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"Wayne, you had better have your boots on because they ain't coming," Taulman taunted as the party headed for a mid-morning bugle. Carlton not only had to bring in a bull, but he had to do so in the presence of a hunter, cameraman, and Taulman, outfitter of the Floyd Lee.
The foursome found cover in a patch of oak brush, and Carlton prepared to call. The bull was about 200 yards away when Carlton called. He waited until the bull bugled and gave a burst of high-pitch, cow-fighting sounds. The response was immediate. Within 40 seconds, the bull was at 15 yards but standing head-on. The bull caught movement, took several steps, and stopped broadside, but the archer didn't have a clear shot. As the bull bolted, Carlton called again, stopping the animal at 40 yards. The archer released a good shot that sailed just over the bull's back. If any doubts lingered, no one expressed them.
The next morning, Carlton hunted with Taulman's top guide, Andy Valerio. On the first series of calls, five bulls bugled in response. A 300-class animal came directly to the call but stopped at 40 yards. |
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A heavy crosswind made the shot risky, and they passed the shot. Another time, Carlton called in a smaller bull four different times, giving the cameraman 13 minutes of close elk-calling action.
The Discovery
Wayne Carlton introduced the diaphragm elk caller to outdoorsmen a dozen years ago, so innovation from him isn't unusual.
When one bull
walked broadside
at 10 yards... I
knew I was on to
Something.
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Four years ago, he was riding mules and scouting for elk in July when he heard a horrendous noise. "It sounded like cows, but not the ordinary sound," Carlton said. "It almost sounded like an animal in distress."
Carlton dismounted and sneaked closer to the commotion. He saw two cows fighting, standing on hind legs, kicking with the front hooves, and making a series of high shrieks. Watching carefully, Carlton wondered if the sound would attract other elk.
On the last weekend of the Colorado season, he |
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The Fight'n Cow Call fooled this |
5x5, and if hunters are willing |
to call aggressively, Carlton |
sees great success for the call. |
tested his theory. Hoping his son could tag a bull, the Carltons hunted public land that held bulls, but plenty of hunting pressure had minimized bugling. Just before dark, they heard a bugle from a distant ridge and were in the vicinity the next morning. Using their best bugling and cow calling techniques, one grunt was all they could coax. Remembering the fighting call, Carlton felt he had nothing to lose and gave it a whirl.
“The bull couldn't get there quick enough,” Carlton said. Unfortunately, it came to 15 yards, but faced Mark directly. Eventually it spooked, but two more elk bugled below us. I called again and brought those two in from |
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