How to Practice Elk Sounds?

[WapitiTalk1]

OK, let's say you're pretty new to using diaphragms/reeds and are trying to improve your calling. Maybe you can make some seriously loud sounds and somewhat have control over the pitch, but what is the best way to practice? Cow/calf sounds first with a focus on air flow control, and, dropping the jaw/tongue to get the lower, raspy cow sounds? Practice just locator bugles next till one can get a few notes, up and down the scale, and concentrate on holding the high one? How do you work on making good sounding chuckles/grunts that may assist a hunter in elk battle this fall and in the coming years as the situation demands? What do you seasoned callers say; how should a person be practicing if relatively new at this game, or, just wants to improve on the sounds one can already make? Is tempo important? What is a good practice regiment for a guy that wants to get better if not really good?

I am certainly no calling expert but I hear this question all the time. What do you cats say concerning the six pack of questions posed in the text above?

[Heartwood]

For new callers, I say get a single reed call with medium to light latex and start making sounds in general. I could not make a good cow call for years until I watched a youtube video of Rocky Jacobson explaining the proper placement of the call in the mouth. So pay attention to what the experts say about the nuts and bolts "mechanics" of calling and working the latex. Once you can make a range of sounds then listen to real elk sounds instead of sounds made by other callers [sounds by the elk]. Of course listen to Elknuts DVD's on proper use of reeds. Experiment with different reeds to find one that works well for you, they do vary a lot and your favorite may not be one that is favored by others. As you progress and get better, continue to listen to as many real elk sounds as possible and try to mimic those sounds. Listen to a bugle and then copy it as close as you can. Elk sounds have a lot of variety, so don't just sound like a textbook elk. I know that Elknut is not afraid to really go wild on the call and put a lot of emotion and off the scales whiney sounds to use. Find a place to practice where you can really go wild. For me it is usually in the car or well away from the house. The sounds by the elk cd is great because it has time built in for you to repeat the sounds with your call.As you get better, consider entering a calling contest, this will help you to produce good sounds with some pressure and a dry mouth. Calling contests can be a very humbling experience but you can learn lots from other callers. Practice, practice, practice. I'm not sure if I answered any of the questions but this is what comes to mind. I have also noticed that some calls take a while to break in and some good bugling calls can later make good cow sounds when they are more worn out from bugling. For hunting, I prefer a call that will bugle and cow call so no switching calls while doing battle.

[2MANY]

Two words:

Tape Recorder.

Record the noise you make, play it back, and you can be your own critic/instructor.

[Wapiti]

I agree 100%. I use my phone all the time and simply record and listen then do it again. One thing I practice all the time is getting your first cow mew perfect right off the get go because out in the woods that may be your first and last call to a bull !!

Having said that if you can quickly repeat a good mew after your first flubbed up cow mew you can get away with a lot.

So record yourself and play it back as you will ultimately be your own worst and best critic !!

Trav

[twinkieman]

I do not by any means consider myself an expert, that being said, I consistently call in multiple bulls every season. IMHO, a recording device of some kind is vital. It's amazing how different I sound on a recording, than I do to my own ear. Once you can make cow sounds well, then move onto bull sounds. Learn them all as well as you can. While learning the sounds, and replicating them, learn when to use them, to make sense to the elk, you will be trying to call in. What you are saying, and when you are saying it is vital to calling elk in. While this may not fall directly under practicing, use your recording device on hunts as well. I carried a small digital recorder for years, and used it on real encounters, replaying it after failing to call in the elk I was targeting sped up my learning curve drastically. I was able to see where I went wrong, and said the wrong thing. I have learned far more from failures than from successes!. I am still learning and being taught more lessons each and every season

[CurlyTail]

My Samsung smartphone has an app. called Voice Recorder. Easy to record yourself and playback.

I am not allowed to call Ducks, Geese, or Elk in the home. Therefore, I do it in the car on the way to work. Distracted driving - probably!

[lamrith]

My Samsung smartphone has an app. called Voice Recorder. Easy to record yourself and playback.

I am not allowed to call Ducks, Geese, or Elk in the home. Therefore, I do it in the car on the way to work. Distracted driving - probably!

Man, I can't believe I didn't think of it.. my car has DVD, I should throw Elknut DVD's in to practice to during the commute. (Video is disabled in drive)
It is the audio that matters on those DVD. I mean who wants to look at Paul that much!

[MidwestHunter]

I just started learning how to use a mouth diaphragm this year. I started out with turkey calling, and it took about 8 hours of practice to get anything that sounded like a turkey. Now I am at a stage where I am listening to real turkey sounds and mimicking them. I haven't recorded myself, but that is a good idea!

I just got some elk diaphragm last week and have been practicing. The mouth placement to me was different than with turkey calling, and is difficult to get used to when going back and forth, maybe it is because I am using the sonic done from primos for the elk call. I have been practicing my cow mews, and trying to change pitch during to add emotion, but it takes some practice to not mess it up consistently. I can make bull sounds as well, but less consistent with those.

My advice to anyone would be to just spend plenty of time with your mouthpiece making tons of different sounds. You will figure out what works and what doesn't for you, and it might not work for someone else.

[Backyard]

I just got some elk diaphragm last week and have been practicing. The mouth placement to me was different than with turkey calling, and is difficult to get used to when going back and forth, maybe it is because I am using the sonic done from primos for the elk call. I have been practicing my cow mews, and trying to change pitch during to add emotion, but it takes some practice to not mess it up consistently. I can make bull sounds as well, but less consistent with those.

Maybe it's the call that is making the transition difficult. I just recently talked with Travis from Wapiti River Outdoors. We were talking types of reeds, and how I have a hard time with the Primos dome also. Travis told me that even he has a hard time with that call. And he is the reigning world champ I believe. He has sort of redesigned the dome into a flatter dome that makes it even easier to use, says he prefers it to a flat reed now.
Long story short, I'm waiting the arrival of a couple of his dome calls as I type. I'll let ya know how they work. I'm no expert either, so...

[Wapiti]

Well I'd sure like to be the reigning world champ but Brian Langley and Corey Jacobson were 1 and 2 and I am 3rd in the world. 2017 I will be number #1 in the world !! Those guys better get practicing as I've been moving up every year and they are stuck doing there same routines. I hope they bring back the required sounds as that really separates callers quickly and fairly without the judges input.

So you guys can see we all have practice to put in to reach our goals ! It's no different if your just learning to make a basic cow mew or very technical bugles. Practice is what will get you to your goals as there is no other way to get there.

One thing I'll say is practice your reed control going up and down the tone scale with each breath. This will make you and your reed become one and your sounds will improve greatly. Much like a singer warms up by going threw there scale from low to high note and back down in complete control.

Trav

[lamrith]

I just got some elk diaphragm last week and have been practicing. The mouth placement to me was different than with turkey calling, and is difficult to get used to when going back and forth, maybe it is because I am using the sonic done from primos for the elk call. I have been practicing my cow mews, and trying to change pitch during to add emotion, but it takes some practice to not mess it up consistently. I can make bull sounds as well, but less consistent with those.

Maybe it's the call that is making the transition difficult. I just recently talked with Travis from Wapiti River Outdoors. We were talking types of reeds, and how I have a hard time with the Primos dome also. Travis told me that even he has a hard time with that call. And he is the reigning world champ I believe. He has sort of redesigned the dome into a flatter dome that makes it even easier to use, says he prefers it to a flat reed now.
Long story short, I'm waiting the arrival of a couple of his dome calls as I type. I'll let ya know how they work. I'm no expert either, so...

Call shape, and size is a very individual thing for sure, just like bows or clothing.
Right now I prefer Berry's Calls (Big Bull Double Reed & Big Bull Sleazy Cow Call reed) I had that pair donated to me by an WT member on my very 1st day learning how to call and just so happened they worked quite well for me. I messed up the bull call out and I bought one of Berry's other calls in a store thinking I just needed a "Berry's Red reed" and could not even use the call I got, it was a little wider and would not fit my mouth properly, and that was in the same brand.. If you are just starting out grab a few different brands and styles and see what works for YOU, not your hunting buddy..

FYI - do not leave your calls in your hot vehicle during the day if you practice during your commute... They do not like extreme heat..

[Elkonthebrain]

Well I'd sure like to be the reigning world champ but Brian Langley and Corey Jacobson were 1 and 2 and I am 3rd in the world. 2017 I will be number #1 in the world !! Those guys better get practicing as I've been moving up every year and they are stuck doing there same routines. I hope they bring back the required sounds as that really separates callers quickly and fairly without the judges input.

So you guys can see we all have practice to put in to reach our goals ! It's no different if your just learning to make a basic cow mew or very technical bugles. Practice is what will get you to your goals as there is no other way to get there.

One thing I'll say is practice your reed control going up and down the tone scale with each breath. This will make you and your reed become one and your sounds will improve greatly. Much like a singer warms up by going threw there scale from low to high note and back down in complete control.

Trav

If you have time will you please post a sound clip of you going up and down the tone scale.
Thank you.

[mongopino915]

If you have time will you please post a sound clip of you going up and down the tone scale.
Thank you.[/quote]

This video is of Joe Turner showing controls of the reed from a high note and slowly transitioning to the low note for cow calling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URs9RFiO2VQ

This video is Rocky J. showing controls of the reed from a low note and slowly transitioning to high note, and back to low for the ending for a bugle.

The chuckle is also included (my favorite bull sound to use in the wood).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-Pqzrc7YJY

Find a reed that fits you with the proper latex tension so that you can slowly manipulate or transition between notes and you are golden.

Just keep in mind that no two elk sound the same and this also applies to human. No two callers sound the same (at least for bugling) as how we make the sound is different air volume and pressure point on the latex. You may need to try quite a few different brands to find one that works for you.

These are older videos that most on here may have already seen but they helped me out quite a bit to fine tune the sounds.