Locator calls which works better

[kentuckyshooter]

I was just wondering which call you all think works best for locating turkeys... Ive used several in the past. Just wondering what every one thought.. Is it the crow call, owl call, or peacock call??????

[WaterDog88]

I like my old goose call. Its loud, high pitched, and shocks the snot out of em. I rarely fail to get a gobble with it. The owl hooter for early morning and the late evening. Ive had some luck with my crow call, but maybe I have one with a bad pitch or something. Never tried a peacock...

[kidd rock]

Owl gets my vote, and don't be afraid to use it all day!;)

[hunter1hall]

Ditto to kidd rock, the owl sometimes works best around 10 and 11 am. Its my fave! I have also picked up a blade of grass and cupped it between my thumbs, like when you were a kid, to make the horrible whistle sounds. It works pretty well, especially in a pinch.

[Iceman35]

Maybe its just me, but I haven't had any consistant luck with any of the locator calls. I think part of the reason is that there are so many crows and owls naturally where I hunt that the turkeys get used to them. I have tried the peacock/woodpecker, but there are a ton of woodpeckers out there too. The best luck I have had has been with really loud sharp cutting on a slate. If you can find one alone with that, seems about 50% of the time they jog in to find the hen.

[kywaterfowler]

I'm an owl kind of man. I think that too many people use that stupid crow call. I saw one of my buddies use one all day! It was ridiculous! I think that they get tired of the crow call real quick.

[MikeKy]

Never tried the peacock call. There are so many owls where I hunt that the gobblers clam up when one hoots. Crow works sometimes. Lots of mornings they'll gobble at a car driving by, cows, barking dogs, 4-wheelers and just about anything else except the owl hoot.

[lab]

As weird as it may sound, I am giong to pack a goose call with me this year. The past couple of years I have heard birds shock gobble at geese during the slow times. It may not work for me, but I won't know until I try.

[droopy]

i've used a hawk call with good luck up in the morning but early morning i guees an owl would be my favorite.

[skin_dog1]

Down and Dirty game calls makes the best owl hooter on the market, it's a great call, very realistic. I use an owl call, crow call, peacock, pileated woodpecker, duck call, car horn....... Whatever makes em gobble. I probably use a turkey call as much as anything. Some folks don't like to use turkey sounds to locate, but as long as you have the time to get setup, sometimes they are the most effective way to locate after flydown. Try a glass surface call with a hard striker like dymondwood, high pitched, carries well and rings their ears!

[Quickdraw Limpsalot]

Maybe its just me, but I haven't had any consistant luck with any of the locator calls.

Nope, not just you. I rarely bother with locator calls because they rarely do any good for me. I'd rather put in the time patterning them and know where they're going to be.

[Huntinis4me]

Got a crow,peacock, woodpecker,hawk, and owl call. The owl call has always been the best for me.

[Iceman35]

Nope, not just you. I rarely bother with locator calls because they rarely do any good for me. I'd rather put in the time patterning them and know where they're going to be.


Glad I not completely full of @#$%, although my wife would disagree.:D

[skin_dog1]

Nope, not just you. I rarely bother with locator calls because they rarely do any good for me. I'd rather put in the time patterning them and know where they're going to be.
sometimes thats impossible. I hunt several properties every year that I've never stepped foot on before. A locator call is no different than any other call, sometimes the birds respond, sometimes they don't. I want to kill the one thats gobbling so thats the one I hunt. I used to think locator calls were bunk, but the more I've used them the more I rely on them. If you are a cut and run hunter or a hunter that likes to stay mobile then you have to use something to locate that gobbling bird.

[turkeyfan]

I also agree with the crow call and I also use a coyote call for out in the western states.

[buckfever]

I was just wondering which call you all think works best for locating turkeys...

It depends on the turkey. ;)

I've had turkeys roosted over a lake with about 50 geese honking non-stop while chasing each other around. The toms literally ignored them. However, every time I owl called with my mouth, those same birds would gobbled their heads off.

On the other hand, I've been in situations where turkeys ignored my owl call, but gobbled madly when some geese honked while flying overhead.

After the toms had gone silent for hours, I've had a lot of success using a crow call to get one or two to start gobbling at 10-11 am in the morning. Sometimes, all it takes is one bird to sound off to get other toms fired up in the mid-morning hours. Other times, I've had morning where toms wouldn't give a whit about my crow calling and ignored my owl calls as well as every other call I had in my vest.

For my money, I start with an owl call and will use that well into the morning. If I know where the birds are, I usually won't use any locator calls, although I'll cheat if I lose track of a bird. IMO, the best crow call is the loudest, shrillest call you can find, The best I've found is the Primos Power Crow.

If the birds are inclined to gobble, a locator call is a valuable tool. Anybody who thinks they don't work simply hasn't been turkey hunting very long. I don't know a single serious turkey hunter that doesn't use them to some degree.

[WildmanWilson]

I still like a crow call best....

I saw a guy use a donkey call once. Sounded just like one breying. The turkeys would sound off everytime. I guess it was something he made because Ive never seen one before.

[Quickdraw Limpsalot]

sometimes thats impossible. I hunt several properties every year that I've never stepped foot on before. A locator call is no different than any other call, sometimes the birds respond, sometimes they don't. I want to kill the one thats gobbling so thats the one I hunt. I used to think locator calls were bunk, but the more I've used them the more I rely on them. If you are a cut and run hunter or a hunter that likes to stay mobile then you have to use something to locate that gobbling bird.

Well, yeah, I understand that. It's just a preference more than anything. On top of that, I've yet to have a gobbler respond to a crow or owl call. I typically hunt the same farm or two every year and usually know generally where they're going to be, so I've never tried any other locator.

Anybody who thinks they don't work simply hasn't been turkey hunting very long. I don't know a single serious turkey hunter that doesn't use them to some degree.

That's comes across a tad offensive, buckfever, but I know what you mean. I don't run & gun, so I've never needed a locator. I don't doubt that they work, obviously they do to some degree or people wouldn't buy & use 'em. They just don't do much for me.

[turkey]

If each call worked everytime I would not have a vest full of calls and a box full of ones that wouldn't fit in the vest sitting in the truck each spring. I think the crow, owl, goose etc work well if the one working them sounds well...I have noticed over the years some people blow air through tubes and over reeds only to get sound...practice with them...practice using them...and practice marketing 101...find a call that sounds good not that has a big company pushing it! Its all about the right bird, right time, and right situation...thats why they are a tool not a magic trick.

[Kybirdman]

I use a Knight and Hale crow call that I bought in 1990. I have used this call every year and is the call I use before I make any turkey sounds. If I locate a bird with this call I will continue to use it to get in close. Growling like a crow will always get me a response. Also use a Lohman owl call in early morning.

[droopy]

i do use locator calls a little but i've never had trouble finding mature birds where i hunt{usually only 2 or 3 places a year}. i've hunted what i believe is the same bird for 3 years in a row and he roosts within a 100 yd area everyday, i know what your thinking and YES he is a lot smarter than me.:o i can tell you withtin a couple hundred yds where the birds are in the areas i hunt so i just use locators to pinpoint the birds. i guess what i'm getting at is knowing the area and the birds means more to me than calls.

[AOBHUNTER]

I use my crow call with the most success, the farms I hunt are private which enables me to also use a jake gobble sparingly with good results. Maybe my owl hoots are just that a "hoot" because I can't get a response. Good luck this year.

[gravescohunter]

Back when turkeys where scarce i used a plain old dog whistle, worked pretty good then probably still would.

[kentuckyshooter]

Thanks guys just wondering what everyone else thought about them thought it would be something good to talk about.. Good luck this season to every one..

[buckfever]

Well, yeah, I understand that. It's just a preference more than anything. On top of that, I've yet to have a gobbler respond to a crow or owl call. I typically hunt the same farm or two every year and usually know generally where they're going to be, so I've never tried any other locator.



That's comes across a tad offensive, buckfever, but I know what you mean. I don't run & gun, so I've never needed a locator. I don't doubt that they work, obviously they do to some degree or people wouldn't buy & use 'em. They just don't do much for me.

Sorry, Quickdraw, I didn't mean to offend you, and I apologize if it came across as offensive, but have you been turkey hunting very long? Not trying to jump your ship, but it just sounds weird to me that you've never had a gobbler respond to a crow or especially an owl call if you've been hunting turkeys a long time???? I obviously can't give you an exact number, but I'd bet that I've I've literally prompted THOUSANDS of turkeys to respond to an owl call. Heck, in good areas, it's not unusual to get 10-20 different toms gobbling at the same owl call in the 1/2 hour or so before daybreak.

You really ought to give locator calls a second chance. I promise you they work, and they're a fun tool to use for your style of hunting, not just running and gunning. I think it's also important to point out that locator calls don't spook birds. I remember getting on a hot bird at 11 am in the morning and had him gobbling to aggressive hen cutting. I closed the gap, but the tom decided to go silent and completely shut up. I did too once this happened.

When I finally couldn't stand not knowing where he was any longer, I broke down and owl hooted with my voice (yes, at 11 am), and the tom gobbled from less than 50 yards in front of me. He came 30 yards closer and I killed him at 20 yards. I've located and killed numerous toms that only gobbled after I first used a crow call.

The point is that turkeys don't run away from locator calls. IMO, they don't spook from them. If you screw up trying an owl call, it won't matter, but I bet that regardless of how bad you think you sound, the toms will respond to it and gobble.

Locator calls can be invaluable to your style of hunting for 2 reasons. First, they help you identify the exact spot where a tom is roosted. In the event that he's further away than you expected, they allow you to move closer to him for a better set-up while it's still dark enough to slip around in the woods.

Also, they can keep you from bumping toms off the roost. I can remember mornings where I didn't have birds roosted but planned on moving through the woods to spots that from past experiences I knew would be good for a "blind" hunt (which sounds a lot like how you hunt - go where you know the birds tend to be). Every 50 yards or so while easing through the woods, I'd owl hoot to make sure I wasn't getting ready to bump a tom from the roost. You'd be surprised at how many times those owl calls elicited a gobble from an unexpected location before I even got to the spot I originally planned to hunt.

I use my own voice for owl calling, but I'll grant you that there some owl calls on the market that are too soft and really suck. You either need to buy one that has enough volume for the turkeys to hear it, or just try doing it with your own mouth. Believe me when I tell you that you don't really need to sound very much like an owl to get them to gobble. If you go during the preseason to scout before light, try it a few times. You might be surprised at the results. :)

[notimlmit]

For my part only very few times have locater calls worked for me and I've tried the owl, hawk, peacock and yote calls--most of the time I'm in a known roosting area so I just let the birds do their own natural calling and go from there----later in the day I might use a mouth call to get a responce

[Quickdraw Limpsalot]

Sorry, Quickdraw, I didn't mean to offend you, and I apologize if it came across as offensive, but have you been turkey hunting very long? Not trying to jump your ship, but it just sounds weird to me that you've never had a gobbler respond to a crow or especially an owl call if you've been hunting turkeys a long time????

Oh, it's cool. I'm sure you've hunted turkeys for far longer than I have and I'm not offended, but someone else may have been if they weren't as mild-mannered as I am. :D To be honest, I'm fairly new to the game as a turkey hunter of 5 or 6 years now.

Don't get me wrong, I in no way discount the usefulness of locator calls. I think it's a great tool to have and use, but they didn't work for me the first few years I hunted so I basically quit trying and focused more on scouting the 1 or 2 different farms I hunt, which isn't too daunting a task if you can find the time. I only tried crow and owl and had exactly zero results with either. I've even watched crows causing quite a commotion over a group of turkeys without so much as a peep coming from the turks. Maybe there are so many crows and owls that the turkeys don't care, maybe they've secretly signed some sort of peace treaty in Breckinridge County, or maybe I just flat suck at using locator calls!

I'll take your word for it and give 'em another chance this year though. I'll have plenty of time to scout, being unemployed 'n all, and I'll caw and hoot at 'em & see if things have changed.

[turk2di]

It's wierd, but some years they respond to certain locator calls better than others. I had years where i couldn't get a gobble out of a crow call, but they would betray their location with a hawk whistle. Next year the hawk whistle wouldn't do so well & the crow call would. But an owl call seems to nearly always get a response, especially if your near a gobbler & it surprises you both! Just my experiences! Thank god Peacock calls haven't caught on to well!!

[kentuckyshooter]

Hey guys wings supply has the peacock calls on sale dont know if they are any good but i ordered one i think it was 1.95 not bad .. Turk2 dont you like the peacock call? If you know any down falls to it please let me know before i use and mess up..

[12 pointer]

Turkey hunting sucks!!! I quit it years back.

[buckstopper2]

Throw away the crow call, I used a peacock last year with great results. Crow call never works in my area. Use what works for you and gets the long beards on the ground.

[beards-n-bone]

If you hunt around a lake try a loon call......I know, I know, I hunt Dale Hollow and noticed turkeys would explode when a loon would sound off. I can reproduce this blowing thru my hands, but after a buddy of mine saw how well it worked he researched and actually found a loon call.

["KJ"]

Owl hooter, before the sun comes up. Then I alternate between a crow and a woodpecker call, unless one is working better than the other.

[matewsq2]

I vote for owl also.

[turk2di]

Hey guys wings supply has the peacock calls on sale dont know if they are any good but i ordered one i think it was 1.95 not bad .. Turk2 dont you like the peacock call? If you know any down falls to it please let me know before i use and mess up..

They probally work, just glad nobody uses them. As bad as people butcher crow calling, i couldn't imagine public ground full of peacocks!

[Iceman35]

They probally work, just glad nobody uses them. As bad as people butcher crow calling, i couldn't imagine public ground full of peacocks!

The Quaker Boy one I have says its either a woodpecker or a peacock depending on the rythem you use them at. Again, there are also so many pilleated woodpecks around I've only had partial sucess with this one.

[kentuckyshooter]

They probally work, just glad nobody uses them. As bad as people butcher crow calling, i couldn't imagine public ground full of peacocks!


lol i never thought about that .. that would just set the tone right..:eek:

[bowhunter269]

Just before 1st light I've always had success with owl calls.........
Later in the morning I think it's a crap shoot, sometimes they work, sometimes they don't, but any advantage of a gobbler's location at midday is worth a shot to me.

[stratos907]

I like a gobble shaker, provided you use it sparingly. I even use them on public ground..the trick is to gobble once and move....gobble once and move until you strike on up. I like the Quaker Boy Challenging Jake.
Yea my spelling is crap.

[Quickdraw Limpsalot]

Ok, buckfever and other folks. I'm gonna give it another go. I just picked up a peacock call and MAN is it annoying. Sounds just like the real thing... and a lot like I'd imagine a rooster being run over by a steamroller at a high rate of speed might sound. If this doesn't SHOCK them into gobbling, I don't know what would!

[buckfever]

Ok, buckfever and other folks. I'm gonna give it another go. I just picked up a peacock call and MAN is it annoying. Sounds just like the real thing... and a lot like I'd imagine a rooster being run over by a steamroller at a high rate of speed might sound. If this doesn't SHOCK them into gobbling, I don't know what would!

It doesn't matter if it even sounds like a Peacock. The turkeys won't know any better. Heck, a very low percentage of all turkey hunters have ever heard a real Peacock call themselves.

Locators can be fun. They also really help with preseason scouting when you're not hen calling to the birds. Pick up a Primos power crow. Hoot like an owl with your voice before sunrise. As soon as it gets light, switch over to the peacock or crow. Sometimes the birds will respond to one but not the other.

You'll get some action! :D

Remember though that locator calls don't always work. If it's rainy or the birds are tight-lipped, they may not respond to it.

Even if they respond to your peacock, I wouldn't go crazy with 'em. Unless I'm really running and gunning, I won't use them more than say once an hour (sometimes a little more if I can't get a fix on a particular bird.

Good luck and have fun. :)

[KY_Fried]

I use an old crow call that sounds absolutely nothing like a crow anymore but it gets the job done.

[WKYHNTR]

This one place I hunt its close to a railroad crossing and when the coal trucks go over it running about 65 mph you can hear it for miles and it always makes them gobble. Owl call has to be my favorite though, pleated woodpecker is good too.

[25-06]

I will use an owl call sometimes,but If I know the area where the turkeys usually roost and I do for most areas I hunt, I use some really soft tree yelps while they are still on the limb.Later in the morning I will try a crow call,but I have used the crow call and then yelped and had an immediate response from the yelps and nothing answered the crow call,better be ready to set up and have you a tree picked out when you use a yelp for a locator after sunrise!!!

[WKYHNTR]

You got that right! Sometimes they will gobble once then come in silent before you know it!

[Blainebird]

in the 08 spring season i didnt even get the chance to use much locator calls the best locator is painfully slow walking and extreme listening for the birds to sound off on thier own if the roost plan falls through, i try to stay close enough to hear the bird gobble on his own .. for the last eight years i have killed the majority of my birds between 8 45 and 11 00 these east ky hills give you all the cover you need to move close with little or no calling just let them know youre there they usually will do the rest

[FlydownCackler]

Any locator call has its time and place. Somedays one will work better than others. My personal favorite is the owl in the morning and I have had alot of luck with a woodpecker up into the day, but the best locator is loud excited cutts on a good box call.

[BigKuntry]

Believe it or not, I carry a Kecklin Howler (coyote call) with me along with an Owl, Pilated Woodpecker, Hawk, and Crow to intice a gobbler's response. Depending upon where, when and how I'm hunting will depend on if I'd use a locator call. Sometime, I'll let them do what they do on their own. And sometime, I'll hit an owl call before twilight to see how close or far I am from a particular Tom. However, if I'm running and gunning (midday hunts) I'll try one or two call. The hawk call and the Pilated W.Pecker) Though, I try not to use the hawk call that much b/c I assume that get get him a little skittish if he's in a field etc. From my experience I've seen birds take cover when they've heard a hawk. Now. The P.W.P is always my first option before I resort to a hen call such as some loud and aggressive cutting. Now, I know you're wondering about the Coyote howler, well, that I use late in the evening when I'm hunting a spot and I do not no where the birds are roosting. But in the end, try whatever gets a tom to gobbling...heck sometime, they just will not cooperate. Now, that's turkey hunting for ya bud!

[Quickdraw Kitchen]

I was just wondering which call you all think works best for locating turkeys... Ive used several in the past. Just wondering what every one thought.. Is it the crow call, owl call, or peacock call??????


I tried the owl call this morning and had atleast 13 birds gobble in different directions, but as usual once they hit the ground they shut-up.

[raven_over_easy]

I have the Knight & Hale barred Owl call. Works great for roosting birds in the evening and can get them fired up in the middle of the day aswell. I consider it my go to locator call.

Mark Prudhomme Signature Series Owl Call

Shock Gobble Owl Call with Hoot Enhancer

Heres a real owl : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fppKGJD3Y6c&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3Li74LzXCk

[Zack Attack]

It depends on the turkey. ;)

I've had turkeys roosted over a lake with about 50 geese honking non-stop while chasing each other around. The toms literally ignored them. However, every time I owl called with my mouth, those same birds would gobbled their heads off.

On the other hand, I've been in situations where turkeys ignored my owl call, but gobbled madly when some geese honked while flying overhead.

After the toms had gone silent for hours, I've had a lot of success using a crow call to get one or two to start gobbling at 10-11 am in the morning. Sometimes, all it takes is one bird to sound off to get other toms fired up in the mid-morning hours. Other times, I've had morning where toms wouldn't give a whit about my crow calling and ignored my owl calls as well as every other call I had in my vest.

For my money, I start with an owl call and will use that well into the morning. If I know where the birds are, I usually won't use any locator calls, although I'll cheat if I lose track of a bird. IMO, the best crow call is the loudest, shrillest call you can find, The best I've found is the Primos Power Crow.

If the birds are inclined to gobble, a locator call is a valuable tool. Anybody who thinks they don't work simply hasn't been turkey hunting very long. I don't know a single serious turkey hunter that doesn't use them to some degree.

I so agree. I have had some birds that gobble their heads off at my owl hoot but want answer a crow call and other birds that did exactly the opposite.
I hunted this old bird one time that wouldn't gobble at anything of mine but if a donkey would go off he would gobble every time. Birds have different things that push their buttons. Figure out what that is and push it.

[Valley Station]

Somebody needs to make a male Cardinal locator call.
Ever notice how it is, about the time you start hearing red birds singin' at day light ,
an Ol' turkey will gobble.

[kyscrapejuice]

like someone else said. What pushes their buttons one day, don't do nothing for them the next. However I have found that it isnt' how realistic your locater call is, its how darned loud it is. I have a Lohman owl call that don't sound much like an owl, but DARNED it sure is loud. And I usually can locate turkeys further away than I can get to. I begin by using my mouth in case one is close, i don't want to blow him out of the tree. the woodpecker and crow have been really good to me also. I hunt a cutt-n-run style. So after flydown, I usually cut on a crystal or aluminum call, if no response. I move 100 yards or so then use a crow or woodpecker call, if nothing. I move 80-100 yards and hit a box call. I just alternate back and forth as I move. If there is a bird out there that will gobble, I'll usually get it out of him.

Also, love the locater calls for getting/keeping a good fix on the birds location while I move around to get a good setup.

[Double B]

I got an old wooden PS Olt owl call that sounds great. My go to mid morning locator. I think you should only use a locator call IF they aren't gobblin on their own. Just gives them another chance to figure you out. I only hunt public ground and I call as little as possible, with any call.

[JohnChops]

http://www.bestautobits.com/images/Air_Horn_Set.JPG

[kentuckyshooter]

i like this one recon it will work:D theres one thing about this is definetly a public land locator i bet they dont bother you no more.........:D

[TJE]

I dont think you can go wrong with the owl hoot!!!

[buckfever]

I tried the owl call this morning and had atleast 13 birds gobble in different directions, but as usual once they hit the ground they shut-up.

Quikdraw - Any luck using locators or getting on birds so far? :)

I haven't hunted by myself yet, but have managed to call in some birds for 3 other folks. In all 3 cases, I got some responses to early morning owl hoots.

I haven't had any success yet with the crow calls, but then again, I've only blown it a handful of times.

[B Hicks]

Had two firing back at a pileated woodpecker call today around 4

[CHL]

Really like a good owl hooter (Hook's), and in the evening, right at dark, there are always a few birds that will gobble at a good coyote call.

[NonTyp]

Fighting coon call is the best! Meador and myself have the patent on it. :cool:

[kyscrapejuice]

the best locator call is the one that they will gobble to at any given time. It may be an owl call in the morning, a crow call, woodpecker, or hawk call in the afternoon, or a coyote call in the evening. It just depends on what that gobbler will sound off to at a certain time. I've seen gobblers that would only gobble to a woodpecker call in the middle of the day, while shunning a crow call. Same with a hawk call.