Crow calls are not just for crow hunting. In the spring turkey woods, they can be a powerful tool for locating gobblers, maneuvering into position, and even sealing the deal with a hesitant bird. This guide will delve into the world of crow calling for turkey hunting, providing insights on when, how, and why to use this versatile call to your advantage.
The Power of the Crow Call
Crows are natural predators of turkey eggs and poults, making their presence a cause for concern for gobblers. This instinctive fear can be exploited by turkey hunters using crow calls to:
- Locate gobblers: Crows are vocal birds, and their calls can often draw the attention of gobblers from a distance. By mimicking crow calls, hunters can pinpoint the location of gobblers that may not be readily visible.
- Maneuver into position: A well-timed crow call can distract a gobbler, allowing the hunter to move closer without spooking the bird. This is especially useful when trying to close the distance on a hung-up bird.
- Trigger a shock gobble: When a gobbler hears a crow call, it may instinctively gobble in response, even if it doesn’t see the “crow.” This “shock gobble” can reveal the bird’s location and provide valuable information about its mood and receptiveness to calling.
- Close the deal: In some cases, a crow call can be used to entice a hesitant gobbler into coming closer. By imitating the distress call of a crow being attacked by a predator, the hunter can trigger the gobbler’s protective instincts and draw it within shooting range.
When to Use a Crow Call
- Early morning: Once the crows start calling in the morning, it’s game on for using crow calls. Start with a soft to medium volume to avoid spooking nearby birds.
- Midday and afternoon: As the day progresses and gobblers become less responsive to traditional turkey calls, crow calls can be particularly effective in eliciting a response.
- Hung-up birds: If a gobbler is hung up just out of range, a crow call can be used to distract it and allow the hunter to move closer.
- Evening: In states that allow all-day hunting, crow calls can be effective in the late afternoon and early evening before birds roost.
How to Use a Crow Call
- Choose a high-quality call: Look for a call that produces realistic crow sounds, is loud enough to carry over distance, and is easy to use.
- Start soft: Begin with a soft to medium volume, especially when calling early in the morning or when birds are close by.
- Increase volume as needed: If the birds are further away or unresponsive, gradually increase the volume of your calls.
- Use a variety of sounds: Experiment with different crow calls, such as caws, squawks, and distress calls, to see what works best.
- Be patient: It may take some time for a gobbler to respond to your crow calls. Be patient and persistent.
Additional Tips
- Combine crow calls with turkey calls: After using a crow call to locate a gobbler, switch to turkey calls to try and entice it closer.
- Use a crow call in conjunction with decoys: Set up a decoy spread and use crow calls to draw the gobbler’s attention to the decoys.
- Be aware of your surroundings: Make sure you are in a safe location and that your crow calls are not disturbing other hunters or wildlife.
Crow calls are a valuable tool for turkey hunters, offering a unique way to locate, maneuver, and even call in gobblers By understanding when, how, and why to use crow calls, you can increase your chances of success in the spring turkey woods
Bonus: Crow Calls from the NWTF
The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) offers a variety of resources on crow calling for turkey hunting, including articles, videos, and even custom crow calls from expert call makers. Be sure to check out their website for more information.
The Calls You’ve Used
There are a few very common calls on the market that most hunters keep in their turkey vests. These calls, from the owl, to the crow, to the cutting hen, make it easy to get turkeys to gobble.
Owl: The owl call is arguably the most popular locator call ever used. Most hunters use it early of a morning while birds are still on the roost. This allows hunters to slip into position before fly-down time.
Also, hunters use this call late of an afternoon after birds have flown up for the evening. This is a tactic used to locate gobblers for the next days hunt.
Crow: The crow call is another favorite among turkey hunters. It is a little more adaptable than the owl hoot, though, and is used at different times of the day. Crow calls are used during the day to entice birds to eat, whereas owl calls are mainly utilized at dawn and dusk.
Cutting hen: My preferred locator call to use during the day is the sound of a cutting hen, although I love the sound of an owl hoot in the early morning and late evening. But be careful, you never know when a gobbler could be close by. Make sure you have a tree nearby that you can plop down against if one comes storming in.
The Calls You Might Have Used
Hawk, peacock, and woodpecker calls — along with others — are other kind-of-popular alternatives, too. But duck calls, goose tubes, coyote howlers, and truck doors are a little more common.
Duck: Dont think a good hail call wont shock a tom into gobbling. Because it will. A loud duck call will do the job on just about any given day. Give it a try.
Goose: The goose call is high-pitched and changes frequency throughout the vocalization. That herky-jerky type sound does the trick a lot of the time. A good goose call will trick a tom into sounding off most days.
Coyote: Im not a big fan of using a coyote call. Ive not had very good luck with one. But others swear by it. So that counts for something.
Truck door: A truck door has worked for me more times than I can count. It might sound silly. But a loud truck door slam will make birds fire off of a morning.