AlphaTrilogy.com

15 June 2007

“Nothing Calls in Game Like a Dying Deer” - Predator Call Advice from an Alaska Mountain Man

Posted by Darrell under: Alaska; Tips & Ideas; Rantings Of An Outdoorsman .

If three weeks ago you’d have asked me “What is the best elk call?” or “What is the best deer call?” or even “What is the best moose call?” I probably wouldn’t have had an answer for you. I still don’t have an answer based upon my own experience, but now I could give you an answer that would likely send you laughing your way out of the room.

A couple days ago I did a post about a fur trapper, hunter, and gold prospector I met in Juneau Alaska just after my successful bear hunt. I did a post about some of the Alaska hunting tips and advice that this mountain man graciously shared with me. I also alluded to one tip that was deserving of its own post, and this is it. Let me share part of our conversation:

“I’ve been hunting Alaska for over 50 years. I was a professional predator hunter in Oregon for many years and I hunted mule deer and whitetails all over the lower 48 – back when I was a younger man” he told me. He was sharing his resume with me, proving that he was an authority on hunting. He knew that in order for me to believe what he was about to share with me, I’d have to respect him as an authority on the subject of hunting. I didn’t doubt his credibility for a minute until he shared with me what I’m about to share with you.

“Son, I learned about 50 years ago the key to hunting” he said. Well, he certainly had my attention.  “An Alaskan native gave me a call and I use that call to call my game in. The call, when used right, sounds just like a deer dying. I get to using that call and the game just comes running in. Every time. It has never failed me.” He solemnly told me. I’ll admit that I had the feeling that he had the feeling that he was sharing some deep secret with me – kind of passing it along to the younger generations and I felt honored for him to choose me to tell this to. I didn’t focus on the fact that he also told me that he often goes for months without seeing another human (and he might have simply chose me pass his lost art down to out of convenience).

Here is where I made my first big mistake. “That sounds pretty cool and if I’m ever hunting up here in Alaska again, I’ll keep it in mind.” I told him.

“Boy, who said this was just an Alaska thing? I didn’t say anything about this only working in Alaska. It works EVERYWHERE and I already told you I’ve hunted all over the lower 48” he growled at me.

“Yeah, I see your point. Well, that does sound pretty cool. Sounds just like a dying deer, does it? Well, I’ll certainly keep that in mind if I’m ever hunting predators” I meekly told him, hoping to repair any damage I’d done with my ‘Alaska’ comment.

“BOY, did you hear me say this was only for hunting predators?” he snarled. And this is when he temporarily lost credibility with me. In fact, I all of a sudden realized why he had attempted earlier to build a repoire with me – impressing me with his hunting feats. The realization of why he might doubt that I would ever believe or trust him hit me like a ton of river rock.

He continued “This dying deer call isn’t just for predators. Its for everything! Sure, the coyotes and wolves will come running in – but that’s just the start of things. Everything within earshot will come in for a look.”

At this point, I was just trying to hide my shock and disbelief without further insulting or irritating him. “Everything?” I asked, “Even deer?”

“Yes, big deer. They come running right in. I’ll shoot 6 or so bucks a season that come running in to my dying deer call” he said. I was hiding my surprise well and he was warming up to me. “But, not just deer. Everything, see?”

I didn’t see. Not for a minute. But, I wasn’t about to let him know. He continued “The biggest elk I’ve ever killed came in for my dying deer call. Big ‘ole bull down in Oregon just come running right in. They can’t control their curiosity. They hear that deer dying and they just have to come for a look see. I’d never go Elk hunting without a dying deer call. Moose, too. If one is within earshot, He’ll sure come a running.”

“I’m going elk hunting in Colorado this fall” I piped up. “Been practicing with my bull call” I proudly said.

“Forget it” he candidly told me. “All you need is your dying deer, and you’ll be able to take your pick of elk”.

He then went on to explain this entire phenomenon to me (and I must admit that after some serious contemplation it did start to make some sense, although maybe I’m just gullible and easy to con?). “When you first start blowing the call, at least in Alaska, the Eagles are the first to arrive. In other places it might be other birds that’ll come in for a look. The birds come in and start really making the noise. This wakes up the entire forest. Some of the animals come in because they think there might be some easy food for them, like the predators and scavengers. The rest come in because their curious and just can’t help themselves. It doesn’t matter why, though, because they ALL come in. You just get ready and take your pick. Its been working for me for 50 years and it’ll work for you, too. I even heard that you can buy a dying deer call in some of them stores up in town for $30 or so.”

I waited for him to try to sell me a ‘dying deer’ call, but he never did. He was serious. If he was conning me, at least it wasn’t to make any money off me. His story, especially the ‘curious and can’t help themselves’ part, set me to remembering an odd event that occurred to me last September (way before the Missouri rut). I was putting up a new tree stand in a fairly brushy area and decided to clear some shooting lanes. I didn’t have a saw with me, just an axe. I started wacking off limbs and dragging them off to pile up. I literally was making a ton of noise and I would have expected every critter in the county to high tail it out of there.

However, when I was walking out, not even 100 yards from my new stand, I walked up on one of the largest whitetail bucks I’ve ever seen. He was tiptoeing TOWARDS all the commotion and I remember thinking at the time that the only explanation must be that he was simply curious about what was going on. I don’t know for sure about that deer’s motivations and, honestly, I don’t know for certain if this mountain man was mocking me or seriously trying to help.

I do know that I will be scouring the Internet over the next few weeks looking for a really good dying deer call and some instructional video, books, or something on how to use it. I also know that my friends are going to think I’m crazy when their bugling for elk during the Colorado rut, and I’m blowing a ‘dying deer’ call and fighting off the scavenger birds.

2 Comments so far...

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website