Question for those of you with elk experience

[Creamer]

No, I'm not going.

A friend of mine is going elk hunting this fall. I'd like to make him an elk call (cow call) for the trip. I see some "bite and blow" style calls (sounds painful lol) and some open reed style calls. Any suggestions on these types of calls as far as ease of use and sound quality? This place I have ordered from before sells both.

Penn State Industries: Product Search

Or are there any other types I haven't mentioned that would be some sort of reed assembly I could put in a wood barrel? Thanks in advance for any info ya'll can provide.

 

[Jamie]

I have used a "bite and blow" type (manufacturer unknown) and a hand call (Primos Hoochie Mama). They both produce plenty of volume and are easy to use effectively. The hand call is manually adjustable for different cow calls (estrus, lost cow, mew). Seems like it would be nearly impossible, or at lease extremely impractical, to make a hand call like this by hand out of wood. I will say that the hand call is quite convenient for the archery hunter when you are in a close shot situation and don't want to move any more than necessary. That probably does not matter much if rifle hunting. I got the attention of elk with both calls. Too much attention, unfortunately, lol.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Every elk hunter had a Hoochie Momma 15 years ago and with good reason. They are very effective. In my fairly limited time elk hunting (5 trips), I used both diaphragm and bite calls. I have come to rarely use a diaphragm for anything these days. I can use them functionally but find I call too much if I’m walking around with one in place all the time. I think the call I used most is also made by primos. It’s essentially two rubber coated pieces made to be bitten onto to squeeze appropriate air across the reed. I believe it would be a simple matter to put the working end of the call into a wooden tube for a richer tone.

 

[brock ratcliff]

I think this is it. It wouldn’t be terribly expensive to purchase this for parts.

 

[Creamer]

View attachment 180973
I think this is it. It wouldn’t be terribly expensive to purchase this for parts.

I'm taking your suggestion, I found this call new on fleaBay for $10 and free shipping. I'll de-gut it and put it in a wood barrel. The green with some of @Jamie 's osage would look killer.