[Desert Rat]

Year's ago, I discovered that if I whistled a certain way to my friend's domestic turkeys, they would gobble. I thought it was a fluke until I tried it again in several different situations - the Phoenix zoo, for example. It works almost every time I try it.

While in Maine last week, my father-in-law's hospice always had a bunch of wild turkeys hanging around. I opened the window and whistled - voila - it worked on them too!

I guess - what behavior is it, that makes them respond to the whistle like that? (as opposed to "typical" turkey calls/sounds)

Would that whistle have any use while hunting turkeys?

 

[Friz95]

I think it would be more of a locating call than a luring call. It is the same as using a crow call or an owl hoot.
When I hunted them in Iowa they would gobble at the train whistle and an occasion jet that flew over.

 

[m gardner]

Desert Rat; That's called shock gobbling. You can use an owl hooter, crow call, peacock call, hawk whistle, coyote howler or as we found out you can empty a bunch of aluminum cans into a garbage can. You use it to locate them but don't get too close and use it. Do it in the pre-morning dark, then move in and softly yelp to them. I'm going to apply for a spring permit next year. I found a group of birds no one hunted this year and some of them are nice. I'd like to shoot another one with my bow. It's in the wilderness and not a soul was there all season. I tried to put 2 guys I know onto them but they passed becuse it seemed too much like work.
Mark