raging Bull and a Mellow yellow diaphragm with an Elk nut chuckler and thats all I need. The Mellow yellow sounds soooo good and easy to manipulate.
You'll have to practice with a Diaphragm, but man is it worth it!

Gotta go with "Mello Yellow" 

Very easy to use, especially for a beginner. I buy a few every year and use them religiously. Rocky makes sone great calls, thats for sure.

http://www.buglingbull.com/

[ponyboy156]

^^^^ Ditto, mellow yellows my favorite. I use only Rocky's calls. Just havent been able to find what I want when I try other calls.

[Elknut1]

     If you're wanting to use a mouth reed & bugle combo then that would be a great way to choose, you still have ample time before your hunt if you're willing to put in the practice! If this is to your liking then do yourself a favor & start with user friendly reeds. Most single lightly stretched latex reeds are your best bet for quick results. As you produce sounds in a positive way this will motivate you to push forward in your practice sessions, do not easily give up!

Consider the Bugling Bull Calls, they are some of the best we've all used here. I would recommend to you to pickup a Mellow Yellow & the All Star reed. These two are extremely soft tensioned latex reeds & will work very good for you or any caller for that matter. This is important to have the right reed for the job at hand or you can be easily discouraged with the wrong ones such as  too tightly stretched reeds that will mislead you into thinking that all reeds are difficult to use, this is not so! Start off right! These reeds are available by us as well as instruction on them if needed!

If all you want to use are external calls then seriously consider bite & blow calls like the Estrus Whine or Hyper Lip Single, these are very good cow call choices!

For external bugles, (if you do not want to use mouth reeds) The thunder bugle is a good choice but I believe just about any of them will suffice for you as a novice caller.

As some have mentioned, it's much more important to know what you're saying when using any elk sound than blindly calling & just hoping for the best! Do your homework & you will get out of it what you put into it. Do not rely on luck but instead make your own luck!

  www.elknut.com
  ElkNut1

[THEBUGLER]

iREM,
  Bugling bull game calls are the best calls out there hands down. They last long, and the sound is authentic. In fact their calls took all the 1rst place honors at the RMEF World Elk calling Championships in 2011. Learning to call is tough but is definitely worth while. I would have never been a successful elk hunter without calling. For tips & techniques for calling elk, check out this link http://elk101.com/
 
Dirk

[JPhelps]

I agree on the mouth calls and I use Bugling Bull diaphragms.  The all star made for elk101 is an awesome call.  I don't make diaphragms yet.

Now, I have Bugling Bulls who's your daddy and who's your daddy signature series and I will put my calls up against them any day.  Now I will not lie I could take his or my calls out and kill elk with either (as a matter of fact a few of the bulls I have killed heard a bugling bulls call last) .  The difference is my call is one of a kind and about $10 cheaper.

Here is a little more about my calls:
http://www.outdoorblog.net/pnwbowhunting/2011/03/06/interview-jason-phelps-of-phelps-game-calls/

I will make you a deal iRem I will send you a call and if you like it you can pay for it if not I will pay for shipping back.

[washelkhntr]

I agree on the mouth calls and I use Bugling Bull diaphragms.  The all star made for elk101 is an awesome call.  I don't make diaphragms yet.

Now, I have Bugling Bulls who's your daddy and who's your daddy signature series and I will put my calls up against them any day.  Now I will not lie I could take his or my calls out and kill elk with either (as a matter of fact a few of the bulls I have killed heard a bugling bulls call last) .  The difference is my call is one of a kind and about $10 cheaper.

Here is a little more about my calls:
http://www.outdoorblog.net/pnwbowhunting/2011/03/06/interview-jason-phelps-of-phelps-game-calls/

I will make you a deal iRem I will send you a call and if you like it you can pay for it if not I will pay for shipping back.

Now that right there is customer service.   

[TheHunt]

IREM,
This question is simular to the Ford vs Chevy thread we have all be reading lately.

I would suggest you buy the ElkNut CD on elk sounds then try to find a combo that matches your mouth and personal technique.

Each mouth is roughly the same but different.  So one person can use a diaphragm and make a sound and another will sound slightly different.  Think of it like the sounding chamber of a guitar. 

Matching a CD audio real sound images to what you can call is the ticket. 

Good luck

[TheHunt]

Here is one last thing..

Look at the quality of the diaphragms you look at.  I will not trash anyone on this publicly but grab 10 of them calls off the rack.  If they are not anchored exactly the same location and they look like the tension of any of them is different.  Then you need to ask yourself can you trust the quality of the call?   Will there be inconsistency of the call that will mess with the tone you are trying to achieve.

[fair-chase]

Hopefully this doesn't get this thread too far off topic. As a newb to the mouth calls I was curious what you guys rec comend for diaphragms in different size categories. Apparently I have a very narrow jaw and the only diaphragm I have ever been able to fit is a Primos Mini Sonic Dome (not talking about fit on the piece you can trim but the actual frame). Even at that size the metal is wedged tightly between my upper teeth and is very uncomfortable. Obviously a guy cannot go into a store and start putting these calls in his mouth to see which one fits the best. So in the interest of saving some dough are there any sizing recommendations. Not just for me, but what if someone had a extra wide jaw structure? I'm sure the results would be just as bad due to the diaphragm not seeling properly and falling down. So how would you go about sizing a diaphragm for those who have either an excessively narrow or wide jaw?

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Don't really know the answer to that, but I try several different ones every year, don't actually believe that one is really better than another, it is just whatever you can make work.
Some of the worst elk sounds I have ever heard came from REAL elk, Although I miss the Original Berry Best, Big Bull Diaphragm you used to get back in the 80's before they changed them...

[Prime Time]

I've always big a big fan of diaphragm calls and that's all I used for years. I bought one of Jason's calls from him last year and it made me a believer in his calls. I never thought I would like hand calls because none of them really sounded very "elk-ish" to me. Jason's calls are some of the best calls I've heard and they look really good as well. You can tell he puts the time into each call because every one I've seen has turned out great. For the price, I don't think you can go wrong with purchasing one of his calls. Great call to have around your neck when that big bull screaming at ya. 

[TheHunt]

Some diaphragm are aluminum some are plastic.  The aluminum ones you can bend... But then again you mess with the tone.  Some make two types and wider and then a narrower.  You will need to find the one that meets your needs.

[THEBUGLER]

Bugling Bull makes a small frame dome call( the mini master single) like the one primos makes. IMHO, B/B sounds better.  The other reeds  that B/B make, have a more narrow frame in comparison to others like H.S. and Berry's.
 
Dirk

[PlateauNDN]

All great advice.  I picked up a bunch of different reeds and practiced different calls until I was comfortable with one that was very similar to elknuts.  I would even practice in the truck on the way to work and I didn't care if anybody was looking dumb at me.  I also got a primos with the blue reed and my daughter and wife are both practicing on that one.  My daughter loves trying to spit out some calls and she's 3!!!!  I had to hide it for a while because she was trying to take it to school and daycare.

[bearmanric]

go with Jason my call's cant compare to his so i hear good luck. your on the right track pactice all summer. Rick

[JPhelps]

Rick,
Your calls are great!  I would never say that your calls can't compare.  Your calls are a work of art.  I use your sound boards for alot of my predator calls.

Our elk calls just give two different sounds is all.

[iRem]

All good advice, I really appreciate the input. All I need to now is Pratice.  Thanks Guys

[vaz,,66]

 What i would recommend to get all kinds of calls, why ? from my experience you never now what call will attract that elk .I remember one time i was after  a good size bull for about 4 days in a row and every day he respond to a different call, good thing i have bunch of them and they are not too big and not heavy at all , when i call him he would respond but would not come you can tell that he was not interested , then I started change calls until i hit one which fired him up then i stick to that call, and every time i had brought that bull to a  close range , not close  for making shot but he did came almost from 600-700 yards away , this is what i realize during that hunt; that before i used call  i like and i did hunt were i like but the deal is i didn't hunt after myself and i was not trying to call myself but elk , that's why need use call what elk like and hunt area were they like to be . what is absolutely most for every one especially bow hunter now how to use a diaphragm calls that's absolutely right , when you rady for shot and both of your hands holding your weapon and you need to stop that elk to make that shot happend you need to make a cow/calf call at this moment the best way to do that use a diaphragm call . I'm not trying to teach anyone just shering with my expireens that's all

[iRem]

What i would recommend to get all kinds of calls, why ? from my experience you never now what call will attract that elk .I remember one time i was after  a good size bull for about 4 days in a row and every day he respond to a different call, good thing i have bunch of them and they are not too big and not heavy at all , when i call him he would respond but would not come you can tell that he was not interested , then I started change calls until i hit one which fired him up then i stick to that call, and every time i had brought that bull to a  close range , not close  for making shot but he did came almost from 600-700 yards away , this is what i realize during that hunt; that before i used call  i like and i did hunt were i like but the deal is i didn't hunt after myself and i was not trying to call myself but elk , that's why need use call what elk like and hunt area were they like to be . what is absolutely most for every one especially bow hunter now how to use a diaphragm calls that's absolutely right , when you rady for shot and both of your hands holding your weapon and you need to stop that elk to make that shot happend you need to make a cow/calf call at this moment the best way to do that use a diaphragm call . I'm not trying to teach anyone just shering with my expireens that's all

I was able to pick up a few calls and I have been praticing each one. I have a couple of diaphragm call, box and reed and have been learning how to use them in my house and car on the way to work. I really like the idea of listening to the different calls on U-Tube with my iPhone through my stereo. 
Can't wait till the results from the permits to start scouting exactly were I'll be hunting this year!

[Estrusscream23]

iREM,
  Bugling bull game calls are the best calls out there hands down. They last long, and the sound is authentic. In fact their calls took all the 1rst place honors at the RMEF World Elk calling Championships in 2011. Learning to call is tough but is definitely worth while. I would have never been a successful elk hunter without calling. For tips & techniques for calling elk, check out this link http://elk101.com/
 
Dirk

[OlympicElkJunkie]

I just picked up this call that Jason made. It is beautiful. I gave him a piece of Pacific Yew that I had to cut down to build my house and he turned it into a masterpiece. It has a really nice tone too and is easy to make the standard mew and estrous whines. I use diaphragms most of the time, but this reed call will really reach out and get some attention very well.

[vaz,,66]

I'm going to give a try for Jason's calls as well and what i  like to try Joel Turner's calls , that staff can be find at Point Blank Game Calls and then you can talk to him to do a costom if you like something specific THATS ASSSOM . Thous guys like Jason and Joel they are not only a very talented they are  nice ppl and its a pleasure to deal with .

[carpsniperg2]

I got 2 call's from jason. I just got to put them threw the ropes on there first hunt the other day. I love the way they sound but its more about what the elk think. The elk loved them! My wife shot a dandy 6x6 with a little help from my calling and a phelps elk call.

[vaz,,66]

  Nice bull  guys , congrats to your wife