Post up Your Elk Sounds, 2013. Cow/Calf Sounds

[WapitiTalk1]

Let's start this first segment off with "cow/calf sounds in a herd setting". All is well in the elk woods. The cows and the calves are communicating on a (insert state here) hillside. The goal of these threads is about learning how to be better callers. If you have a comment or recommendation for improvement, please offer them. We'll start with this thread and move into various other elk sounds for future threads throughout the spring and summer... I'll start it off. Here's my offering for cow/calf sounds in a herd settiing.. Thoughts? RJ

[ORelksniper]

RJ, your herd talk sounded good.
Jake, your soundcloud test worked just fine on my end. Sounded good. I think you guys have it figured out.

[ElkNut1]

Theelkhunter, hello, hello, hello!!! (grin)


RJ, you sounded decent. The only thing I'd mention is make sure your cow sounds & calf sounds don't sound similar, the listener should be able to tell the two apart easily. I heard a mouth reed & a bite & blow call. What bite & blow call is it? Good job!

ElkNut1

[WapitiTalk1]

Theelkhunter, hello, hello, hello!!! (grin)


RJ, you sounded decent. The only thing I'd mention is make sure your cow sounds & calf sounds don't sound similar, the listener should be able to tell the two apart easily. I heard a mouth reed & a bite & blow call. What bite & blow call is it? Good job!

ElkNut1

Good copy Paul. Definitely something I need to work on (making clear cow vs calf sounds). The bite and blow call is a Carlton Bull Hooker.

[Trophyhill]

a few basic cow sounds. boy do i need practice!

http://soundcloud.com/trophy-hill/track-title

[Trophyhill]

calf sounds. the accoustic is terrible in this room. i may have to take it outside

http://soundcloud.com/trophy-hill/audio ... -on-sunday

[ElkNut1]

Yes, the room acoustics did not serve you well. (grin) Are you using an external reed Dave? Good sounds or bad sounds are not the issue here, you are lacking natural tones, they are more robotic. Try & use emotion & feeling behind your sounds like you really are an elk! We'll look forward to hearing round two.

ElkNut1

[WapitiTalk1]

Theelkhunter, hello, hello, hello!!! (grin)


RJ, you sounded decent. The only thing I'd mention is make sure your cow sounds & calf sounds don't sound similar, the listener should be able to tell the two apart easily. I heard a mouth reed & a bite & blow call. What bite & blow call is it? Good job!

ElkNut1

Good copy Paul. Definitely something I need to work on (making clear cow vs calf sounds). The bite and blow call is a Carlton Bull Hooker.

Edit: The reed call is not a bite and blow, you actually depress a rubber button on the top and release as you blow through the call.

[Trophyhill]

Yes, the room acoustics did not serve you well. (grin) Are you using an external reed Dave? Good sounds or bad sounds are not the issue here, you are lacking natural tones, they are more robotic. Try & use emotion & feeling behind your sounds like you really are an elk! We'll look forward to hearing round two.

ElkNut1

i was using the Raging Bull for all sounds. practice is long over due!

[JohnFitzgerald]

Here's a recording I took 2 years ago.

Nervous grunt:
http://soundcloud.com/herdbullkiller-1/nervous-grunt

I'll record my scream, estrus buz, and nervous grunt again and post it later this week.

[msd1228]

This is just a quick sequence I did in the truck today. Mellow yellow, with 1 or 2 blows on a Bitteroot Customs open reed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UiQUr1P03g

[WapitiTalk1]

Here's a recording I took 2 years ago.

Nervous grunt:
https://soundcloud.com/#herdbullkiller-1/nervous-grunt

I'll record my scream, estrus buz, and nervous grunt again and post it later this week.

Hey guys, let's keep this first "post em up" thread on track. Only cows/calf sounds in a herd setting for this one. We'll dive into locaters, bugles w/chuckles, bugles w/grunts, special elk sounds, etc. in subsequent threads Thanks. RJ

[JohnFitzgerald]

Here's a recording I took 2 years ago.

Nervous grunt:
https://soundcloud.com/#herdbullkiller-1/nervous-grunt

I'll record my scream, estrus buz, and nervous grunt again and post it later this week.

Hey guys, let's keep this first "post em up" thread on track. Only cows/calf sounds in a herd setting for this one. We'll dive into locaters, bugles w/chuckles, bugles w/grunts, special elk sounds, etc. in subsequent threads Thanks. RJ

Ah, yes the scream will come in a later thread. But you said cow/calf sounds in a herd settings. Notice how soft and mellow the nervous grunt was? Just this year I witnessed two cows joining a heard. Not sure if they had originally been part of the herd but as they were approaching, an "elk" gave a software mellow nerous grunt. One of the two answered with a soft quick mew, then everything was happy. As for the Estrus Buzz, this too can be classified as herd talk in some cases. But it sounds like this thread was meant just to be cows talking to calfs and vise versa. My mistake.

[JohnFitzgerald]

This is just a quick sequence I did in the truck today. Mellow yellow, with 1 or 2 blows on a Bitteroot Customs open reed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UiQUr1P03g

Very nice msd1228! That's the best talk I've heard in a while. Finally, someone that can call for me this year! Do you want to come hunt in Oregon with me. I'm not impressed easy and you just impressed the hell out of me.

[WapitiTalk1]

[/quote] Ah, yes the scream will come in a later thread. But you said cow/calf sounds in a herd settings. Noticing how soft and mellow the nervous grunt was? Just this year I witnessed two cows joining a heard. Not sure if they had originally been part of the herd but as they were approaching, an "elk" gave a software mellow nerous grunt. One of the two answered with a soft quick mew, then everything was happy. As for the Estrus Buzz, this too can be classified as herd talk in some cases. But it sounds like this thread was meant just to be cows talking to calfs and vise versa. My mistake. [/quote]

I see where you were going. If you would have labeled it "cow entering herd", I would have understood what you were going for.. Sorry, I'm a dork. Heck, I'm just glad to didn't put me in a forum "time out" as the forum administrator . Thanks for the clarification.

[JohnFitzgerald]

Ah, yes the scream will come in a later thread. But you said cow/calf sounds in a herd settings. Noticing how soft and mellow the nervous grunt was? Just this year I witnessed two cows joining a heard. Not sure if they had originally been part of the herd but as they were approaching, an "elk" gave a software mellow nerous grunt. One of the two answered with a soft quick mew, then everything was happy. As for the Estrus Buzz, this too can be classified as herd talk in some cases. But it sounds like this thread was meant just to be cows talking to calfs and vise versa. My mistake.

I see where you were going. If you would have labeled it "cow entering herd", I would have understood what you were going for.. Sorry, I'm a dork. Heck, I'm just glad to didn't put me in a forum "time out" as the forum administrator . Thanks for the clarification.

It's cool. Even forum administrators needed corrected from time to time. I should be the one in the time out for trying to slip in the Scream! Your thread so I'll follow the rules.

I wouldn't necessarily say it was just a cow entering a herd. For me, I think most people see the nervous grunt as a high energy engagement. But on serveral occasions I've been supprised to see this used in a soft mellow "herd talk" enviorment. Funny thing, just that same year I had a bull 60 yards away bugling at me and he would follow up with a nervous grunt. For me, the nervous grunt means an elk wants a visual identification. Tone and situation determining how "Nervous" the elk really is.

[mandrroofing]

Here is my attempt at cow calf sounds.What ya all think?

http://soundcloud.com/matt-rhoden-1/herd-talk-2

[JohnFitzgerald]

If you copy and past the url, make sure it's http: not https:

http://soundcloud.com/herdbullkiller-1/nervous-grunt

I fixed mandrroofings as well

[JohnFitzgerald]

I also had to remove the #. Make sure to copy the link in the box an not the URL.

[WapitiTalk1]

TTT.. Come on guys and gals. I know you're watching this thread (see lurking thread.... ). 218 views already. Post up your cow/calf sounds in a herd setting. Diaphram, bite and blow, etc... throw out your cow sounds for all to listen to. I know every year I do this, I learn something new and get some great advice on how to improve my calling. After this thread runs it's course, we'll get into some bullish sounds and special elk noises... Gotta get some more of you posting some cow/calf sounds first though. Grab your calls, sneak into the garage so you don't wake up the wife, husband, kids, dogs, or ferret, and record your sounds...

[mandrroofing]

As I'm listening to others and what Paul said I think I need to make my cow and calf sound more distinct and Mabry slow it down a lil,ill comment on my own since no one elce will! lol

[WapitiTalk1]

As I'm listening to others and what Paul said I think I need to make my cow and calf sound more distinct and Mabry slow it down a lil,ill comment on my own since no one elce will! lol

I'm with you buddy. I know I need to be more raspy and elongated with my cow sounds. What I do seems to work for the most part but when I play back my recordings, I hear what Paul is saying.. I thought your cow/calf sound recordings were strangely similar to mine. I may have to sue for copy right infringement... LOL.. RJ

[mandrroofing]

Haha I was hoping you wouldent notice

[msd1228]

Thanks for the kind words, John.

From listening to the calls on here, the biggest thing I pick up is that people aren't manipulating the reeds very much - they find the spot on their tongue that produces a decent sound, and they don't veer from it - it sounds like the exact same sound being made over and over and over, with a little tiny bit of pitch variation, but not very much. To get versatile you need to try several tongue placements and many different mouth positions in order to learn how each change will alter the sound. Once you have learned several ways to alter the sound, you need to learn how to string them together smoothly in order to create a realistic herd scenario. To learn this you can start out pretty robotic - just do the same sequence of say, 4 different tones, over and over in sequence to get used to making them. Once you are comfortable doing that, start to change up the order. Finally, once you are comfortable doing that, start to change the volume and pitch of each, as well as use your hands to throw the the sounds, so that you create the illusion of distance between the cows and calves in your "herd". Clearly, its hard for any of us to create that illusion of distance when we are calling into a speaker that is 2 feet from our mouth, but if you video yourself with a camera and watch yourself on TV you will pick it up.

[ElkNut1]

msd, great advice & very good calling, I liked the buzz you incorporated as well, nice job!

ElkNut1

[BrentLaBere]

Love this thread guys. Will be posting mine next week when i get time. Playoff hockey for peewees this weekend so im a little busy.
As a green horn to the sport this is awesome. Looking foreward to constructive input.
One of those lurkers looking to join in

[dotman]

How do you guys record yourself, from your phones? Also if from your phone how do you post the link to it or where do you post it on the web? For some reason none of the soundcloud items work.

[msd1228]

I recorded on my phone, emailed it to myself, then uploaded to youtube. I'm not familiar with how soundcloud works, so I can't offer advice there.

[WapitiTalk1]

Slim9300 posted some Soundcloud instructions, with screen shots, on the original post em up (feeler) thread I did.. Listed below.

Need more cowbells guys .. I mean cow sounds.


viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1413

[mandrroofing]

Ok here is my 2nd try,Trying to make the cows sound more like different cows in the herd. lol not sure if it sounds any different at all

https://soundcloud.com/mandrroofing/cows

BTW soundcloud has a nice app for you smartphone...

[msd1228]

Ok here is my 2nd try,Trying to make the cows sound more like different cows in the herd. lol not sure if it sounds any different at all

https://soundcloud.com/mandrroofing/cows

BTW soundcloud has a nice app for you smartphone...

I think its an improvement over your last clip. It doesn't sound like you are getting a good seal with your diaphragm and your palate - I can hear a lot of air rushing past and that is costing you a ton of pitch and volume control. Make sure you are warming the tape right up, chew on it a bit if you need to, get it wet and really get the edges stuck to the top of your mouth, and make sure that the only air coming out of your mouth is passing over the latex. Once you get that seal you won't be able to hear any of that raspy air sound.

Edit: I would note that you don't really ever leave the higher sound registers - getting some deeper, nasally whines will help you mix it up a bit more. Everyone is different, but to get that type of sound I use very, very light tongue pressure, and use the flat area of my tongue immediately behind the "arch" that ElkNut mentions in a lot of his instructionals.

You definitely hit way more pitch variations on this video than the last one though, so that's really good. I would also suggest that if you look at the actual SoundCloud bar that scrolls while the audio is playing, you can see that all of your spikes are the exact same height and distance - this shows that the calling is quite robotic and rhythmic with very little volume change. Try to mix it up where you have big spikes, small spikes, and different rhythms - that will give that that element of distance between sounds mentioned earlier.

[WapitiTalk1]

Anyone else? I have some stuff to work on with my cow/calf calls. Anybody else wanna post up their sounds? Arugueably (sp) the bread and butter of elk sounds is the cow/calf noises.. After all, that's what the bulls are after during the rut, yes?...... We'll move on soon to location/advertising bugles soon, followed by bugles with chuckles, bugles with grunts, and special elk sounds. If you haven't determined so yet, this is a pretty good place for positive feedback. Bueller? Bueller? Will give it a bit longer then on to the next sounds.. Thank you to all who have thrown out their cow/calf sounds for the forum to listen to.. RJ

[ctdad]

http://soundcloud.com/ctdad/cow-talk

anybody want to comment?

[treestanding]

This is a very cool thread, please keep them coming. Like most novice elk hunters, calling is where I really fall short. Just hearing the different calls and being able to replay them will make me a better caller.

If I could press you for more information, could you guys describe a scenario where you would use the calls you are posting? Just a short desription of how you mught use it.

[cnelk]

Here is a short vid of me and my son.
A friend took this a couple years ago at elk camp.
We were using open reed calls

While it is just a brief session, you can get the 'drift' of what works for me...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTbeRBmVfyE

[JGH]

cnelk ... very useful video ... but way too short. It left too many questions.

Do you do this in "blind calling" situations?

Do you call in some sort of "series"? Like, for instance, 5 minutes "ON" and then 5 minutes "OFF" for "X" amount of time.

I like to hunt on my own, but this multi-caller technique looks intriguing. I could see where working along a north-facing slope mid- to late-morning, spending 45 to 60 minutes in spots 1/4 mile apart might be helpful.

I'm pretty green at this elk business, though. Would that be a thought?

[cnelk]

GJH

All depends on the mood of the elk on any particular day.
Sometimes they like lots of excited calling, other days not so much

This would be a 'blind call' setup. Using the wind the help determine where they MIGHT come in from.

20-30 min is what I usually call. Lots of variables on the time

Nothing better than seeing those elk legs coming in from a distance...

Good luck

[BrentLaBere]

I have to admit, I thought I sounded a lot better until I put the first time recording device to my calls.
here is my first one. Give me some tips guys

Cow/calf - https://soundcloud.com/brentlabere-1/cow-calf utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=email&utm_content=https://soundcloud.com/brentlabere-1/cow-calf

[WapitiTalk1]

First time posting cow sounds BrentLaBere? Really? Those will work IMO. A bit more rasp in the cow sounds to separate them from the calf chirps may be something to work on. It's something I need work on also, but not too dang shabby friend.

Who's up to bat next? Bring on your cow/calf sounds in a herd setting.. Fun stuff. RJ

[BrentLaBere]

Thanks for input Phantom,
They sounded the same to me right away and actually had to do 4 or 5 different records because each time I did it I would learn something. Pretty much learned it didn't sound right and needed to fix it. When getting the raspy part of the cow sound.....maybe flatten the tongue at the "ahhh" part? Something I will definitely be practicing. That one was the raging bull and I had been practicing with the allstar getting comfortable with that call on my bugles and cow/calf talk but when putting it up to a recorder it changed my mind. Its amazing how much recording your sounds can help. Not to mention other input from experienced guys on here. So thanks again for everyone's help on the bugles and cow/calf talk. Especially ELkNut's DVDs, started there at ground zero in December.