Gimme' the skinny...
in otc units in much of colorado the only thing interested in the calls is young bulls. the big bulls have heard it all. i do not even carry a bugle tube anymore, haven't for many years. cow calling just a little bit can be helpful, but everywhere i have hunted for many years is overcalled.
Practice, Practice, Practice.....and take the bugle tube. Anyone who doesn't is making their elk hunt much harder than it could be.
Even in over hunted OTC units here in Colorado, its not what you say when you call, but when you say it.
I didn't find that learning how to call all that difficult. It is knowing what to "say" and when to "say it" (or not call) as the biggest items to learn. Elknut's DVD's are #1 on this topic.
EDIT- I can count, but I am a slow typer! (IE Some other guys echoed idahoghost faster than I)
Oddly enough I would say most guys are really bad at the bread and butter diaphragm cow mew. It is a very fine line between good and terrible and most guys are terrible. Not trying to offend anyone but it is true.
I've hunted a VERY heavily hunted general area for the past 30yrs. There are very few open areas, and lots of water, so anyone that relies strictly on spot and stalk and/or sitting on water is going to eat lots of tag soup. Learning how to call, and even more importantly, when and when not to call, has been the demise of many an elk. Just this season, I had a nice 5x5 that came on a dead run to my squeal. He stopped 14yds, broadside, from my son. Unfortunately, some "misplaced" branches kept him from taking the shot. That's another issue altogether, but it was the calling that got him there in the first place.
I'll agree that over-calling, and not knowing when and when not to call, is a major issue for MANY people. Bottom line is, WAY too many people spend WAY too much time watching videos. They seem to think all they have to do is toot their horn as much as possible and the elk will literally trip all over themselves begging to be shot. Again, that's a problem with the caller, not the call itself.
As others have said, there are countless options when it comes to learning how to call. Best way is to get out there and learn from the best teachers of all...the elk themselves.
I will say, one of the most common problems people make when learning to use a diaphragm is blowing too hard. It doesn't take much to get the initial sound, then you can increase air pressure as you get to the higher notes. Also makes it easier to get the clear, crisp note breaks at the end if you haven't run out of air. ;-)
As with most things when it comes to bowhunting elk, there isn't one tool that is going to work all the time. However, the more tools you have in your toolbox, the better your odds of success will be.
WapitiBob's Link
Get a good reed, I like the Primos ivory; and a good cow call, I like the Elk inc. I never used an open reed cow call this year.
Understand that most Elk wont come running like the family dog to a dinner bell. You gotta fake them out and the stupid ones die early. Corey Jacobsen has a podcast he did a few weeks ago that's worth listening to. We ran into each other last week out hunting and he's got it figured out and is an Elk killer.
It's a subscription site but I'm 2 for 2 on elk the last 2 years after subscribing. I thought I could call elk before but Chris has really opened my eyes and ears as to what the elk are really saying. I figure the $40 a year has paid off in a couple of thousand $$$ in elk meat. Including this bull this year.
