How to do kiyi's on a mouth call?

moonshine44

moonshine44

Well-known member
The following my come across as a dumb question, but I'm gonna give it a shot anyway:

I've called and killed quite a few dogs over the years using mouth calls, but I have yet to figure out how to do kiyi's. What's the secret? I know it's kind of hard to tell somebody how to blow a call via words, but does anybody have a link to a video clip of some sort that shows how to do it?

Thanks!

PS I've got a good diaphragm call and one of Bearman Rick's cowhorn howlers so I think I've got the goods, just not the expertise...
 
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I have the Primos KiYi and it works great. have stopped young dogs even after shooting at them. The old dogs, well, depends on time of year.
Like DAA says it can be imitated on some calls by calling near the end.
 
Let me start off by saying I'm no expert but this is what works for me. I can't get the sound I want off of lip pressure so I use very light tooth pressure out near the tip of the reed. Center your tooth in the middle of the reed and put light pressure on it. It doesn't take much air as you have the reed pinched off pretty tight. After you get a pitch you want try dragging the call outward while maintaining the same tooth pressure thus raising the pitch. From there just practice the speed in which you want to make your yelp, the duration, etc... You can also cut your air off quickly at the end for some good results.
You will put some wear on the reed using a tooth, and eventually will need to replace it, but Rick usually sends them with extra reeds. This may not work for you but it might be worth a try. Good Luck!
 
Originally Posted By: flintrock Let me start off by saying I'm no expert but this is what works for me.
I can't get the sound I want off of lip pressure so I use very light tooth pressure out near the tip of the reed.
Center your tooth in the middle of the reed and put light pressure on it.
It doesn't take much air as you have the reed pinched off pretty tight.
After you get a pitch you want try dragging the call outward while maintaining the same tooth pressure thus raising the pitch.
From there just practice the speed in which you want to make your yelp, the duration, etc...You can also cut your air off quickly at the end for some good results.
You will put some wear on the reed using a tooth, and eventually will need to replace it, but Rick usually sends them with extra reeds.
This may not work for you but it might be worth a try. Good Luck!




Took the words out of my mouth.
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Like flintrock said, some guys use tooth pressure, instead of lip pressure.
And, over the years, I have found that whether a person can get the sound they want by using lip pressure...sometimes...also depends on the individual call being used.

Personally , I tend to use lip pressure.
But, I have found...on some of the calls I myself have made...I prefer the "crispness" of the ki-yi, being made using tooth pressure.

Other than the difference in the type of pressure used, flintrock nailed the method of how I normally make the sound.
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There's a few ways to use the kiyi...not simply using tooth pressure on the end of the reed. End of the reed will give you more of a young dog hi pitch sound...the higher up the reed with tooth pressure you will find a deeper raspy sound. Adjust the band to the middle of the reed, the sound will change, manipulating it to a bark sound, lip pressure and the same methods will change the sounds also. Put the cap on and the distress sounds are made...takes a bit of practice, but it is a nice call. I use mine quite a bit. Regards, Drop
 
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If we are talking about adult kiyis...I like to do those on a howler of some kind, mainly because Im out west I guess. Some regular open reeds do ok, but a (mylar) howler with a wider air channel is what I like for what I consider "kiyis". It has to have a heavier reed as well for me. Loud obnoxious kiyis with that hurt, hoarse sound is what I like. The wider air channels let you bend that reed down into the air channel a bit better for that hoarse sound and quick pitch changes. I mainly use that sound to attempt to stop runners. Sometimes I use it along with other sounds for combo calling to create whatever scenerio Im trying to create.

Diaphragms are pretty easy as well. You can get that hoarse sound from those as well by controlling your air and call position.

By "hoarse" I do not mean "rasp". 2 different things.
Mark

Edit to say..on howlers like say, a Thompson I do use my teeth for that. Just sharper and louder, and faster. On something with a square air channel, like a Critr Call Magnum, I dont really.
 
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