Elk Calls and Calling

[JeremyA]

Ladies and gentlemen. Let me start by say I suck at using a diaphragm call. I have practiced and practiced. I have tried several different brands and styles. I know I can do this but I can’t seem to get I call to fit right. I have trimmed and trimmed. I am looking for suggestions. I don’t know anyone around me to help in accomplishing this task. I really want to get in bow hunting elk. Thanks for the help ya’ll.

 

[Bearclaw Bob]

Don't give up. The diaphragm was hard for me to get the hang of too. You don't really need to trim them unless you really have an atypical mouth shape. The call goes farther forward in your mouth than you might think and does not take much air. I finally got it by trying to make turkey sounds. Once I could make sounds the morphing to elk sounds came quickly. Once you get it you will not grab any other call. Bugling Bull calls are the easiest for me but there are lots of good ones. Once you get past the vibration tickling your mouth you are half way there. A diaphragm will allow you to make every sound an elk can make. Good Luck!

 

[JeremyA]

Thanks for the info. I can’t give up. Maybe I’m just set in my ways. I am from PA and can make turkey sounds. Gonna revert to that and work forward. Good advice.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

If you can make turkey sounds you can bugle. I’ll often just screw around with a reed, do Yankee Doodle on it and your kids will laugh. Bugling is very easy to overthink.

 

[wytex]

Try some of the bite and blow calls: Primos Cowgirl, HS Lonesome cow call, Sceery Ace-1 special elk call. They all make good sounding cow calls with just enough difference in tone to sound like several elk.
I use a power bugle by E.L.K. Inc . Sounds incredibly like a mature bull when bands are tuned right, loud and deep. Spouse likes a Primos Pack bugle when not using a diaphragm. We can make them sound like a good herd of elk .
Find some real elk recordings or videos and watch and call with them to learn to mimic the sounds.
I would stay away from the smaller diameter bugle calls as they always sound more like a whistle to me in the woods.
We have called in more than a few hunters so I know the calls must sound realistic.
Practice outside also, your truck and house will sound way different than the great outdoors.

 

[NV_ARCH3R]

I wouldn't worry too much about making the perfect cow call, or bugle. If you've actually heard the real thing in the wild you would be surprised at all the variations, and sometimes down right weird sounds they can make. Couple years ago in the Jarbidge, I'm sure it was just a young spike, but he sounded more like a pony whinnying than anything I thought an elk should sound like.

 

[EZBreazy]

Have went through a lot of diaphragm calls. I can't use most of them at all. The high dome plastics just don't work with my palate. This is the one I went to last season: The Remedy Palate Plate Elk Call Diaphragm from Rocky Mountain calls. It works fantastic for me. Can do cow calls to deep bugles. At least to the best of my amateurish abilities. Try different ones or if you haven't tried an old palate plate maybe worth a shot. I did the trimming thing with others and still couldn't make em work. Good luck!

 

[Idhikker]

I've called in bulls with external reed calls. ElkNut makes a good bugle too. That's what I'm usin g until I get the diaphragm down. They're good enough that I don't have that much urgency.

 

[hank4elk]

I somehow lost my diaphragm call ability a few years back.Consistancy,lost it.
Went back to my open reed & bite calls. If I do need to bugle,which I rarely do anymore,I have a bugle.

 

[bjochem]

Another vote for Rocky Mountain calls. Had to learn this whole process last year and found those diaphragms the easiest to control. Takes very little air and pressure.