Jesse,
You invited me over here. If you want to add an elk biology, behavior, calling, scenting, tips, techniques site, to your website, I'll start putting in some stuff.
I'm on my second year of research on 700 head of elk, with 70 bulls scoring between 280 and 400. I've heard as many as 250 bugles in 5 minutes, I'm videotaping elk behavior and calls for Stoney Wolf Productions/Game Call Technologies, and the elk are teaching me a lot. I also guided in Chama, NM on-and-off for 9 years. I had an article on "Elk Calling" in Petersen's Bowhunting a month or two ago.
Here is the updated version of elk calls from my book Elk Addict's Manual.
T.R.'s Tips; Elk Vocalizations and Communicative Sounds
During the fall of 2001 I spent 90 days researching the behavior and communication of over one hundred and eighty 3-year old or older bulls, approximately fifty 1-year old bulls, fifty 2- year old bulls, and 200 cows and their calves. I believe I heard every call that an elk can make, some of which I have never heard about before.
Alarm, Distress Calls
Elk use a sharp, loud Alarm Bark to warn other elk of possible danger: UHH. An elk using this call may be alarmed because it cannot identify the source of a disturbance. Some elk may try to discover what the disturbance is by looking for it with their chin up and their head in a horizontal position. Once the disturbance is discovered, and thought to be dangerous, the animal may issue a final Alarm Bark and flee. Cows and calves may perform a long, drawn out Distress Mew when injured or trapped: MEEUUUW.
Agonistic Calls
These calls are termed "agonistic" because the animal is agonizing over the fact that another animal is too close. Both cows and bulls may produce a Hissing sound: ssss and use Tooth-Grinding as they approach an opponent. Cow elk use the loud Fighting Squeal during dominance fights: ME-EE-EE-EE-EE-UUW. Bulls use a Dominance Grunt when they want another bull to move. I've also heard bulls perform a sound like a squeegee on wet glass, or a rubber tennis shoe on a wet tile floor when they get close to a smaller bull: squeek … squeek. Bulls may also use a Loud Inhale/Exhale when they herd cows.
Bulls may perform one to four loud exhales referred to as a Cough when they want another elk to move, or after they have chased a cow. If the animal that the Cough is directed at does not move, the bull may show and grind its teeth, and bite or kick the other animal. Bulls may also use a low rumbling Gurgle when threatening another bull; rrrr, that cannot be heard farther than about forty yards. This call may also sound like the bull is blowing air through pinched nostrils, which it may actually doing, although I am not sure, yet. If the bull that the Gurgle is directed at does not move it may be attacked with the bulls antlers.
Submissive Call
Cows trying to avoid a herding bull often use a series of short Submissive Cow Mews; meeuw … or mew-mew-mew-mew. Subordinate bulls use a lower pitched Submissive Bull Mew when avoiding dominant bulls.
Maternal/Neonatal Calls
Cows and calves use a variety of mews to communicate to each other. Cows use a high-pitched nasal Maternal Mew to call their calves to come and nurse: ee-uw-uw-eu or ee-ee-ee-eu. Calves use the high-pitched Calf Mew or Chirp when trying to locate the cow; mew or eeu. Calves use a Loud Calf Mew when requiring urgent care: MEUUW. They use a soft Nursing Whine that rises and falls in pitch while suckling: ee-uw-ee-uw-ee-uw. Cows often respond to these calls with a Cow Mew; meew. Calves use a higher pitched Calf Contact Mew when they are looking for their mothers. Many of these cow/calf calls are of one short to medium note; but I have heard drawn out mews, and as many as four Calf Mews strung together.
Social Contact Calls and Sounds
The Knuckle-cracking of the front legs of elk produces a click which elk use to keep contact with each other, and to distinguish the sounds of elk from other animal as they travel and feed. It sounds like the Knuckle-Cracking of caribou. Cow elk and calves use a loud Contact Mew when searching for or trying to maintain contact with other animals of the herd: MEW or MEW - MEW. I have heard bulls use a short, one note Grunt when they were looking for elk they could hear but not see; ugh.
Advertising Calls
Because bulls don't associate with cows prior to the rut, and due to their large home ranges, bull elk bugle to express dominance and attract cows. When a bull bugles it is telling any other bull within hearing, "Here I am, stay away." At the same time it is telling the cows, "Here I am. I am strong, ready to prove it by fighting, and ready to breed." Bulls have their own pitch and cadence, that remains similar year after year after they reach maturity. However, individual bulls don't always sound the same. Cows may become accustomed to a particular bull's voice if they were part of its herd in previous years.
The Bugle is a loud scream, which is variable in pitch; with higher sounds often coming from younger smaller bulls, and deeper sounds from older larger bulls. The "Full Bugle Sequence" performed by an adult bull, begins with a Roar that gains in volume: rrrRRR. The Roar is often followed by a high-pitched Bugle (which may rise two to three notes): eeeEEE, followed by a series of grunts called a Chuckle, which may sound like the braying of a donkey. The Chuckle often ends on a lower note than it started, because the bull runs out of air: UH-UH-UH-uh. The Full Bugle Sequence sounds like: rrrRRR-eeeEEE-UH-UH-UH-UH-uh.
Yearling bulls rarely bugle, when they do it is often a high flute like sound; 2 year old bulls may perform a crude, short Bugle without the Roar or Chuckle. I've heard bulls between the ages of 3 and 10 years old perform the Full Bugle Sequence, only the Roar, only the Bugle, only the Chuckle, or any combination of the three calls. Some bulls are very melodious, while others sound like a woman screaming, or as if they are being strangled. I've heard cows bugle in a higher pitch than bulls.
Mating/Herding Calls and Sounds
Bulls often use a two-note Glug when they are herding cows, and when they perform the Flehmen sniff as they inhale urine through their nose to check for estrous cows. It sounds like the animal is actually gulping water: glug glug. The Glug is not loud, but I have heard it as far as 200 yards away in open areas. It is probably used as a close range call for herding, and to alert other bulls that a dominant bull is with a cow. Bulls often breathe heavily when they herd cows or chase bulls; I've heard this Loud Inhale/Exhale as far away as thirty yards in open areas. I've also heard bulls use a loud explosive exhale, or Cough, just before or after they chased another elk, often while they were herding cows. Cows may use a series of Submissive Cow Mews in the presence of aggressive bulls, or while they are being herded by a bull. After watching several cows get bred I have heard no Cow Estrus Call.
You invited me over here. If you want to add an elk biology, behavior, calling, scenting, tips, techniques site, to your website, I'll start putting in some stuff.
I'm on my second year of research on 700 head of elk, with 70 bulls scoring between 280 and 400. I've heard as many as 250 bugles in 5 minutes, I'm videotaping elk behavior and calls for Stoney Wolf Productions/Game Call Technologies, and the elk are teaching me a lot. I also guided in Chama, NM on-and-off for 9 years. I had an article on "Elk Calling" in Petersen's Bowhunting a month or two ago.
Here is the updated version of elk calls from my book Elk Addict's Manual.
T.R.'s Tips; Elk Vocalizations and Communicative Sounds
During the fall of 2001 I spent 90 days researching the behavior and communication of over one hundred and eighty 3-year old or older bulls, approximately fifty 1-year old bulls, fifty 2- year old bulls, and 200 cows and their calves. I believe I heard every call that an elk can make, some of which I have never heard about before.
Alarm, Distress Calls
Elk use a sharp, loud Alarm Bark to warn other elk of possible danger: UHH. An elk using this call may be alarmed because it cannot identify the source of a disturbance. Some elk may try to discover what the disturbance is by looking for it with their chin up and their head in a horizontal position. Once the disturbance is discovered, and thought to be dangerous, the animal may issue a final Alarm Bark and flee. Cows and calves may perform a long, drawn out Distress Mew when injured or trapped: MEEUUUW.
Agonistic Calls
These calls are termed "agonistic" because the animal is agonizing over the fact that another animal is too close. Both cows and bulls may produce a Hissing sound: ssss and use Tooth-Grinding as they approach an opponent. Cow elk use the loud Fighting Squeal during dominance fights: ME-EE-EE-EE-EE-UUW. Bulls use a Dominance Grunt when they want another bull to move. I've also heard bulls perform a sound like a squeegee on wet glass, or a rubber tennis shoe on a wet tile floor when they get close to a smaller bull: squeek … squeek. Bulls may also use a Loud Inhale/Exhale when they herd cows.
Bulls may perform one to four loud exhales referred to as a Cough when they want another elk to move, or after they have chased a cow. If the animal that the Cough is directed at does not move, the bull may show and grind its teeth, and bite or kick the other animal. Bulls may also use a low rumbling Gurgle when threatening another bull; rrrr, that cannot be heard farther than about forty yards. This call may also sound like the bull is blowing air through pinched nostrils, which it may actually doing, although I am not sure, yet. If the bull that the Gurgle is directed at does not move it may be attacked with the bulls antlers.
Submissive Call
Cows trying to avoid a herding bull often use a series of short Submissive Cow Mews; meeuw … or mew-mew-mew-mew. Subordinate bulls use a lower pitched Submissive Bull Mew when avoiding dominant bulls.
Maternal/Neonatal Calls
Cows and calves use a variety of mews to communicate to each other. Cows use a high-pitched nasal Maternal Mew to call their calves to come and nurse: ee-uw-uw-eu or ee-ee-ee-eu. Calves use the high-pitched Calf Mew or Chirp when trying to locate the cow; mew or eeu. Calves use a Loud Calf Mew when requiring urgent care: MEUUW. They use a soft Nursing Whine that rises and falls in pitch while suckling: ee-uw-ee-uw-ee-uw. Cows often respond to these calls with a Cow Mew; meew. Calves use a higher pitched Calf Contact Mew when they are looking for their mothers. Many of these cow/calf calls are of one short to medium note; but I have heard drawn out mews, and as many as four Calf Mews strung together.
Social Contact Calls and Sounds
The Knuckle-cracking of the front legs of elk produces a click which elk use to keep contact with each other, and to distinguish the sounds of elk from other animal as they travel and feed. It sounds like the Knuckle-Cracking of caribou. Cow elk and calves use a loud Contact Mew when searching for or trying to maintain contact with other animals of the herd: MEW or MEW - MEW. I have heard bulls use a short, one note Grunt when they were looking for elk they could hear but not see; ugh.
Advertising Calls
Because bulls don't associate with cows prior to the rut, and due to their large home ranges, bull elk bugle to express dominance and attract cows. When a bull bugles it is telling any other bull within hearing, "Here I am, stay away." At the same time it is telling the cows, "Here I am. I am strong, ready to prove it by fighting, and ready to breed." Bulls have their own pitch and cadence, that remains similar year after year after they reach maturity. However, individual bulls don't always sound the same. Cows may become accustomed to a particular bull's voice if they were part of its herd in previous years.
The Bugle is a loud scream, which is variable in pitch; with higher sounds often coming from younger smaller bulls, and deeper sounds from older larger bulls. The "Full Bugle Sequence" performed by an adult bull, begins with a Roar that gains in volume: rrrRRR. The Roar is often followed by a high-pitched Bugle (which may rise two to three notes): eeeEEE, followed by a series of grunts called a Chuckle, which may sound like the braying of a donkey. The Chuckle often ends on a lower note than it started, because the bull runs out of air: UH-UH-UH-uh. The Full Bugle Sequence sounds like: rrrRRR-eeeEEE-UH-UH-UH-UH-uh.
Yearling bulls rarely bugle, when they do it is often a high flute like sound; 2 year old bulls may perform a crude, short Bugle without the Roar or Chuckle. I've heard bulls between the ages of 3 and 10 years old perform the Full Bugle Sequence, only the Roar, only the Bugle, only the Chuckle, or any combination of the three calls. Some bulls are very melodious, while others sound like a woman screaming, or as if they are being strangled. I've heard cows bugle in a higher pitch than bulls.
Mating/Herding Calls and Sounds
Bulls often use a two-note Glug when they are herding cows, and when they perform the Flehmen sniff as they inhale urine through their nose to check for estrous cows. It sounds like the animal is actually gulping water: glug glug. The Glug is not loud, but I have heard it as far as 200 yards away in open areas. It is probably used as a close range call for herding, and to alert other bulls that a dominant bull is with a cow. Bulls often breathe heavily when they herd cows or chase bulls; I've heard this Loud Inhale/Exhale as far away as thirty yards in open areas. I've also heard bulls use a loud explosive exhale, or Cough, just before or after they chased another elk, often while they were herding cows. Cows may use a series of Submissive Cow Mews in the presence of aggressive bulls, or while they are being herded by a bull. After watching several cows get bred I have heard no Cow Estrus Call.
