Elk calling for kids: bugles, cow calls and the bark

Short answer: elk talk with three main sounds. Bulls bugle in the September rut: a sound that starts low, screams high and ends in grunts. Cows and calves mew and chirp to stay together. And a cow that is sure she sees danger barks, which sends the whole herd running. Hunters copy the bugle and the cow call, but the best lesson for a kid is to call less than you want to.

The bugle

In September, bull elk bugle to say they are here, they are big, and everyone should know it. A bull that hears another bull has to go look, which is why hunters use bugle tubes. In Elk vs. Hunter, Old Rack says a hunter's bugle sounds like "a bull with a cold who has been kicked." His advice to young elk: do not answer, circle to get the wind, and look from the side.

Print the bull elk bugling coloring page.

Cow calls: mews and chirps

Cows and calves make soft mews and chirps to keep the herd together as they move and feed. A soft cow call is usually safer for a beginner than a bugle, because a bugle can push away a herd bull who does not want a fight.

The bark

When a cow elk is sure she has spotted danger, she barks. In the book it "sounds like a dog that swallowed a trumpet." It means: everybody out. If a cow barks at you, the hunt in that spot is over. Do not chase.

Practicing with a kid

• Start with an easy external cow call; mouth reeds are hard for small kids.
• Listen to real recordings first, then copy them.
• Teach the setup before the call: wind in your face, a tree behind you, a clear view to the side, because elk circle downwind.
• After calling, stay still for a long time. Old bulls come in slow and silent.
• And the Sparky lesson: the elk who charges straight at every noise is the one who gets in trouble.

Questions

Why do elk bugle?

Bull elk bugle during the fall rut, mostly September, to announce themselves, challenge other bulls and gather cows.

What does an elk bark mean?

It is an alarm call. A cow elk barks when she is sure she sees danger, and the herd leaves.

What elk call is easiest for kids?

A simple external cow call. It is easier to use than a diaphragm reed and less likely than a bugle to push a bull away.