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Post by schall53 on Jun 8, 2018 8:37:51 GMT -5
I drew an elk tag for Colorado this year. The hunt is in the second week of September which means they should be rutting.
My problem is I can't use a diaphram call, they gag me. Does anyone know of a good call that is user friendly I can try to
master that doesn't use a diaphram.
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Post by Woody Williams on Jun 8, 2018 9:09:00 GMT -5
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Post by Russ Koon on Jun 8, 2018 9:53:43 GMT -5
When I hunted them in AZ in '99 with a cow tag, I didn't call at all. Talking to several local hunters beforehand, I heard about so many elk becoming call-shy and just walking away from calls more often than coming in. I was there when the season started, and a few days later the pre-rut gathering of cows was going on. I just got to a high point in an area with pretty good sign and little competition with other bowhunters, before daylight, and listened for bugles. Then I could tell which direction they were going, and set out to intercept, watching the wind closely. Maybe I just got lucky, but the tactic seemed to work well. On the second try, I was close enough to the bull that a straggling cow in his harem came by me at 30 yards as I nestled back into a large juniper. She seemed totally unaware as she fed along at a steady walk, but she ducked down and back as the arrow approached and it hit her forward of the shoulder, but centered on the spine and dropped her in her tracks. A quick finishig arrow into the heart made sure she was down for good.
I had three chances at pretty nice bulls, and one would have been pretty much a sure thing, but my cow tag was no good for those opportunities. Sure was fun to just sit hunkered in cover and watch them walk by though, especially the one that stopped and bugled as he strolled past me at under 30 yards!
No regrets whatever on taking the available OTC cow tag rather than collecting points to hopefully get a bull someday.
No experience with them, but Primos has a whole line of open reed mouth calls that are apparently used more like a duck call, and have the reed part out in front of the mouth rather than the diaphram in there trying to gag you or ending up getting chewed up like it was a stick of JuicyFruit. Not as quick and handy to get out of the way when the bull is coming in, but better than coughing and gagging as he approaches.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on Jun 8, 2018 12:14:19 GMT -5
I have a Hoochie Mama, it's extremely simple to operate. I'm heard though that so many guys are out honking them, many elk have learned to avoid the Hoochie Mama. Not sure if there's any truth to that or not.
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Post by schall53 on Jun 10, 2018 12:25:34 GMT -5
Thanks for the information guys. I agree I probably won't be doing much calling, just want to try and get all my ducks in a row in case it looks like it might be useful. I have a Hoochie Mamma and a couple of other calls on the way to start playing with.
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Post by span870 on Jun 10, 2018 19:21:20 GMT -5
My guess in all actuality it's alot like turkey hunting. I'm not a believer in call shy turkeys. I think it's a matter of you're trying to call a turkey or elk away from a female he already has. You're reversing nature. You challenge a bull 400 yards away with a harem of cows, he's pushing them the other way. Not because he says, that's a hunter. He doesn't wanna lose his cows to another bull. Same with turkeys. You get close enough and challenge him, he's coming. With that being said, if you can't bugle well, don't. Cow call ain't going to push them. You can squeeze in close enough, even with a herd of cows he might come looking.
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Post by steiny on Jul 3, 2018 8:36:43 GMT -5
Good advice by Russ Koon. If you're not in an undisturbed area with undisturbed elk, calling is more likely to be counterproductive. Focus your efforts on locating elk then getting in close to them.
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Post by SFC (R) B on Jul 3, 2018 9:39:08 GMT -5
I use something similar to the Sceery and it is versatile enough to use from calf through all the cow calls. As I am a 2nd season or later rifle hunter I use it to coax or stop elk I have already found. The calf call is very useful if cow hunting.
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