Phelps METAL bugle tube

MeatEater, Phelps Game Calls Team Up on Cutting-Edge Elk Call

The two outdoor brands created the first aluminum elk call.

When top-tier outdoors brand MeatEater, Inc., teamed up with Phelps Game Calls, it hoped to ultimately leave a mark on the hunting industry. That goal came to fruition last week when the partnership produced and debuted the first-ever aluminum elk call.

The METAL Bugle Tube received approval from the U.S. Patent office in June 2021, and now looks to have an impact on the upcoming hunting season. In response to a curious hunter's questions regarding the purpose of an elk call composed of aluminum, MeatEater personality Janis Putelis points straight to the results.

"There's never been a bugle tube like this one," he said. "It's been years in the making and I can tell you because it's louder, higher-pitched and has an enduring ring, elk hunters looking for an edge in their calling will have a METAL Bugle in their pack this September. Until the METAL tube becomes mainstream, elk callers using it will have an advantage over their competition."

The former elk hunting guide actually used the call in an episode of his video series MeatEater Hunts, which you can watch below:

The Phelps METAL Bugle Tube bridges the gap between efficiency and performance, as it gives hunters something lightweight that can still project loud, crisp calls.

The one-piece aluminum construction is able to create more sound than plastic competitors, and can actually meet the correct frequency of a bull elk.

"This is the first-ever patented all-aluminum bugle 'metal bugle tube used for elk. It's the product of years of design, labor and testing, and we've finally nailed the sound that is irresistible to a bull," said Phelps Game Calls founder Jason Phelps.

While many plastic elk bugle tubes can't exceed 1,800 hertz, the METAL tube gets elk hunters up to 2,500 hertz, which is a little higher-pitched and more resembles a real bull elk.

"For those of us who have hunted (elk) for a long time, those higher, ear-piercing rings just result in more responses from the elk," Phelps said.

Additionally, the external tube mouthpiece utilizes the Phelps AMP frame and gives hunters the option to send realistic chuckle and grunt sounds through the backcountry.

To avoid glare and unwanted noise, the bugle is sandblasted and anodized black, and wrapped in a camo, closed-cell neoprene sleeve.

Although the METAL tube helps secure Phelps' position atop of the elk call market, the brand also looks to make a big splash in the turkey call sector for 2022, so keep an eye out for new products at phelpsgamecalls.com.

NEXT: CAN-AM FEATURES HUSHIN IN LATEST "LIVIN' THE LAND" EPISODE