Favorite Mouth Reeds

[JPhelps]

I agree that the closer, mellow yellow and the challenge are excellent calls and I always have them on me. 

I still think that my 2.5 reed call is better for bugling (otherwise I wouldn't be investing as much money as I am). 

[ridgefire]

i have never used phelps calls but my favorites are the bugling bulls mellow yellow for cow and calf sounds and their brown one for bugling.. pretty sure its called the screaming tormentor

[iRem]

I would have to agree about the different sounds and carry different calls with you. I think having a new call out on the market that sounds like elk might be worth having in your pocket as this would be a new elk in he neighborhood.   

[Todd_ID]

My go-to reed is the Primos Ivory Plate Single for most everything.  If I need big volume for a long distance locate then I go to a homemade 4 reed that my hunting buddy makes me.  I think I will be ordering one of JPhelps newfangled contraptions, though.  It just sounds too good to be true, so I have to see for myself.

[predatorpro]

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:

i agree! jason makes awesome sounding calls!

[igotbigbulls]

Stay away from the P-Niss brand mouth reeds. 

[pianoman9701]

Stay away from the P-Niss brand mouth reeds. 

Funny. 

[TheHunt]

The mouth reeds out on the market are of different sizes.  You will need to see what size fits you.  Once you have one that fits you and provides a good seal.  You are ready to play.  Look at any call for consistency as to where the ends are anchored.  If the reeds are not consistent you will be frustrated as each call will have a different tone at the same air pressure.  I call it the quality of the manufacture. 

Go to the call rack and grab 10 of the same call.  If they are not exactly the same you should consider not picking the call. 

The frame of the mouth reed are almost all plastic.  There are a very few that use metal.  The nice feature of metal frame is it can be bent.  Plastic does not bend and hold the bend.  I would recommend attending a Joel Turner elk calling seminar and pick up some of his calls before the seminar and he will teach you to call. 

[JPhelps]

The frame of the mouth reed are almost all plastic.  There are a very few that use metal.  The nice feature of metal frame is it can be bent.  Plastic does not bend and hold the bend.  I would recommend attending a Joel Turner elk calling seminar and pick up some of his calls before the seminar and he will teach you to call. 

I think most call manufacturers use an aluminum frame.  I would be very cautious about bending the frames.  When doing so you have just changed the tension in the latex. On some calls that are stretched to within a couple thousandths of spec, this will change the tone.

I agree though, Joel is a great caller and call maker.

[AKBowman]

The mouth reeds out on the market are of different sizes.  You will need to see what size fits you.  Once you have one that fits you and provides a good seal.  You are ready to play.  Look at any call for consistency as to where the ends are anchored.  If the reeds are not consistent you will be frustrated as each call will have a different tone at the same air pressure.  I call it the quality of the manufacture. 

Go to the call rack and grab 10 of the same call.  If they are not exactly the same you should consider not picking the call. 

The frame of the mouth reed are almost all plastic.  There are a very few that use metal.  The nice feature of metal frame is it can be bent.  Plastic does not bend and hold the bend.  I would recommend attending a Joel Turner elk calling seminar and pick up some of his calls before the seminar and he will teach you to call.

Thanks, I know how to call but wondering what everyone else perfers for mouth reeds. I've used primarily the primos Ivory in the past for both cow/calf and bull sounds but was wanting to pick up a couple different brands this summer. Thanks for all the feedback!

[slim9300]

What is your favorite mouth reed for calling elk?

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

I am of the belief that you should be able to do every kind of call well with one reed. The trick is finding out what that reed is for most people.

I love the Raging Bull by Bugling Bull. It's by far my favorite. For a beginning caller (or Cory Jacobsen. LOL) it's hard to beat an All-Star reed or for someone that's familiar with how to call but wants to step it up a little, The Closer is another great choice. The Closer is Elknuts reed of choice.


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[slim9300]

Go to the call rack and grab 10 of the same call.  If they are not exactly the same you should consider not picking the call.

I disagree with this post. I have tried every brand of reed. When you become a proficient caller you will find that maybe 25% to 50% of reeds make the sounds that you are looking for and have a close to ideal setup. Very good callers sort through dozens if not hundreds of reeds to find one that is the way they like it. (ie. Corey, Rockie and Elknut) There is a method to their madness but I don't want to see it get any harder to find the best reeds.

My suggestion is buy 2-3 of the ones you are going to try and then make your decision after trying all of them.




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[BowBender87]

My favorite reed used to be the knight n hale double aspen, but ofcourse they no longer make it...now i use the jones double..its the blue one...dont last very long but i can get good tone out of them...ive tried just about ever reed out there never could get very much volume out of primos reeds...looking forward to trying out one of your reeds jason

[funkster]

 When you become a proficient caller you will find that maybe 25% to 50% of reeds make the sounds that you are looking

Make the sound you are looking for? or the elk are responding too? In my opinion there is a big difference in the two.

[slim9300]

 When you become a proficient caller you will find that maybe 25% to 50% of reeds make the sounds that you are looking

Make the sound you are looking for? or the elk are responding too? In my opinion there is a big difference in the two.

Is that how you explain your lack of success killing elk? The trick is to learn from your encounters and take advantage of others that are more experienced than you. Learn what the elk are saying and learn to replicate those sounds. Those are the elk sounds that a guys should be "looking for."

There is only a big difference if you don't know what you are doing and you haven't educated yourself. For guys that are successful year in and year out calling elk, the sounds that they are looking for are the sounds that the elk are looking for (or not looking for).

Just my .02


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