The Art of Game Calling

Many photographers use the simplest form of game calling by playing the species' call on their phone and waiting. Sometimes it works, but most of the time it doesn't. They often do this without considering important factors such as the location of the device, the season (mating, juvenile, etc.), understanding animal behavior, or the current competition in the shooting area.

In this blog, instead of lengthy explanations, I will illustrate these concepts with examples from real wildlife experiences.

Barn Owl

I placed the game caller above the nest, knowing there is only one tree nearby. I played the call of a Long-eared Owl, as there is competition between these two species for resources in this area. The plan was to play the sound of a competing owl to force the Barn Owl to come out and defend its territory.

White-throated Kingfisher

One of the hardest birds to call in responds to calls from its own kind but keeps a safe distance of three to four meters.

Long-eared Owl

We spotted an owl on a distant tree line. We placed the game caller right next to the fence and played the sound of a vole. The idea was to prevent the owl from seeing the false call from far away, forcing it to hover over the machine to investigate, giving us enough time to shoot our burst. This game caller features both sound and a moving decoy.

Least weasel

Immediate response to call from the same kind

Common Kingfisher

They respond to their own type of call like a magnet. When they fly by and hear the call, they will detour and land directly on the game caller. Just place the game caller on a suitable branch for them to land on.

Barn Owl

We placed the game caller under a branch and positioned the decoy on the branch. We played a vole sound, and when the owl flew by, we set the decoy in motion. The owl then attempted to strike, giving us an amazing shot of its attack and landing. This method is very difficult and took us four months to get one perfect shot.

Little Owl

We spotted the nest of this owl right after the mating season, so presumably, it has little ones inside. We played a juvenile call outside the nest, forcing her to come out to check the sound and make sure it wasn't one of her own.