New to the forum

[Tigger]

Not sure if this is the best place for an intro post, but I didn't see a general section. Looking forward to being active on this forum. I love elk hunting and have hunted a 3 states and shot 2 bulls (with a rifle). This year, a group of 4 of us is going archery hunting in WY. Really looking forward to that. Been busy dropping off a couple of pounds the holidays were kind enough to give me.

I will be scouring the forum for advice on a bugle call (that wont be hard as I think I know which one I want--might even be able to buy it from someone on here ) and broadheads. I am fairly new to archery, so I really don't have a good handle on which broadhead to use. Mechanical or fixed, big or little, 2 blade or 3 or 4 or 8, green or red, I dunno. Seems you read a thread and if there are 7 replies, there are 7 opinions.

Howdy everyone!

[Elkduds]

Welcome to the forum, this is as good a place as any to introduce yourself. You'll see lots of discussion RE Bheads and calls in the DIY/Gear/Training forum. Things have been a little slow here during the holidays, but posting is picking up. I'll summarize tons of feedback RE Bheads: 90% here endorse fixed blade over mechanicals, and the majority like all blade edges sharp so it cuts while backing out. Beyond that, the sky's the limit. You can PM when you have 3 posts. Tell us more about your rifle bulls

[WapitiTalk1]

Hey Tigger, welcome to "the" elk forum. Pull up a log by the fire, a beverage of choice, and chime in early and often. Would recommend you run through the archived tips, and, ElkNut tips and clips sections for some light reading.. Lotsa good info there. You'll more than likely receive a recommendation from most folks here to use a fixed blade (as Elkduds mentioned), COC, broadhead for elk for some pretty solid reasons. Very good bunch of folks here; I think you'll like your stay. Would keep an eye out for that Indian Summer character, he's a bit shifty and known for campfire shenanigans

[Tigger]

This should be #3, so I will be through the PM gate!

I have been reading a bunch as a lurker, but have a long ways to go.

I have a fair amount of knowledge of elk (I think)...but I still consider myself facing a steep learning curve. If there was a real fire, I would pull up that log and just shut up and listen!

My first bull was in conjunction with my dad (he was 64 at the time). The last day. The last 5 minutes before we were going to turn around and head back. The last meadow. A raghorn was following a couple of cows. We both got to shoot it which was pretty cool.

My second bull was a great hunting experience in 2010. I should explain that the overall quality of the hunt is the most important part for me. Of course I want to shoot the biggest possible, but I really don't want to open the tent some day and there is a monster bull standing outside and I pick up my bow/rifle and shoot him. that isn't much of a hunt. My second bull was both a great hunting experience and a decent (300") bull as well. We put him to bed with about 20 cows up really high. The next morning, we tried to get up a really steep section only to have a snowstorm roll in. Keep going? Might as well. Up top it took awhile before we could see enough to find him and his girlfriends. An hour stalk (I think my back still hurts from bending over that long) and then an hour waiting when I couldn't get any closer due to the lack of cover. Finally made a long shot (for me anyway) and he was mine.

[Indian Summer]

When I read posts from people here I read between the lines. There's a lot more to the a post than just the words. I like it when I can get a feel for a guys personality. You sound like the kind of guy I could share a camp with. Upbeat. Willing to work for your goal and actually enjoy it. Persistent. And not too proud to say I have some learning to do. With an attitude like that you will go far with your elk hunting career. There's a saying around here that goes "The only stupid question is one that doesn't get asked" So feel free to fire away with as many as you want. The elkoholics around this campfire never get sick of talking about elk hunting.

I can give you a couple suggestions on broadheads. In no specific order... Slick Tricks. Razor Tricks. And Magnus has always made great broadheads and they just released a new one that look really nice. It's a cut on contact head called the Black Hornet. Google all three up for a look.

As far as mechanicals go... I heard a saying on another forum that stuck with me so I'll repeat it here: When the success of your hunt hinges on a broadhead.... don't use a broadhead with hinges! Pretty much sums it up. Elk are not deer. But you already know that.

Welcome aboard Tigger. Good to have you here man!

[bald9eagle]

Don't let Joe lie to ya'....there are dumb questions. I am an author of quite a few...lol. I'm much greener than you. The closest I've been to an elk are the stuffed heads in my father in laws living room.

[dreamhunter]

Welcome Tigger, You couldn't have picked a better place to land . I by no means am an expert but everything I have learned has been on this site and has helped me tremendously in the field . Oh and Phantom16 is always so gracious on offering up a log to get closer to the fireplace and listen in on whats going on. There are so many good people on here.

[Tigger]

Thanks guys, those are very nice welcomes! That is a very good way to put what I want out of an elk hunt. I want to earn it. I also want to enjoy the whole experience. Right now, I am enjoying the heck out of planning for it. This trailer or that, this camper or tent, this ATV or that.

I suppose I should give a few details on our hunt. We are planning (tentatively) on staying in a camper and then spiking out with a tent on our backs for a night then back to the camper for a night, etc. We will only use the ATV to get to our jumping off point (really cant drive a truck the last few miles).

And I might as well start right off with a potentially stupid question. On Elknuts new bugle, do you put a reed in your mouth and bugle into the tube? Or is there something on the end that you use to make the bugle? I got a Primos Terminator for Christmas awhile back and that has a rubber snap on thing that you put your lips on just right (if you don't get it just right, you get rewarded with the most intense tickle known to man on your lips and hop around like a cave man scratching your lips all the while trying to keep your wife from submitting the video to Americas Funniest Home Videos) and you make the bugle. It is actually pretty easy. Well now it is. There were some rather tense moments there.

I am getting to be adequate with a reed on cow calls, but my bugles sound more like a Holstein in heat.

I will research some slick tricks and some razor tricks and Magnus.

One last thing. What is a COC?

I have a stuffed elk head in my office above my desk. My wife thought I was getting a horn mount. Those things are BIG! I love it though!

[WapitiTalk1]

COC is cut on contact.. many of the solid/fixed blad broadheads (BH's) have that feature. It's a good thing for obvious reasons. You mentioned you'll be ATV'ing into a jump off point (I think you mentioned several miles back?). If you want to pack enough gear to make a comfortable camp away from your main camp, and, spend more of your hunt closer to where you're gonna be engaged with the elk (and ultimately, minimize your morning drives up the mountain), you may want to consider pulling a quad trailer. With that little gem, you can actually wheel much more in than the bare necessities. Just a thought. Yes sir, planning is a huge part of the elk hunting experience! I agree 100%. Elknut's new tube is just that, a grunt tube. You'll need to use diaphrams with it. I'll preface my next statement with the following; there is a time and place for an internal reed (built in) tube. They are great for location bugles and if you really work hard and practice with them, you can get some of the other elk sounds you'll need in the elkwoods out of them. But..... if you are really wanting to maximize your opportunities/effectiveness during archery elk hunting, aka... the rut in most states, you'll really need to learn how to use diaphram calls through a grunt tube. That (IMO) is the only way you can reproduce all of the necessary sounds you'll need to get close to a snot nosed, mud caked, red eyed, PO'd, love sick bull . Elknut has some great tutorials on how to use diaphrams to make various/needed elk sounds in his tips and clips section, and, in his DVD series (he also carries some great diaphrams in his store). There are also some very good sponsors here that carry exceptional diaphrams. Gotta plug Troy from Glacier Country Hunting Calls real quick and his website... he has some really good tutorial videos there also. Jason Phelps from Phelps game calls and Travis from Wapiti River Outdoors also carry very good products (I know that a former top level caller I know, GSElkhunter on this forum, has recently started using Wapiti diaphrams).. Is your head exploding yet? Welcome to the addiction buddy.

[ElkNut1]

Tigger, welcome to the Forum sir, great to have you & good luck on your future elk hunts, you're in for one heck of a ride! (grin)

ElkNut1

[Tigger]

Okay, pretty good news after my drive down to the mothership for work today (I am a home office guy most of the time). I was listening to my black Friday Elknut CDs about the 5 essential sounds. I have the 3 cow ones down good enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed to go into the woods right now. The locator and advertising bugles I made without any tube and given the fact I think the tube will help a lot, I don't think they were half bad. Feeling pretty confident right now! I sure have a ways to go, but for January, I am sitting okay.

I think I will pick up a Chuckler pretty quick.

On the not so good news front, I punished that pizza buffet for lunch .