ShootingUK is the complete shooting resource for the British shooting community. From shotgun licence and shotgun certificate information to gun reviews, game shooting, clay shooting and more.
By Richard Prior is widely regarded as the world expert on roe deer
Thursday, 09 July 2009
Q)With the roe rut approaching, can you advise me on the best calls? I have had conflicting advice from alleged experts.
P. GABRIEL
By email
A)There are three different types of call — whistle, exposed reed and rubber bulb. Stalkers have their favourites and swear that the rest are useless.
One of the cheapest and most versatile is the Hubertus, a whistle made of cherry wood with a screw to vary the pitch. Screw it in and you can imitate a fawn’s squeaks to bring a doe, hopefully with a buck in attendance. Ease it off and you get the doe’s throatier peeping.
The Buttolo has a rubber bulb and is widely used. It is loud and can bring a buck in from a long range, but if used at full blast can scare anything close at hand. The best technique is to hide it in a pocket to muffle the sound. Press the bulb to its fullest extent and it makes a loud, agonised squeal, which will make a buck jump into sight or vanish at speed!
The third type, with an exposed reed, takes some mastering, but can not only produce the full range of roe sounds, but does so at varying loudnesses to suit the circumstances. Don’t practice with a call in the woods — it educates the deer. The British Deer Society shop (www.bds.org.uk) sells a CD on calling roe, priced £9.79.
I recommend that you keep your call on a loop of string attached with a safety pin so that it is handy but can be dropped in a hurry in exchange for the rifle. Fishing in pockets for a call while a buck is staring suspiciously at you is not good for your success rate.
Thompson Centre G2 Contender rifle review: The Thompson Centre G2 Cont... Read more
A new report on rural crime highlights the need for keepers to be extr... Read more
Don't miss this week's issue (on sale Wednesday 1st February). FREE PRIZE DRAW - it is week 3 of our great "Gun a Week" competition, see P53 for further details and how to enter! Plus, who is top dog? Paul Rawlings reports on the 2012 Cocker Spaniel Championship. Get down to your newsagents and buy your copy today!
Derbyshire grousekeeper has failed to have his conviction over... Read more
Shotgun events being scheduled at future Paralympic Games is n... Read more
Save up to 31% on a subscription to Shooting Times & Country Magazine, subscribe today and perfect gift this Christmas.
Comments