Hmmm...
Well, I have no problem getting the elk to talk. Last season, a friend and I had cow elk tags during the rut. My dad came along. One one particular day, we forgot the bugle, and only had the cow call. The bulls were already bugling down below, so we set up on a little ridge. A couple chirps on that hoochie mamma had a young bull charging into us. He came within a few feet of my friend, and still had all of the bulls bugling.
A couple days later, I walked into the middle of a timber patch. There was a wallow in their that seemed pretty active. That was about 10:30 in the morning. I let out a scratchy bugle, and had an immediate response. A couple more bugles later, on each side, and I had a 300 inch 6 point inside 20 yards.
Later that day, we saw a small herd of elk on a knob. There were about 30 cows and calves, and one herd bull. He was strutting his stuff and keeping the girls inline. If one would wander off, he would get over, and bugle and get her back with the herd. I snuck in under his distraction and got to inside 50 yards, missed a head shot with my muzzle loader, and then connected with the lead cow at about 100 yards.
With elk, it all depends on what they are doing, and what you are doing. Generally, if I want the elk to come to me, I cow call. If I am going to the elk, and need to figure out where they are at, I bugle.
With that 6 point bull. It would be like me walking into your house, and saying to your wife, "honey, I'm home, lets go upstairs." You WILL get a response if there is a bull in their that has cows.
Later,
Marcial