Archery calling

[Scooter90254]

Being a novice Elk hunter but Avid Deer/Turkey/Bear hunter I’m really enjoy being a student of elk over the past few years.

One thing that really amazes me is the conflicting personal preferences on calling elk.

It’s has to be one of the most conflict tactics in hunting.

Seems like half the people you ask will say call hard and often and the other half say not to call very little of at all. Not only will they have an opinion but tell you other way simply won’t work.

My first time in Colorado we had two close encounters with nice bulls and both of them were called in. Maybe just dumb luck?

The next couple hunts we limited calling on the advise of hinting friends and our success was limited.

Long story short I’m still as confused as ever as I prepare for this season.

 

[Jbehredt]

Walking along blowing random cow calls and challenge bugles will bring an occasional elk your way. Mostly raghorns and spikes in my experience. Knowing what to say and when makes calling a huge part of the excitement of bowhunting elk. Take away my calls and I’d be inclined to just sit it out until rifle season.

 

[spike camp]

I’ve killed a pile of Elk with a bow, and don’t think I’ve called in a single one.

Spot and stalk is a different skill set.
Some guys rely solely on calls, and some rely on binoculars.

 

[Jbehredt]

Appears that we won’t help your confusion. Two replies, one won’t hunt without calls and one doesn’t use them at all

 

[spike camp]

That’s the beauty of Elk hunting!

 

[Scooter90254]

I do give you both credit for not saying the other guys way won’t work. Haha

 

[spike camp]

As Jbehredt mentioned, there’s an enormous difference in just blowing on a call, and knowing how/what/when and where to call.

I’d probably call more to be honest, but I’ve spent the last 20 years killing elk and not calling...so I just do what feels right.

There is just something addictive to me...in reading Elk movements and behaviors, so much so you anticipate their heading, sometimes at distances of a 1/2 mile or more, and being in the right spot, before they arrive.

I’ve also spent the last 15 years shed hunting for Elk antler and following bulls, and I’ve found that’ll teach you more about Elk behavior than you can ever imagine.
Much more so than hunting them ever has.

 

[Ross]

A lot of this will come down to personal preference, experience in the country you hunt and how you have achieved success or not. In the country i hunt you seldom have a shot over 25 yds and many times it is 15 with very very limited glassing opps for a spot and stalk hunt. That being said with no crazy bull encounters you miss an incredible experience. Many ways to have fun elk hunting go with what you believe brings you the best opportunity for success and enjoyment 80% of the elk I’ve taken in both rifle and archery involve vocalization by the bull I’ve taken

 

[ridgefire]

I love hunting and calling to vocal elk so calling, especially bugling, is a big part of my hunt. I don't leave camp without my calls.

 

[Randle]

I think alot depends on terrain .Where I archery hunt in N Idaho it is hard to see elk and try to spot and stalk. So many times you are on top of them before you see them. Calling works well for thick timber as well as reprod. Be ready to have a bull blow your hat off. And slobber on your boots. Come on Sept .

 

[trophyhill]

Nothing like having elk about run you over from calling them your way! I've done spot and stalk and called them in. They both provide a rush, but when you're at full draw and you're fixin to be trampled antler first, that is the ultimate rush! And for the record, without sounding like a broken record, I highly recommend Elknut1 stuff if you or anyone else haven't already gotten ahold of it

 

[5MilesBack]

I do give you both credit for not saying the other guys way won’t work. Haha

You'll never hear anyone saying that "not calling" won't work. Spot and stalk hunting has been used successfully for centuries. But to say that calling won't work would be a mistake.

I rifle hunted elk and deer for years using spot and stalk techniques. I got bored with that. When I switched things up to archery, learned how to call well, and developed what works best for me......my passion for elk hunting exploded to the upside. There's nothing else like it. When you've got a big bull so worked up and so close that he's blowing snot on you.....you'll understand. That doesn't happen without calling.

 

[ElkNut1]

Avoid your confusion & be prepared for both Calling & Stalking (Glassing)

ElkNut/Paul

 

[Iamjigs]

Avoid your confusion & be prepared for both Calling & Stalking (Glassing)

ElkNut/Paul

Paul nailed it... you just have to be prepared for any scenario and play the hand you are dealt!

 

[cnelk]

I think much of it depends on if the ones promoting calling sell calls, bugle tubes etc....

 

[Beendare]

I think the conflict you are seeing is between the guys that know...and the guys that don't know.

The guys^ that know all say use your calls effectively.

The guys that don't think blowing on a call every 100yds up the trail will magically have every elk in the woods running in to you- like they've seen in a couple YouTube videos.

The guys that know are hunters....the guys that don't are still learning.

....

 

[bracer40]

When I picked up the bow again over 10 years ago, most in our camp were spending much of our time in tree stands. And we were pretty successful. Usually running about 50-75% success rates on elk each year. I was happy with this style of hunting experience as I had the patience to sit still for hours at a time. A couple of us went all out by hauling our hunting clothes up on our backs ( it was 45-60 minutes up the mtn for most stands) in the dark. Then stripping down, wiping down with scent free wipes and with exposed parts shrinking in the cold morning air, putting on the carefully scent-protected hunting clothes.
During the whole time, we only heard a few bugles very early and late, right on the edge of darkness.
My turning point happened about five years ago when my buddy and I were asked to help a guy who came into our camp call and pursue a bull he had drawn a tag for (we hunted spikes and cows unless somebody drew a bull tag).
We set off down into a deep, dark canyon armed with our bows and hootchie mamas. We were maybe an hour into the hunt when we first heard a bull respond. We were jacked!!!
We squeezed those HM’s like nobody’s business! And we got responses. Unfortunately they were moving away from us up and into another basin. As it was nearly dark, our hunter asked us to make our way up an adjoining face while calling. As we started up we continued calling and soon after learned that two raghorns had followed our calls leading them to within 60 yds of our tagholder.

After that experience, I was hooked. Fast forward to the next year, and I had a tag in my pocket hunting the same unit. All the research I did for the area led me to focus on the cold calling method Paul @The Elknut describes in his app (and videos before the app). I decided on this method because of the advice of more experienced elk hunters and my own lack of firsthand experience in the woods.
I hunted hard the first 8 days with just cows coming to my calls ( several to six steps away!) but no bulls.
On the second to last day of my hunt ( I was solo the last five days) I had a friend of a friend stop by camp. Turns out he had grown up in the area and guided for about 10 years in Idaho & Montana. Killed his first elk at 11 and had since killed a few more since. He advised me to locate bugle every time I dropped into a new canyon and keep doing it all day long. Advised. 2-3 calls at each new draw, said I’d probably feel sick of calling at some point, but to keep it up.
Next morning, after a dropping into the first draw I pulled my tube up and let out a locator bugle....just a long, dropping in tone call. IMMEDIATELY I had a response right above me in the form of three enormously loud and deep grunts...almost sounded like a gorilla. I can’t begin to describe how amazing I felt right then.
I wasn’t sure what my next step should be but as I couldn’t see the elk, I moved up on the ridge, I could see where the bull and his cows had been80 yds above me and had taken off down into the deep canyon.. still uncertain as to how to respond, I followed their tracks for 300-400 yds through thick, dark timber while cow calling ( later realized this might have been a mistake). At about 300 yds I found myself surrounded by a handful of cows replying back to my cow calls. I was willing to shoot a cow at this point in the hunt, did I mention I had already passed on multiple cow opportunities? Unfortunately I didn’t have the experience/knowledge of how to pursue this bull. With hindsight I think I should have challenged that bull w a challenge bugle and some raking once I was among his cows. Eventually the cow calls stopped and no more responses came. I hiked back up feeling like my entire hunt had just been a huge success regardless of a lack of blood.
I hiked into the next draw and pulled out the bugle tube. After my first call I got ANOTHER response!! I couldn’t believe it!!! This one was definitely farther away, and I quickly and quietly closed the distance. Couldn’t get any more replies, but I was solidly hooked on the method.
My only regret is I didn’t learn about this sooner instead of my mid 50s. Now, going into my 60th year on this globe, I couldn’t be more excited about each and every elk season.
I get lots of questions from neighbors when they see me with my full pack climbing the hills our city streets are platted on,sweat and pain on my face. I figure every uncomfortable or even painful step in preparation for September will help pave my way through the mountains this fall. Also, though I’m not wealthy (very relative term of course) I now hunt September in states neighboring my home state of WA for elk. I can hunt cows and spikes in November at home.

So to the OP, does calling work? ABSOLUTELY!!
Does hunting a tree stand or wallow work? Sure!
But I now know firsthand how much more exciting it is hunting them with calls.

If you’re even slightly interested in learning more, get The Elknut app and start learning & practicing!

 

[5MilesBack]

When I first get up to my base camp, I almost always talk to a few folks that are in the general area to see how they're doing and try to figure out where I'm going to start. Almost 100% of the time I ask them how they've been doing, and they reply........"well nothing is talking". I like to hear that.......because it means they weren't "talking" either, so the elk are ripe and ready for calling.

 

[cnelk]

Almost 100% of the time I ask them how they've been doing, and they reply........"well nothing is talking".

That is always my canned reply.

 

[Randle]

That is always my canned reply.

Same here , no need for more info then they need.