We lost an awesome elk Hunter today
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: Mathewsshooter
11-Feb-25
Wayne Carlton passed away today. He was truly a good friend. A great call maker. Great mentor and an all-around. Good guy. I will miss you my friend. Godspeed!
From: Bowfreak
11-Feb-25
I heard that earlier today. God rest his soul.
From: Dale06
11-Feb-25
How old was Wayne?
From: t-roy
11-Feb-25
Prayers for his family.
From: Treeline
11-Feb-25
Dang! I sure enjoyed talking with Wayne over the years. He was definitely a legend! He will be missed! Rest in Peace.
From: midwest
11-Feb-25
Legend! RIP
From: Shrewski
11-Feb-25
Pioneer. God’s speed.
From: Charlie Rehor
11-Feb-25
81
From: cnelk
11-Feb-25
Dang. A great asset to the bowhunting world
From: Altitude Sickness
11-Feb-25
Too young
From: Bowboy
11-Feb-25
I still have a few of his calls.
From: Pirogue
11-Feb-25
R.I.P. He could keep you entertained during his seminars.
From: Ron Niziolek
11-Feb-25
He entertained us a couple times at our BOW banquets.
From: Jaquomo
11-Feb-25
A legend, and a truly funny man. Never seemed to take himself too seriously, like many other hunting celebrities. We had lunch one day and he was just a regular guy who loved to hunt and tell stories. Introduced the first elk-focused diaphragm calls, if I'm not mistaken.
RIP, Wayne. Gone but will always be remembered.
From: Rgiesey
11-Feb-25
Yep, sorry to hear this.
From: Beav
11-Feb-25
RIP. He left his mark for sure!
From: HUNT MAN
11-Feb-25
My first elk call was a Carlton call!! Rip Wayne.
From: Zbone
11-Feb-25
R.I.P. Wayne... Always liked him on the RMEF show...
From: Norseman
11-Feb-25
We used to listen to his cassette tapes on the way to elk camp. Thanks Wayne! RIP “Elk are where ya find em”
From: Who Cares
11-Feb-25
Met him years ago when he was our speaker at our RMEF banquet here in Grand Rapids. Entertaining and nice guy. God bless him and his family.
From: ILbowhntr
11-Feb-25
Still have and use a couple of his cow calls. He tried to start a camouflage pattern, I have a hat in the pattern but don’t remember what it was called.
From: Paul@thefort
11-Feb-25
From: Billyvanness
11-Feb-25
Love getting on here and seeing fun, good news from fellow bowhunters….this is a bummer but thanks for sharing. I didn’t know him but he certainly was an elk call pioneer and an entertainer.
From: Glunt@work
11-Feb-25
Sad day. He was a quality guy and always a pleasure to be around. Prayers for his loved ones.
From: ElkNut1
11-Feb-25
Wayne was a good one. sorry to hear of his passing. RIP my friend.
ElkNut
From: Pat Lefemine
11-Feb-25
Darn, he seemed like a gentleman and a hell of an elk caller.
From: standswittaknife
11-Feb-25
Got to work with him at several archery shoots and his crew while at the "Great Western Shootouts" sponsored by Western Archery here in Colorado for several years. Was a lot of fun.. great man and a great elk hunter....
From: Scoot
11-Feb-25
I've heard nothing but good things about him as a person. RIP
From: Willieboat
11-Feb-25
RIP Wayne
From: Lewis
11-Feb-25
Ouch my brother used his calls back then simply by choice RIP Wayne Lewis
From: FORESTBOWS
11-Feb-25
I will really miss him!! Great guy and friend to all.
From: Medicinemann
12-Feb-25
Damn...
From: BULELK1
12-Feb-25
I still have some of his VCR/DVD tapes and I use one of his Bugles most every year.
Prayers to his loved ones and family,
Robb
From: Murph
12-Feb-25
A true pioneer in that realm…
From: Goelk
12-Feb-25
Prayers for families I too have his tapes.
From: elkmtngear
12-Feb-25
I use Carlton reeds exclusively when I elk hunt.
Prayers to his Family, RIP Wayne !
From: SBH
12-Feb-25
One of the OG's for sure. I still use some of his calls. Those videos he made calling in bears that came with the call were pretty cool. Seems like he was one of the first to make that a thing. Prayers from MT to his family.
From: Mathewsshooter
12-Feb-25
Forest, I remember when you bought that hat. Definitely a keepsake
From: BOHNTR
12-Feb-25
BOHNTR's Link
He was also the innovator for Cat Paws.
From: CCity65
12-Feb-25
Met him at a seminar in Salida, CO 25 years or so ago. Very informative and one of the most entertaining public events I've ever attended. I remember watching a VCR of him calling in a bear. Wayne on one side of about a 4' diameter tree trunk and the bear on the other looking for him. Eventually Wayne sprayed him with spray and the bear ran off with Wayne giggling all the while. Amazing! Rest in Peace, Wayne.
From: Inshart
12-Feb-25
Yup, always a smile, positive, and just ll around good person.
Rest in peace.
From: sheds
12-Feb-25
Denver sportsman’s show 2019, always enjoyed his seminars, and still use his calls. Prayers to the family. Rest in peace Wayne.
From: Beachtree
12-Feb-25
RIP
From: c3
12-Feb-25
I bought my first reed call from Wayne at Bob Wards in Bozeman Mt in 1980. I will say he is responsible for my ‘elkaholism’ to this day :)
RIP and thanks Wayne !!!!
Cheers, Pete
From: butcherboy
12-Feb-25
Learned to call elk from his old cassette tapes back in the mid 80’s. Lost a good one for sure.
From: Cheesehead Mike
13-Feb-25
RIP Wayne.
From: hobbes
13-Feb-25
I never had the pleasure of meeting him but do have several VCR tapes that include him. Seemed like he'd have been a great guy to listen to around a campfire. RIP Mr. Carlton.
From: FORESTBOWS
13-Feb-25
Bought his hat at a fundraising auction. Wayne told me right as that picture was being taken that when he died i could sell his DNA from the hat.....lol. maybe if they could clone him i would think about it. What a great guy and mentor to so many elk hunters. I have never used any other calls.
From: drycreek
13-Feb-25
R. I. P. Mr. Carlton, always enjoyed watching him on tv shows.
From: DL
13-Feb-25
A wonderful human a true gentleman. Helped so man get success with his calls. Always enjoyed his hunting videos.
From: tradi-doerr
14-Feb-25
One of the finest there ever was in the hunting community and Colorado. RIP
From: Bou'bound
15-Feb-25
Old school best
From: BULELK1
16-Feb-25
I was grocery shopping yesterday morning and went by the Clearance Rack and I thought, why not, at 50% off I bought another Wayne Carlton Mac-Daddy
From: BULELK1
16-Feb-25
later in the day, I found my original WC bugle tube and old reed.
I thought, why not repurpose from the old one to the new one.
From: BULELK1
16-Feb-25
From: BULELK1
16-Feb-25
It turned out nice.
Thanks, Wayne, for more memories to come.
Good luck, Robb
From: cobry
20-Feb-25
Rest in peace ?? legend!
From: TimBuck2
20-Feb-25
He was an amazing gentleman, elk hunter, and innovator, all in one. It's fun to see a bit about his life in the Sitka Film that Corey Jacobsen created: The Linguists https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBhSYD6GfsM
From: Norseman
20-Feb-25
My kind of grocery store, Robb! Was it in the produce or dairy section?
From: badbull
20-Feb-25
I remember Wayne's world record P&Y moose (at that time) on display in Montrose Co. many years ago. My son notified me of his passing. RIP Wayne.
From: BULELK1
22-Feb-25
Sure TJ ~~ broccoli, cucumber and an Elk Bugle !! haha
Good luck, Robb
