? Calling elk

[piledup]

I did a search and didn't quite get an answer to my question so I was thinking you guys could help me out.This is my first year calling elk and I was wondering if calling them during the day was going to be effective or not? Is it only early morning and evenings only? I know hunting pressure plays a part in it too but saying there is no pressure at all, will the elk be vocal during the day? I'm talking about the east side elks if it matters. Any advice or info would be greatly appreciated. pile 

[bucklucky]

Every day, every elk , every situation is different.  Check out elknuts callind videos, they will probably answer your questions and teach you more than you can remember. www.elknut.com

[MIKEXRAY]

I've hunted along I 90 and hwy 410 for elk & both areas the bulls quit calling by 10am. Usually will answer after 4 or 5 pm. That's been my experience. If you are very close to them when bedded during the day you will probably get a respone, they don't answer a far away locating call from their beds during the day. As the last reply said " all situations are different with elk " Start calling an hour before light to locate, good luck. Mike

[archery288]

As stated above every situation is completely different! For the most part the elk will be vocal in the early morning and simmer down by about 9 or 10 in the morning and will pick up around 4 in the afternoon being most vocal again close to dark.  However, if you have a hot bull he may bugle all day long... We had a bull screaming his head off every 20 seconds at around noon here a few years ago and got in close and kept cow calling and called him in and got him.  You just never know when or where your going to run into them and if he's hot it could be good all day long!  You'll know a hot bull when you find him or hear him for that matter when he keeps sounding off to every little cow call or bugle or noise for that matter - don't call when this happens and move in as close as you can as quick as you can and set up and then cow call and see what happens. 

[bucklucky]

Thats funny Jon, I had almost the same thing typed up that you have there and deleted it .

Exactly what Jon said (archery288)

[boneaddict]

Basically it depends on how many times he has been blown and what the temp is, and what language you speak to him.  Here is eastern Washignton, unless its a closed area, its pretty hard to find hot bulls midday that aren't molested. 

[boneaddict]

did I mention the moon as well, that has ALOT to do with it

[yajsab]

Where I hunt, I only hear one call very early in the morning and then nothing for the rest of the day.  One time I heard a bugle around 5 pm and that's it as well.  Not much vocal where I hunt.

[coonhound]

My elk last year was one of 3 different bulls that I called in on opening day.  The 1st bull around 10:00am, 2nd bull 12:00PM and the bull I killed 3:00pm.  I say never assume anything and never give up.

Coon

[piledup]

Thanks for the great info everyone. After what you guys have said, to me, it sounds like calling elk is kind of like turkey calling. I just started turkey calling this year and turkeys responded mostly early morning till around 11-12 am and then they usually start back up at around 5 till dark. But during the midday, if I got in close enough to them and called, they would answer. Then there's some days when turkeys were hot all day. Correct me if I'm wrong connecting turkeys to elk.

[Opportunist]

One of the biggest problems with calling bulls during midday is the wind, it's usually swirling. I have a friend who is an elk killin' machine and he swears by bowhunting and calling during midday when most hunters are back at camp. If the wind is good and if it's cool weather I will call and hunt all day long. First rule about calling elk is there is no rules. If you have rules you will limit yourself, roll with the conditions.

[boneaddict]

well said!

[bucklucky]

+1