Hunting Big Game Hunting Elk Hunting

Elk Hunting Tips: An Introduction to Cow and Bull Calls

Aram von Benedikt Avatar

Elk calls can be an incredibly effective tool for the elk hunter. Being able to sound like a cow or a bull is a great strategy for locating, calling in, or stopping elk.

My favorite calls are the Primos Hyper-lip Single, and the Primos Pack Bugle. They sound great and are easy to use. I’ve called in several hundred elk with these two calls. In fact, during one rut hunt a couple years ago, I called in exactly 25 bulls to within thirty yards over the course of three and a half days. Only four of them were smaller than 6 x 6 bulls. My hunter arrowed the 25th bull (a mid-350s class 7 x 7) at 16 yards.

Watch as I demonstrate elk mews, chirps, bugles, and hyper-cow sounds. I also use an in-the-mouth diaphragm call when bowhunting, but more on that another day.