Ideas on bugle tubes

[338 win mag]

Not looking to get into specific brands, but what type of elk bugle do you guys prefer? Diaphragm call with separate tube or tube with latex attached. Sorry if that's not the proper terminology. I'm leaning towards mouth diaphragm accompainied with a tube as I am much more familiar with mouth diaphragm turkey calls.

 

[IABoilermaker]

Not an expert by any means but I recently went through trying to weigh all the options and wound up going with a tube and diaphragm. Just for less pieces to deal with i liked it better. You could always get something like the select a bull from rocky mountain calls and ditch the mouthpiece if you don't like it. For reference I picked up the wapiti whacker and some diaphragms from rocky mountain and have been pleased with their products.

 

[338 win mag]

Not an expert by any means but I recently went through trying to weigh all the options and wound up going with a tube and diaphragm. Just for less pieces to deal with i liked it better. You could always get something like the select a bull from rocky mountain calls and ditch the mouthpiece if you don't like it. For reference I picked up the wapiti whacker and some diaphragms from rocky mountain and have been pleased with their products.

I too was looking at Rocky Mtn and also Phelps

 

[HSi-ESi]

I have poor hearing, but I can pick out the difference between a tube with an embedded latex (terminator, power bugle, etc) and a diaphragm / bugle tube.

That being said, I've called elk in with both. And called more hunters in with a diaphragm / bugle tube.

Hard work pays off - so in my estimation it is nice to learn a diaphragm call. The range of sounds you can make with a diaphragm eclipse what you can do with the others.

For god's sake though, don't show up with a Hoochie Mama.

 

[jvanhoy]

If your a turkey hunter i would def go with a diaphragm and tube. I cow call alot with my tube also. When i first started i used a latex bugle and reed cow call. Not having a call in my mouth and ready has cost me a couple elk. Diaphragm is the only way to go for me.

 

[Matty B]

If you are comfortable with turkey diaphragms I would stick with a diaphragm. Whatever brand of turkey calls you use, I would suggest getting the same brand of elk calls if at all possible.
*Not an expert but I have screwed up enough times to be called experienced.

 

[wytex]

I've called in more bulls with a power bugle than any of the hunters I've hunted with using diaphragms. All will work but learn what elk actually sound like.

If you buy on of the tubes that comes with a mouthpiece just take off the mouth piece if you don't like the sound.
The narrower the tube the higher pitch the sound will be, kind of like one of those cheap little tube whistles we used to get at school carnivals. I have 2 power bugles and cut one tube a little shorter to get a different sound from it. I can sound like a mature bull or a raghorn depending on the band and tube length I am using.

Diaphragms are great because they are hand free but they are not by far the only calls that work.

Even a hoochie momma will call in elk.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

I prefer a diaphragm and bugle tube for the variety of sounds you can get out of them once you learn it. Often in my calling sequences I will do both bull and cow sounds, and it's nice to be able to do that all with one reed. Also, diaphragms allow you to cow call or grunt hands free if you need to stop an elk while at full draw.

Bugling Bull, Phelps and Elknut all make good bugle tubes. After trying many different brands of diaphragms, my favorite by far is Phelps, due to both ease of use and quality of sound.