Originally Posted by
Psylocide
It's not as difficult as you're making it though.
"THE" call should be:
"HEY! DON'T SHOOT THIS WAY! I'M OVER HERE! WOULD REALLY RATHER NOT GET SHOT TODAY, I CAN BUY A 20 lb BUTTERBALL FOR 30 BUCKS... CAN'T SAY THIS BIRD IS WORTH DYING OVER. THANKS CHAMP!"
There. Problem solved.
Okay....At what point do you do this? If you
think that the hen sounds coming behind you are from a hunter?(how do you know it's not a hen?)
When you
see another hunter?(a little late if you knew he was coming from the get-go.)
Every situation is different. I once had a hunter coming down a ridge to a bird I was working. He was blowing a crow call to get a fix on the bird. As he got closer I turned my head and gave him a
YELP......YELP......YELP. I would respond to him this same way every time I heard the crow call. He got the message. I ended up missing the bird but that's another story. He knew someone was working the bird because he knew that hens don't make loud three LOUD yelps with long pauses in between.
Crow calls and owl hoots are very effective ways to let other hunters know you are in the area. Very few (if any) calls can exactly mimic a crow. Rarely (if ever) will you hear an owl hoot at 9am.
Something else I do. Always assume that the hen sounds or crunching leaves behind you are another hunter. If you do see someone coming, give them a whistle or two. If they keep moving then YES, absolutely say something to them.
In a way, everyone is right here.
- Don't leave your ethics at the truck and bust in hoping to call a bird off another hunter.
- Be woods wise. Know your territory. Know what sounds you are hearing.
- If someone walks in on you be sure they know you are there by getting their attention. Sound only. Don't start waving at them.
- KNOW YOUR TARGET! Most accidents happen because people shoot at movement or what they perceive to be a turkey.