6 Best Elk Cow Calls For Luring Bulls That Veteran Hunters Actually Use

The bull screams from the next ridge over, a guttural sound that makes the hairs on your neck stand up in the pre-dawn chill. He’s fired up, but he won’t commit, holding his ground with his harem. This is the moment of truth where a challenge bugle might push him away, but the right cow sound could pull him in on a string.

Disclosure: This site earns commissions from listed merchants at no cost to you. Thank you!

Why Cow & Calf Sounds Are Key to Elk Calling

Forget the Hollywood bugle battles for a moment. While a thundering challenge has its place, the real language of the elk woods is spoken by cows and calves. These sounds are the social glue of the herd, signaling everything from contentment and location to danger and readiness to breed. For a bull, a cow mew is an invitation, a sign of safety, and a potential breeding opportunity all rolled into one.

A bull might ignore another bull, or he might fight him. But he will almost always investigate a cow. Using cow calls allows you to play on a bull’s social instincts and curiosity rather than his aggression. A simple, well-placed mew can stop a walking bull in his tracks, calm a nervous one that’s hung up in the timber, or convince a satellite bull that he has a better opportunity with you than with the massive herd bull he’s been shadowing. It’s a game of persuasion, not intimidation.

Phelps E-Z-Estrus: The Go-To Open Reed Call

Imagine you need to sound like a lonely cow one minute and an entire herd the next. The open reed call is your multi-tool, and the Phelps E-Z-Estrus is a fan favorite for a reason. Unlike calls with a fixed reed or internal mechanism, an open reed gives you total control over pitch, volume, and tone by varying your lip pressure and airflow. It’s the most versatile style of external call you can carry.

The E-Z-Estrus shines because it has a forgiving learning curve for an open reed. It produces rich, realistic cow and calf sounds without demanding the perfect technique right out of the package. You can create soft mews, pleading estrus whines, and excited chirps all with one device. The tradeoff is clear: its incredible versatility requires practice. This isn’t a call you buy the night before the season, but for the hunter willing to put in the time, it can be the only external call you’ll ever need.

Primos Hoochie Mama: Simple, Push-Button Realism

The bull is at 80 yards and closing, but a gust of wind swirls your scent and he slams on the brakes, head up, ready to bolt. Your hands are freezing, your heart is pounding, and you need a perfect, reassuring cow mew right now. This is the exact scenario where the Primos Hoochie Mama proves its worth. It’s a simple, bellows-style call that you operate by pushing a plunger with your thumb.

There is no learning curve here. Push the button, and it produces a flawless cow mew every single time. This reliability makes it a fantastic choice for beginners who are just learning the cadence of calling. It’s also a trusted backup for veteran hunters who need a no-fail option when conditions are tough or their hands are occupied. The downside is its lack of vocabulary; you get one sound. But when that one sound is all you need to stop a bull for a clean shot, its simplicity is its greatest strength.

Rocky Mountain Temptress: A Versatile Bite Call

For the hunter who wants more range than a push-button call but isn’t ready for the steep learning curve of an open reed, the bite call is the perfect middle ground. The Rocky Mountain Temptress is a standout in this category. The design is brilliant in its simplicity: you gently bite down on the reed and blow, and by varying your bite pressure, you can instantly change the pitch from a deep cow mew to a high-pitched calf chirp.

This intuitive operation allows you to build a realistic calling sequence with ease. You can sound like a cow and calf talking back and forth, creating a scene of contentment that a nearby bull will find hard to resist. It’s more versatile than a squeeze or push-button call but far easier to master than a diaphragm or traditional open reed. The Temptress offers that sweet spot of performance versus usability, making it a workhorse call for a huge range of hunters.

Bugling Bull Estrus Whine for Perfect Nasal Tones

Some sounds are just plain magic, and the nasal, high-pitched whine of a cow in peak estrus is one of them. It’s the sound that can make a stubborn, herd-locked bull lose his mind and abandon his cows to investigate. While many calls can approximate this sound, a specialized call like the Estrus Whine from Bugling Bull Game Calls is built to nail it perfectly.

This isn’t your all-purpose locator call. Think of it as a closer. You use it when a bull is hung up just out of range, refusing to commit. The pleading, desperate tone cuts through the air and triggers an instinctual response. The tradeoff is specialization. It does one thing, but it does it exceptionally well. Carrying this in your pack is like having a secret weapon for those high-stakes, late-game situations.

Native by Carlton Squeeze Me: Soft, Close-in Mews

The woods are dead silent. A bull has slipped in without a sound and you can just see an antler tine through the thick aspens at 40 yards. A loud call now would send him into the next county. You need something incredibly soft and subtle, just a whisper to reassure him and convince him to take those last few steps. This is where the Native by Carlton "Squeeze Me" call excels.

As the name implies, you simply squeeze the small rubber bulb to produce gentle, realistic mews. The design allows for incredible control over volume, making it the ultimate tool for close-quarters calling. It’s perfect for making those soft, contented chirps that calm a bull’s nerves as he approaches your setup. You won’t be reaching across canyons with this call, but for the delicate art of finishing a bull in the red zone, its subtlety is unmatched.

Phelps AMP Grey Diaphragm: Hands-Free Versatility

You’re at full draw with your bow, but the bull stops behind a thick pine, offering no shot. Your hands are completely tied up holding 70 pounds of draw weight. The only way to get him to move is to make a sound. This is the moment every bowhunter lives for, and it’s the reason a diaphragm, or mouth call, is an indispensable tool. The Phelps AMP Grey diaphragm is a fantastic option, known for being user-friendly and producing soft, authentic cow sounds.

The primary advantage of a diaphragm is obvious: hands-free operation. You can mew, chirp, or whine to stop a bull or reposition him for a shot without ever lowering your weapon. The tradeoff is the learning curve and comfort. It takes significant practice to make consistent sounds, and some people simply can’t get used to having the call against the roof of their mouth. But for those who master it, especially bowhunters, the tactical advantage is enormous.

Mastering Cadence: How to Sound Like a Real Cow

You can own the most expensive, highly-rated call on the market, but if you don’t know the language, you’re just making noise in the woods. The best callers aren’t gearheads; they’re students of elk. They understand that cadence, rhythm, and emotion are more important than hitting a perfect note. A real cow’s mew isn’t a single, flat tone. It rises and falls, has emotion, and is often followed by a series of soft chirps.

The key is to listen to real elk. Watch videos, find audio recordings, and most importantly, pay attention when you’re in the field. A lost calf sounds frantic and high-pitched. A contented cow has a relaxed, easy mew. An estrus whine is pleading and nasal. Practice replicating these rhythms in your truck on the way to work. Remember that less is often more. A few well-timed, realistic calls are infinitely more effective than an endless stream of unnatural noise.

Ultimately, the best elk call is the one you have with you and know how to use with confidence. Pick one or two that fit your hunting style, dedicate time to practice, and focus on sounding like an elk, not just a hunter with a call. The real magic happens when you stop thinking about the gear and start speaking the language of the woods.