ready2hunt Report post Posted June 30, 2016 Some of my favorite hunting memories growing up includes over the counter archery hunts in kiabab, seeing the oak/aspen leaves turn and going turkey hunting just to be in the middle of the rut. Growing up in my family we NEVER used artificial bugles. Not that it was taboo or we though we were "cool" but from a young age everyone in my family would just use are mouths to do a full elk call bugle & bark. Obviously it doesn't sound like much unless a you get a little older but it was always so fun to just be out there and bugle whenever we wanted or needed (until our voices go horsed). Of course it ways became a competition as well to see who could call the most in or who could do it better. I always have a cow call with me though. IMO my father does the best, I remember we "called" in a fellow hunter one time, he was a nice guy but became annoyed with my father when he asked what "brand bugle" he was using and my dad told him he was just using his voice. Even after demonstrating the guy seem a little frustrated- still makes be chuckle to this day. We always seem to get great results too, perhaps our inferior bugles makes a bull think we are an easy challenge but I have more memories than I can count of bulls raking and head butting trees in front of us and kicking up mud/dirt all over the place. (as a young man I have to admit I was pretty intimidated by that but never in harms way). Got an old picture of a whole heard around us about 20 yards I'll have to find and post up. This past weekend I was up on the rim and ran into a spike with a couple cows and all my kids started sounding off trying to call in the elk- obviously the elk ran off as soon as they heard us. They were cracking me up. Point for sharing this is- are there other members on here that do this? I know there are bugling competitions that actually include a no-call calling contest but just curious if any of you do this as well? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KingJeff187 Report post Posted June 30, 2016 I've never mouth bugled. But when i was younger I was taught how to use a blade of grass between my thumbs to make a cow call and i also cow call with just my mouth it's proved effective on several hunting trips. also works on mule deer pretty well during the summer season since they have fawns in tow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pixman Report post Posted June 30, 2016 My dad said he heard an old timer use his mouth to bugle but I never got the chance to meet him and hear it in person. I think that would be awesome to be able to that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost85 Report post Posted June 30, 2016 Growing up a lot of guys i know mouth bugled. Probably didn't sound very good but it was effective. I do think that elk are a lot more educated now with all the calls available and the success probably wouldn't be too good. I remember as a kid my dad would always take me out elk calling. Seems like we went most nights during the rut. It seems like bulls used to be MUCH easier to call in. Not many guys were doing it or doing it right 20 years ago. I have memories of giant elk so close they would blow spit on you when they screamed and calling heard bulls away from cows, which is near impossible anymore. The bull to cow ratio was probably lower then. The hoochie mama came out and sounds pretty good and anyone can use it. That invention really put a damper on elk calling, IMO. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alpinebullwinkle Report post Posted July 1, 2016 When my youngest son was young he could make the best cow elk calls I have heard without any commercial assistance........then his voice changed when he got about 15 and he lost that talent. I agree that calling dynamics has really changed over the last 10 years or so. Surprisingly I now call more bulls in making bull sounds rather than the cow sounds that worked better until the last 5-10 years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azbugler Report post Posted July 1, 2016 I learned to voice bugle and cow call at a very early age and used to compete quite a bit. I still cow call with my voice and occasionally bugle when looking for something different. My bugle isn't as good as what it used to be as I can't quite eak out the highest notes. All 7 of my kids can mouth call as well. We were just watching home videos the other day and one of my sons was using the vacuum cleaner tube and bugling up a storm at 1 1/2 years old! Kids can do amazing cow calls quite naturally. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigorange Report post Posted July 1, 2016 Hunted with a guy last year that mouth bugles...used a big tube and just his mouth. Pretty cool to see especially when it worked better than my bugle. Maybe because it sounded different than commercial calls. The faces he made while calling were funny too. LoL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ready2hunt Report post Posted July 1, 2016 Thanks for sharing guys. Glad to know there are more of us out there. Never used a tube though, although I get its purpose. The "cow" is out of my range. There is a youtube video of a guy with Highpoint outfitters that does it phenomenally. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HEADACHE Report post Posted July 13, 2016 Hey I know that guy! Ben is a great guy! I never knew he could do that ha ha ha ha. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
