On today’s episode, Drew takes us on a walk through his most memorable moments of this past September and the multiple encounters he had with big public land bulls. We also talk about his background and the previous podcast we recorded where he talks about Reel Game Calls in Episode 18. He then tells the story of his 320” 6×8 bull and the details of how everything unfolded on the very last weekend.

For more information on Drew’s company, Reel Game Calls, visit www.reelgamecalls.com.

Topics Covered In This Episode Include:

• The 2018 drought in Colorado and how it affected elk hunting for both myself and Drew
• Drew’s latest venture, I Fight For Elk Colorado, a non-profit to help improve elk populations and elk hunting in Colorado
• Things we can all do to help educate people on impacts on elk due to hiking, camping, four wheeling, and other recreational activities
• The state of predator management in Colorado and what Drew thinks we can do to improve our hunting
• Shed hunting restrictions and how that isn’t enough for protecting elk in the wintering zones
• How Reel Game Calls was started and Drew’s background prior to getting into the hunting industry
• New game calls for 2018 and what is coming down the pipe for 2019
• The highlight of my elk season where I called in a big bull for my buddy Ryan using a mix of the Elk Reel cow call and the OTC RPG Compact Bugle
• Other testimonials from Drew’s customers and how great it feels to hear peoples success stories
• How Drew was able to pull a Unit 61 Colorado Elk Archery Tag and the process behind getting started hunting that unit
• Scouting in the Spring and trying to learn the unit as best as possible before hunting
• The struggle of hunting in a unit with a large fire and drought and how he has able to use that info to adjust hunting plans
• How Drew nailed down a specific area to hunt within a large unit
• The heart-pounding encounter of Drew’s 6×8 bull he shot with a bow, which took three arrows to put down
• Recovering the bull and the grueling pack-out in an area that was secluded with nasty downfall and steep terrain
• The strategy of how Drew he was able to find his bull and how he was able to access the area
• Crazy elk encounters he had while hunting a coveted draw area
• How unit 61 has changed over the years and how it compares to how it was 10-15 years ago
• Testing new “hands free” elk calls that are coming out for 2019 and the last three years of product development
• Anticipating the release of Drew’s 2018 elk hunt video that will hopefully be launching in the near future

Fast forward to 2018, they are changing the game yet again with the release of their OTC RPG Compact Bugle Tube and their Extendabull Bugle Tube. These are available in single or double reeds that are easy to use and sound great. Without a doubt, I’ll be putting this “trio” to the test this Fall on highly pressured public land elk in Colorado.

GIVEAWAY!! Make sure to listen all the way to the end and learn how to enter to win an elk reel cow elk call. If you’re someone who is new to elk hunting and elk calling in general, I highly recommend picking up an elk reel for later this Fall. From my personal experience, they are extremely easy to use and sound great, even for beginners. For more information and to purchase one of their ultra-premium game calls, visit www.reelgamecalls.com

Topics Covered In This Episode Include:

• Turkey hunting over the past few months and putting the turkey reel to use
• Drew’s background and growing up in Maryland
• Getting into archery and rifle hunting after moving to Colorado
• Working in the ski industry and being part owner of a ski manufacturing company
• How Reel Game Calls got started while running the ski business
• The evolution of prototyping calls and going through the patent process on their unique calls
• Reel’s most popular call, “The Elk Reel” and how it solves common calling problems
• The features and mechanics that make Reel Games Calls different and how they are revolutionizing the industry
• Cow vocalizations and how to use the calls to sound like a group of elk to sound more realistic
• Drew’s tips for thinking outside the box, having a plan, and sounding different to be more effective while elk hunting
• Bugling with the elk reel and how to change between cow calls and bugles
• Demonstrating the ALL-NEW Compact Elk Bugle Tube that is now available to order
• Testing and R&D with the calls over the years and constantly tweaking things to make them better
• Discussing some of their other calls including whitetail deer, sika deer, and predator
• Shed hunting and Drew’s shed hunting dog, Louis.
• The Reel Classroom training videos and tutorials on their website that showcase how to sound like a pro
• Various price points and models of elk reels and the quality behind how they are made
• Where Reel Game Calls are being used throughout the world
• Building a brand in the outdoor industry and how they are working to build the highest quality and most consistent calls

With a box of brand new elk calls just sitting in my garage, I decided this past Spring that I had better start practicing my elk calling in preparation for the 2016 Colorado archery elk hunting season. Let’s face it, elk are tough animals to kill, especially with a bow.

Colorado is one of the most heavily pressured states in the U.S and as a first-time elk hunter with an over the counter (OTC) tag, I knew I had better get good at cow calling before the season arrived. In the world of elk hunting, you have to be able to talk the talk before you can walk the walk so I dove head first into full-on research and testing mode with the end goal of mastering elk vocalizations.

I spent the entire month of May and early Summer scouring the web and soaking up elk hunting information like a sponge. I read articles, listened to numerous podcasts (my favorite being the Jay Scott Outdoors Podcast), and watched every video I could find on the Internet in search of elk calling tactics, tips, and product reviews. Through this research, I realized that a beginner elk hunter like myself would be most effective if an elk call had the following characteristics:

1. User-Friendly Design
2. Realistic Sounding Vocals
3. Easy To Control Tones     

Diaphragm calls, from what I had absorbed from watching videos, sound realistic once you learn how to use them but they are certainly not a beginners call. Traditional reed-style cow calls are easy to use but often lack control with various tone vocalizations and volume. I personally could only manage to squeak out a note from either one that somewhat resembled the sound of a dying rabbit gasping for its last breath. I’m serious! As a newbie elk hunter, I wanted a call that was best of all worlds; a trifecta!

As with most things in life, there are tradeoffs and sacrifices to be made that one must consider before making a decision, and elk calls are no different. Some calls are easy to use but lack sound quality and control. On the other hand, some elk calls sound realistic but often take months of practice to master. With the Elk Reel from Reel Game Calls, there are literally no tradeoffs, at least for me.

User Friendly

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the most experienced guy when it comes to elk calls and elk hunting in general but this was the very reason I was drawn to the Elk Reel in the first place. No questions asked, I’ve found they are extremely simple for beginners to use, even if you have zero prior elk calling experience. As soon as I picked up the call for the first time, I was able to make realistic sounding cow calls within a matter of minutes and I’m sure most other users have experienced similar results.

It’s So Real, It’s Reel!

One thing I’ve heard a number of elk calling “experts” talk about is the ability to produce a nasally sound, which is hard to achieve with many calls on the market today. Elk Reel does it beautifully. In addition to it’s patented design, this call is available in Oak, Maple, or Ziricote wood. I personally use both the Ziricote and the Oak to create varied pitches and tones by switching back and forth between the two calls, which allows me to mimic a small herd of cows to create a more realistic calling setup. Bottom line, the Elk Reel is the real deal!

The oak and ziricote duo is my go-to setup for creating the most realistic sounding elk vocalizations.

Control Is Everything

This call requires very little air movement to control tone variations and all you have to do is change the pressure on the spring with the grip of your fingers. One thing that I really like is the ability to control volume at a wide variety of audible levels. With other calls I have tried, it is very difficult to achieve light contact mews to resemble an elk that is further away to draw the elk past a setup. Having control is key, especially when you are trying to call in a wary bull while hunting solo.

First Year Success

Fast forward to September 9th and I’m set up underneath a spruce tree overlooking a grass meadow where I missed an opportunity at a bull a few days prior. As the sun starts to set on the horizon, I put together a two-minute cow calling sequence with hopes of reeling an elk into my setup. With 20 minutes of light left in the day, two cows emerge from the aspens above and walk right past me as I ready myself for a shot. Just as I am about to draw, I hear tree branches snap to my right and a majestic herd bull appears in the meadow at a mere 50-yards away. He too followed the same path as the cows and on the final evening of my week-long hunt, I arrowed a mature 6×7 bull on public land, in an OTC unit where the hunting pressure is high and the animals are elusive.

Although I’ll never know with 100% certainty that the cows came into my calls, it’s hard to deny the fact that they literally walked right past the tree I was under at only 3-yards. I almost could have reached out and touched them they were so close! Luckily, I held my composure long enough to make a good shot on the bull and he fell just out of sight in a small draw.

A big 6×7 Colorado bull scoring 312 inches, taken with a bow on public land.

Whether you are a veteran of the elk woods or brand new to elk hunting altogether, do yourself a favor and pick up an Elk Reel, you will be glad you did. To find out more information and to purchase their made-in-the-USA, ultra premium game calls, be sure to visit: www.reelgamecalls.com.