Off season discussion while we wait for draw results and make our plans. Do you use a diaphragm aka mouth type cow call? Not the barrel type you blow into. What one do you like?

I like Primos sonic dome diaphragms,they tickle my gums less.. I use them to cow call and with a bugle tube.

I much prefer calls like woodwise hyper hot for cow calling tho..But a diaphragm in your mouth while on a bow stalk is useful/hands free.

+1 on sonic dome. they are the most comfortable to use, while annoying ones family before the season.

my wife recommends using the commute to work. or while fishing, or anywhere else.....

Sonic dome is what I picked up for last fall as well. Since it is early I may grab a few others to monkey around with this summer. I enjoy driving the wife and dog nuts with them too.

Primos ivory plate. I tried the sonic dome in 2008 and while it had a dynamic sound, I couldn't get near the subtle sounds as the plate.

Kent

I just use my old turkey diaphragms

I have a Primos one, don't remember the model. It makes lots of different sounds. They range from gag, hork, upchuck, dry heave, choke, and many more. The elk in my area must be call shy, they don't ever seem to show up when using this call.

Any one made by Wayne Carlton

Primos. Ivory plate single for general cow and a pretty decent bugle and the "Top Pin" for close in finesse cow/calf sounds.

Not a Primos fan at all.

HS has a couple that are fairly straight forward. Most of Wayne Carlton's work well for me.

Keeping in mind that the call has to be fresh, and the most they should be used afield is seldom.

I don't have a favorite but wouldn't mind a all around call for bulls and cows if anyone could suggest?

This post got me laughing, remembering the first time I tried a diaphragm call for elk. Three of us were pretty new to elk hunting, and figuring I was ok with a turkey call, I'd give one a whirl for elk. First attempt wasn't too bad, though it did raise a few chuckles from the buds. The second try sounded like somebody had peppered a beagle in the azz with #9's, both guys were on their knees laughing so hard they were almost in tears, I was too after I'd gagged/spit the dam thing out. That was my only attempt, so I wont offer any advice!

The worst offenders of horrible elk calls... are elk...

Was calling and had two hunters answering and calling while coming in to my call, they were terrible. I finally decided to move so they could see me and stop. Rounded a bush and stepped in the open... it was two bulls beelining right to me.

Kent

I've tried a variety of calls and I like the carlton single. Seems to be pretty versatile and works well for me.

I just tried the Wapiti River Outdoors The Reaper and it is far and away the easiest to use and the easiest to make really good cow sounds. It is a domed reed call and it fits in perfectly with no gag reflex. It made me a heckuva lot better caller than I really am. I thought the Primos/HS/Carlton were good until I tried the Wapiti River calls (I also have a couple others that work very well too....just not as good for me as The Reaper). I dont have anything to do with the company, but I think that his product is so good that I should be sharing it with my fellow elk hunters!

"They range from gag, hork, upchuck, dry heave, choke, and many more."

Please tell me more about the "hork" call.

It sounds like a winner to me!!@@!@

I've used a few hundred different diaphragm elk reeds over the years, the best one I've used & seems to be the most user friendly is the Mellow Yellow!

The best All Purpose reed is the Mistress & 2nd would be the Raging Bull, both of these are elk killers for both bull & cow sounds out of the same reed. This is important in crunch time when you need one reed that does it well while keeping both hands free!

ElkNut1

Looking at that mellow yellow, it and the primos plate series are similar in design, should be good. Are they available in stores or only the internet?

Kent

The Mellow Yellow is generally available in Sporting Goods Stores. They are a very good single reed call. They like any reed takes hours of practice to achieve respectable cow & bull sounds so do not expect immediate results!

ElkNut1

I'll check it out, I've used almost every call available in stores since '84, for the last 10 or so years I've used exclusively the primos ivory plate, plus 3 or 4 blow calls to mix it up. You can definitely finesse the plate calls over the straight diaphragm.

I'll see if I can find the yellow mellow and report back.

Kent

If you cannot locate one let me know, we carry them here & I'll send one off to you to try out, it's a very good reed! Another reed to consider as a great All Purpose Reed is the Mistress, my # 1 reed I like using!

ElkNut1