Your perfered turkey call

[holden222]

So with turkeys everywhere and the season only a little over 2 months away I am getting anxious to actually turkey hunt this year. I have tried a few different calls with minimal success at best I am sure my technique sucks. I was curious what everyone uses for a call and why?

Also anyone watched any good instructional videos or read any good articles on calling? I could definitely use some help!

[stka]

I can't get the mouth calls down good, but will start trying again very soon. I have almost every type out there, my favorite is probably the ceramic. I like the slate, but have a hard time keeping it from getting damp. I also have a boat paddle for locating at long distances but it's huge. I have an instructional tape that was put on CD for me. I'll try to remember to upload it tonight and email it to you, it has live turkey calls and a guy reproducing them with pauses for you to try. I play it in the truck, when Heather isn't with me  .

[upstatehunter]

Favorite is a woods wise flip over, slate, aluminum. Keep a Mystic no chalk box call handy for long range and for damp mornings, as it's water proof. Also a H.S. Strut push button snapped on my barrel.
One of the most effective the last few years is the wing bone call I made. Have a couple more wings dried for some more. A little harder to work but very good calls.

[CAPTJJ]

I'm using a mouth call about 90-95% of the time, to me they sound more like a real hen. I have found the Quaker Boy Screamin Green "Nasty Old Hen" works the best for me; it fits my mouth well. I can cluck, purr, yelp and gobble with it. Every year I try some new mouth calls, but haven't found one the fits me as good as the QB. The best thing about a mouth call is having free hands.

I have been doing more locating with crow and owl calls lately with good results, too. I've blundered more than a few birds that were coming in to hen calls before I could get set up.

[stka]

I've got a bunch of mouth calls. I've tried trimming them and it helps but just can't get them right. I've even tried bending a couple old ones. Drives me nuts because my father is excellent with them, but it isn't something easily taught. You just need to spend the time and learn them through trial and error I guess. I might bust mine out tonight and put them back in the truck to work on. They are the best sounding and the lack of movement is huge.

[CAPTJJ]

Here's a couple links to turkey sounds:

http://www.soundboard.com/sb/Turkey_sounds.aspx

http://www.thejump.net/turkeyhunting/TurkeySounds.htm

[ramrod]

stka, is it spittin feathers? i wish the intro was 20 min long. i get goose bumps when i hear that 1st gobble.!!

i favor the primos split v diamond cut diaphragm. seems well rounded and able to produce good yelps sweet purrs ,cuts and just enough rasp as to keep the high pitch squeal down that some other mouth calls seem to have.

on the roost i use a natural slate w a softwood striker to keep it soft n sweet. once they hit the ground its a k+h sla-tek w hickory striker (I'm a suker for rasp) combo'd w the mouth call.

cadence and rhythm are far more important than perfect pitch and tone.

a good instructional cd like "knight and hales spittin feathers" is the best investment a beginner could make.   

[jman22]

Like CAPTJJ I also use a mouth call 90% of the time. Primos A-Frame calls are all I use. I have found they fit my mouth very well. I also bring the box call out to really carry the sound far when trying to locate some birds. If I'm calling for friends, a combo diaphragm call with a slate call can be deadly. As a beginner I think one very important thing for you to remember is not to get carried away will lots of calling. Its a common mistake to want to call to much when things are slow (and also when birds are going crazy!).  Birds around here (especially the older birds) have heard it all and can become tight lipped shortly after leaving the roost.  Focus more effort on scouting and learning where the birds move to throughout the morning. If you can get close to them, a little calling can be all it takes to make them come into gun range. At most importantly, just keep practicing.

[Raquettedacker]

Dont forget to sign up for the turkey contest jman.....

[jman22]

Dont forget to sign up for the turkey contest jman.....

Just signed up. THanks

[Raquettedacker]

I spoke to soon...

[BigRedDodge1500]

I use a couple different.  I use one custom made cocobolo with slate that was made by danny pusey from cypress swamp game calls he turns each one individually himself.  Also i have Tuscaloosa mountain custom glass and slate combo with a hickory striker.  When the birds get in close i use a primos deadly double to keep the bird talking and my hands free.  Prefer the control of the slate to anything else more diverse then anything else.

[buckblaster]

My favorite call is the little deuce I believe by H.N strut. Its a slate call that has worked well for me.Definetly a go to for me, but I almost always start off the morning with a slate. When the birds are very henned up though can't go wrong with a mouth call to try and lure in the boss hen, which hopefully will bring the gobbler in tow. My brother has pulled in henned up gobblers several times to us.

[ramrod]

the lil deuce is a hs strut slate. its my go 2 slate as well. super sweet n soft! they should rename it  "the lil upstate" 

[upstatehunter]

I used to have a little RR call....but it got lost in the lint in my pocket all the time....What a pain...