Veteran turkey caller and accomplished hunter Mike Hanback gives us some helpful tips for turkey calling.
Because the mouth call is unaffected by moisture—in fact, saliva on the reeds amplifies its sound—it is the best option for gobblers on rainy days.
Mouth calls have been around for 150 years. Contemporary calls are sleek and sophisticated, featuring an aluminum frame that holds a crimped latex or prophylactic reed. Early diaphragms were large and unrefined.
There are many mouth calls on the market. Some have one or two rubber reeds; others three or four.
Mastering the art of turkey calling can greatly increase your chances of bagging the big bird this season. Gobble, gobble! Whether you’re an experienced hunter or a curious novice, this in-depth guide will provide you with the skills and information you need to master turkey calling.
Understanding Turkey Vocalizations:
Before diving into specific calls, let’s understand the language of turkeys. These magnificent birds communicate through a variety of vocalizations, each with its unique meaning and purpose.
- Gobble: The iconic “gobble” is a deep, resonating call made by male turkeys, primarily to attract females and establish dominance.
- Yelp: A high-pitched, excited call used by both hens and jakes (young male turkeys) to communicate with other turkeys or locate lost members of the flock.
- Cluck: A soft, rhythmic series of clucks indicates contentment and is often used by hens to keep poults (young turkeys) close.
- Purr: A low, guttural sound made by hens to attract gobblers or signal their readiness to mate.
- Kee-kee: A high-pitched alarm call used by hens to warn other turkeys of danger.
Essential Turkey Calls:
Now that you’re familiar with turkey vocalizations, let’s explore the essential calls you need to master:
- Basic Gobble: Start by practicing the basic gobble, mimicking the deep, resonating sound of a mature tom. Use a diaphragm call or a mouth call for this call.
- Excited Yelp: This high-pitched yelp simulates the sound of a hen excited by the presence of a gobbler. Use a box call or a mouth call for this call.
- Lost Yelp: A series of high-pitched yelps indicates a lost or distressed hen, attracting curious gobblers. Use a mouth call or a slate call for this call.
- Cluck and Purr: Combine clucking and purring sounds to imitate a contented hen, enticing gobblers to approach. Use a mouth call or a box call for this call.
Advanced Turkey Calling Techniques:
Once you’ve mastered the basic calls, you can elevate your turkey calling game with advanced techniques:
- Cutting: Add short, sharp yelps to your gobble to simulate the sound of a gobbler fighting with another gobbler.
- Double Gobble: Mimic the sound of two gobblers interacting with each other, attracting competitive gobblers.
- Fly-down Cackle: Imitate the excited cackling of hens as they fly down from their roost, attracting gobblers looking for mating opportunities.
Choosing the Right Turkey Call:
Depending on your hunting style, personal preferences, and the terrain you’re hunting in, you can choose any kind of turkey call.
- Mouth Calls: Compact and versatile, mouth calls are ideal for beginners and experienced hunters alike. They produce realistic turkey sounds and allow for hands-free calling.
- Diaphragm Calls: These calls require more practice but produce the loudest and most realistic gobbles. They are popular among experienced turkey hunters.
- Box Calls: Box calls are known for their loud yelps and clucks, making them effective in open areas.
- Slate Calls: Slate calls produce soft, realistic yelps and purrs, ideal for close-range calling.
Tips for Effective Turkey Calling:
- Practice Regularly: Like any skill, mastering turkey calling requires consistent practice. Dedicate time to practicing different calls and scenarios.
- Vary Your Calls: Don’t rely on one call exclusively. Mix up your calls to keep turkeys interested and engaged.
- Listen to the Turkeys: Pay attention to the turkeys’ responses to your calls. Adjust your calling accordingly to match their mood and behavior.
- Be Patient: Turkeys can be unpredictable. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. Stay patient and keep calling.
- Use Decoys: Decoys can help attract turkeys to your calling location. Set up realistic-looking decoys to create a convincing scene.
Mastering turkey calling is a rewarding journey that can significantly enhance your turkey hunting success. By understanding turkey vocalizations, practicing different calls, and using the right techniques, you’ll be well on your way to bagging that big gobbler. Remember, patience, persistence, and a passion for the sport are key ingredients for turkey calling mastery. So, grab your calls, head to the woods, and let the gobbling begin!
How to Mouth Call
Place a diaphragm in your mouth with open reeds facing forward. Tongue the call up to the roof.
It shouldn’t sit too far forward or too far back in your mouth. Your tongue should touch the reeds and extend a half-inch or so to the front of the call.
If a mouth call feels too wide and bulky, trim the tape skirt a little. Additionally, you can bend the aluminum frame downward slightly to enhance the call’s fit and air seal.
The diaphragm can be used in two main ways: first, instead of blowing air across the reeds, bring the air up and “huff” from deep within the diaphragm.
And work your jaw up and down when you call, just like when you talk.
Now, to mock the hen vocalizations:
- Cluck by saying “puck” or “putt” while forcing air through the reeds. Clucking is not so much about lowering your jaw as it is about popping or smacking your lips.
- To sound as sharp and sudden as a springtime hen, combine a series of quick, sharp clucks. Cutts have a staccato effect due to their rising and falling notes. Change the amount of air you force through the call’s reeds as you pop your lips.
- Play a high note and a low note at the same time to mimic the hen’s two-note yelp, which is the most common call in the spring or fall. Say “chalk” while moving your jaw up and down. Practice a lot to achieve the ideal cadence and speed for your yelps.
- In order to produce a loud noise that resembles a hen jumping out of the nest, blend several quick, energetic yelps together. As you swiftly move air over the reeds of a call, say “kit, kit, kit, kit, kat, kat, kow, kow, kow.”
- Whistle like a young fall turkey or say “pee, pee, pee” to Kee-kee. Press firmly to the roof of your mouth to create a good air seal. Press your lips together firmly and release the whistles. Enter the “kee-kee run,” as the young gobblers call it, and instead of saying “pee, pee, pee,” support your yelps with “chalk, chalk.” ” .
- Flutter the back of your throat, pin a call to the roof of your mouth, and purr like a contented hen to release air from your chest. Sounds hard? It is, and some hunters have a very hard time purring when making a mouth call. Keep practicing until you get it. Or purr on a slate call.
Pot-and-peg calls have been around since the 1880s, and they are popular today. Early calls were crafted of wood or even turtle shells, with crude slate surfaces in the middle.
Modern calls have come a long way. These days, it is possible to use a meticulously machined cup made of wood, plastic, or graphite with a copper, aluminum, slate, or ceramic surface glued inside.
To talk turkey, strike a surface with a hickory, ash, rosewood, acrylic or carbon peg. This call is easy to use and sounds great.
How to Slate Call
If you’re right-handed, hold a pot lightly in your left hand and up on your fingertips. Grasp a peg as if you were writing with a pencil.
Hold the call out in front of your body to keep from muting the sounds.
Hold a striker at a 45-degree angle to a call’s surface, and then run it lightly. Tweak the way you hold a peg to make the various calls.
Work a peg in the middle of a call’s surface to make deep clucks and yelps. Move the striker out to the edge for more trilling notes.
To create friction and make a call sound true, frequently apply sandpaper or an abrasive pad to the call’s surface. Don’t forget to roughen the tip of a wooden striker from time to time.
Now, to make the key calls
- You can make a pot cluck by angling the peg slightly inward and using a quick stroke. Instead of picking the peg up off the glass or slate, let it skip across it. Put a little pressure on the peg to produce a gentle clucking noise. Bear down harder for louder clucks.
- To cutt, serve up a series of fast, broken clucks. Once more, avoid picking up the peg by bearing down fairly firmly on it and skipping it over the call surface for roughly five seconds. There is no rhythm or cadence to cutting.
- Move a peg across a surface in oval or straight patterns to yell. Make small ovals or short lines for soft yelps. Apply a little more pressure to the peg and expand the ovals or lines to get louder yelps.
- To cackle, string together some fast, raspy yelps. Close with a few reassuring clucks, the way a hen does when she flies down and lands.
- To make a peg purr, give it just enough force to make it lightly skip over the surface of a call. Run little straight lines or make half-circles. When a tom is within bow range of the last few yards, there’s not much better than purring on a slate call.
An Arkansan named Gibson patented the first box call back in 1897. The big call has withstood the test of time and is still popular today.
Most long, rectangular boxes are crafted of wood—maple, cherry, walnut or poplar—and have free-swinging wooden handles or “lids.”
The box is a snap to use. Pick one up, fiddle with it for a few minutes and you’ll be talking good turkey.
How to use a TURKEY Mouth call – THE BASICS –
FAQ
What words to say when using a turkey mouth call?
How often should you use your turkey call?
What turkey call to use for beginners?