I say this because predatory animals have the keenest senses on our planet and these animals are not easy to fool. However, animals such as coyote, wolf, red fox, gray fox, bobcat, mountain lion, black bear and others are finely tuned hunting machines and they all respond to predator calling. God has gifted coyotes and most other predatory animals with the ability to see, hear and smell far better than human beings. After all, they must hunt to survive. If they fail, they die.

It is possible to outsmart predators and game animals though and a good portion of this site will give you tips on predator calling and hunting all types of predators and non-game animals. Just about any animal in the forest can be called in, from ground dwellers to birds of prey.  

In addition to the animals mentioned above, here are a few more examples of animals that will come to the call; antelope, javelina, boar, crow, deer, cougar, goats, hogs, raccoon, hawks, owls, turkey, duck, geese, moose, elk, badger, ringtails and coati mundi. That is not a complete list but just an example of the types of animals you can possibly lure in by game calling. We have been surprised more than a few times by birds of prey swooping down on us while blowing a mouth call attempting to call in a predator.

Think about it. When you blow a mouth call correctly, you're sounding the dinner bell to all of these predators and game animals and very few of them will pass up what they think is a free meal. Even if they're not hungry, the curious sounds of a distress call will fascinate and urge them to come to the call. The most exciting part is, you never know what will show up.

Calling in animals by making sounds like distressed prey is not a new art form. American Indians have been predator calling and game calling for hundreds of years. Naturally, the key to successful hunting is the element of surprise and few hunters will be able to outsmart game by tromping around in the woods or desert looking for game. Therefore, the best method is to lure the game to the hunter.

For centuries, the bow and arrow was a pretty basic weapon. The effective killing range was limited so it was absolutely necessary to bring the animal close to the hunter. Native Americans in the Southwest learned the value of a basic mouth call (the lip squeak, was performed by placing two fingers across their lips and sucking) and passed this game calling skill on from generation to generation. Also, mimicking the distress cry of a mouse or a baby rabbit was and is a very effective means of calling in all kinds of predators and game animals. A number of other Native American tribes used a short blade of grass or a leaf, held in front of their lips as a reed. This method is still in use today as an effective predator call or game animal call.

The modern predator calls that we use now were invented about fifty years ago. The lip squeak method eventually gave birth to the idea of manufacturing a tubular open reed call. The evolution of the predator call and game call was then in full swing as experienced hunters put their game call ideas to the drawing board and eventually to the production line.

The first of the man made predator calls and game calls were an open reed style fashioned from tubular structures made from wood utilizing a metal reed. Although wooden predator calls and game calls are beautiful to look at, wood is sometimes negatively affected by changes in humidity and temperature. As the wood expands and contracts, a change in tone and performance may be experienced. The above mentioned climactic instability factor is the main reason I chose to fabricate my calls from solid Delrin rod.

The second general category of mouth calls is the closed reed call. This is a fixed housing made from wood, plastic or any other material and has a fixed reed assembly inserted into the body of the mouth call. They are set up with predetermined pitches and unlike the open reed predator call or game call; any newcomer to the sport can operate them with very little practice.

There are many reasons that predatory animals respond to predator calls. For purposes of illustration, let's use the Coyote as an example.

One of the primary reasons a coyote comes to the call is the defense of their hunting territory.  Most predators are quite territorial and mark their territorial area with urine, scat and scratches on trees, shrubs and bushes. When that Coyote hears a howler or Jackrabbit in distress call, it can mean only one thing, strangers hunting in or invading his territory. Instinct takes over and the Coyote's first impulse is to race to the sound and discourage the interloper from hunting on his turf.

Another basic reason for any predatory animal or a game animal coming to a call is food. Animals in the wild know what a death cry is and the ever-hungry predator is always looking for an easy meal. Those cries in the air mean that another predator has downed some game and is enjoying the fruits of his hunt.

Naturally, other predators are drawn in from all around in hopes of enjoying some left over tidbits or perhaps chasing off a less dominant predator and taking the meal for themselves.

It is not unusual to have other guests show up and come to the sound of a predator call. Curiosity is a major factor and in the process of calling predators, don't be surprised if other animals show up just to see what all of the hubbub is about. If you are lucky, Crows, Red Tailed Hawks and other birds of opportunity will start to circle above you. This is a good thing because it tells the ground dwelling predators that there is most likely a kill in the area. Sometimes even deer (mostly in the fawning season) and rabbits show up, just to investigate.

As I have said before, you never know what will come to the call so be prepared if it is bigger than you are. Always keep in mind that you are imitating the sounds of desperate prey being eaten. The predators that are coming to your call will be expecting dinner and stalking you, the source of the sound. Therefore, always watch your back and expect the unexpected.