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Elk Callers?

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 11:47 am
by karstopo
Any Elk Callers out there? Three of us are New Mexico bound in a couple of weeks and I'm planning on working the bugle and cow calls to get the animals close. Did this 2 years ago at the same time of year and was able to call up a spike elk one afternoon using a cow call and a 6 x 6 satellite bull the following morning using 2 bull bugle calls. I'm not sure I want even shoot an elk (did that once). My friends can do the shooting. I'm more into the rush of getting a big animal like an elk to respond to a call.

Re: Elk Callers?

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 10:30 pm
by Bigrock
Any luck? Where in NM are you hunting?

Re: Elk Callers?

Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2016 7:12 pm
by karstopo
Bigrock wrote:Any luck? Where in NM are you hunting?
West of Chama, unit 4. Ranch only. I didn't take a gun, let my 2 buds do that. Both had good shots that weren't taken. One morning, I went with one friend after some elk that went into heavy ponderosa pine and oak. We used the terrain to our advantage and we stalked to about 150 yards and the wind was right and the elk didn't see us. My friend passed on clear shot on a young 5 X 5. He had a good rest, but was holding out for a bigger bull that was in the group.

The elk weren't doing much, a few were laying down in a stand of pine free of ground cover, but we had open ground between us and them so I felt there was not any way to get closer without tipping our hand. I didn't have my cow call, but I hit the bugle and shook some small trees, broke branches, and the elk got up and moved around some, didn't run. The bigger bull was visible, but surrounded by cows and my bud felt he couldn't shoot without hitting a cow. The bull eventually eased into heavy cover.

It was a good experience. My friend was thrilled to have slipped up on the herd even if he didn't harvest one. Another morning I tried to attract a bull with the bugle, but was not successful. The elk were bugling some.

Re: Elk Callers?

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 12:39 pm
by Bigrock
Great hunt! :clap:

I have never had the privilege to hunt elk, much less call them. I've been invited to provide porter services n southern NM, but scheduling has never worked out.

Re: Elk Callers?

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 3:19 pm
by Yaklash
Bigrock wrote:Great hunt! :clap:

I have never had the privilege to hunt elk, much less call them. I've been invited to provide porter services n southern NM, but scheduling has never worked out.
Curious....does "Porter Services" mean what it sounds like....they shoot and then you gut, quarter and haul??

Re: Elk Callers?

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2016 7:42 am
by karstopo
Yaklash wrote:
Bigrock wrote:Great hunt! :clap:

I have never had the privilege to hunt elk, much less call them. I've been invited to provide porter services n southern NM, but scheduling has never worked out.
Curious....does "Porter Services" mean what it sounds like....they shoot and then you gut, quarter and haul??

I wonder too.

Two years ago, my friend ( the one you know Yaklash) shot a 6 X 6 at the same ranch. He and I quartered and removed the backstrap, tenderloins, and trimmed the remaining muscle for chili. A whitetail is easy enough with one person, but an elk is different. I think it would be tough to do solo and take most or all of a day to do it. We were fortunate to be able to drive right up to the elk and not have to carry anything out of rough terrain. I did the carry out once about 12 years ago. It was about fatal for me. If I ever shoot another elk, it will be the drive up accessible or I'll have to have a porter or other means to pack it out.

Re: Elk Callers?

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2016 10:31 pm
by Bigrock
Yaklash wrote:
Bigrock wrote:Great hunt! :clap:

I have never had the privilege to hunt elk, much less call them. I've been invited to provide porter services n southern NM, but scheduling has never worked out.
Curious....does "Porter Services" mean what it sounds like....they shoot and then you gut, quarter and haul??
That's it. I have a cousin in Los Lunas and he, his two boys and girlfriend all chip in and help when one of them is drawn. I would love to go be a part of it. :D

Re: Elk Callers?

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 3:12 pm
by Yaklash
karstopo wrote:
Yaklash wrote:
Bigrock wrote:Great hunt! :clap:

I have never had the privilege to hunt elk, much less call them. I've been invited to provide porter services n southern NM, but scheduling has never worked out.
Curious....does "Porter Services" mean what it sounds like....they shoot and then you gut, quarter and haul??

I wonder too.

Two years ago, my friend ( the one you know Yaklash) shot a 6 X 6 at the same ranch. He and I quartered and removed the backstrap, tenderloins, and trimmed the remaining muscle for chili. A whitetail is easy enough with one person, but an elk is different. I think it would be tough to do solo and take most or all of a day to do it. We were fortunate to be able to drive right up to the elk and not have to carry anything out of rough terrain. I did the carry out once about 12 years ago. It was about fatal for me. If I ever shoot another elk, it will be the drive up accessible or I'll have to have a porter or other means to pack it out.
I have friends, mid-50s plus one of their fathers (70s) that does a hunt like that every year in a cabin with no utilities, and a road (barely) up to the cabin only and none of the hunting grounds accessible by other than foot. They asked me one year and I couldn't go, but another friend did. Shot an elk the first day and said he about had a heart attack hauling it out with the help of another guy. He said, "never again" and spent the next 6 days "looking" at elk while others shot, then helping haul each of theirs. So I did not go the next year when it was offered again. I don't consider that enjoyment, but I sure eat the hell out of every ounce of elk meat they give me.

Re: Elk Callers?

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 7:14 pm
by karstopo
I'm less motivated for hard core back country elk haul outs. Somewhere along the way I realized I'm not so young anymore.

Re: Elk Callers?

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2016 12:50 pm
by Squatch
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I'm an avid DIY mountain hunter; Montana, Colorado, Arizona, best advice is to learn an area well!!!! Read books about habits n habitat, get in shape( can't be over stated!!! Bit my ass this year in Montana, life caught up w me n thought I could "gut" it out, the mountains have no sympathy!!!) Onyx Hunt app, n take the Elk101 course!!!

Re: Elk Callers?

Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2016 5:57 pm
by Bob Keyes
I am a good caller if you need to wortk with someone for the next hunt. You need to follow the one most important rule of elk hunting NEVER EVER HUNT DOWNHILL FROM CAMP!!!!!!! and always carry a fork, one of these you WILL drop an elk where you re not get him out and it will be easier to eat him where he fell if you have a fork :mrgreen: