Getting the "raspy" notes for bugling

TTiffin

FNG
Joined
Sep 5, 2021
Messages
3
Hello! First time poster long time creeper.

I was drawn for a fairly desirable elk tag in Saskatchewan Canada. I've spent the last couple months tirelessly researching everything from water filtration to backpacks to elk calls, and every time I hit the Google search, at least one thread from these forums came up, so I finally decided to join.

When I got news of my draw tag, I went out and bought an elk101 calling kit with the bully bull tube, green all star 2.0 diaphragm and the open reed cow call. I've since been practicing about 20 minutes per day and believe I've made huge strides. I'm fairly confident that I can now consistently make a wide range of cow calls with the diaphragm.

With the all star diaphragm I found it was rather soft and whiny which seemed to be great for cow calls but I wasn't sold on it for bugles, so I went and picked up a dual reed call from Canadian tire (can't remember the name as it was not a common one but it was all that was local) and started using it and found it produced a much meaner bugle, but still something missing.

Long story short, what I'm struggling with is achieving that raspy throaty sound when bugling, I can hit high notes and hold them well and achieve good volume. But it's missing raspiness. I've tried using my voice like growing while calling and such but with mediocre results.
So is this the fault of the calls? Do I need to bump up to a triple reed? Or is there something I'm not doing with my voice to achieve those sounds? Or even something I need to be doing differently with my reeds?

Thanks, Tiffin
 
OP
T

TTiffin

FNG
Joined
Sep 5, 2021
Messages
3
Well I re watched the elk101 videos on YouTube and found that now that I had "mastered" the more basic sounds, the rest of what he said made more sense.
And I now see that it is indeed the voice aspect that I need to work on, so guess I'll just keep experimenting with the growls until I get it right.
 

IdahoElk

WKR
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Messages
2,500
Location
Hailey,ID
From my experience I've called more bulls in skipping the deep raspy and chuckle sounds as I want to sound smaller and easily stomped into ground than the bull I encounter.
If you were being hazed by an unseen adversary to the point of losing it, one sounding like James Earl Jones and the other sounding like PeeWee Herman which one would you blindly want to face?
Anyway I've scared more Elk trying to sound bigger than the guy I was hunting.
 

SDHNTR

WKR
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
6,202
I agree it’s not necessary, but if you really want that sound it’s gonna come from your throat and not the call. Try to make a throaty growl without the call. Then incorporate that same throat and back of mouth feel into your call.
 
Joined
Mar 26, 2021
Messages
22
How soon until you head out? Wapiti River calls is in Alberta. If you leave a message he'll call you back. Guy know his stuff.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
15,527
Location
Colorado Springs
If you were being hazed by an unseen adversary to the point of losing it, one sounding like James Earl Jones and the other sounding like PeeWee Herman which one would you blindly want to face?
Pee Wee is no threat to me so I ignore him and go after James Earl Jones if and when he gets close enough to me.
 
Joined
Aug 23, 2014
Messages
4,973
Location
oregon coast
Well I re watched the elk101 videos on YouTube and found that now that I had "mastered" the more basic sounds, the rest of what he said made more sense.
And I now see that it is indeed the voice aspect that I need to work on, so guess I'll just keep experimenting with the growls until I get it right.
Yep, you got it, just need to add voice

honestly, don’t worry too much about getting fancy with the bugle, just like you add voice for sound, you can add emotion and be fine.

calling bulls has little to do with perfect textbook bugles, and lots to do with reading the situation in front of you, and getting the bull to react how you need him to.

i’m not a champion type caller, I probably suck by those standards, but I have no problem getting bulls called in… it’s about setup and playing their emotions (setup is a very loose term)

it’s easy to overthink the less important stuff and under think the stuff that matters
 
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T

TTiffin

FNG
Joined
Sep 5, 2021
Messages
3
I head out on the 13th for a week.

Thanks for the tips fellas, it's in my nature to still want to try and master the growliness, but when it comes down to the hunt I won't dwell on it.
I find it funny that you listen to all the textbook perfect championship callers and then listen to real elk and realize every one sounds way different and very imperfect.

Can't wait to head out and get my boots on the ground, a week all alone in the bush is gonna be hard as hell but good for the soul.
 
Joined
Jul 29, 2014
Messages
1,389
The way your calling sounds isn’t nearly as important as knowing what sound to make and when to make it. That should be the main focus.


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5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
15,527
Location
Colorado Springs
If James saw you coming he'd run in fear, no shot for you!
Is the bull you're chasing looking for a shot? You were talking about it from the bull's perspective......since Pee Wee is no threat, and James just ran away......then the herd bull is still the herd bull without even putting up a fight.

That's also my hunt mentality though.......I'm just another bull in the woods, but a bull with an attitude. So the bulls that run away are of no use to me. I'm out there looking for other bulls with an attitude.
 

tuffcrk14

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 11, 2015
Messages
134
Check out the ElkNut app. That thing is straight money. Also check out “The Rich Outdoors” podcast episode #645. Hope this helps!


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Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
8,161
Location
Central Oregon
Imo if you have no idea when to use the sound, what it means and what reaction your hoping to get is you are probably better off skipping it.

I flew out hot a few years ago on a solo quite bull and he flew out of there like I winged him with a rifle.
 
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