To put it in context it’s been my first year hunting and I’m no expert, but is it possible the challenges were a little too strong, and that a weaker, smaller sounding male vocal giving could have brought up the alpha in that/those elk? Sounding like you should be no problem for him to handle?
Edit: if a person comes across like peewee Herman looking for a fistfight, he might have a lot more takers than if he looks like prime Rambo, especially in front of his woman
I tried to emulate a smaller bull, by calling softer, facing away from the herd, higher pitch on the bugle (a 'pipe' call from the 60's), no 'roar', smaller tube pretty much everything I could think of. In every case, the lead cow took off with the herd bull following.
I did call in satellite bulls though, just not the herd bull.
Have you also read we should not over call, whether it's elk or ducks? I will call continuously sometimes, and it works.
With coyotes, using handcalls, my usual calling sequence is 15-20 seconds of sound, then I'm quiet for 4-5 minutes. Repeat 3-4 times, then move on.
Other guys will switch on the e-caller and let it run the entire 15-20 minutes on stand.
I'm pretty successful, and they are pretty successful. Who's right, and who's wrong?