Elk Bugle – Discover Elk Calls

The Elk Bugle is the sound a bull elk makes. It is used by the bull  to call cow elks or to warn off other bull elks. It it a totally unique call, and if you have never heard it, may not be what you expect from an Elk Bugle. It is much closer to the sound of a scream. Imagine the sound a 5 year old makes that has just had his big sister take his favorite toy out of his hands – that’s close to what the Elk Bugle sounds like – a mad child.

Many hunters complain that using an Elk Bugle call does not work for them. The real issue is that many hunters do not use it well. Like Elk Bowhunting – the key is practice, practice, practice.  You cannot buy your first call 2 weeks before your hunt and expect it to work.

As I said before, Elk may be big animals – but they are smart – especially the ones on public land. If they hear a off sounding call attempt, they take that as a warning to round up the harem and get as far away from that sound as they can. You can scare them off easily with a bad bugle.

What you really want to do is pressure a bull into approaching you. Many mature bulls will already have a big harem – they are not calling more. BUT – they are protecting what they have from other bulls. You want to aggressively approach that bull. I see a lot of mistakes in archery season. Because you have to get within bow range – many hunters using an elk bugle will back off the closer they get to the bull. Often, bulls will actually get louder the closer they get to another bull – it’s a contest. They are protecting what is theirs.