Instructions
Choose a type of reindeer call to mimic. Female reindeer are most often called by two types of other reindeer: males -- during courtship and mating season -- and babies, after they have given birth. Scientific studies have shown that females are more attracted to lower, louder male reindeer calls than those indicating a smaller male. Larger males are favored by female reindeer because of their stronger reproductive ability, increased odds of healthy, large offspring and the protection mating with a large male affords.
Studies have also shown that female reindeer cannot distinguish the cry of their own fawn from that of one that is not its own offspring. This makes your task easier as you attempt to mimic their cries.
Study reindeer calls. This will be difficult for you if you don't live somewhere where you frequently see reindeer. Visit your local zoo and spend some time near the reindeer or caribou, listening to their calls. You may also try an Internet search for sound clips of reindeer calls, although these are not readily available. The San Diego Zoo online has an interesting sound clip of a reindeer calf, which sounds like a cross between a duck call and a man laughing very slowly. Male reindeer -- called bulls -- emit a hoarse rattling noise through an inflated air sack which expands their necks and throats when they are mating or warning off enemies and rivals. This noise is called a "rutting call."
Practice, practice, practice mimicking the reindeer calls you have studied. Unfortunately there are no pre-made animal calls -- like those available for game like ducks or turkeys -- which you can purchase to assist you in reproducing a reindeer call. Regular practice is your best bet for mimicking this unusual noise.
Camouflage yourself, in winter or terrain camouflage based on the season and emit your reindeer call. You may need to do this many times before it is effective in luring the female reindeer, as you learn how to tailor your call to be most effective.
How to Call a Female Reindeer
Animals use sound to communicate with one another for a wide variety of reasons: mating and courtship, to give off warning signals, and to mark their territory, among others. For animals, who can't use words, sounds are used to give information to their own and other species. You may wish to call a female reindeer for a variety of reasons: to hunt it, to capture it, or simply to draw it out to observe it in its natural territory. Whatever the reason, careful study is necessary because reindeer noises can be difficult to recreate.