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Elk calls
weren’t always as technical as they are now. An empty 30-06
shell casing makes for a great elk whistle. You don’t here
much about elk whistles these days, but I would encourage you to
re-think the whistles. Reason
being elk are educated these days.
What do I mean
about elk being educated? Every hunter and elk photographer in
the field today has some kind of an elk call. Elk calls are easy
to use and sound so very real. I have seen people from May to
January calling elk, so they learn what is a real elk and what
is a human. I haven’t heard an elk whistle used in the field
for years. Elk learn about calls when others using calls and
bugles fool us in the field often.
I remember back
when I was 16 years old and went archery hunting in Western
Colorado with my Dad. One evening Dad blew on the empty case and
we instantly had a bull answer.
We answered him and this big bull came running in towards
us that evening. When
he arrived within 25 yards of me, he stopped and began the stare
down. If you never
have been engaged in a staring contest with a bull elk, you
haven’t been challenged. I don’t know a man or woman alive
that can win this contest. So
as a young man I failed. When it got to dark to shoot, the bull
eased back into the woods.
After a few
years, I found a new type of elk whistle.
We called it the curly cue.
I have had much success with this call back in the 70’s
and 80’s.
Remember elk
live in areas where it is quiet and have great habitat. Habitat
is not only a place with cover and food, but where other elk
live. Many times
when I have been out in the field from mid September to mid
October or later, I have heard bulls bugle to each other, not
challenging the other bull, but just letting them know where
they are. Remember
many of these bulls grow up and live together, so they know each
other’s calls and bugles.
Yes sometimes they come in and see whom this unfamiliar
bull is, but often they hang up or stay out a couple of hundred
yards. Many times
they come in silent. Two years ago I was photographing elk in
early October and was enjoying what I call the circus. I had 20
bulls bugling and mating cows.
With about 75 elk in a small valley, I watched two bulls
sparing, three bulls breeding cows and a couple tearing up the
oak brush. When they got quiet I would let out a bugle to get
them excited again. I was losing the light so I started to ease
down towards the elk and to my surprise; a very large black bull
had come to within 20 yards of me without seeing him. He was
covered with mud from head to hooves.
He ran down the hill about 300 yards and started to tear
up a small group of oak brush. I guess he was so mad that he had
been fooled.
I live to be in
elk country and with elk. I
have been blessed with a career that has allowed me to spend
many hours with elk.
I hope this
article has help you re-think the way you call elk and may you
have great success weather your hunting or filming this great
animal. |
