My wife asked me an interesting question the other day. She wanted to know if she would need a hunting license to call turkey. The first thing that went through my mind was all the things that I have had come to my calls, that were not turkey, and how happy I was to have a shotgun laying across my lap. Naturally she would not be armed, except maybe with her camera. So, is it legal to call game if you are not armed, and maybe they are out of season too?

Great question!

I would check into HARASSMENT laws on calling any Big or Small game.

Call in a coyote and taking it’s picture is a lot less harassment than blowing it away when it thinks it is coming for an easy meal and finds the hunter there instead But that is what is exactly what got me wondering.

Jon,
I can't answer the question as it specifically applies to your state, but as a general rule a license is required to "take or attempt to take" wildlife.
I'd really be surprised if a license is needed for her to call and photograph wildlife, but I'd call some of the local folks and ask to be sure.

The only problem I see being unarmed, you never know what may come to the call looking for a meal depending upon the area you are calling.

In SD at least it is not illegal. I asked recently because my daughter wants to go and photograph wildlife, and the GFP officer's answer was that there is no law requiring that you shoot anything that comes to a call, it's just illegal to shoot things without a license. He also asked if she got some good pics, if they could get copies for the office walls, and suggested that she ALWAYS wear hunter orange just so she doesn't get mistaken herself and bring some sort of backup like pepper spray in case she gets an unintended hungry visitor.

Its illegal in Yellowstone park.

Thank you folks.

I was just in Jelly Stone about 3 weeks ago. Saw a coyote so I stopped and grabbed my howler and started howling at the yote. Got no response other than a look back as it trotted away. Not long after that I was reading some stuff the ranger gave us when we entered the park, there it was in black print No calling wild life.

I have had coyotes come to turkey calls many times. also calling turkeys tends to educate them.

I was checking out a squirrel call in Wildsports in Sacramento, I kid you not, next thing I know a redheaded woman comes back and asks me what that is I'm using, trying to keep a straight face I told her it was a squirrel call, before I could tell her it apparently works she told me I better not be getting ready to tell her it looks like it works. The clerk quickly walked away because he wasn't going to be able to maintain.

Jon, I used to run into a similar problem when out during the various big game seasons in MO..,,For instance calling for Coyotes during Black Powder Deer season and I'm armed with a center fire and no Deer Tag,,,

I always found that if I contacted the local Conservation Agents and let them know roughly where I was going to be and all relevant info, they never gave me any problem other than to caution me to be really careful, especially during Turkey season....

Now calling without any license may be a serious problem...and like indicated, you never know what may respond...

Generally if you don't have a weapon on you then you can get away with things like that... check your state rules carefully because there is always some weird rule hidden that no one but the angry game warden knows about.

Personally I would not call any game that has potential to be dangerous without a weapon with me. Bears around here are normally afraid of people but cubs tend to be more curious and I wouldn't want to make mom mad. Nothing else dangerous around here.

Just asked a warden that ? the other day. Told him that this would be the first year in the last 40 years that I wouldn't be buying a small game Lic. But that I have friends who like me to go calling coyotes and Turkeys with them, I do the calling. He said as long as I didn't carry a firearm I could call with out having a Lic. This is in WI. But I would check with your local warden possible to get a different answer from different wardens, had a warden threaten me with a fine for not having a trout stamp on a creek that wasn't considered a trout stream but had a few trout in it early in the year when the water was cool ( trout moved back up into trout stream when water warmed up)asked another warden if he was correct, he said if the stream is not listed in trout regs. as a trout stream no stamp need!

Guys, a few years ago here in KY a license was required of anybody who was calling for a licensed turkey hunter, even though the caller did not have a weapon and was not hunting.
I think somebody had a blinding flash of consciousness and realized that the law was preventing a lot of new hunters from being introduced to the sport by folks that had already filled their tags and were wanting to take other hunters out who had not yet learned to call, so the law was changed.