Hoochie Mama elk calls

[GreyGhost85]

i saw a thread on some hoochie mama game calls that turned into a bashing. Rather than knocking the guy trying to sell an item, i would like to see where everyone stands on these. Personally, i feel that they are the worst thing that has ever happened to true elk callers. when they first came out probably 10-15 years ago, they worked pretty darn good. it takes the skill and "art" if you will, out of elk calling. Now, i think in a lot of places a hoochie mama is about as effective as a gun shot. on archery elk hunts, every time you hear an elk bugle, you hear 10 hoochie mama calls squealing through the woods. These calls have made elk shy to answer any kind of elk calls. before their invention, you could cow call and bugle bulls in all day long, and now the preferred method for all of the very seasoned elk hunters that i know, is bugle to locate a bull, then don't call again. Nothing will ever beat a good diaphragm call being used by someone who has mastered them.

[Coues assassin]

Personally it's hard to "master" the diaphragm call when I only get drawn every 5 or 6 years. Sure I can get the sounds down but I can't learn how the bulls respond to which sounds until after the hunt is over, then I can use what I learned five years later...If I remember exactly what was and wasn't working. Just my .02

[kd300wsm]

Let them ppl use them it dropps there odds of killing tremendously. The last 3 years I have been on the mountain ppl squeeze that hoochie mamma and the bulls scatter like flys. That brings up our adds for that guy that work from the time you get drawn till your hunt starts. An have about mastered the diaphragm calls.

[Heat]

Was trying to put a sneak on a herd a couple of years ago in Unit 1 and they seemed to be getting frisky. About that time I noticed two other guys coming up behind me. When the bull came through the opening I stopped him at around 80 yards with my diaphragm call. He paused for a moment but saw his ladies making their way out of there so he didn't hesitate long. When the two guys saw the bull they started hitting that stupid Hoochie Mama about 100 times a minute and I don't think the elk stopped running until they hit New Mexico. I have honestly never seen elk react so negatively to a call. Maybe it was their method, but I was not impressed with their "calling". Neither were the elk.

 

Nick

[CouesWhitetail]

In that thread you mentioned a lot of people actually posted that they had very good luck with the hoochie mammas. I don't really think it's the call that makes so many people upset, it's the constant use of it, rather than using it sparingly. So I think the issue isn't so much the type of call, but the amount of calling. I think people tend to call a lot more than is necessary. You see that in turkey hunting too.

[Elkaddict]

Personally it's hard to "master" the diaphragm call when I only get drawn every 5 or 6 years. Sure I can get the sounds down but I can't learn how the bulls respond to which sounds until after the hunt is over, then I can use what I learned five years later...If I remember exactly what was and wasn't working. Just my .02

Getting drawn and calling bulls is 2 different things. I know some don't want to hear this but I call bulls every year, love it. Hunt me with a camera.

[GJMauro12]

 

Personally it's hard to "master" the diaphragm call when I only get drawn every 5 or 6 years. Sure I can get the sounds down but I can't learn how the bulls respond to which sounds until after the hunt is over, then I can use what I learned five years later...If I remember exactly what was and wasn't working. Just my .02

Getting drawn and calling bulls is 2 different things. I know some don't want to hear this but I call bulls every year, love it. Hunt me with a camera.

I'll be on the camera this year since no one has an archery tag for the first time since 2008 and I am kind of excited about it. Just bought Photoshop last week so I could start editing all my video into something worth watching and I can't wait to get some new video this year.

 

I probably won't be using a hoochie mama but I do think there are ways to use it that won't scatter elk. (Don't point it at them and squeeze it as loud as possible for one)

 

Every September/October offers a chance to sharpen your calling tho. Tag or not!

[5guyshunting]

Now its going to thousands of e-callers .

[Coues Stew]

I would have to say I am not a fan. Just because when I hear one when im out in the field I automatically know its a hunter (from hearing so many soon followed up by people), sort of like box calls for turkeys. It is almost as if hoochie mamas and box calls are the stereotypes of what elk and turkeys sound like and that noise it what comes to mind when u think of them. In my opinion mouth calls are the way to go because elk and Turkeys are always changing tones and rythms. Not just the generic "Mew" or "yelp,yelp,yelp,yelp..." just my thoughts, but only God knows.

[buffhunter]

The hoochie momma has its place. But like Amanda said its the over use of it. A lot of people do not know how to read elk bugeling. So they just push the heck out of it. And when a bull or herd of elk has herd it a few times they get that sound down and know to go the other way........

[naturegirl]

Everyone has to learn somewhere and for me it was the hoochie mama that got me started. It was a whole lot less intimidating than the other calls. I've moved on for bulls to other calls but I still like how cows respond to the hoochie mama.

[SpotNStalk]

I don't think it's just the hoochie mama but over calling period with any method. Elk have become call shy or flat out scared for that matter. It doesn't take elk long to become real hip to whats really going on while your hitting that hoochie mama , diaphragm or bugle tube. He will grab his cows and move out of the area quickly and quietly. A call IMO is best used as a locator , to get elk to stop /turn broadside for a shot.

[BowNut]

I carry one with me. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. In 2010 I had a bull tag and didn't really have much luck with it so I used other calls. Last year same area I hunted in 2010 it was one of the best calls in my pack.

[idgaf]

i saw a thread on some hoochie mama game calls that turned into a bashing. Rather than knocking the guy trying to sell an item, i would like to see where everyone stands on these. Personally, i feel that they are the worst thing that has ever happened to true elk callers. when they first came out probably 10-15 years ago, they worked pretty darn good. it takes the skill and "art" if you will, out of elk calling. Now, i think in a lot of places a hoochie mama is about as effective as a gun shot. on archery elk hunts, every time you hear an elk bugle, you hear 10 hoochie mama calls squealing through the woods. These calls have made elk shy to answer any kind of elk calls. before their invention, you could cow call and bugle bulls in all day long, and now the preferred method for all of the very seasoned elk hunters that i know, is bugle to locate a bull, then don't call again. Nothing will ever beat a good diaphragm call being used by someone who has mastered them.

I couldn't disagree with you more!!! The Hoochie momma is not the worse thing that has happen to true elk callers. Fox Pro is. Hoochie momma is second.

[BeardownAZ]

I think any call, electronic or hand held not used sparingly or correctly will have negative effects.