Pigeon Callers Explained

A pigeon caller is a device that imitates the sound of a pigeon. They can be used for

  • Calling pigeons back to their loft
  • Hunting

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Acme 500 Pigeon and Dove CallerNorCWuLT Bird Caller  Acme PP160 Pigeon and Dove Whistle  
View on Amazon  View on AmazonView on Amazon  
Size: 13.97 by 12.7 by 12.7 cms
Model number: 500
Material: Plastic
Colour: Black
Weight: 70 grams
Ring for a lanyard

Comes with 200 bird calls
Built-in microphone
160db loudspeakers
Built-in timer
Waterproof
3 hotkeys for the most used calls
Can be used with a USB Flash Drive or TF Card
Size: 23 by 6.4 by 3.6 cms
Model: PP160
Material: Plastic
Colour: Black
Weight: 20 grams

What Can Pigeon Callers Be Used For?

Originally, pigeon callers were similar to a very short flute and carved out of wood.

Modern callers are made out of plastic.

There are also electronic callers.

pigeon caller

Blowing through it replicates the call of a pigeon.

It is a way of calling pigeons to wherever you are.

Pigeon callers are basically a whistle designed to produce the cry of a pigeon or dove, they are quite different from the traditional Chinese pigeon whistle.

These can be used for recalling a flock or individual pigeons back to your loft or they can be used as a lure for pigeon hunting

Calling Your Pigeons Home

Some people say you can learn to imitate the sounds a pigeon makes by blowing into your hands.

It takes a while to master the technique so it is much easier to buy a pigeon caller that can make it so much easier.

pigeon being recalled

Another method is to shake a can or other container with some of their feed right before feeding time.

The pigeons will eventually associate the noise with being fed and respond.

Again, a pigeon caller is much easier. If you use the caller at feed time, the relationship between the call and food will be imprinted more quickly.

How to Use Your Pigeon Caller for Hunting

When hunting pigeons, you can use a caller whether or not you are sitting in a hide or are mobile.

When hunting from a hide, pigeon callers are more effective when you use them with decoys such as pigeon magnets.

When hunting on foot, it is best to use the caller and then stop motionless for a while, finding some cover to hide in.

While some pigeons will be attracted by the calls, others will only respond with their own calls, but this gives you a direction in which to move.

This start/stop progression is particularly effective in landscapes where it is difficult to see your prey.

How Effective Are Pigeon Callers?

Many avid hunters swear by this method of hunting.

They are very good for mobile hunting.

Instead of being static and using decoys to attract the pigeons to your hide, you can go to them.

The callers are particularly good for woodland hunting where the forest canopy may camouflage the birds.

pigeon hunting

The calls not only attract the birds to your spot but will also respond to the calls.

In this manner, the pigeons give away their location, which makes them easier to find.

To be most effective, the caller should be used in amongst or close to trees if possible.

Pigeons generally only call from a roost.

Some claim that hunting with a pigeon caller can improve the haul sufficiently enough to be classed as pest control.

That may be so, but to make a significant dent in a pigeon population, it needs a large group of hunters and pigeons that respond to the callers.

Like all mechanical interventions in the natural world, using pigeon callers effectively for either getting them to return to their loft or for hunting takes practice and trial and error.

Denise Bereford

Denise Bereford is a full-time writer and researcher with a long-standing passion for pigeons.

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