Bought Hoochie Mama...now what????
09-14-2005, 08:20 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Winston Salem NC
Posts: 356
Bought Hoochie Mama...now what????
I posted this on the Big Game Forum but I wanted to post it here as well because the thread seems to get more traffic....
Okay...I'm down to the last week of the early elk season...my first elk season. I'm getting desparate. I went out tonight and bought a Hoochie Mama because of the raves I've read here. Now what do I do?????
I practiced on the way home tonight and got the feel of the unit down and how to use the three calls. My question is how do you use it...by that I mean intervals between calls and which call do I use?
From reading the paperwork with the call I'm going to guess that I don't need to use the mew call. I thought about the Lost cow call and I will explain why in a minute. The Estrus call sounds like it might be the winning call but the paperwork doesn't explain when to use this call. The instructions also don't tell you how to use it. By that I mean call...wait how long before you call again...how long to wait again and so on and so on?????
I'm hunting a lone trail on the side of a hill that goes along some timber and then disappears into the thick woods. I have fresh elk sign and droppings from one elk. I'm going to guess a lone bull (right?). So what would you suggest my calling routine should be? I'm by myself in a tree overlooking the trail.
Okay...I'm down to the last week of the early elk season...my first elk season. I'm getting desparate. I went out tonight and bought a Hoochie Mama because of the raves I've read here. Now what do I do?????
I practiced on the way home tonight and got the feel of the unit down and how to use the three calls. My question is how do you use it...by that I mean intervals between calls and which call do I use?
From reading the paperwork with the call I'm going to guess that I don't need to use the mew call. I thought about the Lost cow call and I will explain why in a minute. The Estrus call sounds like it might be the winning call but the paperwork doesn't explain when to use this call. The instructions also don't tell you how to use it. By that I mean call...wait how long before you call again...how long to wait again and so on and so on?????
I'm hunting a lone trail on the side of a hill that goes along some timber and then disappears into the thick woods. I have fresh elk sign and droppings from one elk. I'm going to guess a lone bull (right?). So what would you suggest my calling routine should be? I'm by myself in a tree overlooking the trail.
09-14-2005, 10:47 AM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jackson, Missouri
Posts: 7,051
RE: Bought Hoochie Mama...now what????
Do you have a chance to pick up Primos' The Truth, Big Bulls series? (We've got Nos. 3, 4, 5,6, and 7; my two-year-old sits and watches them all day! [:-]) They use that call on there quite a bit, and it'll give you some insight as to how and when.
09-14-2005, 12:52 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern Idaho's Panhandle
Posts: 4,436
RE: Bought Hoochie Mama...now what????
Ware,
Hey I live just over the border from you in Northern Idaho. Our elk should react pretty much the same. I use the hoochie and have been for a couple years now.
Bulls are getting vocal and I have had them answer my hoochie this week. I have been whitetail hunting but occasionally hitting my hoochie momma while on stand because I have a bull that has gathered up all the cows in my local area and they are hanging around.
I like to give off 2-3 mews with it and then hit another one of my cow calls.. that has a different tone. I have a scerey for that. I listen to elk alot and as cows talk you will hear different tones...so I try to recreate a cow talking to another cow. So far this season I have had about 50% success with getting a bull in my area to at least bugle or chuckle at me. Now if a bull has cows, he will most likely just talk back to you and wont leave his cows..He want you to come to him...if you get answer from a bull that doesnt seem to be moving your way..go right at him.. and use your cow call like a lost cow trying to find the herd. on the other hand if he is moving at you..hold tight.. he's lone bull satellite looking for love. Many bulls in our areas will also come in SILENT..so give your calling some time.. I give mine 45 min minimum..before I move..
Like I said I am busy hunting whitetails right now and have the cow call incase the right elk gives me some attention..You should do very well this week in the mornings..before daylight locating a bull, just like you would a turkey.. then at daylight go after him if he doesnt come your way.. most of the big bulls are all hearded up in my area now..moving in on any herd bull is tricky.. use your cow call..move very carefully and dont blow a bugle at him unless your in his herd ... if you blow a bugle to early he will gather his cows and leave.. if you wait until you get right in with him and his cows (this isnt easy) but if you do and then rip a bugle off at him..suprising him..he will be in your lap ready to fight..
As for the hoochie and tones I mix them up all the time..so that the TONES sound like different elk.. I have had very good luck with this call in regards to getting bulls attention...its pretty much idiot proof..thats why I use it!
I cant screw it up!
like I said... mimic a cow talking to another cow or a lost cow..looking for herd and be PATIENT..if there is a bull in the area he will most likely speak or at least come in silent and check you out...
Try locating your elk before daylight.. heck I even will go at midnight and get my elk located and then know where to be in the morning.. I usually dont get bulls to say too much in my areas in the evenings until almost dark.. here is link to a little video of a bull last week on my property.. that I had called in the night before with the hoochie..he wouldnt leave his cows though..he hung up at about 50-60 yards..facing me until dark..
http://www.huntingfootage.com/showphoto.php?photo=1668
Hey I live just over the border from you in Northern Idaho. Our elk should react pretty much the same. I use the hoochie and have been for a couple years now.
Bulls are getting vocal and I have had them answer my hoochie this week. I have been whitetail hunting but occasionally hitting my hoochie momma while on stand because I have a bull that has gathered up all the cows in my local area and they are hanging around.
I like to give off 2-3 mews with it and then hit another one of my cow calls.. that has a different tone. I have a scerey for that. I listen to elk alot and as cows talk you will hear different tones...so I try to recreate a cow talking to another cow. So far this season I have had about 50% success with getting a bull in my area to at least bugle or chuckle at me. Now if a bull has cows, he will most likely just talk back to you and wont leave his cows..He want you to come to him...if you get answer from a bull that doesnt seem to be moving your way..go right at him.. and use your cow call like a lost cow trying to find the herd. on the other hand if he is moving at you..hold tight.. he's lone bull satellite looking for love. Many bulls in our areas will also come in SILENT..so give your calling some time.. I give mine 45 min minimum..before I move..
Like I said I am busy hunting whitetails right now and have the cow call incase the right elk gives me some attention..You should do very well this week in the mornings..before daylight locating a bull, just like you would a turkey.. then at daylight go after him if he doesnt come your way.. most of the big bulls are all hearded up in my area now..moving in on any herd bull is tricky.. use your cow call..move very carefully and dont blow a bugle at him unless your in his herd ... if you blow a bugle to early he will gather his cows and leave.. if you wait until you get right in with him and his cows (this isnt easy) but if you do and then rip a bugle off at him..suprising him..he will be in your lap ready to fight..
As for the hoochie and tones I mix them up all the time..so that the TONES sound like different elk.. I have had very good luck with this call in regards to getting bulls attention...its pretty much idiot proof..thats why I use it!
I cant screw it up!like I said... mimic a cow talking to another cow or a lost cow..looking for herd and be PATIENT..if there is a bull in the area he will most likely speak or at least come in silent and check you out...
Try locating your elk before daylight.. heck I even will go at midnight and get my elk located and then know where to be in the morning.. I usually dont get bulls to say too much in my areas in the evenings until almost dark.. here is link to a little video of a bull last week on my property.. that I had called in the night before with the hoochie..he wouldnt leave his cows though..he hung up at about 50-60 yards..facing me until dark..
http://www.huntingfootage.com/showphoto.php?photo=1668
09-14-2005, 01:53 PM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lehigh County PA USA
Posts: 12,157
RE: Bought Hoochie Mama...now what????
Ok, I gotta ask. What is a Hoochie Mama in reference to what you described? At first I thought it was some sort of decoy but then I am guessing a call ?
...ya gotta smile out of me with that one.
...ya gotta smile out of me with that one.
09-14-2005, 02:01 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern Idaho's Panhandle
Posts: 4,436
RE: Bought Hoochie Mama...now what????
PA, its a cow call, and like I said its idiot proof..you really cant mess it up.. its a bellow that has 3 settings on it... the elk in my neck of the woods react to it well...it has a pretty authentic cow sound..
09-14-2005, 02:06 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,927
RE: Bought Hoochie Mama...now what????
Nice 5X (or was it a 6X?) shed33! I'd love a chance to arrow one like that. We actually allow elk hunting here in VA but only 2 or 3 are killed a year. Wasn't there a poster here that had a website with how-to tapes? Seems he had all the situations and calls to use.
09-14-2005, 02:12 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern Idaho's Panhandle
Posts: 4,436
RE: Bought Hoochie Mama...now what????
Talon,
Hey thats great to hear they are getting the elk populations revamped in the EAST! That bull in the video is a 5x6...hes pretty decent sized for body size... as for rack he's got some years to go.. a lot of our northern idaho elk are short tined and thick antlered.. now and then we see some really long tined buggars..but not as prevalent as I see coming out of central and southern Idaho
There are some excellent elk hunters that visit the BIG GAME forum..alot... Elknut and Idaho Elk instructor Elk Crazy..those guys all have a lot of good information to share... check them out.. I know ELK NUT has his own line of videos..
Hey thats great to hear they are getting the elk populations revamped in the EAST! That bull in the video is a 5x6...hes pretty decent sized for body size... as for rack he's got some years to go.. a lot of our northern idaho elk are short tined and thick antlered.. now and then we see some really long tined buggars..but not as prevalent as I see coming out of central and southern Idaho
There are some excellent elk hunters that visit the BIG GAME forum..alot... Elknut and Idaho Elk instructor Elk Crazy..those guys all have a lot of good information to share... check them out.. I know ELK NUT has his own line of videos..
09-14-2005, 02:16 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,927
RE: Bought Hoochie Mama...now what????
Tenn. and Kentucky have reintroduction programs but VA is worried about CWD and allows elk hunting using your deer tag. I hope to get a chance to arrow one but right now the statistics are pretty bleak.