Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Best mouth call for learning?

I'll be doing an archery hunt next year, and I need to learn how to bugel in elk. I figure the mouth calls are probably the best for calling bull elk, once you learn how to use them.

Anyone got any suggestions on a mouth call or mouth call kit that is easy to learn on? I can always move up to more advanced mouth calls once I get the basics down.

Any other suggestions on the best way to learn how to use mouth calls?

I saw another post asking about people's favorite mouth calls, but it didn't directly address the issue of which ones are easier to use, although there was a good comment on that aspect of mouth calls.

TIA.

--shinbone

I would grab a few reeds, you have enough time to learn them. when you find one you like go buy a few of them and keep them in a cool dark place for later in life.

I use the Primos Ivory Plate Single, cow, Hyper Plate Double, bull. I seem to be able to get a wider range of sounds out of the hyper plate compared to the sonic dome, could just be me and the way they fit my mouth though.

For someone without the experience, bugling is the least effective way for them to realize their dream. The odds of bugling in a mature bull is much less than them cow calling in the same bull. I'm talking setup and call in close enough for an archery shot, not locate, distract, or P.O. the bull. All good things to do with a bugle, if you know what you're doing. If you don't know what you're doing, well not so much.

As far as technique goes, don't copy the classic bugle. Low to high to low, chuckle, chuckle, throw that out the window. Elk are the worst buglers in the world, they couldn't get through the first round of a bugling contest. The bugle is only one of 5 or 6 vocalizations bulls use. It definatly is the most adrinelin pumping but not the most effective.

I have tried to explain this with words in the past, it doesn't come across unless we are out in the field and it is experienced. I've since quit trying. I now just give the simplest advice and if it helps someone fine, if you think it's BS, that's fine also. Here it is.

A bull responds to 1 or 2 notes in a bugle, 1 high and/or 1 ummp at the end, all the rest is filler and fluff. Practice until you can start on a high note and maintain it and then let your breath stop causing a mild ummmp at the end. Use that sparingly with a cow call to bring them in and that's it.

I have no less than 4 cow calls and use them all, I have one that will whine and the rest I keep short and to the point. Which ever call a particular bull is responding to is the one I will dote on for that setup and the others are used as filler.

Bugling consists of a single high note with a mild ummp at the end as you let your breath drop. I vary the lenghth, volume, and direction just as a real bull does. If for some reason I want to get in a p.o. match with them I just scream the high note and drop it hard with a breathing growl.

To not sound like everyone else out there think like this, don't try to call out there in loud voice and bring a bull in. Just have an elk conversation with yourself, using different voices, tones, styles, pieces of sounds, not whole symphonies over and over. Ignore the bull coming in, don't respond directly to him, just keep talking normal. If you're calling for someone else, move around and move off once he's close. Again you may have to vary tone or volume for each bull but I never try to sound like a lone elk, cow or bull, and never sound desperate for company. Sometimes if he is responding to a certain cow vocalization, I will shoot that at him in the mist of the conversation every now and then to make him feel someone thinks he's special. There's alot of different ways to go like this, don't just get one call and blast it in the woods.

Primos Ivory plate
Primos hyper lip single
Primos hoochie mama
A couple other blow type cow calls that I was given years ago, don't know who made them.
Primos Terminator is good for a beginners bugle.

Kent

Kent gave you some really good advice. However, if you really want to learn how to call elk, get some good diaphram calls, HS Elk, Quakie Boys, etc. and learn how to use them. Not as hard as you think and makes it all a lot easier, especially up close. Allows you to vary tone and often you can use one call for both bull and cow calling. There is a real simple cow call that is basically a small tube with a rubber band at each end (can't remember who makes it) that is very easy to use and "mews" very well. Get a few tapes and listen to alot of different elk. As Kent said, you don't have to be perfect, elk aren't. There is a lot of trial and error in calling and a lot of "elkchology" involved. A rag horn is not going to respond the same way a more mature satellite bull will and a herd bull is a totally and completely different animal, no pun intended. Sometimes you want to be timid, sometimes really pissed off, and as a rule, once you locate a bull and he responds quickly to cow talk, leave the bull bugles alone. One thing I do disagree with Kent on is that sometimes sounding desperate...uh well really horny....works like a charm, especially on herd bulls in close. If you can sound like a cow in extreme estrus, i.e. Come F....Me now, the old guy is likely to check it out. The great thing about bugling elk is that no two bulls will sound or respond the same and many times won't even respond but come in silent to check things out. It all makes it one of most satisfying experiences there is.

the promos sonic dome style calls are one of the easiest reeds to use, imo.

As usual, Kent gets about half the picture and then heads off to Timbuktu. Anybody from "The Valley" is a city-slicker, heat-stroked, misguided individual.

Try elknut.com if their still around. Buy their dvd's and wear 'em out! WHAT is being sounded and WHEN (particularly the WHEN!) is much more important than making a perfect sound!!! Learn what the sounds mean, and treat a bull as an individual with a specific message and situation.

Use the Elk, Inc. Power bugle or the latest version (Royal Bugle???) for sounding off and locating bulls who will respond. Simple rubber band around the mouthpiece and almost foolproof for anyone. Sounds real, too. Then stalk them based on sound. Don't ever expect to call one in.....just get 'em excited and then stalk them.

Cow calling is the only way to call in an older bull close. Don't use a diaphragm.......waaaaaay to difficult for a newbie. Try Carlton's Estrus Whine and Primos Hyper Lip. Stick to the single reeds, and keep 2 on your neck lanyard to have a spare when one gets saliva'd up. The Estrus Whine produces a unique raspy cow/calf call that not many bulls have heard.

I've called in a bunch of 'em.....close enough to tap on the nose and taste their breathe when they made that last bugle. And I mean 6+ year olds, too.

Good luck.

Using the stuff in my last post, I've cow called in older bulls while having to lay on the ground flat in an open meadow. I've had to wave 'em off as they RAN in. They caught me in the open, and this action happened quickly.

I've singled out bulls in a multi-bull bugling frenzy by responding specifically and timely to just their call.....and brought 'em in to me right thru the others. He knew I was speaking to just him.

I've cow called in a couple horny ones in plain sight of my vehicle. I stood without moving in the shade, and they were absolutely unbelieving that I wasn't a lonesome cow......even after I moved into plain view.

The ultimate calling success is to cow call a heard of 15 cows/calves away from the heard bull.......cuz they are trying to find my "lost cow".... while the bull is a little more cautious. To convince that many cows to come find me and mew LOUDLY is a terrific success.

These were 6x6 and 7x7 bulls. The raghorns are much easier.

Learn how to throttle the Estrus Whine and Hyper Lip with your hand and fingers (open up as you call) to stifle the sound a bit. Open your hand for longer distance calling. Remove the resonator from the Hyper Lip and just use your hand.

Learn what elk sounds mean from the dvd's and use yer brain more than anything else.

You gotta get into their head and learn what they are thinking. THIS IS THE BIG SECRET. This is the most important tactic to killing big western animals. Big muleys in particular are very different and hard to understand.

The easiest thing in the world is to randomly wander the countryside hoping to luck into a bull or buck. It does happen, but never to me or most hunters. Learn to THINK LIKE ONE.....this is what triggers regular success.

E.L.K INK calls are very easy to use, and effective. I was under the impression the OP wanted to learn how to use a reed call.

Dunno what he means by mouth calls. Everything I mentioned is indeed a mouth call (with holding it by at least one hand). A Hoochie Mama ain't and also is the biggest POS ever. Mouth only diaphragm calls allow you to keep your hands free for archery gear. But it ain't that hard to hold the Estrus Whine and then let go of it to draw yer bow or aim yer rifle. The Estrus Whine and Hyper Lip are almost fool proof calls.....particularly under pressure when a bull is close.

Mouth diaphragm calls and grunt tubes are waaaaaay overrated IMHO. I've just described the great success I've had with the handheld calls I've mentioned.

Elknut is ok, a DVD won't do crap for a new caller but what the hey, spend your first few seasons frustrated.

KISS, will be your friend in the beginning.

Never used elknuts calls, they may be good. Primos plate reeds are a for sure easier fit in the mouth than a basic reed and has more varied tone than the sonic dome. You can just breath out a almost inaudible sound that will get an elk's attention.

Pieces of sound, think about it and utilize it. As far as bugling vs cow calling, if you have a guy yelling for you to come over or a woman whispering to you on the other side, where you go'na turn. Often the soft voice is more enticing than a woman screaming her desire.

I'm not a walking commercial for primos, but their plate calls are the easiest reed there is for a beginner.

I shake my head when self proclaimed experts suggest someone else's style as their's and calling in rags as the evidence of greatness. Reminds me of someone that's killed a couple elk over the years and is now an expert, telling guys that are on multiple mature bull kills a year to watch a DVD so they can be as good as them......Right...

Chris, try having an original thought, all I see are other's ideas/pictures used in your posts, including your optics opinions, pretty much 'field and steam'.

If you want to continue we will have to do it off of this thread.

Kent

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough. Primos plate series calls are diaphragm reed calls as the OP suggested, so is the sonic dome. I add some other advice because one call isn't the way to go in the field.

Kent

Thanks for all the responses. By "mouth call" I meant one of those latex semi-circular reed calls which goes inside the user's mouth up against the hard palate. Sorry for any confusion.

Since my goal is to call a bull to within arrowing range, any suggestions on how to do it are appreciated. I just thought the reed type calls were the best but hardest to learn.

I can appreciate that each elk is an individual. Add to that each situation is different, so I can see how no one calling routine will work for every situation.

I've got Elk Nuts book. I'll follow the suggestions here and buy some different type of reed calls and just start experimenting and practicing.

A question I should have also asked at the beginning is what's a good CD/DVD to learn the different elk sounds from? I would think I gotta hear the various sounds in order to learn how to reproduce them.

Thanks.

--shinbone

Shinbone,

This is what I was trying to tell you. You need to learn what each elk sound means......what and why that animal is vocalizing. If you correctly understand why a bull is making that sound in a particular situation, then you will be better prepared to respond to and capitalize on it. The essence of the elknut DVD's is that they teach you the meaning of the elk sounds in certain situations, and how to respond. You can become good at making the right sound, but if you don't understand what the elk is saying or wanting.......you won't succeed. In essence, they teach you about elk communication and behavior during the rut. This is much more important knowledge than being able to make the perfect sound.

Many calls can make adequate sounds. They are cheap......buy a few and try them all and pick your favorite. But remember......knowledge of elk language and behaviors during the rut is more important.

Here's a link to the primos site and a reed kit with cd.

https://shop.primos.com/pc-762-16-mastering-the-art-elk-mouth-calls-made-easy.aspx

Here's one with everything including bugle, don't discount the hoochie mama, I won't use it by itself, but works great as you're winding down the reed call to hit it and sound like two cows at the same time, or before the last tone of a bugle where they'll hear the last bit of a cow at the same time.

https://shop.primos.com/pc-644-16-elk-hunters-pak.aspx

Pieces of sound, that's how elk talk to each other, less is more and that helps a beginning caller if they apply that.

You will not be able to do elk phyc 101 the first year, that will just confuse you. Locate with a bugle or cow call then position, move forward if you need to close distance. Vary tone and volume with a reed and hit the mama now and then, do not continue to repeat the same call over and over. Either move forward or back if he hangs up. Not every bull comes all the way in for an archery shot, you only need one. Have fun, don't stress.

The wind will bust you more than new calling ability, swirling wind seems mandatory anymore.

That's it from me to a new caller. keep it simple

Kent

Great info! Thanks alot!

--shinbone