Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: iRem on May 27, 2011, 11:49:42 AM

Title: Elk Calling sounds/words?
Post by: iRem on May 27, 2011, 11:49:42 AM: OK, now that I have bought some calls and have been practicing for about 2 months I would like to get some advice. I bought a mouth diaphragm single reed and double reed, I think I like this type of call at this point in my calling as an archery hunter and bought a cow box call with a band on the mouth piece, it’s ok.

With the diaphragm and of course the single reed is very easy to use and have been practicing with both. I have been working with it or chewing on it to get used to it so that I don’t have the gagging reflex :puke: when it comes time to start calling in the Fall. I have done some research on how to call and what to say. I have been practicing my muew and calf talk, I think I want to focus on this type of calling this year and work into the bugle next year. I want to know what I should be saying to make the right sounds? :dunno:

Some of the sounds that I have been working are, mee-uew, ee-ee-ee-uw, euw, quite pleading eeeuuuuuh. These are some of the words that I’m working on and hope that I’m on the right track with making the right sounds when I’m ready to go out into the woods this Fall? I need some whelp with the sounds or words to say and the sequence of the call?

Any advice on what sounds I should make would be greatly appreciative. Thanks
Title: Re: Elk Calling sounds/words?
Post by: iRem on May 27, 2011, 02:41:18 PM: Here is some of the audio that I have been working with
Title: Re: Elk Calling sounds/words?
Post by: THEBUGLER on May 27, 2011, 05:04:07 PM: Sounds like you have a great start! The tone of your call sound good. You are going to want to back off quite a bit on how many times you keep blowing the call. Less is more, but you do have to keep an elk intrested with enough calling. First find a place to set up in front of a tree bush etc. not behind one. At the beginning of your set up you should let out 3-4 very soft cow calls to where only an elk very close by can hear you. Wait approximately 2-3 minutes and do it again only this time raise your volume to extend out to more distant elk. And then after you wait an additional 3- 5 minutes you can escalate your calling to a louder volume to reach out even further and ad in a variety of cow/ calf dialog ( about 10-12 calls). Now sit tight for about 15-30 mins.
Now if you get a response, just give the elk enough subtle calls to keep them coming. Dont over do it and let them pin point you. If you can hear them, stop calling when their about 75 yards away from you so they come the last distance. Of course every set up is different and theres no magic call to make.
Since you've got your cow/calf calls down its time to jump up to bugling. There is about three months left before season, which is plenty of time to master it if your dedicated! :)
Good Luck!!
Title: Re: Elk Calling sounds/words?
Post by: buglelk on May 27, 2011, 05:35:22 PM: Another idea I'd definitely recommend is to get some audio (or video) of elk and learn to mimic their sounds. Like Dirk mentioned, don't overdue it in the woods. A few soft cow calls is almost always going to be more effective than going crazy. I also agree with Dirk - with 3 months left to go, work on the bugling and jump right into the middle of the action! :-)

Corey
Elk101.com
Title: Re: Elk Calling sounds/words?
Post by: iRem on May 27, 2011, 06:23:28 PM: I have been listening to audio and mimicking the sounds that I am listening to. I also been working on the sounds in my car while driving to work or now at home since I'm off my feet for the next 2 weeks. My thoughts were to try and master the cow and calf calls this year and work on the Bugle next year and try to work in a little at a time. I appreciate the advice Buglelk! I have not been around calling to elk since I hunted with my father years ago and did it with him. It's now my turn to make sure that I master this on my own. I am curious though about the bugle call. I was going to buy a bugle from Elknuts and maybe I'll working on that once I purchase one.

I need to work on the sequence of calling and when to call at what time I should call. More to work on and master. I am very dedicated to practicing this so that I can have an extra edge on my success in the field.

Additional advice will be well received.
Title: Re: Elk Calling sounds/words?
Post by: Dan-o on May 27, 2011, 06:45:49 PM: All good advice.

One thing that I think some folks overlook is the "stress level" in the call, for lack of a better word.

Listen to live elk or good video, and you'll start to notice that unstressed/unpressured elk calls have a more relaxed tonal quality than do stressed/disturbed elk.

I think it's important to know how to make more/less stressed calls to match the hatch, as it were.

If you take a stand and call, it makes sense to use a laid back general comm call. That call won't work so well to bring back elk that have been pushed. I've called elk right back using pretty sharp calls when we've busted them out of the brush. It makes sense to me. When you break up the flock they call with more urgency to find each other than they do when they're wandering casually.

It's the end of the meeeeuw that gets sharp when the elk are scared or excited.

And that is............. just my opinion.

Best of luck to you.

Dan
Title: Re: Elk Calling sounds/words?
Post by: iRem on May 27, 2011, 08:58:42 PM: Any advice on what sounds and words I should be saying with the diaphragm. I have an idea and not sure if they should be something else. The wine, the estrus and cow and calf talk, and perhaps some suggestions on a sequence? Short, long, wavy, short-long-short, long-short-short?

Here are a couple more that I have been working with. By the way this no way shape or form ME, it sounds like me but it's not. If I have and opportunity to pirate some thing that is available (free) I will and I share.
Title: Re: Elk Calling sounds/words?
Post by: THEBUGLER on May 28, 2011, 09:37:59 AM: iRem,
Please dont be intimidated by bugling. Practice is the key, and with your dedication that youve already shown on the cow calls, you could definitly get a leg up on bugling. Check out some free calling advice on Utube by Rocky Jacobsen of Bugling Bull game calls........Good ideas! ;)
Title: Re: Elk Calling sounds/words?
Post by: iRem on May 28, 2011, 11:47:22 AM: Great advice, I'll look up the Youtube when I get back into town. I may also have a few pics from my cam that I'll post. I have some time on my hands and think I'll run with it and try to work in a bugle into a sequence. I'll have to do my home work in this one, plenty of resource available.