Hootin' and hollerin'
One fun way to find a fantail is with the hoots, laughs, rolls and chuckles of a barred owl.
Owl calls often stir gobblers to holler back with an intimidating gobble. Some old-timers think turkeys are gobbling back to tell those pesky owls which tree they have reserved for the night. Others say the excitement of mating season has the birds all fired up, and an owl's shocking shriek simply strikes a chord that forces them to shout back. Whatever the reason, an owl call can tell you where to set up for a hunt.
Owl options
There are many effective owl calls out there — crafted from beautiful hardwood, durable hard polymer, or soft and flexible rubber-like plastic. The most common is a reed call. These calls are made of a barrel (the end where you blow), an insert (which holds the reeds) and an exhaust baffle (the stopper end) which creates the echoing notes of the owl's throaty sound.
Like any game call, some calls are easier to operate then others. And certain calls might sound better than others. It's a matter of personal opinion. Here are nine good options to test and determine which hoot is best for you:
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1. Mark Prudhomme Signature Owl Call by Knight & Hale
Designed by world owl calling champ Mark Prudhomme, this compact call features a large, soft "blasting chamber" mouthpiece with a unique reed and baffle design for excellent tone, pitch and volume.
www.knightandhale.com
2. Harrison Hoot'n Stick by Hook's Custom Calls
Champion caller James Harrison designed this great sounding and easy-to-use owl call. It helped him place in the top five at the 2007 U.S. Open Championship.
www.hookscalls.com
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History in the making: The original flute-style hooter To get the proper dimensions for this call, Niles used a cylinder of water to arrive at the barred owl's pitch. Measurements were taken and transferred to a wooden tube, then carefully tuned to produce the rhythmic notes of an owl. Oesterle affectionately named his creation using a popular nickname for the barred owl, the Eight-Hooter, which was derived from its eight-note cadence, "who-cooks-for-you-who-cooks-for-you-all." Early Eight-Hooter owl calls from the 1970s are highly collectible and typically sell for several hundred dollars at auction. These high prices are well deserved, considering that Oesterle has won many national call-making awards, including the prestigious Gibson Award at the 2009 NWTF Grand National Callmaking Competition, plus the 2009 Call Maker of the Year Award and 2009 Best of Show honors in the Hunting Box Call Division. Oesterle lives in Missouri, where he still makes and sells his original owl calls for $20. They are made of silver maple and include a leather lanyard. Learn more at www.boxcalls.com. — J.R. |
3. Shock'n Owl by Primos Hunting Calls
This two-in-one owl call is made of hardwood and features a removable barrel. Keep the barrel on for deep tones, or remove it for louder, high-pitched calling.
www.primos.com
4. Locator Series Owl by MAD
MAD matched their tried-and-true reed system with a new style of mouthpiece and a high-impact, durable, poly-carbonate barrel for loud calling.
www.madgamecalls.com
5. Zebrawood Owl Hooter by Fantomb Calls
Crafted by David White, a 2008 first place winner at the NWTF's Grand National call making contest, this beautiful locator call is made of Zebrawood and is easy to operate.
www.fantomb.com
6. Limb Shaker by H.S. Strut
The pros at H.S. Strut introduced a new call that features a raspier sounding reed, weather-resistant body and outstanding long-range volume.
www.hunterspec.com
7. Hyper Hooter by Quaker Boy
This small and compact reed-style owl call is crafted using acrylic and is designed to be extra loud. Cup your hands around the compact baffle to control and produce realistic sounds.
www.quakerboy.com
8. Owl Hooter by Flextone Game Calls
Like an owl's real throat and vocal chords, this durable call's soft, flexible design gives you natural tones and pitches, as well as precise volume control.
www.flextonegamecalls.com
9. Nite Owl By Zink Calls
Designed by world champion turkey caller Shane Hendershot, this realistic user-friendly owl call is made of beautiful hardwood with striking laser engraving.
www.zinkcalls.com
It's a simple turkey hunting strategy. Hoot like an owl and hope a tom hollers back. But if a gobbler doesn't sound off, the excitement is not over. You may just call over a real owl for a conversation with the real deal. — J.J. Reich