elk calling technique ?

by **T/H** » 08 02, 2012 • [Post 1]

how important is "cadence" when trying to close the deal on a bull? maybe i should start off with what is meant by cadence? i know what that word means as it applies when a QB is at the line of scrimmage kinda like "RED 98......RED 98.....SET........ HUT HUT........HUT!" and no i'm not a John Elway or Denver Bronco fan

by **CrazyElkHunter** » 08 02, 2012 • [Post 2]

Not really sure what you meen by cadence, and I really do not have a certain routein. Every situation is different, so I curtomise my calling to what it takes to get him to committ. When I am working a bull, I try and mimick what he is doing. If he's a little reluctant but still answering, I just copy what he is doing. It not only makes him curious but irritates him at the same time. If he is tearing up a tree or bush and stops and screams at me, I do the same. If he is screaming bloody murder, I give it right back to him. No one likes to be mimicked, and that includes elk. It irritates the hell out of them til they get frustrated and want to come on in and kick my butt. If you were in a bar and copying word for word to the guy standing next to you, your going to get knocked out. When trying to locate while I am moving thru the woods I also customise my calling to how quiet or vocal elk are at the time. I may just do a locateing bugle, every 4 or 5 minutes or just let out a low moan when working drainages. Sometimes I will let out a spike squeell every few minutes . If there are a lot of hunters in the area I just do cow and calf sounds or a lost calf sounds. The only time I might have a routein would be when I am trying to get silent bulls to come in. As far as for a hut- hut- hut- hut, I would say no. I just try and be one of the elk in the woods, not just a caller.

Called this young bull in for a friend twice. It was his 1st bull. He missed it at 10 yards the 1st time and I was able to get him back for a 2nd shot with barks and bugles. After he missed the shot, and the bull spun and ran off, I gave him a quick show me what you are bark. It stopped him at about a 150 yards. I barked about every 30 seconds til he barked back and let us know he was still in the area, Took about 20 minutes to get him back for the 2nd shot. Most hunters would have just let him run off thinking it was all over.

by **>>>---WW---->** » 08 03, 2012 • [Post 3]

"and no i'm not a John Elway or Denver Bronco fan"
Well! Maybe you should be TH!!! Don't you want the natives to be friendly when you come to hunt Colorado next month????? LOL!

Candence to me would be something you do over and over. Elk wise up to that one pretty darn quick. A good example would be the guy that punches his Hoochie Mama every two seconds.

The exception might be silent calling. But even with that, you need to mix it up and candence has nothing to do with it. Are we on the right track here or do you need to explain what you mean by (candence) a little better. I think John Elway called it cagence or hard count!

by **ElkNut1** » 08 03, 2012 • [Post 4]

T/H, can you be more specific? I don't follow you either! (grin) Like a quarterback can adjust his offense as he gets a look at the defense we as hunters must also adapt to individual encounters as needed for best results! This is all I have until I know what you're really after? (grin)

ElkNut1

by **slim9300** » 08 03, 2012 • [Post 5]

ElkNut1 wrote:T/H, can you be more specific? I don't follow you either! (grin) Like a quarterback can adjust his offense as he gets a look at the defense we as hunters must also adapt to individual encounters as needed for best results! This is all I have until I know what you're really after? (grin)

ElkNut1

Paul, what David means by cadence are things like: the timing of grunts or chuckles after a bugle, the number of grunts or chuckles used, the length of time a certain note is held for, the overall length of a specific call (ie. lip bawl or locate bugle), etc. Cadence can also be described as the "smoothness" of ones calling in general or their transitions. For the most part elk have "perfect" cadence (hence the reason we are trying to mimic them).

If one's cadence is off, even the best callers are easy to identify as hunters in the elkwoods. For example, say you heard an 8 second lip bawl while you were hunting. I'm sure you would quickly go the other direction.

If you remember, you and I had this discussion at great lengths last weekend. It was very helpful to my calling improvement and some of the best calling information I have ever gleaned.

by **Vanish** » 08 03, 2012 • [Post 6]

Well, Paul absolutely stresses cadence on calls in the videos, whether you know it or not! It just isn't an excited cow (for example) call if the cadence is wrong!

by **T/H** » 08 03, 2012 • [Post 7]

exactly Conlan i guess maybe Rythm may be a better adjective?

WW for the record i didn't say i did not respect Mr Elway and your beloved Broncos:) after all they kept my fav team from going to the big dance on several occasions during the Elway era only to turn around and lose in the superbowl. lets play a little word association for a second here and maybe i can refresh your memory on 2 of the greatest games i've ever watched. k here we go. "The Drive" and "The Fumble"

let the record further reflect that i do Love CO

by **>>>---WW---->** » 08 03, 2012 • [Post 8]

I think you've been watching too many hula girls. Lots of candence in those moves!!!

by **CrazyElkHunter** » 08 03, 2012 • [Post 9]

Mew----Mew Mew--Mew Mew Mew--Mew--- Hike! Sorry! Couldn't resist!

The fever has set in :lol:

by **POk3s** » 08 03, 2012 • [Post 10]

This might just be me but sometimes I'll do the "opposite" of what I think a "normal" elk would sound like. Seems everyone in the woods is trying for the same generic bugle. There's times I"ll bugle "unrhythmically" or do things a little out of what I would think everyone else is trying to sound like just to add some realism. I by no means am going through the woods sounding like an idiot but maybe a little short deep bugle followed by a few chuckles instead of a standard location bugle that everyone and their dog is throwing out. But when I start to get responses I'll stay with what is working.

by **ElkNut1** » 08 04, 2012 • [Post 11]

First off go 49ers!!!! (big grin)

Cadence can be big in some encounters & not a big deal in others! Don't use Location bugles when working a Herd Bull & you've closed the distance to 75yds!!!!! Either Challenge him directly with a Scream & a growl, (not a lip bawl) or you can call his cows away with just a short scream or a short scream with a short lip bawl, either can accomplish the task! Geez, I could go on here for an hour! (grin)

Anything or encounter you'd like more specifics on?

ElkNut1

by **otcWill** » 08 04, 2012 • [Post 12]

My best advice: Don't over think it or any other aspect of bowhunting for elk. You can read all you can, but you will need some real experience to decide what works best. We are all still learning, even the best of us. Do what you think sounds good and see how it works. My experience has been that they come to almost anything when they want to and to almost nothing when they don't. If they don't want to come in, but they will respond, then use the call and stalk method with one of you keeping them bugling while the other sneaks in to ruin their day. Good luck!