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Well, where I live here in Colorado, bugleing hasn't worked for me after about mid September, and the cow calling has worked on small bulls and calfs 50% of the time thru mid November, however 90% of the time it will stop them for a BRIEF time, long enough for a shot.
CVA makes a 50 cal. muzzleloader called a bobcat that you can pick up for under $80 that shoots pretty good to 100 yards and Walmart has the bare necessities needed to shoot it for about $30. If you would be interested. Or you could pick up a used setup compound bow for under $100. Just a thought. Good luck

Often times, even in Oct., the bulls are still bugling. Unless you are looking to expereince calling them in close, why not go early rifle season. You get to hear them bugle, and this can work in helping you locate a bull to harvest. But, you can use a cow call, like Raceman said, it probably won't bring in a bull, but it could, but it will work in stopping a moving bull for a shot. I'd say, go elk hunting with your rifle, and after a year or a few, you may find that it is rewarding for you, or you may find that calling them in close enough for a shot with a bow is more your speed. But, don't think for a moment that you have to call elk to you with a rifle to be successful, that's just not the case. Good Luck!

We called in a bull in the middle of October in Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico it just depends on the situation of the rut. Good luck.