To call or not to call

[js80138]

So last season my buddy and I were going to embark on an afternoon hunt as we had just made camp, geared up and were ready to walk into the timber. My buddy pulled his Bully Bugle from his neck and gave a long full deep call. He then noticed my new bugle and asked me if I had been practicing and with an emphatic affirmative reply I told him to be the judge. I pulled the bugle to my lips and breathed deeply. As the call left my lungs and hit the reed the sound I produced could only be described as Tim Conways siamese elephant "snort".

My hunting buddy absolutely lost it. He collapsed with laughter and tears. Our afternoon hunt was delayed a good 20 minutes as he mimicked my sound again and again and again attempting to catch his breath and wipe his eyes. We decided then and there I would only use my Hoochie Momma during the hunt.

At what point should I feel comfortable with my call or should that be left to my hunting partner to offer his opinion.

[WapitiTalk1]

Tim Conways siamese elephant "snort". LOL, I know that sound!

I wouldn't worry about your hunting partner's opinion. After all, he bugled in the middle of the afternoon announcing your guys' presence to any elk within earshot (certainly not during a prime calling time of the day), without setting up, when the elk were probably bedded down a long ways away anyway . Just teasing.

I think all archery elk hunters that hunt during Elktember need to know how to call. If you lived close to me I'd have you making some really good elk sounds in a handful of days/practice sessions. It just takes practice. Make sure you're not practicing with old worn out reeds, that's very important. Reeds only last so long before the latex stretches to the point where you can't get your target noises out of them. If you don't have any recordings to reference, Elknut's Sounds of the Elk CD has all the sounds you'll ever need to practice trying to make. Look in the Elknut tips and clips section here on the forum and Paul has some very, very good instructional VIDS. What are you specifically struggling with? If you do some searching on this forum, there are some threads I started each year for the past several where members posted up their elk sounds and some pretty accomplished callers chimed in with recommendations for adjustment/improvement; you may be able to glean some good info from those. I'm not sure I can do those threads this year, so very busy with lotsa other stuff going on. What kind of reeds are you working with, and, are you sure they're new enough to practice with (not blown out)?

Besides all this, I hate to see a guy enter elk battle only armed with a hoochie mama

[Wapiti]

Grab a reed and start watching youtube. Type up wapiti river outdoors and we have a bunch of video's with sounds. Simply mimic the sounds as best you can and you will be well on your way for elk season.

Put in some time and you'll see great improvements.

Trav

[js80138]

I appreciate the advice and will review the suggested recordings. I will commit to practicing until I feel confident enough to post a recording. I will also give my reeds a look to make sure they are in good shape. Thanks for helping me realize that my sound should be an important part of my off season training schedule.

[ElkNut1]

Yes sir, learning to call & when to use them is a very important part of archery elk hunting. Don't handicap yourself & hunt elk like you would deer! Elk sounds can make the difference between filling a tag or not! Watch this clip I put together, it will help you out in your use & practice sessions!
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=72

ElkNut1

[twinkieman]

Don't ever give up! Keep on practicing, learn how to use your calls, and hunt alone a bit, and gain confidence.

[CurlyTail]

Practice, practice, practice. Only use the calls that sound good (first time, every time - no warm up) during September. Realistically, it will take 3-5 years to get good. Just stick with it and you will improve each season. Use the simplier reed cow calls until you master the diaphram. Use the simplier Bugles like Primos until you master the diaphram. Just don't forget to master the diaphram if you really want to have fun and see good results.

You owe it not only to yourself, but to your hunting partner to achieve basic competence calling. If he is doing all the calling, and you are doing all the shooting, that partnership will not last. You need to up your game.

[Swede]

I have made some terrible sounds that brought in a bull. Your buddy should just have let it go. He actually messed up the hunt more than you did.

[mongopino915]

Practice, practice, practice. Only use the calls that sound good (first time, every time - no warm up) during September. Realistically, it will take 3-5 years to get good. Just stick with it and you will improve each season. Use the simplier reed cow calls until you master the diaphram. Use the simplier Bugles like Primos until you master the diaphram. Just don't forget to master the diaphram if you really want to have fun and see good results.

You owe it not only to yourself, but to your hunting partner to achieve basic competence calling. If he is doing all the calling, and you are doing all the shooting, that partnership will not last. You need to up your game.

The only way to have confidence is to practice and get good at it, both during the off season as well as during the season.

If you cannot make the exact sound you want the FIRST TIME and every time, just practice more.

Don't make learning elk calling complicated. Use calls that you can make clean sounds with minimum effort. Learn the simple sounds like cow mews, locating bugle, and challenge scream.

We HAD a guy in our camp that has killed 3 elk in the last 4 years with no effort to call and just focus on being in the front line.

Elk can be pretty cunning and it helps to have lots of tricks up your sleeve if you want to be repeat elk killer. Good Luck

[mottlet]

Have not killed an elk, but called in several the first time I ever hunted. I'm living proof that you can gain plenty of proficiency between March and September to fool at least a few elk.

Last few years, I've called in three or four turkeys for friends for every one I've killed. I still get charged up about calling one in and killing it myself, but sitting out front time after time while somebody calls for me has lost a lot of its luster.