If you're in Mexico and can't understand or speak Spanish then it's tough to communicate with them. Same goes with elk, and elk vocalization.

There are many types of bugles and all have their place. You have Challenge or intimidation types, Location bugles, bugles for calling cows to them, Bugles with grunts when some bulls are feeling their oats and aren't challenging anyone imparticular.

You have grunts!--some are for intimidation, you have dry huffing, or huffing grunts used with growls. Dry huffs are used under close proximity when a bull is calling a cow to him. Huffing grunts are used along with screams for intimidation or desperate situations such as a raghorn try to steal a cow quickly. You have the popping or nervous grunt that a bull will use in single note fashion, (similar to a cow bark) asking you to show or identify yourself, this is normally done in close encounters. (cows can do it too)

Chuckles--not to be confused with grunts. They're not as "base" like sounding, they're more rapid & high pitched. They're normally used for a bull to gather his cows together. He can also use them to call cows to him, such as when you're cow calling a bull, you've probably heard bulls give a short scream and many times it's followed by quick paced chuckles, he's not challenging you, he's trying to call you to him. So basically chuckles are reserved for cows but not always!

This is the tip of the iceberg! Once you learn and understand an elks language you won't believe how many more close encounters you'll have compared to not knowing it!!

If you think real hard in all the encounters you've been in the past you'll realize how much more effective you'd be if you only knew what the elk were saying or asking, therefore not running them off with just a bunch of elk sounds or jibberish.
So when you hear a distant bugle for instance or one responds to you, you can tell if he's threatning you or you just heard a bull calling for cows. Once you can tell the difference, just think what a better hunter you'll be!!

As a side note---It doesn't matter what brand of calls you use, they'll all call in elk. Just master the ones you're most comftorable with and you'll do fine! ElkNut1