Thank you to Elknut and Wapiti River Outdoors

[riverbeav]

I just wanted to get on here and let everyone know what an asset this website has been for me over the last couple of years. This was my third season hunting elk, and while I did not connect with one this year, my partner and I had many opportunities where we should have been successful.
First of all, I would like to thank Wapiti River Outdoors for the calls they sent to new members. I was especially pleased with the Pink Lady. I was able to call in to bow range 4 bulls for my partner where I only used this call. I also called in 3 more bulls using a bugle and the Pink Lady (I prefer a dome style diaphragm when I am bugling). At first I was able to make decent sound with the Pink Lady, but after some trimming I could make an estrus call to die for, as well as any cow or calf sound. Without this call, I would not have been able to call in at least a couple of bulls because it was the only cow call that they would respond to. Great Call!
This year I realized the importance of listening to a bugle to try do decide if it was a herd bull, satellite bull, or lone bull or cow before I planned an attack. This website and Elknut’s videos made me understand that each of these bulls require a different calling technique, and which technique to use. I can honestly say that of the 15 bulls I was able to get within 120 yards of, I called in 9 of them to shooting distance for my parnter. My partner did take a shot on one, but after several hours of tracking with very little blood we saw it back with the same herd that it was in when he shot it and it was looking like it was just fine. It appeared to have grazed the top of the back. My partner has now decided to give up elk hunting since he has wounded so many over the years and not yet killed one. I am now looking for a new partner it seems. This is not a bad thing however, since I bought him the Elknut videos and he only watched one of the videos once, and he was never able to call one into range when it was my turn to be shooter. This goes to show how valuable the videos really are.

I hunted this season in both OTC and an easy draw unit in Oregon, but had my best luck in the OTC area. When I was not calling in other hunters (which happened at least 10 times), we were in elk almost every day, and if I would have found the OTC area I was in the last 12 or so days I hunted, I would have been. This brings me to a topic I would like to discuss. Maybe I should start a new thread for it.
I noticed that there is a certain pitch when I am bugling that if I can hit it, I get a response nearly every time I use it. Does anyone else notice this? I could only hit this pitch when I had a domed diaphragm, and the diaphragm I used could only hit the pitch after it had been broken in for a few days. The diaphragm was also only able to hit the pitch consistently for about 4 days of calling. I would go to bugling spots and call at night, and if I did not hit the pitch, I would usually get no response. If I hit the pitch the first or second bugle, I would get a response immediately. My partner would also bugle several times with no response, and then I would bugle and get an immediate response if I hit the pitch. This was not true for every situation I was in, but the overwhelming majority of times it was true. Some bulls just wanted a fight. Other bulls seemed like they did not want to bugle, and would make a sound that sounded like Homer Simpson biting into a donut (weird description, but that is what it sounded like). It sounded like a deep “HOUMP!” That is the only sound they would make. This was interesting to me, and I would like to hear more opinions on the subject.
I had a great season even though I did not kill one, and I know that next season I will be even more prepared. Thanks
Matt

[msd1228]

I noticed that there is a certain pitch when I am bugling that if I can hit it, I get a response nearly every time I use it. Does anyone else notice this? I could only hit this pitch when I had a domed diaphragm, and the diaphragm I used could only hit the pitch after it had been broken in for a few days

Absolutely - the tone that tends to spark the bulls is the one that makes the human ear ring. There are 2 frequencies on a diaphragm that will make the human ear ring - the top frequency is actually not quite as loud as the slightly lower one. When you get good at controlling your reed you will be able to move back and forth between the 2 frequencies and you'll see what I mean about the volume change. Hitting this frequency consistently is an essential skill for being able to consistently locate bulls, especially ones that aren't quite as keen to talk.

[Wapiti]

Riverbeav,

We are glad you guys had so much fun this season !! Getting a bull down is only part of it but you guys got to enjoy the best part of it anyways...... calling in and fooling bulls !! When you have a bull fully commit to coming in you have done some great calling. Many people think it's easy but truly it is not !!

We are truly glad you liked and had success with the Pink Lady !!

On a side note we have a couple new calls your going to really like for bugling !!

The Phantom and The Reaper !! Both will have domes !!

Trav