huntnmuleys, fair enough one of the most successful elk hunters I know doesn't use elk calls at all. He starts about now and spends at least 2 days a week out in the field watching them and following them. By september he knows the individual bulls and cows in the heards and knows their daily routine. If you ask him where a certian animal is at a certian time of day, most likely he will know it. He hunts solo and every year comes back with a bull, most have been in the 300 to 350 class range. He figures he spends at least 1/3 of his year in the elk woods. Anyway thats not my style and with work and family I don't have time for it. But good calling works too, I have had it work for me and for friends. My friend might be the best stalker and be able to sneek in and kill bulls year after year. But he can't do it (help them) with friends or family very offten. With calling you can make it happen and be successful for your friends and family. I would even go as far to say that some of my friends and family have killed more elk than I because I am always the designated caller not the shooter. An good example is, two years ago I took a older friend my dads age elk hunting for the first time in his life. This man was from Virgina and didn't know the first thing about elk hunting. But because of the elk calling he was able to get two shots at bulls under 20 yards. He was shooing his dads recurve bow. It was his fathers dream to go hunt elk out west with his recurve. Sadly his dad died before he got to live out his dream, but my friend lived it for him. Unfortunately because my friend didn't spend the time to become one with his Dad's recurve bow, he missed both shots at the bulls. I have invited other friends from out of state to hunt with me and they have taken home bulls. For me its almost as exciting calling in a bull for a friend as it is for myself. Please don't think that I am saying one style (calling vs stalking) is better. Both have their positives and negitives. Good luck, and do give elknut videos a try. Jason