If you forgot your calls

[cnelk]

I realize it probably wont happen, but for discussion sake, what would you do if you forgot or lost all of your elk calls?
Diaphrams, grunt tube, cow calls - EVERYTHING

Would you hunt?

Would you go get them? Or go buy some more?

Or would you hunt 'retro' and see what happens?

[otcWill]

Calls? I don't need no stink'n calls! I like my calls so if it was VERY easy to acquire new ones I'd get em, but if not I'd go kill an elk without a second thought. I'm pretty good with my voice on a variety of bull sounds. I also think that thrashing trees and stomping has closed the deal more times than anything else for me.

[bnsafe]

I would have to go get mine, as I keep them in my backpack I wouldn't have anything left to hunt with. the last thing I do before I leave for a hunt is run over a mental check list of weapon, tag, essentials. before I go I make sure I have the stuff I have to have, ive been burned before.
however, there is always raking, still hunting, waterholes, etc so you could still hunt.

[ElkNut1]

Yes sir I'm with octWill, I love using my voice for both bull & cow sounds, I do a pretty decent estrus buzz with just my voice as well, at least the elk like it. (grin) I'm on board with the raking/thrashing, stomping as well. Other ways to find elk, listening & stalking is also very advantageous. Maybe I'd even exercise more patients without calls. (grin) Don't get me wrong my calls are very important but I would make due without if I had to, it's never happened but like cnelk says you never know! Great subject!

ElkNut1

[Mojostylee24]

I would hunt without them. I am no good at calling yet anyways...it probably would have helped me to forget them these last two seasons!

[ctdad]

The amount of crap I own for hunting is ridiculous. I have a very long check list I use to remember what to pack for every hunt. However, at the end of the day, my license, bow, and some clothes are all I need to hunt. I'd hunt without calls. However, take away my optics and I feel naked.

[twinkieman]

I'd make do, not great with just my voice, but I could get by a little, but, won't ever happen. When I leave for the elk woods it is a 2 day drive, and we drive each other crazy calling in the truck. Probably less than 10 miles out, it would be realized, truck turned around, and calls retrieved.

[WapitiTalk1]

Noooooooooooo I spend 90 percent of my hunting time with bow in hand during the rut (SEPT) which for me, equates to having meaningfull conversations with elk. Haven't practiced and been very good at voice bugling for quite a few years. I can do a nervous grunt with my voice but cannot hit a high note anymore voice bugling. I do agree with everyone about raking/thrashing/stomping, hearing/responding, and perhaps sitting on intersecting trails, etc. but if I found I had no calls (diaphrams) at all in my possesion, I'd have to head back to civilization and aquire some. I've gotta at least have the ability to have a locator bugle to deploy.

[Still Hunter]

I was going to start a thread about this, but seeing as this forum is heavy into calling. I wasn't sure how it would go over.

As someone who still hunts 100% of the time. My goal is to sneak up to the elk. Not call them to me. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with calling. It's the most effective way to hunt. My dad taught me to hunt, and he used no calls. It's a challenge, but very rewarding. Everytime i've watched a hunter use a call the elk would come in very alert. I don't want the elk alert. I don't want them knowing where I am. Using a call would broadcast to them....here I am! Calling and not calling are different approaches, and both will work if done right.

So, I guess you could say I forget my calls everytime I hunt.

[JohnFitzgerald]

What would I do:

Ask Troy from GCHC to air lift one in.

or

Drive to Swedes camp. I'm fairly sure he has some unused reeds.

or

Implement the Crocodile Dundee water buffalo sleep technique. I've always wanted to try this on elk.

or

Make one from the elastic in my underwear, a rubber glove, and a washer off my truck. Don't really need the elastic, but nothing sounds cooler than when you say you used your underwear to help kill an elk.

or

Curl up in a ball and repeatedly babble "Where's my precious".

or

Drive 45 minutes to the nearest town.

[WapitiTalk1]

Underwear calls My precious Swede's unused reeds...... Classic.

[JohnFitzgerald]

I was going to start a thread about this, but seeing as this forum is heavy into calling. I wasn't sure how it would go over.

As someone who still hunts 100% of the time. My goal is to sneak up to the elk. Not call them to me. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with calling. It's the most effective way to hunt. My dad taught me to hunt, and he used no calls. It's a challenge, but very rewarding. Everytime i've watched a hunter use a call the elk would come in very alert. I don't want the elk alert. I don't want them knowing where I am. Using a call would broadcast to them....here I am! Calling and not calling are different approaches, and both will work if done right.

So, I guess you could say I forget my calls everytime I hunt.

Nobody here will criticize you for not calling. At least they better not! It's your method of hunting bud! This Forum is about teaching and learning, not who's right and who's wrong.

Just incase there is some double, RJ and Swede are usually wrong. LOL!

[Swede]

I would continue sitting in my tree stand. No big deal.

John: I was thinking RJ and I were the only ones who had it all figured out. It is everyone else who has it wrong. After further reflection on the matter, I then got suspicious of RJs points in the discussion.

BTW: I do have some unused reeds, so don't get desperate. Mine last quite a long time.

[>>>---WW---->]

Lets see! I reach in my pocket for my calls and find out they are missing. No problem! I just open my pack and get out one of the two backup sets I always carry.

Once I went without my grunt tube. I ended up cutting the end off of a plastic water bottle and used that.

[WapitiTalk1]

Lets see! I reach in my pocket for my calls and find out they are missing. No problem! I just open my pack and get out one of the two backup sets I always carry.

Once I went without my grunt tube. I ended up cutting the end off of a plastic water bottle and used that.

WW, cnelk asked what we would do if we forgot all our calls. No backups in the pack available. Are you still hunting that day?

[cnelk]

I was hoping to get some posts on 'how' techniques would change by not having to rely on calls.

I have known Pete's style of hunting for many years and I appreciate the fact that he does it that way.

I believe we have become too reliant on gadgets and letting the basics slip away

[JohnFitzgerald]

Every hunter has to rely on some sort of gadgets(ie calls, GPS, boots, bow release, or a tree stand). If not, we'd see a lot more naked people carrying a wood club around during hunting season. Gadgets are tools to help us with the hunt. To some, leaving your calls at home is compared to leaving your bow or release at home. Could you say that a bow or a release makes people too reliant?

People pick up a DVD that promotes brand X Bugle. They watch it and get the idea that all they have to do is take the bugle out in the woods, blow it, and the elk will come running. Not really reliant on the bugle but very much mislead!

Just my 2-cents.

[Swamp Buck]

I believe we have become too reliant on gadgets and letting the basics slip away

I think this is why 90% + don't kill an elk each year. I do think that calls are important tools though. I would not go back to camp for a day without them but I would go get more if I was going to be without them for the whole trip. Rangefinder, GPS, Binos, all would stay gone, but calls are a little more important for a elk hunt to me.

[Still Hunter]

If calls are your style of hunting. You sure can't forget them.

Here's another question.

Have you ever forgot them? That should tell you how much you need them.

[WapitiTalk1]

I was hoping to get some posts on 'how' techniques would change by not having to rely on calls. I believe we have become too reliant on gadgets and letting the basics slip away

I agree 100% on the negative phenomenon of hunter's increasing reliance of gadgets, and, getting away from basic hunting skills. No argument there. I do however, believe calls are more of a historical hunting tool versus being considered a modern day, corner cutting gadget. Forgive me if I'm misinterpreting your comment. Bows and rifles are also historical hunting tools that yes, can be misused (not shooting within one's profiency level/range, taking marginal shots, etc.), just as calls can but they IMO, are all part of the same classification and have been so for many years. With the exception of an electronic critter caller (gadget), elk and other animal calls have been the same for many, many years. It certainly is up to the individual hunter to know how, when, where, and why to use their calls to maximize their opportunities.

[>>>---WW---->]

Let me put it this way Brad. I DON'T forget my calls. I DO get ticked at people out there that use calls and don't have a clue what they are doing. But isn't that sort of what this forum is all about? To help others learn to do it right?

To be just down right honest with you, if I couldn't call elk in, I probably wouldn't hunt them very much. I'd be better off sitting in a tree waiting for an antlered field mouse (aka: deer) to walk by.

[JohnFitzgerald]

I do agree with CNELK that hunters need to remember the basics but this applies to any style of hunting. If you say calling can trigger a hunter to forget the basics, then you must also be willing to say that tree stand hunting can too. I'm not willing to agree to either.

Just my 2-cents.

[Bow4Elk]

Wait a minute. That is a great idea. If I forget my calls that would mean my buddies would have to call for me. After all, I would gag having to put one of their calls in my mouth after it has been in theirs. Thanks for the suggestion.

[BrentLaBere]

I would be patient mid day at watering holes or wallows and be very aggressive morning and night with spot and stalk trying to cut them off. Just no cold calling set ups. And no locator bugles to go with my hunting. I am too new to elk hunting for it to hurt me more than help me but that is only because I may not be proficient enough to use them they way they need to be at that particular time.

[cnelk]

I love to call in elk with my calls. Its my mostest, favorest thingy to do

But what Im getting at is IF a person DID forget their calls, how much of an inconvenience would it be?

Im with OTCwill, I could do pretty good by just getting into elk territory, do some raking and stomping.
Maybe find a tree to climb and wait over a wallow or even construct a make-shift blind near a trail.

I may even scout some new terrain for future reference

If I really felt the need to call, I would seek out a piece of grass and place it between my thumbs and try to imitate an elk sound by blowing thru them

Would the day be a bust?
Not in the least.

[JohnFitzgerald]

I love to call in elk with my calls. Its my mostest, favorest thingy to do

But what Im getting at is IF a person DID forget their calls, how much of an inconvenience would it be?

Im with OTCwill, I could do pretty good by just getting into elk territory, do some raking and stomping.
Maybe find a tree to climb and wait over a wallow or even construct a make-shift blind near a trail.

I may even scout some new terrain for future reference

If I really felt the need to call, I would seek out a piece of grass and place it between my thumbs and try to imitate an elk sound by blowing thru them

Would the day be a bust?
Not in the least.

I see what your saying CNELK.

Sometimes I just need a break from chasing and so I put my calls away. Those are the fun days where you practice your ninja skills. Brings back memories of tailing behind my dad. My only contribution to the hunt was to make sure I made as little sound as possible.

But calling is my routine. I'd need to get more or drive back to get them.

[>>>---WW---->]

OK! If I'm not calling, I'd spend a lot of time behind my binoculars. Spot and stalk hunting or maybe wait on the edge of an elky meadow at daybreak.

[Screaming_btf]

Depending how far In I am I would hike out at night to get them or glass, listen, and try and locate an area I think they will be moving through.

[Trophyhill]

If calls are out of the equation then I'd have to adapt and do the things I do to find elk other than calling. I have been aggressive in my actions the last couple of years and I would get even more aggressive with more urgency to make things happen and see where that gets me. Great thread!

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

I'd go kill an elk anyways. If you hunt an area repeatedly you ought to know where they hang out. Still hunting is a ton of fun.