"Packable" Bugle Tubes

[JLeMieux]

Do any of you have any experience with some of the shorter and/or smaller bugle tubes? I have a Phelps full size tube but was thinking about getting something smaller since my buddy has the same one.

 

[Beendare]

del

.

 

[ndforbes]

I bought one a few years back, didn’t like it, they arent the same

.

Did you get the new Phelps one that is small? I was considering giving that thing a shot for my backpack hunt this September instead of the typical five pound war club that I usually carry. If the sound sucks, I'll just stick with my current set-up.

 

[Scoot]

I've never tried the new Phelps, but I have tried a couple other smaller ones. I felt the same way as Beendare- didn't care for them. Would the elk care? Not sure. But, I didn't like it so I chose to carry the weight and pack the big ol' war club.

 

[Elkdreamer]

The Rocky Mountain bully bull extreme is a little smaller and easier to carry than The Phelps wiffle ball bat. IMO

 

[Ifunk]

I use a Berry thunder bugle and it telescopes out. It sounds really good and collapses very short. Probably not so good for t-ball practice.

 

[BBob]

I have a couple of Rocky Mtn and a Berry Golden Tone Shorty. I think the RM's maybe sound better than the Berry Shorty but the elk so far haven't seemed to care and the Berry is much more compact so I carry it.

 

[Huntin_GI]

If you're talking about the Phelps Renegade, I have one. I also have the much larger version and while I think the smaller one will get the job done, the larger one flat out sounds better. Alot of deeper gutteral sounds get lost on the smaller tube.

 

[87TT]

 

[Charlie Brown]

Turner Point Blank got it so I would have something different than my hunting partners and I love this tube.

 

[ElkNut1]

Go online or classifieds & see if you can find a Lil Chuckler, best sound around at 4.0z! It was simply amazing & I wish they were still around.

ElkNut

 

[5MilesBack]

I have a Phelps full size tube but was thinking about getting something smaller since my buddy has the same one.

Unless you're going to be using your buddy's all the time........I'd want my own large tube.

 

[Wrench]

Berry golden tone has been working for a long time. Glen was making calls when most of the current you tube stars still had tape on their underwear.

 

[stephane110]

I have the small phelps (unrivaled i think it's called). I used it last year and really liked it. It seemed effective but to be fair I've never used a big one. Maybe I'll try a full sized one if I ever lose it, but when I looked at them in store they just seem soooo cumbersome to carry around.

 

[JLeMieux]

Unless you're going to be using your buddy's all the time........I'd want my own large tube.

I'll have my large tube in camp. Figured I would carry the smaller one until I feel like I need the large one.

 

[stephane110]

I'll have my large tube in camp. Figured I would carry the smaller one until I feel like I need the large one.

Will you be returning to that camp every night? I only got the small one because I usually pack up my camp every morning and stay mobile until I locate the elk, so I've got a full pack on most days. If you don't have a full pack during the day because you return to the same camp spot every night, I'd just bring only the big tube only. Won't be too cumbersome if it's one of the few items you're carrying. There's no doubt the bigger tubes are better, it's just a tradeoff to have slightly less effective calling with the benefit of less weight to carry.

 

[5MilesBack]

I'll have my large tube in camp. Figured I would carry the smaller one until I feel like I need the large one.

You'll need the large one as soon as you leave it in camp. That's the way it always works. I'd say that about 80% of the time that I'm just "going on a quick jaunt" so don't need a full bladder of water or food......is when I put an elk down. And then regret not having water and food. I always seem to want or need what I don't have with me.

 

[Elkdreamer]

^^^ but if you are always prepared you might never shoot another elk.

 

[ElkNut1]

It boggles my mind the way some of you think??? Guys, you need to have the attitude you WILL kill an elk every time you hit the elkwoods! You need that Failing Is Not An Option Attitude! If you do fail you won't like it but you know you gave 110%.

ElkNut

 

[5MilesBack]

Failure is NEVER an option. That still doesn't mean that I need water for a quick jaunt.

The worst one though was just a couple years ago. I set up camp and just wanted to do a quick exploration of a spot right near my truck camp that I had spied out on the maps, like a quarter mile away just to get a view of these drainages off to the northwest. It was about 2:30 in the afternoon and I'm wearing jeans and a blue shirt. I figure......what the heck, might as well at least take my bow. So I did.

I get done glassing the drainages across the creek, and start to return to camp. Then off to the SW in the timber above me I heard that very low, deep, short, and mostly quiet sound that some bulls let out in close proximity to their cows. Not really a grunt, more like a moan. I was on the run to close the gap, and then I realized......not only did I not have my bugle tube, but I didn't even have a diaphragm call on me. I've never felt so naked, unprepared, and useless in my life like that during elk season. I'll admit it, I'm pretty one dimensional with elk hunting, but until that stops working that's what I use.