That is very true. and usually the bigger they are the worse their call is a lot of the time. My logic is that It seems like during the rut the big bulls have to guard the cows and chase off all the interlopers and therefore they do a good bit more "confrontational bugling" and as a result hurt their throat and get kind of "hoarse".

I'd like some that are more experienced to me to chime in on this.

I know I've seen HUGE bulls that sounded a screeching monkey

If it is a pressured area and the bugles sound a little too good especially having all the beutiful desending "notes"--it can be suspicious.

It seems usually that the REAL ELK have kind of a real big deep "HUFF" right at the end of their call.

I know I've said this before but my partner last year (whois a real expert at it) and I were standing on a riverbank at dark where there were both real bulls and hunters in the area (and both were bugling on occasion) and we heard a beautiful call about 200 yds down river on the opposite bank.
As soon as that call ended my partner yelled "GO BACK TO CAMP!!"

then we heard the bugler yell "F--- You!!!" That was afunny moment