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Turkey calling similarities to Elk calling

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Turkey calling similarities to Elk calling

Postby Heartwood » 02 22, 2015 •  [Post 1]

Twinkieman and I have had some extensive discussions about the similarities bet. Elk / turkey tactics and reading the situation and mood of the day on both species. Seems to us that there are a lot of similarities and certianly some big differences. For those that have called both, what similarities are you experiencing and seeing. We have hunted and called pleanty of both and think there are many uncanny similarities, just curious as to what others think.
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Re: Turkey calling similarities to Elk calling

Postby twinkieman » 02 24, 2015 •  [Post 2]

Here are a few, Matt. Elk are in herds, turkeys in flocks, same thing really. Elk have bachelor herds, that bust up to some degree, so do turkeys. Old gobblers tend to hang with each other until the breeding is about to begin. Both animals fight, and establish dominance. Elk have lead cows in their harems, there is a lead hen in turkey harems. Elk we must not get beat by there nose, turkeys, we have to beat their eyes. Gobbles can be heard as far away as an elk bugle. At times we use a locate bugle to get elk to bugle back to us, there are a variety of locate sounds for turkeys, my personal favorite is a coyote howl, Heartwood can attest to the effectiveness of my preference for locating turkeys. Roosting areas, can be compared to bedding areas for elk. With both species, the best way to keep them from being call shy, is to kill them the first time you call to them. I could go on, hopefully others will join in. :D
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Re: Turkey calling similarities to Elk calling

Postby bald9eagle » 03 12, 2015 •  [Post 3]

I'm going to ask questions here.....

Can you take a bull elk's "temperature" like you can a tom? I mean will he bugle his head off if he is hot like a hot gobbler will?

I can usually tell after the first couple gobbles if the bird is alone or hot or if he is just giving me a courtesy gobble.
Are bulls similar?
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Re: Turkey calling similarities to Elk calling

Postby Heartwood » 03 12, 2015 •  [Post 4]

Yes, an elk hunter can tell a lot about a bulls "temperature" and mood by the frequency ,intensity and type of his bugles. Elknut talks about the mood of the day and how vocal the elk are on a given day. It mostly comes down to weather there is a cow in or near estrus. When a cow is "in" the herd bull wants to keep her close and have control of her so he talks to her with bugles and other bull sounds. Now other satalite bulls hear what is going on and chime in with advertising bugles. The herd bull bugles to these sat. bulls with grunts saying stay away shes mine. This scenario is what we attempt to similate when we do a breeding sequence. Somtimes a Tom with hens will gobble to my hen sounds but go with his hens. I believe he is saying, here i am, I'm leaving and I want you to come with us. Bulls will somtimes do the same thing. I have had bulls with cows try to call me with a short intense scream after i make cow sounds or somtimes with a lip bawl bugle.
For me it is easier to tell if a bull has cows by his calls than if a Tom has hens. A herd bull will talk to his cows by bugling with chuckles or round up bugles and others. I know that Twinkieman can tell a lot from a Toms gobbles also but I'm not sure he can explain how he can tell what is happening. I think it is more the tone and intensity of the gobbles. I'm sure he will chime in when he sees this and maybe explain. There are, I think 7 different bugles but differences in gobbles to me are not as defined.
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