RE: Elk calling
I learned the basics and could do both bugles and cow calls with a diaphragm and a bugle tube. You can learn by watching videos and making the sounds they make, however you don't get two things doing this:
1) Why are they "saying" what they are saying
2) How often nothing answers [:-]
I was in Idaho last fall and told the outfitter if I sounded bad to be honest and tell me. I got bulls to start coming in with both cow and bugle calls. Once they were coming in he took over, soI must not have sounded to bad.