Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Favorite Calls

I bet this has been done before but, what the heck, lets make a list and do it again.

What's your Favorite Cow call??

I like the "Sleazy Cow Call" myself, made by Berrys Game calls. I also use the pack bugle, by Berrys. Its easy and small, Great for backpacking.

I use the Primos ivory plate primarily with the Primos hyper lip, Carlton lonesome added for effect... and for stereo with the plate or bugle I'll push the hoochie mamma.

So four calls minimum.

Kent

The hoochie momma is mine! It is about as simple as you can get

I haven't used many different ones, but the hoochie momma sure did the trick for us in bringing in a few bulls (even when things were slow). As posted earlier it's also simple and easy to use.

Oh I have a Hoochie Mama And will Agree it's easy and sounds good. It just can't be manipulated like other blow mouth calls.

Anybody tried the Bull Hooker from Carlton Calls? Simple hard plastic tube with a rubber covered push button to change the pitch. Sounds pretty good to me but then I'm not an elk

E.L.K. Inc cow elk call...the original rubber band call....simply the best!

Like others, Hoochie Mama is my favorite. Small, easy to carry and sounds pretty convincing once you get the hang of it.

2 diaphragm calls I like are the Mellow Yellow and the Hot Coaxer.

Hoochie mama works great and is effective

primos hyper without convertor which i found when blown hard is a great spike bugle!

i try all kinds of calls basically so they do not get accustomed to any one - just like us no 2 elk sound exactly alike

i got a muledeer call that doubles as a great cow call

i only use hoochie when its in my pocket while walking

i'll carry at least 3-4 blow/bite calls and a couple diaphrams as back-up

There have been a couple calls mentioned that I have not had a lot of luck with.

And a couple I really like not mentioned. But that is how it goes.

I really like Scerries (spell check) original. The larger one that looks like a duck-call. And better yet, an in-mouth reed. Get in a heard of vocal elk and it is easy to make a reed mimic what the lead cows are saying.

Yesterday (6/6/12) there was a small herd of bachelor bulls (most are this time of year) cursing the hood near the barn I was set up to shoe at. When I needed to exchange horses just across the fence from these boys.



It was kind of nice having them stick around so I used a reed to sort of talk to them and keep them calm.

Sure it's not elk season, but if something sounds sour to them on an off-season day, your sure wasting time and money during the season when there defenses are peaked.

If I had to choose only one call, it would be a good mid-range reed combined with a tube out of a roll of paper-towels.

I think it is more important to know how and when to use them rather than what name is on it.

I find the Hoochie Mama does not have the range or sounds that others do,and it is about worthless in the cold.
My peference is t he Skeery.

I've collected enough antlers, but I still like to hunt and eat elk. Besides, I couldn't draw a bull tag in my state if wanted one, so I have switched to hunting cow elk.

Any suggestions on a call (and the sounds to make with it) to attract a cow elk to my gun? All of the calls I've bought over the years were designed to lure bulls, not females, or so their instructions would have me believe.

I'm thinking soft "mews" would work best, but I've not had the opportunity to try them. Any ideas?

Bill Quimby

Bill what unit did you draw and what time frame?

To be honest cows are a lot harder to call than bulls, though they are more vocal.

Primos has a varity of calls available - i maka da bulls crazy is a good one.

A little known call --- who's ur Daddy is a 2 tone call-

You need to get on Elk Nut Productions.He has some videos for training as to what elk are saying and when,
Just mewing is not enough. Lost cow, separated calf, a cow being pushed, a cow needing help. There are a lot of different calls to use.Use the wrong one at the wrong time and you push them out of the area.

"Bill what unit did you draw and what time frame?"

The same August hunt near near our cabin that I drew last year, except that I have the second season this year.

I have been watching the little herd I shot a cow out of last year, but suspect it will get hammered and split up before my season opens. If that happens, calling in a loner could be Plan B.

Bill Quimby

I'll second Elk Nut.

I've used the separated/scared calf call for years. It's one not many hunters use and it's super effective. You have to be ready when you use it because the cows come in fast and they'll get right in your face. I've had many times where the cows have come in to the call, within feet, saw me and smelled me, busted out, and I've called them right back in, not once but several times in one session. I also dang near got the crap stomped out of me a couple times when a cow figured I was the threat that the calf was scared about; they're very protective even if the calf isn't theirs. I've even had bulls come in a couple times. The call works the best when you set up in brush where the elk can't see into the brush, but you can see out of the brush far enough to get a shot. The size of the brush patch needs to be about 20 - 30 yards across, minimum. If you set up in a fairly open area, even with trees, the elk won't come in. If you've ever seen a lost calf they pace back and forth and the cows are looking for that movement.

For favorite calls I like reed calls, Sceery (ACE-1 and ACE-2), Primos Pack Bugle (the old one without the bell - it sounds like a young bull), and Hunters Specialties Mac Daddy (really good, controllable bugle and can take the mouth piece out and put the baffle over it that makes the most true to life low volume cow calls I've ever been able to get). The Sceery ACE-2 is the one I've found the best for making the lost/scared calf call.

I use the Primos palate plates with the Carleton tube that has the big bell.

I've had many, many others over the years, but I like that combo the best.

Bill - to be honest - the absolute best way to call cow elk is to sound like a lost calf-

this will work better than anyway I know.

heres a site that has a lot of different recorded elk sounds

you'll notice very few calf sounds but they are distinct and different from most of the cow sounds. almost like a bird chirp

http://www.elk-hunting-tips.net/elk-recordings.html