Elk Calling Skills

[WapitiTalk1]

So WT'ers, what would you rate your elk calling skill level at? There are probably varied opinions on what is/are considered good skills but for the sake of this ultra scientific poll just roll with it and rate your calling skills in accordance with the options in the poll. By all means, feel free to post up comments/questions if you'd like to.

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[Lefty]

For me I just dont know enough elk talk,.. or should I say conversation. Give me a couple more years and dozens more interactions with bulls and maybe Ill be more accurate rating myself.
I didnt mark a rank. the short amount of calling and the number of close responses I do well above average. I feel confident I can make all the sounds you hear on a competitive stage,.. However I also dont know how to talk real smack to a herd bull,...yet.
I wouldn't be afraid to hunt up against the best,.. in 20 minutes they would be 15 minutes ahead of me

I also think there is a lot more to calling in elk than calling, and think those skills make a difference too. Do I think Im in the top 10 %,..nope,.. not yet

Now my goose calling skills,..

[under H2O hunter]

Top Shelf. I don't compete but I would hold my own if I did.

[Elkonthebrain]

I would say I'm average at best. With the exceptions of chuckles and grunts I think I sound pretty realistic. The real problem I seem to have is pulling them in that last 50 yards. I get an answer to my locate bugle and move as fast as the terrain allows to 100 yards or closer. During hunting season I've yet to have a bull commit to coming in like a primos movie. I've tried bugles, cow calls, raking and everything else I've read about to no avail. Last year I was closer than 100yds on 5 different bulls, one of the encounters two hunters came in on the down wind side and scared the elk away. Another was 14 yards away just way to thick to get a shot. The wind changed on another and the other two must have seen something they did not like. So I guess my question would be what are you doing to seal the deal once you're in the sweet spot? Cow calls, bugles or use what worked to get him to answer the first time? I know every situation is different and your best bet would be if you could adapt to every situation. I'm just not there yet. So any calling advice on the last 50 to 80 yards would be appreciated.

BTW sweet pic phantom that guy looks like a stud.

[Kessler10]

you would have to ask the elk. They would probably say Im a clown......wait did I just type that out loud??????

[WapitiTalk1]

Ya, some vagabond hunted with me a few years ago and that photo was born

[bald9eagle]

I'm that guy that the rest of you laugh at when you hear me and you get me to chasing an imaginary herd.

[thejuice]

I feel like I can cow call pretty well, but my bugles are terrible! I thought that my bugles were sounding OK before my trip to MT this year. They sounded OK until I got there and they sounded awful. I think I wore the latex out.
So we were heading back to camp one evening and I happened across an old call from last year in my bino harness. I threw it in my mouth and bugled with it just for the heck of it. Sounded terrible! Immediately had a bull respond. We run towards the bull and set up. I start to cow call and he comes in and hangs up at 60 yds. Being a rookie, I didn't know what to do next and kept cow calling. He shortly vanished.
Back in camp I was perplexed as to how my awful bugle prompted a response. So I went through Elknuts 'Sounds of Elk' I had down loaded on my phone and I'll be danged if it didn't sound just like a cow bugle!! We nicknamed that call the 'Lola'.
May have to try it again.

[Swede]

I rated myself as good. I am asked frequently to call for others. In fact I do more calling after I have my own elk than before.

[mongopino915]

I am a decent elk caller and could mimic note for note and tone for tone for both bull and cow sounds with the exception of that last chest thumping guttural bugle note that only the real deal can muster.

I am in the back doing most of the calling when out in the wood with friends and do not mind. I do like hunting solo.

Our hunting area is your typical pressured OTC public land. I like to make myself sound different by using elk sounds that are not typically made by hunters/callers.

[Wapiti]

I would say I'm average at best. With the exceptions of chuckles and grunts I think I sound pretty realistic. The real problem I seem to have is pulling them in that last 50 yards. I get an answer to my locate bugle and move as fast as the terrain allows to 100 yards or closer. During hunting season I've yet to have a bull commit to coming in like a primos movie. I've tried bugles, cow calls, raking and everything else I've read about to no avail. Last year I was closer than 100yds on 5 different bulls, one of the encounters two hunters came in on the down wind side and scared the elk away. Another was 14 yards away just way to thick to get a shot. The wind changed on another and the other two must have seen something they did not like. So I guess my question would be what are you doing to seal the deal once you're in the sweet spot? Cow calls, bugles or use what worked to get him to answer the first time? I know every situation is different and your best bet would be if you could adapt to every situation. I'm just not there yet. So any calling advice on the last 50 to 80 yards would be appreciated.

BTW sweet pic phantom that guy looks like a stud.

Once you have moved in to your 100 yards and you make a call from there you MUST MOVE AHEAD another 20-30 yards ! Elk can pin point your last sounds so once you call move ahead silently. If you break a branch on your way consider that the last spot you called from and move ahead again ! While moving do not call. Move and get set quietly but quickly as the elk will be coming in looking and will always hang up at the spot where they should be able to see where you were calling from.

This why you need to pick you calling spots carefully and always choose a spot to call from where you can easily move forward and down wind. That should help you get those close shots !! I prefer to call on my side of a clearing or any open spot and then go through the open spot and set up to the downwind side with a couple shooting lanes. This has worked over and over. Oh the other key is do not move once you can see the elk. Elk key in on movement instantly so as so as you see antlers or ears you better be drawing or you'll be busted. You have between 1-2 second from ears to eyeballs !! Draw smoothly straight back and get the pin on the bull and hold waiting for a shot. This why I also prefer a lower poundage bow. Draw smooth and you can hold for a long time.

Trav

[Wapiti]

I used to be a good caller but recently I was calling to my wife and she was heading my direction but I called again and she hung up !!

hhhhmmmmmm Guess I need so practice !! LOL

[WapitiTalk1]

I used to be a good caller but recently I was calling to my wife and she was heading my direction but I called again and she hung up !!

hhhhmmmmmm Guess I need so practice !! LOL

Happens to me all the time. Thanks for chiming in on this one Trav!

[ElkNut1]

Like many here I'm decent enough to get it done on a yearly basis, learn something new every year. It's a school I'll not graduate from!

ElkNut1

[2MANY]

I used to be a good caller but recently I was calling to my wife and she was heading my direction but I called again and she hung up !!

hhhhmmmmmm Guess I need so practice !! LOL

Reading the situation here is key.

Perhaps some chuckles while urinating would seal the deal.

Good luck and shoot straight.

[Elkonthebrain]

Thanks Trav!! I need to give you a call pretty soon and order some more calls.

[2MANY]

I'm going to go with average/good only because I have been blowing on the dumb things for far too long.

That being said I'm a resilient hunter who typically owes success to persistence and perseverance.

[Heartwood]

Just looking at ability to produce accurate elk sounds, I can do that well. Where I need to continue to learn and improve is in reading a situation/encounter and react in an appropriate way. Like many here, I strive to produce as many quality encounters as possible, where a bull is in range for a shot op. Our crew has had success with some of the basics like 1. calling our way to the bull using cow sounds only. 2. Challenging the bull at close range. 3. Lost cow calls to get bulls talking and somtimes called in. 4. Breeding and Advertising sequences.

[2MANY]

"Where I need to continue to learn and improve is in reading a situation/encounter and react in an appropriate way."

^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^

Is what is so cool about what Paul and his crew preach IMHO.