The climb
A bugle starts low and sweeps up fast. We measure how far your pitch rises.
THE ELKAHOLIC CHALLENGE
BUGLE OFF
Think you can sound like a bull elk? Hear a real Yellowstone bugle, then take your turn on the mic. Your call gets scored against the real thing. Neighbors may have questions.
LIVE SPECTROGRAMBULL · NPS YELLOWSTONEYOU
PERSONAL BEST00
Reel mode is off. Your mic audio is only analyzed live. Nothing is recorded, saved, or uploaded.
100 POINTS ON THE LINE
How you’re
scored.
Your browser tracks the pitch of your call and compares it with a real bull. Here’s what earns points.
Whistle height
How close your top note gets to the bull’s, which peaked near 2,000 Hz in this recording.
The hold
How long you sustain your top note before letting it fall.
Bugle shape
How closely your call follows the bull’s pattern: rise, hold, then drop.
Grunt finish
A deep, chesty grunt right after the whistle, the way this bull ended his call.
0+Lost calf20+Awkward yearling35+Spike bull50+Satellite bull65+Herd bull80+Rut royalty92+Meadow legend
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCORE
Why it’s
so hard.
If your score stings a little, blame biology. A bull elk’s voice does things yours was never built to do.
A WHISTLE FROM A GIANT
Big animal. Tiny, high note.
The bull in this recording whistles near 2,000 Hz. Adult speaking voices usually sit far lower, so many players score better by whistling the top of the call than by shouting it.
Go inside the bugleTWO VOICES AT ONCE
One elk. Two sounds.
Research describes bugles with a low component and a much higher whistle happening together, known as biphonation. Humming while you whistle is the closest most people can get. Pull it off and the game will notice.
Read the researchPRACTICE HERE. NOT ON THEM.
Save your best bugle for this page.
Calling to wild elk can stress animals and draw a bull toward you during the rut. Enjoy them from a distance and follow the viewing rules where you visit.
See what happens during the rutKEEP THAT CURIOSITY GOING