The Greatest Investment You Can Make as an Elk Hunter...YOUR KNOWLEDGE!

COMPONENT - 4

Calling Elk

Heeere Elkie, Elkie Elkie!

Talking the elk talk is the Game Changer!

This is what I live for! Yeaaaahh BUDDY! Talking to elk. Speaking their language and becoming intimate with them on their own level is an incredible feeling. This, my friends, is the game changer. A solid calling skill-set is what every elk hunter heading into the woods in September, or even early October, should dedicate as much time to mastering as they do shooting their bow or looking online for that next gadget to make them a better hunter. Calling, using a cow call or even a bugle is a great tool to use for rifle hunters needing to stop an animal for a shot in the later seasons.

It’s no secret. Before you can kill an elk, you have to find one. Luckily, elk help you out by giving away their location with responses to calling during the rut. So the fact that you can get them to tell you where they are is huge. AND, rest assured, that you DO NOT have to be a world champion caller to get a response and call in a bull. But more on that later.

Calling elk is the number one skill-set that allows you, as a hunter, to create your own opportunities. Hunting public land areas with high use and high hunter numbers and a success rate anywhere between 6 to 11 percent in my home state of New Mexico, I have taken 34 elk in the last 36 years with my bow. That’s a 94% success rate. I don’t tell you this to toot my own horn. I tell you this to drive home the number one reason for my success…I have the ability to create opportunities because of my ability to talk to the animals!

You got me at "Heeeere Elkie!". Where do I start?

Many of today’s elk hunters are missing the point when it comes to calling elk. How many guys do you think are calling elk in September? 80, 85, 95 percent or more? Then why aren’t at least 50% of them killing elk? Sure they are calling, but they’re doing the same thing everyone else is doing…. same calls and strategy no matter what. It’s what they learn from all those cool elk hunting videos. But how effective is it if only 10 percent of hunters are killing elk?

They do the same presentation no matter what time of year, mode of the bulls or type of response they get. It’s the definition of insanity… doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. There is no question that people will kill elk using some of these same strategies. Absolutely some will. There are some incredible, very successful hunters doing it every year. But what about the other 90% of elk hunters that are striking out? Why are they not killing elk? Because they don’t really understand why they are calling. They do the same presentation no matter what time of year, mode of the bulls or type of response. So if they are not able to find that one bull out of ten that wants to play, then they are just out of luck. Literally.

Before we even begin to get into the calls and calling , I am first going to cover the common mistakes to avoid that are made by hunters calling elk or while developing their calling skill set. Next, the goal will be to teach you how to know “WHY” you are calling. Understanding 1) exactly what “A Rut” is, 2) The different phases and modes (pal, lover or fighter) of elk and 3) The calls that are used during those modes. Once you understand the “WHY” of calling, the other questions of “what calls to use” or “when do I use that” begin to answer themselves.

So y’all, let’s get with it!

*** ElkBros Decision Tree - Mr. Chuckles

Mistakes to Avoid

I want to come out of the chute with a totally positive approach to this section. Because even though I am talking about mistakes that I feel hurt or limit hunters that call or are learning to call, the fact that they ARE CALLING is a HUGE plus and will still create opportunities for them. I want to be totally clear that folks can make all of the mistakes below, using limited options and yet, they CAN and WILL continue to kill elk on occasion. No Doubt. Any call is better than no call and can help to create an encounter. Therefore, keep calling. Keep learning and keep getting better. It’s all about the journey!

Getting off on the wrong foot

Because most folks don’t know where to start, they often go to the local sporting goods section, many times only days before the hunt. They look for something that says “elk call” and purchase it without any knowledge of the call or the pros and cons. Most of the time it’s going to be either the cheapest, the easiest one to use, what someone says is the best sounding, or simply… whatever is available.

Look, I get it. I was THAT guy. Shoot, for 30 years I was that guy. Fortunately for me, that first call I purchased was a Primos Diaphragm that I could always find in stock at Walmart and it started me on an incredible journey. The issue isn’t about the cost of the call. In the hands of a knowledgeable and experienced elk hunter, any of these calls can be used to locate and often close the deal. But for the inexperienced, they often begin with a call that is limiting or frustrating or both. They either give up on it or set it aside only to work with it just prior to a hunt. This is a formula for failure and further frustration.

Solution

It’s a whole new time and with the resources today, like this very course, the game has changed for anyone that wants to become a good or even great elk caller. But, as far as which call to purchase, it can be a daunting task to cut through all of the makes, models and nuances. So let’s just cut to the chase and get you started.

I want you to have the greatest chance at success. And for that to happen it means that the best call for the job is a diaphragm call. If you need to see the calls I recommend just click here to skip to part of the diaphragm section with recommended calls.

Limiting Abilities

Often, the biggest downfall for many elk hunters is that their calling and closing ability is limited because of their equipment. They become a one trick pony. They might have an external bugle that is GREAT at bugling…but that’s all they have. A device that does great, often repetitive, but great bugles. But what do they do once they are in close? Once a bull is in tight, they are now stuck.

They might have an external cow call, that they heard brings them in EVERY time. That’s GREAT at producing a particular incredible cow sound. Generally a type of “Estrus” or estrus buzz call. Again limiting to situations when bulls are responding to cow sounds. Limiting to that particular cow sound and also very tough to use in close.

A lot of elk hunters will combine the external reed cow call(s) with their external bugle. Now adding more realism and variety to the situation. Especially for someone that learns to vary the calls. I know many a guide that are aces with these in a 2 man setup. But for the Solo hunter, these are still very limiting and difficult too close with. Can it be done? Absolutely, in the right situation. It has been done. But it’s a failure point waiting to happen.

Solution

I will say it over and over again. Diaphragm calls are the number one choice for reproducing the multiple sounds and audible levels of any elk sound. Cows, calfs, multiple cows and calfs or bulls can all be represented with a diaphragm call. And best of all, when in close, you are hands free and still able to stop the bull with a scream or call from the diaphragm!

Lack of Practice

This is what separates the biggest number of folks when it comes to success percentages! It doesn’t matter what call you do end up with, it’s going to take practice. But if you go with a diaphragm, it’s ALL ABOUT THE PRACTICE! I know that there are many hunters that purchase a diaphragm call and don’t really begin practicing until two weeks before or on the actual ride heading to their hunt location! I know those guys, lol.

I equate the lack of practicing with your calls to be the same as giving your opponents a 50 meter head start in a 100 meter sprint race. Why would anyone do that? Because so many of us think that there is ‘Plenty of Time’ to prepare. And they are not able to visualize those opponents lining up next to them every time they head into the woods. So they prepare like they are in a vacuum. A recipe for being a day late and a dollar short.

Solution

So this is what you need to do.
I want you to picture in your mind, one other hunter that will be hunting your area. Picture how hard he or she is preparing to get to that dream bull in your hunt area. How much time are they spending? What are they working on? How good is their skill set? Then, when you think they are done for the day, that is when YOU GO 10 MINUTES MORE!

Here is what I recommend to be on top of your Calling Game at a minimum:

15 minutes a day twice a week minimum. In your car traveling(no tube, lol), in your garage, on your hikes or walks, outside in the yard before you shoot. The more you make it part of our routine, the more routine it becomes.

The first 10 minutes, revisit the calls that you know and do. Develop a series set that takes you through in a natural progression of elk responses:
COW(3x each before the next): Chirp>Mew>Insistant (Buzz) Mew>Pleading>Lost Cow>Lost calf
BULL(1x each before the next): Mew>Growl>Frustrated Moan>Pants>Location Bgl>Chuckle>Roundup Bgl>Challenge Bgl>Lip Bawl

The last 5 minutes, work one of the most difficult for you to do.

**You might be wondering why 1x each for the bull and 3x’s each for the cow? Simply because that is most likely how you will use them. Your cow calls will be put out in multiples most of the time, with different volumes and in different directions. While the bull sounds, with the exception of moans, pants and chuckles, will be singular in each presentation.

Always Engaging Directly

Everyone wants to directly engage with a bull… Locate Bugle, Locate bugle…Challenge. A challenge bugle is a very small part of our calling…and only used when a bull escalates to that point. This tactic is used so much that bulls can become shy or wary on their approach. Especially after they have been called in and have busted hunters multiple times.

Solution

We also engage with bulls in lots of ways, directing calls at our target animal. With both cow and bull sounds. It absolutely has it’s time and place and is a critical calling strategy. But one of our most successful calling strategies is the one most unknown or underused. “Non-Engaging” scenarios where we actually “snub” or ignore our target animal. That is, we ignore the bull until he escalates to a point that requires we change our attention to now engage with him. You will learn more about Scenarios and Painting a Picture with your calling further in this module. Trust me, not only is it fun, it can be incredibly effective.

Don't Understand When, Where or How

Hunters that are not able to read a bull’s response or don’t have a grasp on when, why or how to respond in certain situations, will often lead to a blown opportunity or a hunter scratching their head wondering “What in the heck just happened?”.

Solution

You are already on the right track! Between the previous module “A Response!” and this module on “Calling Elk”, you will be eliminating this failure point.

They Get Locked In

So many hunters just don’t know when to move, or understand that they “CAN” move to develop a situation while calling. They get locked into thinking they have to set-up and call the bull to them. No matter the distance or situation. Many just will not move during the set-up. Even though the situation actually calls for another action. Often an aggressive one in order to insure shooting lanes or just an opportunity to be successful.

Solution

You are already way ahead of the game! After the three modules you have already covered, you are most likely seeing this problem in a whole new mindset. As you go through the “ElkBros Decision Trees” in this and future modules, you will get more and more comfortable with situational decisions.

Does that mean every encounter is going to go the way you want? HECK NO! Just like I do, you are going to blow up your fair share of encounters. But ‘THAT IS OKAY’! That’s part of elk hunting. The excitement and the challenge.

Just like an aggressive guard in basketball, you are going to have a few turnovers. But more often than not, you are the one CREATING those situations in the first place. Situations that never would have existed without you making the aggressive moves to develop them. Remember, elk hunting is about 1)Creating Opportunities and 2)Knowing how to Close the Deal. No opportunities… NO DEAL!

"Every Mistake is Just Another Learning Moment"

"The Rut" vs "A Rut"

Understanding that there is a difference between “THE” Rut and “A” Rut is the first step to understanding these critters.

Here’s what I mean. When most people think about THE RUT, they think about that general time of year in elk country from early September to early October when bulls are going nuts, screaming their heads off and chasing cows. It is often seen as an overall phenomenon that effects every bull elk in the country. Like every bull during September is constantly running around fighting off challengers and breeding cows. That is exactly how I use to see it too. But then, years ago I bumped into an an Old-Timer during a hunt. He proceeded to tell me that he knew of A RUT that was happening in a drainage just south of where I was hunting. I was really confused because in my mind “THE RUT” should of been happening…. EVERYWHERE!

Let me tell you, what came out of our discussion became one of those “Ah-Ha” moments that changed the whole way I saw and understood elk behavior. It altered my journey as an elk hunter and helped me to develop hunting and calling strategies that have been paramount to my success over the years.

So let me put it to you as simple as I can;

“THE RUT” is that general breeding season, around the Fall Equinox, when bulls want to breed with a cow coming into estrus. Herd bulls will gather cows into what is known as a harem and tend them for days or weeks. If he doesn’t lose them to challengers, he will maintain his herd until each of them at some point comes into estrus.

“A RUT” occurs when a cow comes into estrus and the herd bull and other bulls known as “Satellites” begin vocally and physically challenging each other to be able to breed the “hot” cow. Bulls lose their mind at this point and the fights for dominance can become incredibly intense. Even to the point of injury or even death. Any bull within ear shot of multiple bulls screaming in the same area will know immediately that there is a hot cow and will want to join in. Hopefully stealing away a cow or two during all of the commotion. A cow will be in estrus for less than 24 hours and will be bred, depending on the amount of mature bulls in the area, by four to six bulls. At this time, the bulls are Rutting.

THE RUT is a general season when breeding can occur. A RUT is when breeding is happening.

Learning this one little difference totally changed my calling strategies and helped me to be more successful. Because now I had the secret to getting bulls worked up and come in even though they were not themselves rutting or defending a hot cow. It changed what calls I was using and why.

Prior to this, my main calling strategy, like every other hunter in the woods, involved finding a bull that was worked up enough to want to fight another bull. Either a satellite that was frustrated after harassing a herd bull or a herd bull himself that wanted to fight a newcomer. Find that bull, hit him with aggressive challenging bugles and it’s on. The problem with this strategy is that it required me to be lucky enough to be in the area where a cow was in estrus so that the bulls were firing off. If there wasn’t A RUT happening, I was out of luck.

But now I understood that the lack of bugling had nothing to do with the rut being late, or early, or that it was a constant that I should hear occurring everywhere. A RUT simply occurred when a cow came in estrus. Or, at least when other bulls either actually smelled the pheromones from a cow in heat. Or, and this is the secret…also if they heard the sounds of another bull with a hot cow. Listen y’all, every bull in the woods has the same goal. Wanting and searching to breed a cow. So if I created a false scenario, or used multiple calls and sounds that painted the picture of A RUT occurring myself, I could play on a bull’s drive to breed and have bulls come to me. I’m telling you THE LIGHT BULB CAME ON! I no longer had to depend or wait on A RUT. I could create my own!

Understanding Phases & Modes

The Season Phases

I break down season into different phases; Early Season, Pre-Rut, Rut Staging, Peak Rut, Post Rut & Late Season

The Early Season Phase is the best time to pattern a bull prior to rut activity. At this point the bulls are bachelored up, still in velvet with horns growing up to 1 inch a day and are feeding all they can to prepare for the upcoming rut. The Rut will take an incredible toll on their body. Bulls will lose about 200lbs of body weight just between early September to late October. Food, water and security are their priorities and they will stay in an area unless something effects one of those needs.

The Pre-Rut Phase is marked by bulls rubbing off their velvet and beginning to spar and set pecking orders. Their testosterone levels are still low and they are more interested in hanging and measuring up the boys than looking for cows. At this time they are beginning a transition or slow migration from their summer refuge towards their more traditional rutting grounds. A bull’s mode at this time is neither a lover nor a fighter. He is in Bro Mode. Like a bunch of guys hanging in the gym and measuring each other up. It is important to note that even at this time or any other phase, if you have a cow that throws a wrench into the buddy buddy system and comes into estrus early, the gym will blow up and “A” RUT occurs. Like my wife says..”Typical Guys”, lol.

During the Rut Staging Phase, the bigger more mature bulls have begun to split off from their pals. As testosterone levels raise, the mature bulls don’t want to waste energy looking for cows or sparring with other bulls. They know what is coming and they let the young bulls do all the work for them and just wait in the wings. The younger bulls are feeling their oats and sparring becomes more intense and some will begin to try to find and gather a cow or two. They will be very responsive to cow calls in a lover mode, but not too interested in fighting a more aggressive challenger. They will quietly push their cows and try to hold onto them as long as they can. Cow and Bow ( Bull mews) calls, raking and advertising bugles are effective. Also, a hot cow scenario that paints the picture that A RUT is occurring can be very effective at this time and pull in those bulls waiting in the wings into your setup.

The Peak Rut Phase. Oh my lord thank you for the Peak Rut Phase! It is an unbelievable special time for hearing bugles echo through the woods and for getting responses. Heck, I have had peak rut bulls scream at me when I slammed my truck door! But also understand that getting a herd bull to respond at peak rut does not equate in a shot opportunity. Great for hearing. Not always so good for killing. I equate it to hunting elk in open forest instead of in thick cover. Great for seeing bulls. Not so great at getting them close enough for a shot. The reason being is that Herd bulls are now intently focused on breeding. They have cows that are coming in heat at different times and they DO NOT want to risk losing what they have to go off and chase another bull that is not a clear and present threat. Can a herd bill be killed during this phase? Absolutely. But it takes a solid skill set and you have to be prepared to use different strategies. However, this is a GREAT time to kill a satellite bull that is also harassing the herd bull. Just imagine how hungry they are, after being whipped and frustrated by the herd bull, to have a shot at a lone cow or one that another bull signals as being in heat. Great situation.

When the bulls are in the Post Rut Phase, beginning around October 8th or 10th, the big bulls have split off and are diving off into holes and not to be found. They are all about recovery now. Security, Rest and Recovery. But that does not mean it’s over as far as the bugling action or even rut action. Cows that have not been bred can come into a second or even third estrus and light things up real quick. Those satellite bulls that were waiting in the wings before are now working on the script for next year. With the herd bull pulling out, they will quickly fill in the void and run the cows now, acting the part and hoping to breed a cow that comes in heat. Bugles will still be heard and locating some quality bulls can still take place. Some of those satellite bulls are really good bulls. But if you are wanting to get one of the big mature herd bulls that have already split off. Find the deepest darkest hole you can find that no-one would ever want to haul a bull out of. Add a water source and a tree choked bench and you have the formula for a big herd bull in recovery. Now you have to let your optics do the work for you and spend hours trying to glass one up. The good news…if you do locate one, he will not be going anywhere real soon. In and out of his sanctuary and that’s about it. Remember, his goal is to recover and expend as little energy as possible.

To me, the Late Season Phase rifle hunt is THE best time to harvest a big mature bull. So much so that some States do not have a hunt during this phase. Bulls have recovered and now have to prepare for the winter ahead. That means eat, eat, eat! They have to restore their fuel reserves or they won’t make it. Also, all is forgiven from the battles of the Rut and the bachelor groups are back and the boys are all good again. Buddy pals. But for the late season rifle hunter, this is prime time. The bulls will head to bed later and come out earlier to maximize time feeding. And since they are now in larger groups, hanging out with the boys, they are much easier to spot than when they were holed up by themselves.

*** ElkBros Decision Tree - Hunter?

Elk Modes - Pals? Lover? or Fighter?

Well, when it comes to calling elk, here is the strategy for about 90% of those hitting the woods in September: Walk, drive or ride and then stop to throw out a bugle or a cow call. Wait…..no response…move on and do it again. Over and over. Same bait, same presentation. And just like those fishermen with their go to bait, there are going to be plenty of elk killed with those calls. Absolutely there will be! But this is not about just filling your tag when a bull, on occasion, decides to play. This is about knowing what is happening so you can CREATE more opportunities and fill your tag on a consistent basis.

Understand that this is not about bashing how someone else hunts or chooses to fish. I too love to throw out a line and definitely throw out a bugle. I live for it! But as your elk hunting coach, I want to move you forward. To give you a better grasp of your opponent and give you the knowledge of the game to increase your wins over the woulda – coulda’s.

“Raking” up a bull is the inexpensive AND effective.

When I am hunting elk, I am targeting bulls. I am using elk calls that are going to elicit some kind of response to let me identify the position of a bull; a bugle, chuckle, grunt, moan, mew or raking. Like I said earlier, half of the battle in killing an elk is first locating one. And yes, you CAN definitely get a response from a bull using a good ol’ location bugle and/or cow call. It is the “Go To” for elk hunters. But there are reasons and times when bulls will “go silent” to some calls. Maybe you are hunting public land where the bulls have already come into those calls and busted hunters a few times and have become “pressured” and educated. Or you unknowingly use an aggressive challenge bugle that an early season bull wants no part of. Or you use a cow call on a bull that just doesn’t care yet and wants no part of you. Maybe it’s a younger bull that wants no part of a bigger, more aggressive bull knowing where he and his girlfriend are. For that matter, it could be an older bull that doesn’t want to expend energy fighting off any bull. So he stays with low level sounds instead of announcing his location. There are a whole list of reasons why things can go quiet.

The problem comes from seeing all of those elk hunting shows or YouTube videos of guys hunting prime time rut, with bulls screaming at any and ALL bugles. It can be special time for getting responses. Heck, I have had peak rut bulls scream at me when I slammed my truck door! But also understand that getting a bull to respond at peak rut does not always equate a shot opportunity. It may be a great time for hearing them. But not always so good for killing them. I equate it to hunting elk in open forest instead of in thick cover. It’s great for seeing bulls. Not so great at getting them close enough for a shot. But I’ll head down that rabbit hole another time.

Here is what I need you to understand, targeting herd bulls or satellites while herded up in the prime rut aren’t the only scenarios that I use when trying to elicit a response. It’s a long season with different phases and depending on the time of the year, and the ‘mode’ or mindset that a bull is ‘most likely’ in at the time, it can be very important to know just what kind of bull you are most likely talking to.

Depending on the time of the season I could be trying to target:

Bulls looking for a pal (Early Season – Pre-Rut) PAL
Bulls just advertising their presence (Pre-Rut – Rut Staging – Rut) PAL & LOVER
Bulls (Mature bulls shadowing early season to Satellites during the rut to Recovery bulls late season) feeding in a corridor to and from bedding areas to night feeding grounds (Pre-Rut – Rut Staging – Rut – Post Rut) PAL , WANNA BE LOVER, WORN OUT FIGHTER
Bulls looking to fight, spar or set a pecking order (Rut Staging – Rut) FIGHTER
Bulls looking to gather cows (Rut Staging – Rut) LOVER
Bulls with cows (Rut Staging – Rut) LOVER, RUNNER OR FIGHTER WHEN PRESSED
Bulls wanting to breed a hot cow (Rut) LOVER, RUNNER OR FIGHTER IF ENGAGED

(NOTE: I say ‘most likely’, because there are plenty of exceptions to how a bull ‘should’ respond at certain times of the year and if a bull responds with aggression and excitement on September first, when most bulls are still bachelored up and working on the pecking order, it doesn’t matter what time of year it is…IT’S ON!)

What I am going to do is give you a general idea of 1) Time of Year, 2) A Bull’s general mindset during that time and 3) Calls that could be effective with that Mindset. With that said, it is critical that you understand:

first; it’s cows that come into estrus that trigger a rut…
second; the fall equinox (Sept. 21st/22nd) is what triggers cows to go into estrus…some will come in many days earlier and some many days later, not all at the same time. The very reason a bull creates and tends a harem.
And third; if a cow is not bred efficiently, she can come back into estrus multiple times until she is. Thus creating later sporadic ruts.

It is also important for you to understand, as with the cows, there is no line in the sand as to the when all bulls are in a certain mode or mindset. A certain bull’s rise in testosterone can lead to more aggressive acts while other bulls just aren’t there yet. Don’t look at these as an across the board happening. Each elk has a different personality and temperament. That is why you will see multiple possible modes or mindsets during certain times with a blending. It will be a bull’s response that will really tell you how to move forward and what kind of bull you are talking to.

The following tables show a general break down of a Bull's possible mindset according to:

1) Times of Year, 2) A Bull's general mindset during that time and 3) Calls that could be effective during that Mode. (Just select a Heading Tab to view)

WORDS FROM COACH: Don't let this overwhelm you. You will be revisiting it and understanding it more and more as we go on.

Click on the "Mindset" headings below to see the corresponding calls to use.

Pre Rut to Rut Staging

Late August, September 1st to 10th

Rut Staging to Rut

Sept 11th to 21st

Rut to Post Rut

Sept 22nd to Late October

This Calling Stuff Seems Really HARD!

Place your curser here for a word from Coach...

You CAN do This!

No doubt about it, it takes WORK! If it was easy the current success rate would be way higher. So ask yourself...Do you want to be part of the 10% punching your tag each year OR part of the 90% not getting it done?

How Do I Know What Vocalizations to Use?

First of all, let’s be perfectly clear that there is no exact playbook as far as X’s and O’s go when it comes calling elk. Just when you think you have these critters figured out, they will definitely throw you a curve ball. It’s all good. That’s why we do this! It’s all about each individual bull and trying to figure out just what pushes his buttons at THAT particular day and time. Sure, we have a general idea of what, why and when to use certain calls. But when it comes right down to the first interaction, you have to pay attention to that animal, what he is saying, doing and what is touching him off. Let me tell you y’all, that is when things get fun!

What I am going to do first is try to put your mind at ease and attempt to simplify things somewhat. However, with that said, I need you to understand that you can and will be able to call in bulls with a limited call skill set. But I want you to also understand that I equate a limited calling skill set with limited physical fitness when it comes to hunting elk. You do not have to be in the best shape in the world to hunt and kill an elk. However, your opportunities, success and enjoyment will grow proportionately with the amount of improvement in your conditioning. The same with your calling skill set. As it improves, becomes more skilled and knowledgeable, so will the quality and frequency of your encounters.

With that said, let’s try to simplify things y’all!

Let's Simplify First

Up first, some ElkBros thought processes to get your head right. But before we dive in, we want to point out that there are many ways to achieve a goal. There are plenty of very successful hunters out there that have a different style or approach than what we do. We are not here to say they are wrong or bash others for what they do. This is just what we do. What works for us and what has brought us so much success over the years. Again, my goal is to share with you over 40 years of experience from my hunting and coaching perspective. With that said, let’s get this lined out!

What We Call With and Why

We are going to talk a lot more about the different types of calls used for reproducing elk sounds, but at this point, we want to simplify the thought process concerning what we use and why. Even though some of the guys have used different external calls in the past, I have always used nothing but mouth diaphragms to call elk. I prefer diaphragms with a palette plate, dome or strip to also simplify fit, form and function. Diaphragms allow me to make pretty much any elk vocalization there is, while also keeping my hands free, which is huge. I don’t want to be reaching for different calls or having to get them out of the way when things get up close and personal. I TRULEY believe diaphragm calls and my ability to use them are a MAJOR reason for my consistent success.

SIMPLY: IF YOU WANT TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL, LEARN TO USE AND MASTER DIAPHRAGM CALLS!

Diaphragms are in your mouth and ready at any time for multiple purposes:

Locate & Call in
Mask your noise and movement in the woods
Stop an animal for the shot
Cover a draw
Confuse a hit bull and keep him from running off

Diaphragms are used in your mouth to create the sounds, while a GRUNT TUBE is used to project and even direct the sounds you create with the diaphragm and give it a more realistic resonance. There are all kinds of Grunt Tubes out there, but we use a flexible grunt tube that can wrap around our body and be easily stored and put into action with minimum movement. It also allows us to throw calls behind us while facing forward in shooting position.

ElkBros Calling Philosophy

Short and to the point. Read them. Remember them. They are the basis for what’s to come:

After looking over our ElkBros Philosophy, you have a more simplified roadmap for calling:

When we call we want to always be a “LOVER” before a “FIGHTER”. That translates to Cow Calls first followed by non-threatening bull vocalizations.
Then, we always call from NEAR to FAR. That way we are checking the area in close proximity before we reach out. That translates to:
- Cow Calls without a tube, softer then a little louder.
- Add the Grunt Tube to reach out with Cow Calls.
- Reach out farther with Location bugles

Knowing the "WHY" to Simplify

Probably the most questions we get from our listeners are concerning calling elk. To most elk hunters, especially new elk hunters, calling elk has this big cloud of mystery. What calls do I use? When do I start calling? How often do I call? How do I know how to respond? Let me tell you, there are elk hunters of twenty years still asking the same questions, so understand you are not alone. But I need to make one thing clear, the one thing more important than the “What”, “How” and “When” is the “WHY”. When you learn the “WHY”, then the other answers begin to take care of themselves.

(ELKBROS TIP: Always keep this in mind: As we begin to talk about the calls to use when engaged with a bull, If you are not sure then fall back on this rule: Just mimic the type, length and intensity of the call of the bull. Do not be more aggressive than he is. If anything, a hair less. )

After reading the above section on the Modes and Mindset of elk during the different phases, you have an idea of what calls will work with bulls at certain times of the season. But it still leaves questions in our mind that you are trying to decipher. You’re thinking “Okay Coach, I understand that they are in different modes, but when they respond, how do I know from their response which mode they are in and how to respond?”

"Okay Coach, I understand that they are in different modes, but when they respond, how do I know from their response which mode they are in and how to respond?"

Simplifying The "Why" for the Bull

Okay ladies and gentlemen, Here you go:

The way you can tell what mode they are in is by what call they are responding to. “WHY” is that bull responding to that particular call?
There are only so many reasons that a bull elk responds to a call:

He is advertising his position for cows or bulls (or you being the caller) to come to him.
He is demonstrating dominance. If you gave a cow call, he is wanting you to come to him. If you gave a bull call, he is telling you to think twice before getting involved with him and his cows.
He is wanting to breed or announce his interest and viability, and is responding to a breeding scenario or sounds you are making that are only made by a bull with a hot cow.
He is wanting to fight for a cow or defend his harem or territory in response to a bull call.

**IMPORTANT NOTE** – It is important to remember response does not always mean a loud bugle. They can also respond with short low level bugles, mews, chuckles (both low and short or longer and louder), growls or raking. These are all noises to listen for in getting a bull to give away his location.

Let’s talk about some examples:

1st Scenario:
I have a bull that responds to a cow call with a solid location type bugle. In order to test his mode, mindset or temperament, I then give him a light location bugle of my own, trying to throw it from a different direction. Then…he says nothing. I wait a minute and give him another cow call and he again goes with a strong location bugle from the same distance and location.

Conclusion:
This bull is definitely not in fighting mood (yet), and is interested in gathering a cow. A rut transition stage bull. Why is he responding? He is advertising from one location, wanting her to go to him. Definitely not of a fighter mindset. So I am sticking with the Lover and working him with cow calls when I move in on him. He has already heard a bull in the area, but as I move towards him and only cow call, he believes a cow has selected to come to him. But trust me, that bull will be on his mind. Depending on the time of year (meaning if it is in the rut staging to rut period) and he continues to want me to come to him instead of the other way around, I may then, once close and in position, introduce some bull sounds (raking & courting bull type of sounds) to pull him to me.

2nd Scenario:
Same situation as the first scenario. I again have a bull that responds to a cow call with a solid location type bugle some 300 yards off. So again, to test his mode, mindset or temperament, I give him that location bugle. Only this time he screams back with a raspy nasty response. About 30 seconds later, I give a sweet cow mew and he blasts back with a hard Lip bawl and he is closer. ELK ON Y’ALL!

Conclusion:
This bull responds back to a cow. Why? He is interested in being a lover for sure. Then when I give a passive bugle, he comes back with a raspy emotional challenge. Not only is he wanting to be a lover, he is willing to FIGHT for her. I throw another sweet loving cow call out and get a lip bawl….a demonstration bugle telling me he is the dominant bull in the woods. AND it’s closer this time. I had better be finding a set-up because it’s about to get real!

3rd Scenario:
At daylight after a full moon, I have a bull that has been responding to my location bugle every time with a hard short aggressive raspy bugle. He definitely sounds pissed off! But every time I get close to where it sounds like he is within 100 yards and I get setup, next thing I know he runs off and he is 200 to 300 yards further away! Am I scaring him away with my calls? What the HECK!?!

Conclusion:
Why? You are dealing with a bull that has cows going to a destination! He isn’t even bugling at you….well kinda. He is more bugling because of you. Let me explain….
It’s first thing in the morning but after a full moon. These critters have been at it all night in the full moon, so they are heading to bed earlier than they would on a dark night. Bulls don’t lead, they follow. They might push and prod, but they have nothing to do with the decision of where they are going. That’s the lead cow. But every time you bugle, he is then demonstrating his dominance to his cows, and any other cows in the area, that he is the man to be with. Not you.

So when he responds, he is announcing his dominance to his cows. He might even throw a dominant bugle every now and then your way as if to say “you don’t want any of this”. But he will rake trees and use dominant bugles to show the ladies that he is their man. Meanwhile, while he is putting on his show, they are still moving off to their destination. Next thing the bull knows, he is having to jog away just to catch up to his girls. Another 200 to 300 yards away from you! .

What if you hear this bugle? What would you say it is?

Curser Here for the Answer

It's a Lip Bawl Bugle

It's short and has that reverberation. It is a demonstration bugle. Demonstrating dominance to either his cows to keep them interested in him instead of going off looking for a more dominant bull or to other bulls to put fear into their thought processes. The longer the lip bawl, the more it is intended for adversaries to hear. If you hear this but quicker and shorter, it is a bull with cows or a bull trying to pull cows to him.

Simplifying The "Why" for the Caller

Now that you know the “WHY” when it comes to a bull’s response. The next step is for you to know and understand “Why” you would make a certain call. This is where the knowledge gained from the “Elk Phases, Modes & Mindsets” above that helps you relate to the simplification and to also associate the relationships of “WHY” you would use a particular call.

When you make Bull or Cow sounds, you don’t just make sounds to make them. You are trying to, in fact, do one of five Goal Intended Actions.

When you make bull sounds, your “Goal Intentions” are to:

Locate – Get a response from a Bull or a Cow to be able to find the elk. If you find cows, the bulls are close. If you find the bulls, time to get to work.
Participate – You are appealing to the Herd mentality. Non-confrontational. This can get other bulls in Pal mode to come in.
Irritate – This is not a direct challenge. This is being that “other” guy in the bar flirting and trying to entice a bull’s cows to you.
Challenge – You are now telling the bull to “Bring It”! And you don’t have to be bigger sounding than him. Just use enough emotion to throw some expletives in his face.
Exclude – You are not targeting the bull with your calls. You are portraying a bull with your own hot cow or a frustrated bull courting a cow. No time for him. By ignoring him until a certain point and portraying that you have a hot cow or a cow possibly coming into estrus, he does not feel threatened. He comes because of his urge to have a chance to breed the cow. Y’all, this right here is the hot ticket… a DEADLY strategy in the right situation.

Use the animation below for corresponding calls and related phases:

WHEN USING BULLS SOUNDS:

Locate

Pre to Post Rut

Location Bugle, (THE MAIN) Chuckle (NOT FOR EVERYONE)

Participate

Early Season

Bull Mews, Advertising Bugles, Chuckles, Raking

Irritate

Rut Staging & Prime Rut

Raking, Round up Bugle, Lip Bawls, Chuckles

Exclude

Rut Staging & Prime Rut

Grunts, Groans, Moans, Huffs, Pants, Raking, Glunking, Chuckles, Whines

Challenge

Rut Staging & Prime Rut

Challenge Bugle, Lip Bawl, Growl, Raking

When making cow sounds, your “Goal Intentions” are to:

Locate – (Most people forget that a cow call is an incredible location call) Get a response from a Bull or a Cow to be able to find the elk. If you find cows, the bulls are close. If you find the bulls, time to get to work.
Calm or relax other elk – You are using this to cover any noises or movement by demonstrating that there are other elk in the area. Just know that nothing will work if they smell you.
Sweet talk a bull – You are appealing to a bull’s urge to breed or gather cows.
Urge or be Insistent – Using vocalizations to demand attention. Like raising your voice to get a point across.
Sound Lost – Nothing a guy likes more than to help out a lost female, lol. Perfect chance for a bull to gather a cow from another bull.

Use the animation below for corresponding calls and related phases:

WHEN USING COW SOUNDS:

Locate

Pre to Post Rut

Cow Call (mew)

Calm or Relax

All Year

Herd talk - Chirps & Mews

Sweet Talk

Rut Staging to Post Rut

Cow call - Soft Sweet Mew to Insistent Pleading

Urge or Be Insistent

All Year

Buzz, Begging, Regathering Mew or Whine (louder, longer)

Sound Lost

All Year

Lost Cow or calf

*** ElkBros Decision Tree - Before Daylight

NEXT LEVEL - Painting a Picture With Your Elk Calling

Now that you understand the “WHY” of calling and your “Goal Intentions” when calling, I want to take you to a more advanced concept involving Scenarios. I want to introduce you to what I believe is the game changer that separates what I do from the same ol’ rodeo…. “Non-Engaging” Scenarios. So here we go!

A bull in an open park is a perfect situation for a Non-Engaging Scenario. Leave a buddy on the edge, go away 60 to 80 yards and sound like a herd moving even further away. Throw in some bull tending calls with a lost cow and you have a winning formula.

Just about all calling is Scenario driven in some way. We all use calls to paint an image into our target bull’s head to get him to come to us. (Sounding like a cow or group of cows as you walk… A bull advertising… location bugle… a defensive, angry bull…challenge bugle, etc.) Scenarios can engage your target bull ( cow calling to the bull, chuckling at or challenging, etc) or be “Non-Engaging” by painting the illusion of your own little world that does not involve the target bull. Not yet, anyway.

When the right situation presents itself, many of our scenarios start out as being NON-ENGAGING. They are not meant to engage our target animal… THAT IS until he has escalated for engagement. We think this strategy is the most underused, overlooked and deadly.

Let me explain a little better.

When you look at the five “Goal Intentions” above, we have one titled “Exclude”. When we Exclude or “Snub” our target bull, we are portraying ourselves as another group of elk that are only engaging with each other.

Whether that engaging is normal herd activity, breeding, challenging or fighting, we are not timing our calls in response to our target bull’s vocalizations. We are staying within our own little scenario, like actors in a play, responding to our OWN vocalizations. Acting like our target bull DOESN’T EVEN EXIST. When we do this, our bull doesn’t feel threatened in any way. He is drawn by instinct, his current mode or drive.

Many times we may not even know if a target bull exists for sure. We could be moving through a transition area and seeing fresh sign. Or we just got a strong snootful of elk scent or have heard a low audible noise we assume could be an elk. In those cases, we would do a scenario to see if we can get a bull to respond either audibly or silently. Basically chumming the water to see what comes in or gives away their presence.

Other times, we may have a visual on an animal or have heard them bugle from a location that is difficult to approach or may even be from property on the other side of a fence that is not part of our licensed area to hunt. Look, elk travel miles to find other elk for various reasons. Just because they are in another location screaming their heads off, doesn’t mean you can’t bring them to your location. You just have to give them a reason!

Now that you understand that, let’s talk about painting!

What do we mean by painting a picture with our calling? A painting is a 2 dimensional object that gives the illusion of 3 dimensions. Artists blend the colors of their palette to create an imaginary person, place or thing. Thus fooling the viewer into seeing what they, the artist, wants them to see. The more advanced artists are with their paints, brushes and their subject matter, the easier it is for them to sell the illusion.

We can do the exact same thing when calling elk using a Scenario. By using the different elk sounds of our artist’s palette, along with our set-up location as our canvas, we can create an audible illusion that will make a target bull want to come to us. We want to bring a bull into shooting range with what he believes is another elk, or group of elk, acting in a certain way that appeals, as I said before, to his instincts, mode or drive at the time. That is the Scenario or picture we paint.

Below, I have given you what I feel are the Elk Situational Sketches or Portrayals that you most want to use. Each can apply to multiple situations and to bulls in different modes by pushing different buttons. By having a set idea of the picture you are painting, it helps take out the guesswork in picking your sounds from your palette and having a plan. Knowing exactly how you are communicating by the painting you choose to portray.

The beauty of each Portrait or Painting is that it’s an illusion that can change with the reaction, or lack of a reaction. Like smoke in the wind, elk calling is dynamic. Ever changing to the current variables of the situation and the reactions of your target animal.

However, even though it is dynamic, just by knowing the basic Elk Interactions in our “Situational Sketches”, you can switch easily from one portrait to another. Just by introducing new sounds from your palette.

We use the “Elk Situational Sketches” below as part of our dynamic calling situations throughout the hunt as well as a basis for our Static “Snub” based calling Scenarios. You can think of these “Sketches” as individual “Modules” that can each be used on their own or combined together for the larger scenario that we are wanting to portray.

Know The Situational Sketches To Use

So Let's Learn to Paint!

1st - You Need To Know Your Palette

These are the colors, elk sounds or calls, that you will use to layer together to create the illusion. To give life to the picture you are portraying for your target animal.

With the “Elk Situational Sketches” being the interchangeable MODULES that are used or combined to make a “SCENARIO”, then the individual elk sounds from our “Palette” are the smaller parts that make up each “Situational Sketch” Module.

This is a visual example of building a Scenario by combining the sounds of two different Sketches to paint the desired picture.

How much you use each sound from your palette will depend on several factors; 1) Are you wanting the sounds in your scenario to be more cow or bull oriented? 2) If you are getting a response, which sounds are soliciting that response? 3) If your target bull escalates to a more aggressive mode, or even begins to lose interest, you may need to change your scenario to fit the situation or try to push a different button.

To help you simplify, understand and relate the sounds to the situation, I have created four different category palettes below. With these sounds, you can do pretty much anything you want with elk at any point and time during the season.

INTERACTIVE PALETTE - Place your pointer over each photo below

2nd - Next Up, Picking Your Canvas... The Set-Up

This right here is the beauty of Scenario Calling… you get to pick the playing field, your “CANVAS” to begin the game. Giving you a huge advantage because your target animal will be the one moving, with you still and watching. The hardest time for an elk to see movement is when they themselves are moving. When they are moving, now everything around them is moving as well. Their line of sight is constantly changing. Anytime you can create a situation to where the elk is moving into you, you have just increased your chances dramatically.

However, one important thing to remember is that even though you get to select the original playing field, this is elk hunting and the best laid plans can change in a heart beat. Especially for someone as attention deficit as I am. It’s so hard for me to not bail and chase a bugle. But you can bet your last dollar that if I have a bull being verbal, that I know is coming in and then he changes and the bugles start going away, I’m absolutely leaving and going after him. With that said, if I have a verbal bull… and he is responding to the scenario, even if he goes silent I have to show patience and allow my set-up to work. My “Canvas”, the location I select to paint my scenario, gives me an added advantage. By design, it should give me the best shot opportunity.

What Helps To Determine Your Canvas?

When, where and how you select your canvas is going to be based on several factors that I will discuss more below. But it basically comes down to your current or known situation, your level of information and both the hunt type and physical environment. Each of these factors will all be combined together to contribute information that will guide your decision, or in some cases, make the decision for you.

For example: You could have a visual on a target bull and have the perfect spot for a scenario when it comes to terrain and shooting lanes. But if the wind is wrong… it’s simply a no-go and you will have to rethink the situation and the location for determining your Canvas.

Current or Known Situations

There are going to be certain reasons that you decide to put on a scenario: 1) You hear elk or have a visual. 2)You know they are close… you smell elk or have fresh sign, or 3) You have a location that you believe they are nearby, using or coming to or through… a water source, feed area, bedding area, travel corridor. Each of these will have an effect on the time you have and the levels of choice for your “Canvas”, the location you select to paint your scenario.

Hunt Type & Physical Environment

Your Hunt Type; “Archery or Rifle” or with a “Partner or Solo”, will absolutely impact your set-up decisions with the wind, terrain and vegetation being the biggest factors for each. No matter what, never forget that the wind is the number one consideration for ANY AND ALL HUNT TYPES. You will NOT fool an elk’s nose. If they smell you, they will be gone, that simple.

Archery or Rifle? Two different modes with two different goals. With archery, you want it thick and as tight as possible to force your target animal to come into your effective shooting range. This can be accomplished by using both terrain features or vegetation. One of my favorite places to hunt elk in in thick oak brush groves. I have had elk within 25 to 30 yards that were totally screened from me. Allowing me to move and find the shooting lanes that the bull would have to come into or cross in order to find the elk that it thinks it’s looking for. In the oak brush, it’s not unusual for my shots to be as close as 10 to 20 yards.

However, when hunting with a rifle, you want it open and visual due to the very nature of the weapon and it’s ability to kill at long distances. You have to be able to verify your background before pulling the trigger. You are wanting overlooks that give you a downward angle or across from one hillside to another (never skylined!). Or from a lower position up towards a hillside or any position that your target bull has a solid backdrop.

Solo or with a Partner?
When you are Solo, you are both the caller AND the shooter. With that said, let me make sure I introduce you to the “Stop & Scan Line”. Imagine you have an elk answering your cow calls and coming into you. In this first scenario, you are set up with a solid back drop. In the direction the bull is coming from, there are a lot of big old pines. More like dark timber keeping the area shaded. You can see without obstructions until a thick screen of Jack Pines and brush about 70 yards out.

The bull was bout 150 yards out and coming fast. You cow call, he bugles. Just what the doctor ordered! You can’t see him yet but…. WHOA! You see horn tips coming through the Jack Pines 70 yards out! You’re turning your body for optimum shooting range and form. Your mind is racing taking in the situation when the bull steps through the Jack Pines just enough for him to have a clear view. He is frozen looking your way with his eyes and ears straining to locate the cow that he KNOWS is right here. He is offering a good shot angle but about 20 yards out of your effective range. You are now a victim of the “Stop & Scan Line”.

You’re thinking you shouldn’t call, because you know he will peg you for sure. It seems like forever and then he screams a bugle! Staying silent, you see his ears moving from front to the sides, still staring your way he gets a little antsy and turns with an even better shot angle. Now he “Bark Chuckles”, basically demanding for the cow to show herself. How DARE she call me all this way and then hide! Not seeing or hearing anything, he takes a step back, turns and walks back the way he came.

Your first reaction is to cow call to bring him back. And guess what? He Does! And he stops at the EXACT spot he stopped before! DANG IT! WHY?

Stop & Scan Line Explained.

So, if you haven’t figured out what is happening yet, let me explain. Somewhat like humans, Elk are visual communicators first and foremost. When they are out of visual contact, they use vocalizations. Again, much like humans. Just imagine that someone has been calling out to you from a room. Someone that you don’t know, so you go to see whom it is… visually. You get there and the room is empty? Okay, now your freaked out. You call out to whomever is there and… nothing. You’re out of there, right? Absolutely!

The same for elk. With that said, when you are in a set-up, you have to look for those “doors” into your room and MAKE SURE that the doorway, that “Stop & Scan Line” is within your effective shooting range.

Let’s reconsider that first scenario. Had you realized that the area in front of you was wide open for seventy yards and chosen to silently and quickly move forward 30 yards, then the ending would have been totally different. Now you have a 40 yard shot totally within your effective shooting range.

In the first scenario, it was the vegetation that determined the “Stop & Scan Line”. Now let’s look at terrain.

Same scenario as before. Except instead of thick vegetation and Jack Pines 70 yards off, there is a drop off down the side of a ridge. But in this scenario you hear the bull’s bugle and getting a line on his direction and realizing you are still seventy yards from where he will come over the rise, you quickly move ahead 40 yards and slightly to the downwind side. You have just moved into position with a big pine for a backdrop when you see horn tips coming over the rise! You draw back and sure as shootin’, the bull comes just to the top of the rise, his Stop and Scan Line, looking to your right at 30 yards. He is slightly quartering to you, so straight up the leg , mid body and… the happy dance! (*NOTE* When a bull is broadside, I am mid body about 3 to four inches behind the crease. But in this case, the slight quarter will change the point of impact for maximum penetration through the lungs. ALWAYS pay attention to angles!)

When you are with a Partner things are a lot different because now you have two distinct roles; shooter and caller. A deadly combination! You have so many more choices because the caller can “pull” or “draw” the bull past the shooter or into shooting range. As the shooter, you only need to worry about a good backdrop and being on the downside wind of the bull’s approach and solid shooting lanes. Let’s repeat that: 1) Downwind side. 2) Backdrop to break up your silhouette. 3) Solid Shooting Lanes.

As shown in the Set-Up Module, think of yourself as a wide receiver with your favorite football team ( Most likely the Carolina Panthers!) running an out-route. Basically an inverted “L”, where you go directly in line towards the bull and then 10 to 20 yards to the downwind side. This could happen in reverse as well if the caller has you get setup and then he or she moves back accordingly to bring the bull to your downwind side. The location, vegetation, terrain and situation will dictate which of the two techniques you use.

3rd - Time to Paint!... ElkBros Scenarios

Here you go y’all… our little slice of what has brought me so much success in a lot of situations when the “normal” procedure of Locate Bugle, Cow Call, Challenge and Kill just aren’t working. When it does work, shoot…it awesome! But what do you do if it’s not? To me it’s a lot like having a football team with only two running plays. What do you do to score when those two plays aren’t working? Your football team has become limited, one dimensional and set up to lose a LOT of games. Right out of the gate your skill set and strategies have become a possible failure point. Unacceptable. But where there is a will, there IS a way!

Before we get started with the scenarios, there are a few things that are important for you to remember (Place your curser each below to interact):

It’s not paint by number

Be dynamic in tones, timing and repetition, Be Bob Ross…have happy accidents.

If you get a response

Recognize what might have been the thing that pushed his button and keep giving it to him.

Movement adds

Movement adds authenticity to the scenario. Over a ridge and back…up a hill…moving through a corridor

Do not engage

Do not engage directly until your target bull has escalated

Group Scenarios

Lots of fun but you must know how to communicate and know your role.

There are times to shut up

Sometimes you have to just let it happen. Like if you are in between two different bulls, or a bull that is committed and coming on a string

Another important thing to remember about Scenarios, is that one type of scenario can quickly transform into another. Elk hunting is DYNAMIC that way. Your static set-up can also become dynamic, forcing you to make a move according to what your target bull is doing. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING is set in stone when it comes to elk hunting. There is no silver bullet. What worked on the last bull may not even phase the next one. That’s why it’s important to be able to understand elk behavior and be willing to change tactics accordingly. Like I have said earlier in the course, there is a way to kill each and every bull. You just have to find what buttons to push or alter your strategy when needed. And as much as I hate to say it, because I love to call elk so much, sometimes that can mean knowing when to shut up and let a situation happen on it’s own or move in on a bull without a peep and kill him.

HERE IS THE ELKBROS SCENARIOS WE WANT TO PAINT:

Cow Chumming

– Small group of cows or a cow and a calf. Done while on the move, especially during early season, or in a static setup.

Explanation: Used both solo or with a partner, this will create encounters as well as use your noise as part of the sell. You want to use a combination of chirps, short mews of cow or calf sounds. Sounds should have different rhythm, cadence, volume and directions to make them as organic and real as possible. Sometimes just one sound. Then maybe three, but possibly one right on top of the other and one spaced. Again… rhythm, cadence and direction and volume changes are what create realism.

My basic goto when working an area first thing in the morning is to do what I call “Cast Calling”. Calling from near to far. Starting with a cow mew for close. Then a mew through my tube to reach farther. And then a location bugle that is often just a one note bugle to reach out. But when I’m just moving through the woods or trying to bring a bull in that has responded to cow talk, I am chumming or setting up and using only cow sounds.

In the examples shown, you will see my “Cow Chumming” style. Honestly, any time you are using calls of any kind without having seen, smelled or heard an elk, you are basically “chumming”. Throwing something out hoping to create an encounter. And like they say in baseball… you can’t ever get a hit if you’re not swinging!

** Important Tip ** Stop often to listen and stay sharp for movement as this can bring elk in silently

Herd Scenario

– Wandering/feeding Cows, small bulls, calves

Explanation: I use this mainly with a partner to pull an early season bull by that just isn’t interested in any part of the rut yet. Think of this as Cow Chumming on steroids. But now you will add small, short young bugles and possibly some chuckles into the mix. There will be very very small gaps of silence every now and then. Just picture in your mind cows communicating to each other and their calves. If they are being insistent, there will be reactions. Different directions, and volumes are critical to paint the total picture. Using terrain & vegetation to be able to actually move as a herd does really adds realism.

Advertising Bull

– Acting like a bull moving in search of cows or a destination bull to see what you can drum up.

Explanation: One of my favorite things to do either solo or with a partner when activity is slow and the elk are quiet. Especially in the transition phase of the rut. I am doing the very same things that other bulls are doing. When Advertising, I’m traveling trails or from feed to bed, water to bed, bed to feed, running those side trails on ridges and across ridge knuckles announcing or advertising my presence to every bull or cow in the country with normal location type bugles. I bugle often, every minute to 2 minutes. By moving and advertising, elk will take the angle to intercept silently or even possibly announce themselves as they do. When acting like a destination bull, I am adding cow talk…mews and chirps and my bugles are shorter, like talking to my cows and may or may not be followed by chuckles. I feel that when I do this scenario, it also helps other bulls to get more worked up and active in the following days.

Snubbing Cow

– Cows..with introduced bull (often moves into “Tending” or”Lovestrated” bull )

Explanation: Have you ever been “snubbed” or ignored? That is how we want our target bull to feel. You see, when you are cow calling to a bull, “engaging” him, he will respond by telling you to come to him. “You talking to me? Well here I am…come on!”. The problem is if you go to him you lose your setup advantage. But if you don’t go to him, he doesn’t understand why you are saying you are interested, but staying put. Doesn’t make sense. So he will get bored and walk off.
So you have to give him a reason as to why he is being snubbed… so you introduce another bull into the scenario! But you have to be careful and use bull sounds that do not inform the target bull of your size or maturity. You don’t want to intimidate him…yet. So you use low level sounds…raking and short quiet chuckles. Now he has two reasons to go check out the situation.

Tending Bull

– Low audible bull noises (glunks, pants) with cow sounds

Explanation: This is a bull with cows that may or may not be in estrus. When other bulls hear glunks and pants mixed with some cow mews or short hard chirps, they absolutely know that there is a bull with a harem working or “tending” the herd with a breeding opportunity very close. Glunking is a very low audible sound, but it is a definite sell for your scenario. It will bring either the cows or the bull. Why cows? Don’t forget that it’s the cows that determine which bull they want to breed with. Sometimes the possibility for a better, stronger bull will pull them in. Another reason that we use demonstration bugles or sounds when dealing with herd bulls. If the bull has no interest, then we pull the cows. The bull is sure to follow!

***NOTE*** In this example video we have a situation with multiple bulls sounding off. Some of those with cows. So I have to step it up to pull the bull towards me. Especially with the fact that there are real cow elk out there. So I add glunking to the mix of defensive bugles and display raking to sell the scenario that I am tending cows. Possible a hot cow. Notice I’m not real concerned with noise. In fact just the opposite!
If you listen close towards the end, you will hear another lead cow getting insistent, so I match her with a hard cow call of my own to keep the bull coming. Then when the bull starts chuckling, my mimicking of his chuckle really gets his attention and he rolls right in.

Lead Cow

– Regathering, demanding or searching cow sounds

Explanation: Understand one thing… the lead cow rules. Sure, the bull can push and prod to get the cows moving. But most of the time he is in tow. Just following their lead. When a bull hears a cow making regathering mews or DEMANDING for him to come to her, years of natural order and instinct that will pull him in. Or if a bull hears a lost cow, it is an opportunity for him to gather. Especially if he is a younger age class bull. Also, if a bull hears a lost calf mew, he knows momma can’t be too far away. Again, a pull. And y’all, these are not the same sounds that elk have heard hunters use from every mountain top. Very effective in the right situation.

Lovestrated Bull

– Low audible frustrated bull noises with cow sounds. ( can be the beginning to a “Hot Cow” scenario)

Explanation: This is a bull ready and wanting to breed with a hot cow. But the Lovestrated Bull scenario uses low audible sounds instead of the loud excitement and aggressiveness of the Hot Cow scenario I talk about next. This is a bull with total focus on his hot cow and using pants, whines and frustrated moans. Raking is especially effective here. But again, if you look at the sounds used, it is impossible for a target bull to tell how big or mature the bull is in your scenario. A target bull may announce himself or come in totally silent to measure up the competition. All dependent on his mode, age class and temperament. I will also use some cow mews in the mix to paint the complete picture.

***NOTE*** The example video provided is from my actual 2022 hunt and was recorded right after shooting my New Mexico last morning bull. The very tactic that brought a cow and bull running in, totally silent, on what was a tough early season hunt. Shout out to Kody “The Kid” Kirkpatrick, my partner for the hunt.

Hot Cow

– Bull with a Hot Cow… will introduce satellite(s).

Explanation: Multiple bulls bugling means one thing… A HOT COW! This y’all is the dinner bell for every bull of every size in the area. Even a bull that has cows will leave them for the opportunity to breed a hot cow. This, like the Rutfest that is very similar, is a blast to portray and do. You have a “herd” bull that is demonstrating for his cows with raking, Roundup or short raspy (maybe lip-bawls but not necessarily) bugles because of one or two other bulls in the area that are advertising their presence. You use cow sounds, glunks and play the part of a possessive bull only responding to keep his cows while a satellite or two keep advertising themselves. Use different tones, directions and levels of maturity in your calls for each character. Remember, as organic as possible. Action reaction. Listen to recordings of other elk and learn the natural rhythm and responses. Like the Rutfest, this is a great way to pull animals from other areas.

***NOTE*** In the example video, I kept the whole thing in real time to give you a feel for the rhythm and timing. But understand, I kept it more scaled down and this could change from scenario to scenario depending on whether or what kind of response I get.
A few things to point out…1) We had a bull sound off earlier so we set up with my partner between myself and the bull. My partner was up on a rise which gave me cover being back behind him and below elevation. A bull would have to show himself to my partner in order to see the commotion I was making. 2) Notice that I rake both the side of the tree as well as with the tip of the branch, like the tip of an antler. I also go to branches. I try to stroke the side of the tree and rip at the branches. All for realism. 3) Even though I introduced another bull and aggression by cutting off the bugle, I still had a lot of room to escalate if needed.

Big Daddy

– Dominant Bull or dominant bull with cows – Here you are calling the cows to bring a bull

Explanation: Pulling a herd bull with cows late season is tough. You can mew all you want. He has plenty of cows and you are just another in the wings. He will definitely tell you to come to him, but very seldom will he leave. You can challenge bugle him all you want from 150 to 200 yards off. You are no different than all the other “boys” buzzing him. Again, tough pull.
But I have found that in the right situation, in the right terrain or especially if I can parallel him and his herd going to a destination, that I can sound just as dominant, if not as a bigger bull with my own cows and pull his. Again playing on them wanting to breed with the Big Daddy of the mountain.
Another strategy would be to get as close as possible in thick cover to his cows and then begin to display bugle at his cows. I mean get him straight up pissed off that I am in HIS herd. At this point, it becomes fight or flight. He will run off like a coward or come charging in to open up a can of whoop-butt!

Cow Pickle

– Lost Cow between your Target bull and yourself as a Herd Bull

Explanation: If you have ever seen a pickle play in baseball, then you have a better idea of what I am doing here. You have the target bull on one side and a hot cow scenario on the other. Sometimes in that situation, you will end up with the target bull not wanting to engage or fight, but instead just advertising from a distance in hopes of pulling a cow to him. Basically, just holding his ground. In that case, I like to introduce some lower hanging fruit. I will cut some distance to the target bull and start using lost cow or calf mews, or both. Then I will retreat back to my original position and sound like the herd bull situation is moving away. Maybe up and over a ridge. Then head back towards the target bull again with lost cow mews. He will almost always respond in some way. If he does, I will head back away from him making the lost cow sounds in search of the herd. At that point, everything becomes dynamic according to how he responds or moves. If he is coming in on a string, time to shut up and let it happen. Be ready because things can happen real fast!

Rutfest

– Can be done solo or with multiple callers to create a party with two or multiple escalating bulls/satellites

Explanation: One of our favorite things to do when there is an elk rut party happening in an area that we can’t go into because it’s either private or another hunt unit. If we can’t attend, then we just put on our own party!
When you hear a rut party in a location, you know you have at least one cow in estrus and those other bugles mean satellite bulls that are advertising or even challenging for their opportunity to breed. By putting on your own RutFest, you might not pull in the herd bull, but you definitely have a shot at pulling one or more of the satellites looking for greener pastures. One person can do it, but it’s work and way more effective with 3 or 4 callers playing out the parts. Remember… action – reaction. Play off of each other and feel the part. Either one or two herd bulls with cows and multiple advertisers, displayers or even challengers wanting their hot cows. Be sure to mix mews and chirps into your scenario. And don’t start out at the top of aggression. Work into it…. cadence, rhythm, volume, intensity, direction. Do what it takes as the herd bull to keep your cows. Someone else be that satellite working and escalating the situation by advertising to displaying to challenging. Look, it’s no different than how you would act in a human situation. Feel the part and play the part.

When in a group, you can use use a box or triangle formation in cover. Distance apart depends on the thickness of the vegetation. Your set-up and placement basically depends on the given terrain or situation. We have even set up in somewhat of a line facing the area the activity is coming from. But where we could have somewhat of a visual of at least one or two. All if possible. If you hear one partner go silent, be ready. That means a bull has been spotted! Bulls can come in screaming or totally silent. Be ready for both!

**NOTE** A Rutfest or “Putting on your own party” can take many different forms depending on time of day, whether you have heard or seen your target animals or if you are just doing a Cold Calling session where you have some sort of sign or reason to put on a scenario. The calling is going to need to match the situation and be convincing enough to pull the elk from what currently has their attention. In this example, it’s about 10am and we found the head of this bowl with lots of benches and thick cover that looked to be a great bedding location in this area. A perfect spot to have some fun and try to drum up a critter. Shout out to my hunting partners Cole Wilks and Rob Canales. What a great time!

When pulling elk from across a fence, keep your setup 200 to 400 yards or more away from fence-lines. Elk will almost always go back the way they came when hit and you want to give them a cushion to go down without jumping back over a fence. It’s not like you can’t recover an animal that has jumped a fence if in another hunt unit or on a ranch that you know and can contact. However, you mitigate any possible issue that could distract from the hunt or delay the ability to recover your animal in a timely manner. Especially if you have hot weather. Sometimes trying to locate and contact landowners can be difficult and not all landowners are as cooperative as you would hope.

Learning to Call

At this point you have heard the sounds elk produce ( you can click the button below to revisit) and you have a better grasp of why and in what situations you will use them. The sounds have relevance to you. Now it’s time to learn how to create those sounds. Yep, Let’s learn how to Call!

It doesn’t matter where. Just get practicing!

Let’ start off with the right mindset. Most other hunters wait until the season is almost on them before they start working to expand their call knowledge and practice their calling. They will shoot everyday, but there are a ton of hunters that will actually wait until the long drive heading out west to hunt before they really focus on practicing their calling. This is the EXACT reason that they often find themselves in situations where they struggle, make the wrong calls or they are limited in knowing when, how or why to respond to an elk in any given situation. Being confident in your shooting is imperative. But if you are not able to create your opportunities to get that bull in for a shot… the shooting aspect never comes into play.

As your Coach, I want you to work at your calling because I know first hand how much of a game changer it is. There is no magic wand. It takes work and you will only get out of it, what you put into it. At the minimum, put in as little as 15 minutes a day, or 1 hour a week into practicing your calling. “At least” one hour a week, review the material above to become a student of the animal you are hunting. If you put as much time into learning to speak the language, understanding what a bull elk is saying, why he responding and what your appropriate response should be to get that bull within your confident range, you too could be celebrating this coming season as one of those effecting the success percentages to the positive side. How cool would that be!

The different Types of Elk Calls

When it comes to elk calls, the market is flooded with such a variety that it can become mind boggling and intimidating to any elk hunter, let alone a first timer. But before I begin simplifying the process, I want to make a point that until the last four years I had taken 30 elk with my bow and all of them basically with the same model of diaphragm call from the same company. There were nowhere near the choices years ago that there are today, so I went with what was available. It was what they had at Walmart. It was inexpensive and it worked. It fit all of the ElkBros Grinder criteria! Sure, there were some that I had to throw away brand new and that I had to work and “tune”. But that was just part of it.

In the last four years, with the expansion of choices, the development of ElkBros and as a professional guide, I have been exploring other makes and models of diaphragms and have had great success with them as well. But understand, the calls are just a tool. Yes, some tools are better or more reliable than others but the success comes from the hunter’s knowledge and skill in using them.

The three main basic types of calls are:

Mouth Diaphragms – My call of choice. These are made of a small “U” shaped metal or plastic frame that holds one or several layers of latex (that can come in different thicknesses) and covered outside of the latex and on the frame with a mouth tape skirting material designed to create a seal in the top roof of the palette in your mouth. You produce the sounds by exhaling air between the latex and your tongue. A mouth diaphragm is used with a Grunt Tube, a plastic tube designed to give your calls a more realistic resonance and volume.

External reeds – Like diaphragm calls, there are a ton of different external cow and bull elk calls. All kinds of styles, shapes and configurations. The most recognized are the cow calls that look similar in design to duck, goose or predator calls. The bull calls look similar to a plain grunt tube, but have some type of insert or apparatus to produce the sounds when blown.

Mechanical or squeeze type calls – Probably the best known in this category is the Primos Hoochie Mama call. Our own ElkBros coach, Chav, used a Hoochie Mama for years. It has a rubber bulb chamber that when squeezed, produces a cow call. I don’t know of any calls in this category that can produce a bull call.

All of the above calls can bring in elk and for those people that really struggle or have no desire to learn how to use a diaphragm reed, they become a great alternative. Many of the external reed cow calls sound incredible. Honestly, I think better than any cow call I produce with my mouth diaphragm.

So why don’t I use an Eternal Reed call?

The trade off for me is all about time, variety and having my hands free. Again, identify possible areas of failure and overcome them. If I have a spur of the moment situation, which happens so much with elk, my diaphragm is in my mouth and ready. No fumbling or movement to catch the animals attention or time wasted. I am call ready.

The mouth diaphragm is an all in one solution. I can produce every elk sound I need and do it with changes in length, pitch and volume. With one reed, I can sound like multiple animals. Something that is extremely hard to do with externals just by the design of the call.

Lastly, having my hands on my bow ready to shoot and being able to do a cow call, or stop a bull at full draw with a bugle has been the key to a lot of successful endings. Something that could not or would not have happened with any other type of call.

Using a diaphragm Call

If you have ever used a diaphragm to call turkeys, you are ahead of the game. If you have never used one, then we are going to get you going. The whole key is finding what works for you as far as frame sizes. Below in the diagram, I explain the parts and purposes of the parts to help you out.

Each person has a different size palate. Some are smaller and more narrow while others are wider. A smaller palette will most likely use a 1/2 inch wide frame like new “V3” lineup from Native by Carlton or the Phelps Calls (I recommend the AMP Grey or the Black). For the wider Palette, I recommend our own ElkBros Grinder, Any of the Wapiti River Outdoors (I like the Reaper & the Frolicker) calls and the large frame calls from Native by Carlton .

To figure out what works, purchase one narrow and one wide to experiment with. Most hunters run a Mid Frame because it’s what they started with, what was available or what someone gave them. Even if they have a wider palette, they can still run it and really wouldn’t know otherwise. However, once you are proficient I recommend running as wide of a frame as you are comfortable with and can control to give you more latex to work and produce more sound variations. The less latex, the more uniform or monotonous the sounds are because there is less latex to work with.

If you do try or switch from a medium to a wider frame, there is a bit of an adjustment as it will possibly sit lower in the palate. That means you need to place it behind those eye teeth and you won’t use as much tongue pressure because you don’t have to reach as far up into your palate with the tongue.

I recommend that beginners stay with a single layer thin latex call. These are generally cow call or all around diaphragm calls. Something that is easy out of the box to produce a sound. The plus is easy to produce sounds, especially cow and calf sounds. On the other hand, if you start screaming a lot of bugles with them, you will stretch the latex, basically “Blowing Out” the call making it hard to hit the sounds you got at the beginning of the call life. Once you get better, you should then use a thicker latex that will produce solid bugles, but need a little “Break-In” period to get the cow calls you want. These types of single latex calls are great all around calls. Honestly, that’s all I have used for almost 40 years and the best overall. This information will get you started on the right foot.

*** Pro Tip*** To extend the life of your calls, keep them dry in a cool dark place (refrigerator) when being stored. Special meshed call holders will allow the reeds to dry, keep them out of the sun and dirt and will pay for themselves in the long run. If you wear a hat reed quiver, wear it so that the reed is held under the brim of your hat to protect it from the sun, with the call inserted so the latex is pointed inward to protect it from being torn by branches as you walk through the woods. Heat, alcohol and tobacco juices from dip or chew will trash the latex. The truck dashboard is a big no no!

To learn the basics of using a diaphragm. Watch the video below.

The call should be back behind your eyeteeth (Fangs). You want to place it as far back as possible WITHOUT engaging your gag reflex. So it is an incremental process. Don’t just shove it to the back. You are looking for a good seal and a comfortable fit.
It’s the latex that gets pressure from your tongue. The thinner the latex, the less pressure needed to create light sounds. The thicker, the better for loud volume bugles without stretching. But as they get thicker, they require more air volume.
The call frame comes in different widths. 1/2 and 5/8ths are most common measured between the inside points at the top of the “U”.
The call skirting or mouth tape. It can be trimmed, chewed and softened for better fit if needed.

***PRO TIP*** If you have difficulty getting a good seal and see visible creases in your tape, you can “notch” those creases out and get a much better fit.
Our ElkBros “Grinder” call already has notches built in to create a better seal and fit, but you can do the same thing to any call and it can be just a “V” cut.

Diaghragm Basics VideoS:

Series 1 - Diaphragm Calls

4 Videos

Grunt or Bugle Tubes

A “Grunt Tube” or “Bugle Tube”, both being the same thing with different names, is just that… a tube that is used in conjunction with a diaphragm reed or even your voice to give the sound a more realistic tone, depth and/or volume. It really is where the magic happens.

Think of your diaphragm call as the tool for creating a sound. But it’s the Grunt/Bugle tube that creates the illusion and realism for certain elk sounds, especially bull bugles and chuckles.

Our Calling Basics Series

Calling Basics

13 Videos

What Calls Do I Need to Learn?

Make it a goal to learn 3 basic calls and learn to do them well: (They can all 3 change with added emotion)

Basic Cow Call – mew

Basic Bull Location Bugle

Basic Bull Chuckle

Find any and all elk calling on YouTube. Bulls, cows, herds – Listen, Mimic….listen, mimic…….The elk actually do a better job of teaching you than people because they will repeat their calls over and over and you have a chance to mimic and adjust over and over.

*** ElkBros Tip *** Want to know the easiest call to learn…..Raking. Raking is the cheapest and one of the most effective and least used (Pre and during the rut. Not Post). Never underestimate the effectiveness. Raking on it’s own, especially when bulls are being quiet, can be deadly.

Basic Cow Calls:

Used throughout the season, cow calls can be used to pull a bull looking to breed, to calm elk when making noise as well as to locate other elk.

Basic LOCATION Bugle:

The basic location bugle is the mainstay of elk calling. Once learned, you can use different intensities, volume and voice inflection to produce other bugles used by bulls to challenge, display or gather cows.

Basic Chuckle:

Probably the toughest for most elk hunters to do well, the chuckle adds realism to your calling sets and can be used on it’s own to get responses from bulls in a more passive mood.

Incredible and Easy Calls:

These calls are often overlooked or not used by other hunters and are incredibly effective and not that difficult to produce. Most are only used when bulls are rutting and send out a message that there is a hot cow in the area.

Developing Calling Confidence

When it comes to anything in life in life is about work. What you put into it is what yo will get out of it. No difference here. If you want to develop calling confidence, it’s all about how much you work at it. No magic wand.

Make sure once you are producing the sounds, you record, listen and compare it to the calls you are trying to reproduce. The elk actually do a better job of teaching than people because they will repeat their calls over and over and you have a chance to mimic and adjust over and over. A lot of videos or tapes will show you a call and then you have to rewind and play, rewind and play, rewind and play and it’s not always conducive to learning. The “ElkNut APP” does have a feature where you can record your call and compare it to both live elk and to a human making the call. The App is produced by Paul Medel, a very accomplished and successful elk hunter. It is beyond worth what they charge.

Below I am going to talk about some of the things that you need to keep in mind when it comes to calling confidence and some of the mindsets that separate veteran elk callers from beginners.

For a lot of us, calling confidence is mostly results driven. The first time you see a bull or cow’s reaction to your call or when you have that first bull come into your call or setup, it totally changes the game. But understand that you can be doing all the right things calling and there will be times that you ARE getting results, just not the ones you are looking for.

Here are some of the variables that can effect the response you are getting:

There can be animals coming into you silent which happens all the time. Keep your eyes open and listen for other elk sounds or breaking branches or rolling rocks.
They might be responding in a way that you either missed, didn’t hear, or are not able to hear because:
- Topography, Cover or Conditions – I have been in a screamfest with elk only to go 400 yards over a ridge and bump into a hunter that said the elk just aren’t bugling. It’s not that they weren’t bugling, he just wasn’t where he could hear them. Also, in thick timber the density of the trees along with the topography absorbs the sounds and cuts down the distance you can hear. Wind can also make it hard to hear a bugle within easy listening range in most other cases.
- Chuckles – A common response that is lower in audible and not often listened for.
- You or your partner are too noisy
  - equipment- packs and/or clothing is just too noisey
  - Being fidgety- (going for water/food/zippers/talking…) should never happen when you need to hear ofter calling.
- You disregard a bulls response as another hunter.- This is a huge mistake and we have a rule in our camp to check our EVERY bugle, no matter what
They hear you but are not responding or coming because of so many other possible variables:
- The story or picture you are portraying – If you are challenging and they are not there yet, you might be too intimidating.
- The phase of the rut – The bulls just aren’t there yet.
- They have scented you – Ooops..this is a definite deal breaker.
- They have been bumped by another hunter – Which happens a lot more than you think. Another reason we are so aggressive in closing the gap on any response we do get.

The biggest differences between veteran hunters and beginners is that they understand that just because they call, they are not always going to get an answer and so they know to try different tactics or strategies. They adjust.

If it’s early and Pre-Rut, there’s just not as many responses. Hunt for those elk that come in silent with Bull & Cow Mews and passive calling.
They haven’t hit the right button…portray a different story.
Double bugle – My goto and signature call.
Be a lover not a fighter (Bull with cows…rut noises….raking, chuckles, glunking, bull mews)
Use low emotion bugles, Cow calls, chirps & Mews as mentioned above.
Create your own excitement…make your own party. Do the things that other bulls do that send a message to other bulls that there is a cow that has come into estrus.
Be the bull…moving with your herd – again..I portray an actual elk behavior to fire up other bulls.

Also, If experienced elk hunters are not getting responses, they pay attention to their other senses and use that as a tool combined with their calling:

Smell
Other elk sounds; breaking branches, foot noise as animals move, cow talk…
Sight – track, fresh droppings, scrapes, wallows, dew grass trails

They know the best times to locate bulls

At night – when bulls are in openings feeding, in cooler often stiller conditions they bugle more.
The lower valleys act like a bugle tube, sounds carry farther & clearer in cold crisp mornings.

CONGRATULATIONS!

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