Best turkey call (non diaphragm0

Toshmo · February 16, 2001, 08:10 AM

Could never master a mouth call. Have gotten my share of turkeys with a box caller. Started looking at callers on the web and was ovewhelmed with the amount and variety.
What works for you??

bergie · February 16, 2001, 11:20 AM

Homemade wing bone call, if you've never seen one, it is made from the 3 wingbones cut off and joined end to end, you can either kind of blow into it or make "kissing" sounds that the call turns into clucks. Actually, if you have trouble with a diaphragm, this probably wouldn't work for you either as it is probably a little more limited in the sounds you can make on it. I really do use diaphragms the most, and call less than a lot of other guys. I figure the more you call, the more chance of screwing up. Just a few yelps and clucks will generally let you know if any toms are in the area, and let them know that a "hen" is. Movement is kept to a minimum with a mouth call, I sometimes keep a "spare" in my cheek, and can switch them to sound like two different birds without any obvious movement to alert a tom that might be "hung up" out of range.
bergie

Toshmo · February 16, 2001, 12:48 PM

Bergie, thanks for the reply. I read that the native Indians used the wingbone for calling. I guess I'll have to try the mouth call again and practice a lot. I also do not call a whole lot when I'm hunting and have gotten good results. Most of the time the gobblers come in silent. It pays to have good cammo and be still/patient. Good hunting!

Jack Straw · February 20, 2001, 09:52 AM

Mouth calls are my preferred turkey calling tools; they are versatile and don't require a lot of movement. Secondly, I like a good slate call. To me, slates make the best clucks, purrs, and soft yelps (other than actual turkeys

). My dad has a Black Magic (H.S. Strut I think) aluminum that came with a plastic striker and a carbon striker. The plastic striker is great for the quiet calls while the carbon striker makes loud, high-pitched yelps and cutting (a good locator call). So, a slate can be made versatile by changing strikers.

I made wing-bone calls from the first turkey I killed. I gave one to my dad and put the other on the plaque of the tail fan display -- that clean white bone looks good against the dark colors of the spurs, beard and tail feathers. I've tried making calls on it but I am too inconsistent to carry it in the woods; it is a hard call to master.

Jack

Toshmo · February 21, 2001, 08:19 AM

Jack Straw, thanks for the reply. I have never used a slate or aluminum type call. Do they perform well in the wet weather? I find my idiot proof box caller so easy to use but can be a pain in wet weather. I think I will give the slate a try and have some versitility in my calling. I am also going to follow my friends advice and practice using the mouth caller on my commute to and from work. That's how he "mastered" that call. Hopefully I will master the mouth call and be able to have all available to hunt with.

February 16, 2001, 08:10 AM	#1
Toshmo Member Join Date: December 15, 2000 Posts: 19	Could never master a mouth call. Have gotten my share of turkeys with a box caller. Started looking at callers on the web and was ovewhelmed with the amount and variety. What works for you??

February 16, 2001, 11:20 AM	#2
bergie Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 1999 Posts: 567	Homemade wing bone call, if you've never seen one, it is made from the 3 wingbones cut off and joined end to end, you can either kind of blow into it or make "kissing" sounds that the call turns into clucks. Actually, if you have trouble with a diaphragm, this probably wouldn't work for you either as it is probably a little more limited in the sounds you can make on it. I really do use diaphragms the most, and call less than a lot of other guys. I figure the more you call, the more chance of screwing up. Just a few yelps and clucks will generally let you know if any toms are in the area, and let them know that a "hen" is. Movement is kept to a minimum with a mouth call, I sometimes keep a "spare" in my cheek, and can switch them to sound like two different birds without any obvious movement to alert a tom that might be "hung up" out of range. bergie

February 16, 2001, 12:48 PM	#3
Toshmo Member Join Date: December 15, 2000 Posts: 19	Bergie, thanks for the reply. I read that the native Indians used the wingbone for calling. I guess I'll have to try the mouth call again and practice a lot. I also do not call a whole lot when I'm hunting and have gotten good results. Most of the time the gobblers come in silent. It pays to have good cammo and be still/patient. Good hunting!

February 20, 2001, 09:52 AM	#4
Jack Straw Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 1999 Location: Georgia Posts: 362	Mouth calls are my preferred turkey calling tools; they are versatile and don't require a lot of movement. Secondly, I like a good slate call. To me, slates make the best clucks, purrs, and soft yelps (other than actual turkeys ). My dad has a Black Magic (H.S. Strut I think) aluminum that came with a plastic striker and a carbon striker. The plastic striker is great for the quiet calls while the carbon striker makes loud, high-pitched yelps and cutting (a good locator call). So, a slate can be made versatile by changing strikers. I made wing-bone calls from the first turkey I killed. I gave one to my dad and put the other on the plaque of the tail fan display -- that clean white bone looks good against the dark colors of the spurs, beard and tail feathers. I've tried making calls on it but I am too inconsistent to carry it in the woods; it is a hard call to master. Jack

February 21, 2001, 08:19 AM	#5
Toshmo Member Join Date: December 15, 2000 Posts: 19	Jack Straw, thanks for the reply. I have never used a slate or aluminum type call. Do they perform well in the wet weather? I find my idiot proof box caller so easy to use but can be a pain in wet weather. I think I will give the slate a try and have some versitility in my calling. I am also going to follow my friends advice and practice using the mouth caller on my commute to and from work. That's how he "mastered" that call. Hopefully I will master the mouth call and be able to have all available to hunt with.