Calling Animals and the Law

Vegeta

Hey folks, question on my brother's behalf.

Can one use manual blow through type calls for deer? I heard a guy using an electronic type caller for reds on Saturday morning and I wasn't too pleased by it

WILDLIFE ACT 1976 SECTION 35.

Certain use of scarecrows, decoys birdcalls and calls of wild mammals restricted.

SECTION 35.

—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act apart from this section, but subject to section 42, a person shall not—

( a ) use as a scarecrow any live wild bird which is tethered, or

( b ) use as a decoy for the purpose of hunting any wild bird a live wild bird which is tethered or secured by braces or other similar appliances or which is confined in a cage or pen or which is blind, maimed or injured, or

( c ) use a stuffed or artificial decoy in the form of any bird for the purpose of hunting any protected wild birds, other than wild duck and wild geese, or

( d ) use an electrical or other instrument or appliance (including recording apparatus) emitting or imitating birdcalls or the calls of wild mammals for the purpose of hunting a protected wild bird or a protected wild animal which is a mammal.

So what do they mean by "other instrument or appliance" in the above. Can one use a blow through type call (like a goose or duck caller) for reds?

I assume its ok as manual type callers are used for protected wild birds all the time here (duck etc) so I assume they don't come under "other instrument or appliance" and so are therefore ok for deer too.

Never used one but can see the advantage in using one to determine if deer are in an area or not by calling and seeing if any replies are heard.

What you folks think and do any of you use callers and if so where did ya get them or what do you think?

Veg

DR6.5

Page 87 of the HCAP manual

Decoys and Lures : it is an offence to use an electrical or other instrument or appliance(including recording apparatus) emitting or imitating a call, to hunt wild deer except under license: section 35 (1) (d). It may also be an offense under this section to use any non-mechanical orally or manually operated whistle or other instrument or appliance eg. deer call, for purposes of hunting deer.

A lot of guys are using calls now on the sika, they are very easy to call in the rut, i have a dvd with Jan Andrews in england calling the Sika, they are extremely aggressive when in the rut. I was out over the weekend and i heard a guy using a caller very easy to tell that he was using a call.

Vegeta

DR6.5 wrote: »

Page 87 of the HCAP manual

I really must buy this. Don't shoot them myself but I stalk with my brother every week of the season so I could do with a better ed-u-mac-ation

Decoys and Lures : it is an offence to use an electrical or other instrument or appliance(including recording apparatus) emitting or imitating a call, to hunt wild deer except under license: section 35 (1) (d). It may also be an offense under this section to use any non-mechanical orally or manually operated whistle or other instrument or appliance eg. deer call, for purposes of hunting deer.

A lot of guys are using calls now on the sika, they are very easy to call in the rut, i have a dvd with Jan Andrews in england calling the Sika, they are extremely aggressive when in the rut. I was out over the weekend and i heard a guy using a caller very easy to tell that he was using a call.

So let me get this straight "non-mechanical orally or manually operated whistle" are fine.

Sorry for the newb type questions but have never encountered deer calling before and was keen to get my facts straight.

clivej

Would non-mechanical orally mean sucking/blowing though ones hands then? Or making oral sounds with your mouth?

Both would be an offence to use then?

Vegeta

clivej wrote: »

Would non-mechanical orally mean sucking/blowing though ones hands then? Or making oral sounds with your mouth?

Both would be an offence to use then?

No, for protected species oral and mechanical seem fine/legal by my reading. I just want that cleared up for deer as it is new to me.

If you are talking about an unprotected species anyway (fox) then anything goes as far as I understand.

yank_in_eire

DR6.5 wrote: »

A lot of guys are using calls now on the sika, they are very easy to call in the rut

I bought an elk bugle call last time I was visiting my parents in Colorado, trimmed the reed down a bit to make it sound a bit higher and give it some more squeal and it works a treat on the sika stags. I've had them come running in all puffed up and looking for a fight. Too bad I just have to make do with yelling bang at them right now:(;)

Sika_Stalker

personaly i wouldnt call a sika mostly because it takes away from the stalk
this is just my opinion

Vegeta

Last night I went up to a bit of land we use for zeroing rifles as that blasted friends .22/250 needed a scope change so he wanted me to fire it again for him. Its a shallow valley on a hill top about 300 yards wide and perfect for safe zeroing.

Anyway upon arriving we hear a Red stag giving it socks. It was very misty/raining where we were so we couldn't see beyond 200 yards (so zeroing was cancelled, put the rifle back in the jeep) and had no clue how far away he was.

I wanted to see if I could get a reaction so I tried my best to recreate the call by just roaring through cupped hands. It worked surprisingly well. He came in a good bit but never committed to us. I kept on calling back and forth for about an hour. It was amazing, real heart pounding stuff.

Eventually the wind blew the mist off the hill top and we got to see him with the binoculars. He was a lot further away than I would have guessed. Wind was carrying his call to us though so maybe that is why.

So I think a call would be an excellent tool for locating a stag (determining if there is one in the area you are hunting) but last night we would have had to stalk up to his position because he never fully committed.

Grizzly 45

Dunno if it works here.But has anyone tried the two antler rattling trick??You get two antlers and rattle and bang them together like crazy,stop a few minutes and make noise with them again.They use it in the US for Mules and Whitetails. It recreates the sound of two stags having a go at each other in the rut,and supposedly gets "spectators and challengers" in to watch the fight.Anyone tried it?

Vegeta

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Dunno if it works here.But has anyone tried the two antler rattling trick??You get two antlers and rattle and bang them together like crazy,stop a few minutes and make noise with them again.They use it in the US for Mules and Whitetails. It recreates the sound of two stags having a go at each other in the rut,and supposedly gets "spectators and challengers" in to watch the fight.Anyone tried it?

Haven't tried it but it may be worth a go some day

Mellor

Vegeta wrote: »

So let me get this straight "non-mechanical orally or manually operated whistle" are fine.

ARe you sure?
The HCAP quote says it may be an offense?
Although my reading of the law above doesn't separate duck and deer.

DR6.5 wrote: »

Page 87 of the HCAP manual

Decoys and Lures : it is an offence to use an electrical or other instrument or appliance(including recording apparatus) emitting or imitating a call, to hunt wild deer except under license: section 35 (1) (d). It may also be an offense under this section to use any non-mechanical orally or manually operated whistle or other instrument or appliance eg. deer call, for purposes of hunting deer.

clivej wrote: »

Would non-mechanical orally mean sucking/blowing though ones hands then? Or making oral sounds with your mouth?
Both would be an offence to use then?

Blow through hands would be ok regardless
as it specificly says "operated whistle or other instrument".
So its has to be an object

Vegeta

Mellor wrote: »

ARe you sure?
The HCAP quote says it may be an offense?
Although my reading of the law above doesn't separate duck and deer.

Well when it says

It may also be an offense under this section to use any non-mechanical orally or manually operated whistle or other instrument or appliance eg. deer call, for purposes of hunting deer

I read that as mechanical orally and manually operated whistle/instrument/object = GOOD.

Non mechanical orally or manually operated whistle/instrument/object = BAD.

NoNameRanger

All deer calls are illegal, cupping your hands and imitating a Red stag however is not. But if you were to use anything else i.e. appliance, instrument, it would be an offense.

If you can whistle like and sika stag or belch like fallow buck unaided then in my opinion you are not in breach of the Wildlife act.

If your using anything other than your hands and mouth, or other body part:) then you are in breach of the act.

Vegeta

NoNameRanger wrote: »

If your using anything other than your hands and mouth, or other body part then you are in breach of the act.

Must get the chilli curried beans into me so for those extra deep notes.

Cheers NNR. Need to practice a bit more so.

meathstevie

Vegeta wrote: »

Must get the chilli curried beans into me so for those extra deep notes.

Cheers NNR. Need to practice a bit more so.

And limit yourself to one calling session a week to prevent long term damage to the squeeler.