# Owl Hooting



## take EM' close

ok guys....I have a question here. I know that hooting is best used in the morning and at night but what I don't get is like what time in the morning is the best time to use it? Like is it better right when its getting light or when it's still almost pitch dark?? I have a barred owl call and I'm hunting the Black Hills this weekend.....are there barred owls over there, I think there are but I'm not positive. Anyway...what would be the best time to use it and should I use it like while I'm walking along or use it in the morning/night just to locate and then go after them or for night just to see where there at then go after them in the morning. I haven't really used an owl call...we mostly just waited 'till they started gobbling and went after them and I think we pushed them every time so I'm gonna take a different approach by locating them and then easing in and calling. So if you guys could help me....it would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks :beer:


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## take EM' close

Would a jake gobble call work like after I hooted...then gobbled...would that fire up a tom or anything??


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## dogdigger

i like to use a crow call to locate toms, anything can make them shock gobble. dog bark, car door slamming, duck call, any loud noise. i just the crow call, try not to call to the turkeys with a turkey call when u are jsut trying to locate them, they could be close and rush in and see you and you have jsut givin that turkey, "how to not get killed 101".

mark


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## Scraper

Black Hills turkeys will respond to any species of owl that you think you can sound like. However, they really respond well to a coyote howl. If you use a diaphragm call, it is easy to do. Just bark and howl like a coyote with your call, instead of yelping. It takes a lot of air volume, but makes a super loud howl that will make them shock gobble every time.

A good tip is to place a friend away from you before you howl so that he can hear the turkeys.

Another BH tip is to bring a good loud box call, they really seem to love them down there, I suppose it is good and loud.

My last tip is to not let the wether discourage you. BH turkeys will stand in a snowstorm and gobble just like plains gobblers do on a sunny 75 degree morning.


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## strand

I hunt the badlands very often for turkeys which is quite similar to the black hills. I have used everything from a crow call to a pick up door slamming. If you are unfamiliar with the area the owl will work just fine. I would go out the night before and roost a bird, then there is a good chance you won't have to locate the bird the next morning.

After you've roosted a bird sneak in super early the next morning, 100-150 yards is fine, remember a turkeys eye is bigger than it's brain and they see a basically full color spectrum. If you know where a bird is try some real soft tree yelps when you know you are a safe distance away in the twilight hour of the morning it almost always gets one to gobble. If you get a response, get set up and wait for the flydown. Because he has already heard you it is possible that he may fly down a little later resulting in you coaxing him down. Generally they don't hang up, but if they do just be patient, it's breeding season he's sure to come down sooner or later. :wink:

I agree with scraper, the wind likes to blow down there so a good loud call is a necessity to carry over the ridges, just remember to start out soft. I use mouth calls 95 percent of the time but every once in a while I bring out a slate or box. It's kind of like waterfowl hunting, only talk as much as they do.

Good luck and post up some pics if you get one.


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## take EM' close

Scraper said:


> BH turkeys will stand in a snowstorm and gobble just like plains gobblers do on a sunny 75 degree morning.


I disagree there. When we went over...it rained most of the night and started snowing in the morning. Did not hear ONE bird gobble in the morning. It may have been from the wind which wasn't really blowing that hard but didn't hear one bird gobble. The only bird we heard gobble was the 4 jakes that I snuck up and on then got real excited with my hen call...then they gobbled but other than that...nothing. I did manage to get mine, it was a jake with 4" beard, nub spurs and a fairly nice fan.


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## Dan Bueide

Some mornings are just quieter than others (even on consecutive days where there aren't huge enviornmental changes). And, IMHO, gobbling is less frequent and they'll shut up earlier in the morning during the early and later potions of the season. I think you were just too early for a "good show".


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## take EM' close

Last year...we had gone over there on April 1st and they were gobbling EVERYWHERE. I'm positive it was the weather....it just shut them down. :eyeroll:


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## saveaduckkillaskybuster

here is a twist on owl hooting. dont do it. i hunt texas and every other state along the way until i am back home in indiana. if you know that there are birds in the area just let them gobble on there own. many hunters go out and blow the leaves off the trees with their calls. turkeys get wise to that quick. later in the day try a crow call, but i have had tremendous sucess by just walking in the woods very slow scratching in the leaves and purring. when birds are pressured they go quiet so mock what they are doing. P.S. i have private ground that i hunt on, so if you try the feeding hen watch out for other hunters.


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## take EM' close

:withstupid: I tried owl hoot once this year and it didn't work. I thought it would work but after the first couple times it didn't so I just stopped and would listen then go to were they were.


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## WingedShooter7

well since im from the black hills and live here from experience a box call is the most reliable and effective for hills and praire and when there are no gobbles in the morning simply wait for awhile then try the crow,duck,goose or owl hoot. also a mouth call works wonders if used correltly


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