It was a hoot.....

[MrTom]

Tonight, I was back on the stand on the new property and brought a toy with me after hearing a Great Horned Owl hoot yesterday morning. My daughter, wayyyyyy back in jr. high, made an owl hooter for me and I slipped it in my field backpack last night. I got on stand about 2:45 and within a half hour heard the owl again. I dug that hooter out and answered as best I could. This went back and forth for maybe ten minutes and then the big bird went quiet. Then about 4 I heard that hoot again and it was close. I put the binocs up and what should IU find but a huge Great Horned owl about forty yards away in a large oak. I watched as he [it] hooted a half dozen times but with no one answering him he decided to head to better digs. What a treat to see that big bird that close for so long.

As for deer, they were there but off on a hillside a couple hundred yards away, behind a stretch of absolute jungle. I catch glimpes of them as they shuffled around behind the screen of brush, probably feeding. At 4:35 five deer left due north from behind the wall and headed downhill towards the property owner's house. When I left all five were in a cut bean field across the road from his house. Of course, they were about 15 yards off the road. They all looked smaller than what I am hunting for, so they just got a wave and a blessing to grow until next fall.

 

[deermanok]

That's a cool story. Gotta love owls, they're such majestic birds.
I've had encounters with them during spring turkey seasons.

 

[03mossy]

Very cool! I had no idea they responded to calls. I call hear one behind my house every night. Wonder wear a guy could find one of those calls with out googling the word hooters

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Ive had one closeup with an owl. He was so silent, like a freaking ghost. It kind a freaked me out for an hour or so.

 

[Whokalouie]

Put out a skunk decoy! Horned owls are the #1 killer of skunks.