Gopher 'call' substitute

[canucklehead]

Hey guys,

I've heard that those little squeeker gopher calls really do work. However, I just stopped by Wholesale in Calgary, and they are out of stock!

I'm wondering... exactly what sound do these make? Is it just a high pitched squeek?

If so, I'm thinking I can use my tuneable predator call, and just make the call sound as high as possible.

Also, does the call just make them stand up? Or does it actually draw them out of their holes?

I've had pretty sweet success without a call in the past year (figure, about 2000 kills), but I'm hoping to get a few more this year... any hints/tips would be appreciated as well! Thanks...

 

[prosper]

Is baiting the little fuggers legal, I wonder?

I know you can often get a few kills when they come up to nibble on their recently-deceased buddies

 

[canucklehead]

Well, were I hunt (shoot, I guess), there is really no need to bait. They are EVERYWHERE!!

I just want them to stand up a little nicer for me...

And I'm very familiar with the whole cannibalistic tendancies of gophers. Although, I find it's usually only very early in the season when they are looking for food frantically.

 

[aulrich]

The sound is the same sound they make just quieter (according to the documentation) the theory is it sounds like a nieghbor sees trouble and they poke up to see what it is. And yes it does work I am not sure how far away it's really useful in rimfire sort of range or a little less than an HMR can shoot. I have had them pop-up 10 feet away.

How we usually do it, is find a spot that has some sit yu but down and proceed to shoot the active ones. Once they are gone depending on the spot you should hear some warning chirps near by, start making the noise and some will just stand up to see, shoot those. The carfull ones will be a little different. Try to zone in on the sound of one chirping, look for heads or even just eyes looking at you. if your patient they will eventually pop-up but more often than not you'll have to squeeze off a head shot.


The call is not as useful when you are blazing away with a centerfire but it will pull some back up. As for stock Russells usually has them too, but it is bad news I lost mine last year, I knew I should have got one during the winter. But my shooting partner has one and they try to restock often so I am not worried