Best Elk calls...

[Atlantis]

I generally think that bugling calls are overused and rely on using a "Hoochie Mamma" cow call. Sparingly used at that, but I was wondering what some of you more experienced Wapiti chasers thought about calling and which calls you prefer. I've only been hunting them for a couple years now.

[elkdreamer]

atlantis........the best call for elk is the one that works on that one day your after them..........no two days are the same. that being a given.......my outfitting friend......most of his guides and myself for all the years i've been doing it.........use quaker boy royal bull and royal bull magnum diaphragms for bugles/grunts/chuckles...etc. i pretty much allways used the quaker boy cow/calf call for mews or else my own voice or the mouth diaphragm........the hoochie mamma is a good call ......but i threatened to kill any hunter that pulled it out of his pocket ......... when they came out ......everyone showed up with one and you couldn't here yourself think.....just used a simple grunt tube........tried the abes @ sons [sp?]......it is a good sound once you learn to use it......tube doesn't hold up well to huckaberry travel and abuse........last few years that i was doing it things had changed in idaho a lot......wolves/couple hard winters/bear cow kill ........pretty much just used the bugle as a locator.......then pushed hard to cut off the herd and get between the bull and his cows........had the best luck that way..........just subtle cow chirping when in close......if we knew we where between the bull and his cows .......an easy but aggresive chuckle would pretty much make
him come unglued..........a wayward cow call sometimes would do the same if the bull was pushing to get the herd moving.............if the herd was not flanked by a few satellite bulls.........a close in bugle would put a good herd bull out of there and his herd with him............into the next county

.........each day was different and one had to feel it out........sometimes just screaming on the diaphragm would make a bull come apart and come roaring to you.....that just never seems to work now days like it did when i first started elk hunting.......the last few years where spent trying to hear that first sound of elk and judging their moods and movement directions before jumping in with every elksound you think you know ............ most of your hunters never understood that they just don't come screaming up to the horses like days of old......anymore......... elk have a constant soft
communication going.......specially in herds. watching and listening to a park herd is one of the best ways to learn how to mess with their heads.......elkdreamer

[BLACK WOLF]

My favorite calls are the Carlson Fighting Cow Call and Bear Call. Both use the same design, but have different size reeds, so you have 2 different voices...one lower pitched than the other. I'll use them along with my voice to either locate bulls and/or mix them up to sound like a herd

In the past 2 years I have taught myself to make cow calls with just my voice with great success...especially when the elk are real close.

As far as bugles...I like the Primos and the Abe and Sons.

Ray ;)

[Atlantis]

Great info guys. Thanks.