Crow Calling

[Meat Manager]

+1 on not using shock calls, I got plenty of crows around and cant say I ever heard a gobble off a caw.

It's fun to hear a gobble, but I wonder what percentage of harvests are from silent birds, 6 of 7 beards observed for me this season came in quiet.

I think a lot of hunters just enjoy being able to make noise and run around.

I know it is a relief from the intense still silence typical of most hunts, but I treat turkey calls the same as deer calls, few and far between.

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Edited May 12, 2014 by Meat Manager

[Lawdwaz]

Maybe I should toss most of my calls, buy a blind & decoy and sit on my ass for 7 hours?

 

 

 

 

I don't think so.

[stubby68]

                       You  can't make a bird gobble that has no desire to. Running through the woods screaming on calls does nothing but drive them away. I get up and move to new spot a few hundred yards at a time but not much. Most birds come in silent, running around making lots of noise just because you NEED to hear one gobble only helps you miss out on birds. Sit tight, stay on the watch and keep calling to a minimum. If they are out there and interested they will come..Too many guys try to make something happen then complain they are not hearing or seeing the birds they did before season on in early season. With all the running around and loud frequent calling they made the birds go silent and cautious. 

[dbHunterNY]

Yea I've had not much luck with a crow call yet.

[Grizz1219]

Love my crow call.... VERY important call after fly down for sure.. .

[Meat Manager]

Maybe I should toss most of my calls, buy a blind & decoy and sit on my ass for 7 hours?

I don't think so.

That's the point I was making, some guys like the opportunity to make some noise and run around, and I can understand that.

But for me I really only use turkey hunting as spring training for deer hunting...so I'll stick with my bow, blind, decoy, box call and patience...works for me.

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Edited May 12, 2014 by Meat Manager

[mike rossi]

                  I have never heard a tom sound off to a crow call or any other locator call.If they are in the right mood they will respond to almost any noise however,if a crow or woodpecker call is able to make them gobble then my thought is that they would never stop gobbling,as crows and woodpeckers are sounding off thought the woods every 5 minuites. Owl call once and a while early. I just ask why would they respond to a noise they here on a regular and often bases.If they don't gobble at every woodpecker or crow in the woods then why would they when a hunter makes those sounds.

Sometimes it is almost like that, a crow and/or other birds goes off and  turkeys try to be louder - like its a shouting match, and that can go on for some time. By the same token, as I said, when they are afraid to gobble they wont.

[landtracdeerhunter]

I used to use a crow call quite a bit and had some good luck with 'em until I'd lose them like I do most of my calls.

Eventually I just started crow calling with my own voice and found it works just as well.

I had this group of 5 jakes hung up in front of me last week so I decided to have a little fun with it and test my mad turkey locating skills even though I knew they were right in front of me,lol

Click the pic for a 30 second crow call clip.

 

Now why does this not surprise me, LOL.

I was flapping my arms and gobbling myself this morning, LOL.

Hey, I say, whatever it takes man!

Edited May 12, 2014 by landtracdeerhunter

[mike rossi]

Maybe I should toss most of my calls, buy a blind & decoy and sit on my ass for 7 hours?

 

 

 

 

I don't think so.

 

When the birds are responding to locaters why not use them. But sounding them for 7 hours when the birds are not answering isn't the answer. Some hunters  come in, hoot call, move, hoot call, and repeat from like 6:30 to 7 am and then leave - I am not saying do that type of brief hunt to avoid a 7 hour sit, I am saying they are out there alerting the birds during prime time and keeping them on their toes for days...  You cant expect youth weekend or opening day birds on May 10 or even May 5. Pressured birds are an entirely different ball game.

Edited May 12, 2014 by mike rossi

[mike rossi]

I think it is helpful to keep in mind that when turkeys gobble at noises like guns shots and slamming doors that it doesn't mean the birds are not alarmed. They very likely gobble to keep the flock together or facilitate regrouping after scattering.

 

The reason toms gobble at other kinds of birds is probably territory disputes. The male turkey gobbles to claim territory and attract mates, the woodpecker hammers, and a bunch of other kinds of male birds sing.  Just a guess, but there might be extra incentive for toms to challenge crows and owls if hens in the egg laying mode take cover when they are around; because that would disrupt the tom's "agenda"...

 

 

[mpavlus]

I used to hunt an active dairy farm. One morning after fly down I was tip toeing around the mountain top when the milk tanker pulled into the barn yard. He let out a blast on his air horn and a turkey gobbled off to my left. The hunt was on and resulted in me carrying a fine gobbler back to my truck. Air horns work.....

[whaler]

Once I had some bad mexican for late night snack before a hunt the following morning. Let out a loud fart and heard a triple gobble from a good bird not 50 yards away! Farts work!

[Uncle Nicky]

I have heard lots of birds gobble at gunshots..

Not recommending firing your shotgun to locate birds...As Growie would say.. Just sayin'...

 

I've heard lots of birds gobble at thunder also. Not recommending anyone sits out in the woods when the lightning's flying, but just sayin'.

 

I don't have much use for locator calls, most of the time regular sounds in the woods will set them off if it's meant to be (rooster's crowing on a nearby farm, crows, woodpeckers, red-tail hawks). I can owl hoot with the best of them using my own voice. My best locator call is a box call.

[Pygmy]

All I can say is that anyone who has not heard gobblers gobble at crow calls, owl hoots, or gunshots hasn't done much turkey hunting.

 

The bird I killed a week ago today gobbled at 2 gunshots and several crows in the time that I was working him.

 

I also have heard several birds gobble at barred owl hoots this spring.

[Lawdwaz]

All I can say is that anyone who has not heard gobblers gobble at crow calls, owl hoots, or gunshots hasn't done much turkey hunting.

 

+1000