Favorite Mouth Reeds

[AKBowman]

What is your favorite mouth reed for calling elk?

Do you use different reeds for cow calls VS bull calls?

[pianoman9701]

Originally the Primos Ivory plate for cow and calf talk. The new double and triples I got from Jason Phelps make great bugle and cow sounds.

[Tbar]

Bugling bulls sound the best to me. Yes some are cow/bull specific but you can usually be versatile at a given time. All mouths are different so just try a couple different calls. RJ calls seem to be the most consistent calls I have tried.

[WSU]

How about for someone not accustomed to using mouth reeds?

[atfulldraw]

Mostly Primos for me.

[Tbar]

How about for someone not accustomed to using mouth reeds?

I couldn't use one for years I used open reed(rj) and a promos blue reed bugle, they both produce, but if you don't use a mouth reed you limit yourself. The versatility at crunch time can make all the difference. Give elknut a call and he can walk you through using a mouth reed. Elknut also has a DVD but his personal lesson was way more helpful.

[coachcw]

cal tek work well , aswell as primos

[JPhelps]

I use my own and bugling bull game calls.

Most of your calls can be used for both bull and cow.  Every call has different stretch and backtension as well as thicker latex to make different tones.  Most of the reeds are setup of for specific age class of sounds.  (Juvenile, mature, etc...)

The best reed I have for bugling is too raspy for cow calling though, even though it worked in a pinch this year.

I have been developing and testing some NEW diaphragm calls for this year.  I should have three different calls ready within a month.  One large bull sounds (2.5 reed), one medium bull/mature cow (2 thin reeds) and a young bull/cow (1 thin reed).  I am really excited about these new calls.  The tone is excellent in these calls and there ISN'T a better commercial bull bugling diaphragm that I have found.
 

[funkster]

I really don't have a favorite reed. I usually have 12 reeds on me when I am in the field.  In my experience elk respond differently to different calls.

Lets say you spooked an elk a few days ago and got back on him, he is going be be less responsive(if he responds at all) to that particular call/sound than a different call/sound( the new elk on the block theory).  I usually will hit them with a few simple short locator and see what I get. If I don't get a response, I will wait 10-15 min and try another reed to produce a different sound. I have gotten bulls to answer using this method. 

Remember you are not the only hunter to ever call at most of these elk, they have heard and seen it all. Elk have an amazing memory to other elk sounds and hunter elk sounds. Get creative and don't get stuck using one reed or method, you could have a bull within 50 yards and not even know it

[pianoman9701]

How about for someone not accustomed to using mouth reeds?

Jason Phelps made me a really cool wood call, single reed that is easy as pie to sound like a calf, cow, whining cow, estrus cow, lost cow, anything. I think it was like $30 or so, maybe $35 for a burl. Here's a pic of the wooden one:

[iRem]

I purchased the same call from Jason last month and it took no time at all to use and get the right sounds, Thanks Jason. I love the new call easy to use, plus I'll be using a mouth diaphragm to use with my bugle. I now have a diaphragm that I can chew on while I'm blowing the reed call. The purpose is so that I don't have to change out diaphragms for cows and bulls.  That's just me, you'll find some thin that will fit how you hunt..... Do recommend you try the Phelps Game Call!

[Giggles]

I tied using one for turkey once.  I choked and almost passed out.  Won't use them again!

[JPhelps]

Here is a picture of the 2.5 reed V.3.  I'm going to make one more change (change up the backtension and maybe go with a thinner latex in place of the black).  It is sounding awesome though.

[iRem]

Here is a picture of the 2.5 reed V.3.  I'm going to make one more change (change up the backtension and maybe go with a thinner latex in place of the black).  It is sounding awesome though.

Jason I look forward to getting one of the bull diaphragm from you when you have completed your fine toning. Put me on the waiting list for 1.

[bowhunterty]

Elknut has a good dvd on how to use mouth reeds. I've been using reeds for over 20 years and tried a lot of differnt companies. I currently use Bugling Bull Game calls. The mellew yellow is my favorite cow/calf call and the closer(red) and screaming tormentor(grern) for bulls.