When pursuing that elusive bull elk or even a cow, what calls do you rely upon?
I know there are many calls on the market these days, and so many that when I go to a sporting goods store I want to sample some of them, but just do not want to put out the bucks, to maybe find that I don't like the tone, pitch, or call itself.
I have packed my favorite cow call over the years--Hyper Hot by Woodwise, I also carry a Carlton Estrus Whine cow call, so as to mix it up a bit when calling.
For bugling, my favorite has been the blue reed by Primos.
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Man you sure got my attention with that topic!!! I use all sorts of calls myself, probably have more than 60 at the house right now, called in bulls with most of them, so I know they all work!
I really like for cow calls the hyper lip single & cow talk, along with a single reed mouth diaphragm. The sentry plate in single latex and the ivory plate single both give unbeatable cow & calf mews and everything else. I also have many other cow calls as you mentioned but prefer the others. Heh, they all work!!
For bugling, I like a double reed best, the double reed hyper plate is one of my favorites and has real good control, there's others I like but these are the ones I bring & count on the most! Of course you can't forget the grunt tube!!
If I had to choose between calls, I'd pick bugling everytime over cow calls!---Elknut1
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I use a mouth diaphram about 90% of the time. I like the Palate Plates the best- they seem more consistent than others (most brands I seem to find about half of the diaphrams will make good sounds and the rest are either poor or total junk). One little call can do it all. I usually bugle without a tube- at close range it doesn't seem to make much difference and I hate having the tube in the woods.
I also pack either the origial Sceery cow call or a hyper lip single. I keepa Hoochie-mama around just for variety but don't really use it too much while hunting.
I have external calls from Carlton and Primos, but not my bread & butter. For cow calls a High Plains double or triple and for bugling a H.S. Elk 3.5 and a grunt tube. Be loud, be bold, no chicken elk required!
Gselkhunter
I too have a lot of elk calls and have used them all. I agree with the others above and like all the diaphrams the best, I think I have most of them. I also like the hiper lip/fighting cow calls and combine this wiht the push me calls Primos Hoochie MaMa, and Carltons Squeeze Me you can sound like a lot of elk at once.
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"The rich... who are content to buy what they have not the skill to get by their own exertions, these are the real enemies of game." -Theodore Rosevelt's Principals of the Hunt
Idahoelkinstructor, that reminds me when I was at the state bow shoot in Stanley a couple years ago, there was this guy in the elk calling contest and he had a diaphram call in his mouth, and two squeeze me cow calls in both hands, and he was walking around like doing some type of chicken dance moving his arms about, me and elkcrazy8 was trying to decide if he had some of the squeeze me cow calls under his arms, I mean it sounded like a whole herd of elk coming from this one guy-- he was good and he ended up winning the competition, I would not want to run into this guy on the mountain, because he would definitely fool you!!!
RobinHood36>>>--------------------->
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Chicken dance, Huh? Might just have to give that one a try come September. Think I'll go one step further and tie a branch to my head so I can rake at the same time!
I like using the cedar box calls and ambush them when they come off the roost in the mornings. I'm sorry, your talking elk, I never have gotten too many elk using that cedar call but I do like to mix my calling using a seris of different elk calls also, just like I really need, something esle to carry. I also use Abe/Sons and Rockie Blairs calls along with Primos Hyper-hot cow, some of the names on mine are kinda worn so Not really too sure of what name brand they are. Just like Nut said, they all work, you just got to know how to work them and know what to say and when. Bobby
Bobby, good to hear from you, hope you are keeping your head above the snow up there on the mountain.
Sometimes I do wonder if these Elk are up in the trees on roost!!!
I also have calls which have plenty of mileage as to say, over the years the writing wears off, but-- "as long as they toot, they won't get the boot"!!!
My favorite is the "Hyper Hot", have had real good success with this call...
RobinHood36>>>-------------------->
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( these woods belongs to those that holds'em)
CALLING ALL ELK!!!
