JoeA

Have any of you guys ever had an owl mess up a turkey hunt? I've had a few times when a Barn owl flying nearby will make a bird(s) go silent. During wet years with lots of grass and mice, this can be a frequent problem where I hunt turkeys. It can also happen later in the day here too. We have an endemic owl species, Pueo. It is a small, day hunting, ground nesting owl. Have you ever had a bigger owl species, like a Great horned owl or Barred owl cruise by your hunt?

Whenever I have a bird go silent, the first thing I do is scan tree tops and visible high dead trees. If I see an owl, I just sit tight for a while. I learned that by moving too soon after getting the "silent treatment", I would sometimes scare off turkey that were in the area.

When the owl flies off, the birds usually go back to "talking": after a few minutes. Adult turkeys are way too big for the owls we have to take down, but chicks are not.