Up here in Oregon the rifle for elk season starts after the rut...there are some bulls and cows together in a harem but does anyone know successful ways to locate the BIG bulls by calling them? I use a turkey diapreghm and a Hootchie Mama call for my elk.

once the elk are done rutting they wont respond, cow elk in estrus scent may get em started up again.

noooooooooo.... elk will continue to bugle the entire year, not maybe with as much gusto, but with some "hot" demanding cow calls you will get them going. Last year I got them going in DECEMBER! I couldn't believe I could get them going that late in to the final bow season, but i did.

The cows come into heat, if they dont get successfully bred they will come back into heat in 25-35days(something like that) those are what cause the secondary and late ruts. The bulls are hard to get going w/ just a call after the primary rut is over. The estrus scent will usually do it if they catch wind of it. Even then they may not bugle, just come in silent and try to find the cow. Cows on the other hand can be EASILY brought in any time of year(bulls are harder except in the rut).

NVMIKE, how do you go about calling in the cows?

Primos calls are the easiest to learn to usefrom my experience. Others are probably just as good, but I tried primos first and they worked really well. My kids can all use the hoochie mama, and the 12,9,8,(my six yr old cant quite get it) can use the diaphragm call. I got the "MASTERING THE ART" video to go w/ and my wife and 12tr old son had gotten it by the time the video was over. The girls(6,8,9,) took some practice, but were fairly good after @ 3wks. The hoochie moma call is the easiest to use, but requires one hand to run. the diaphragm call leaves both hands free. The sound should sound like a lost cow or calf in distress. the cows sound like a MEEEOOOOWWW. The calf sounds a little more pleading and shorter.Its important for the call to sound relaxed and calm, it should not have any stressed or quick,hurried; tones or feelings to it. Its a calming sound.Whenever poosible try to be in cover when you call, NEVER MOVE immediately after calling, make sure nothing is close or watching you before you move after calling. You can call towards your back or cover the call partially ect... to mask your exact location. Dont call back to back without varying the direction your pointing your call, two back to back calls and most elk know exactly where you are. Once the elk get somewhat close be sure to be under cover, trees, big rock ,whatever. You may have heard cows give a quick CHIRP, this is the signal to pack up and change zip codes, never immitate this.