Pitch me a turkey call

[Wild Bill]

Going to pick up a new pot call before spring. Don’t know what exactly I want yet. Thinking about getting a new box call as well.
What’s your go to for either?
Prefer to buy from a call maker rather than a mass produced call.

 

[Rack Daniels]

I had to post these because it’s about calling turkeys and they make me smile. Hopefully it makes you smile too

Unfortunately no names I can drop but I will say the glass top pot calls have gotten me the best sounds especially with a nice striker. I’ve still never even tried a box call yet…

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[Rack Daniels]

I hope the iCloud link works. That video is effin gold

 

[kansasdad]

Primos Ol’ Betsy slate call is always in my pack. Killed a ton of birds using it, including my first one. Cheapest slate they make, and probably the cheapest of any pot call. Sometimes I will buy a spare or two, not for the call, but for the striker.

I’m sure it’s all in my head, but that striker that comes in the package is what is really doing the magic. (Sorta like a favorite spinner…..does it matter to the trout? Likely not but I makes a difference in my head, so I cast it out like I mean business!)

 

[BHKC20]

David Halloran Turkey Calls

 

[DRS]

You might look at Dead End game calls. The owner, Mitchell Johnson is a straight up honest guy. I have a couple of their pot calls and they are good calls.

 

[CowboyLeroy]

Lynch. Everything they make is divine.

 

[jason66]

You can't go wrong with a box call, learn to use it with one hand as the bird gets closer

 

[Wally Dog]

Roberts Brothers in Oakwood, GA for your glass over slate call!

 

[mdcrossbow]

I've been making basicly one type of call for 10 years. Pot call spalted maple , slate over slate or crystal with African Blackwood strikers tuned for the call.
If your interested.

 

[Wild Bill]

I've been making basicly one type of call for 10 years. Pot call spalted maple , slate over slate or crystal with African Blackwood strikers tuned for the call.
If you’re interested.

Looks nice.
What’s the going rate on one of them?
Feel free to PM if you don’t want to post. But also, if you want to post or throw any other of your stuff out feel free. Maybe somebody might look at this someday and be interested.

 

[LuketheDog]

Going to pick up a new pot call before spring. Don’t know what exactly I want yet. Thinking about getting a new box call as well.
What’s your go to for either?
Prefer to buy from a call maker rather than a mass produced call.

@slatebuilder runs a woodshop class and has the students build them. I picked one up a few seasons ago for a song and it works great, not sure if he's still around here...

 

[LopeHunter]

Life is too short to use a mass-produced, soul-less slate pot call or box call. Sure, a mass-produced call will work just as well most likely but a beautiful, custom call is like a shotgun with a beryl walnut stock. Is the prettiest girl at prom. And she is in the woods with you. Some of my box calls make rich sounds like those old timey violins which people pay for a separate airline seat on flights. Maybe is in my mind and maybe a gobbler does not care about the call. Sure is a lot of enjoyment to play while the morning woods are coming alive in the spring.

I grew up spring turkey hunting in woodlands of the Midwest. Winds were not big and distances were not far. Our box calls were small. Often, we could roost a gobbler in the spring at sunset then be there before sunrise to wait for the turkeys to fly down. Sometimes they fly down away from you so roosting a gobbler is not a guarantee. I use slate pot calls, box calls and mouth reeds. I like double reeds for mouth calls and the small dome style work great for me once I slightly trim the border down a bit for a comfortable fit.

If you have never have used a mouth call then might struggle to get a sound from the call. To get the first sound blow a short burst of "putt" from deep in your belly zone and that should get a sound going. Then practice. A mouth reed call is not a requirement in spring but a very soft sound while hands are holding the shotgun as the gobbler is zig-zagging in is less likely to blow your cover. I have a month call in my vehicle and practice when am in motion. I no longer practice with pot call and box calls as is something I can do in my sleep probably.

Moved out West to hunt canyon country and needed a "louder" call so got a longer box call and a glass call. The glass call sends out a different vibration sound wave which can be heard further than slate, supposedly.

I often use a blind if do not need to run and gun. If running and gunning then use a screen to sit behind so my hands are shielded as work the glass/slate and box calls plus I add in mouth calling so sounds like three different hens within a 10 second window. Then stop. Might wait 15 minutes to call again if are hunting on public where the turkeys get hammered. Not unusual for a gobbler to come in silent. Use a head net if not in a blind. Get a comfortable turkey vest with a built in seat cushion.

Use a rubber band and a bit of cloth as put away a box call when in the woods or will start rubbing together making sounds with each step. Use chalk on the top edge of the box call where the lid rubs as will get a more vibrant hen sound.

Slate and glass need a good rub with sand paper. I like to do a scratch pattern all in one direction then do a small landing strip near the rim which is perpendicular. I find that transition between the two directions of scratches makes a richer sound but I can avoid the small bit of perpendicular if stay closer to the center of the slate.

I usually put out a couple of collapsable hen decoys and a Jake gobbler that is right behind or slightly onto one of the hens as that sometimes makes a gobbler careless as are times the incoming goggler wants to spur the Jake right away. I have never bothered to lug around stuffed turkey or used a real turkey fan on a rubber decoy but hear good things if turkeys are pressured on public lands.

In autumn, I use a wing bone call with a bit of success on gobblers but mostly rely on autumn turkeys following a pattern so I set up a blind then wait to ambush. Mouth calls also are of use in the autumn with a few different sounds such as "kee kee run" mouth sound which is mostly for hens and spring-hatch turkeys which hatched out earlier that spring. The males in those flocks might have aa 2" beard or so but the adult hens will be obviously larger in height and body size. If get busted and a flock of hens scatters then make the "kee kee run" using the mouth call which is money as the hens and spring-hatch turkeys will want to reassemble into a flock.

Check you local regs but often are allowed to remove your shotgun's "plug" to load more than 3 shells. I have never had to shoot twice but I like to get turkeys in close.

Last tip, if are running and gunning to get close to a gobbler in the spring then take a second to look around where you were sitting so do not leave a call behind. Every turkey hunter I know has back-tracked more than once to try and find a stranded lucky call.

Spring turkey hunting is my favorite. I have shot about every big game critter in North America and a few in Africa plus a lot of other birds. I recently retired and am thinking about a 2026 Roadtrip to hunt in 6 or so states. Non-resident turkey tags tend to be inexpensive and over the counter. A turkey is a heck of a lot easier to pack out on this old man's back than a bull elk, too!

These are not calls I actually own but are similar to ones I use. Mine are stained with oil from my hands from hours of use. They have souls. They make me smile as I unpack each call from their drawstring cloth bags each spring and give them a couple of minutes of calling.

 

[mdcrossbow]

Looks nice.
What’s the going rate on one of them?
Feel free to PM if you don’t want to post. But also, if you want to post or throw any other of your stuff out feel free. Maybe somebody might look at this someday and be interested.

Thanks Bill I'll send you the info. I don't mass produce. Making calls is like working on a painting. A art form which done right will make me happy when I am done.
For anyone interested, I found a mastodon Ivory tipped striker very good addition to my bag. I also will turn a African Blackwood call by order. The wood is expensive.

 

[BrentD]

Going to pick up a new pot call before spring. Don’t know what exactly I want yet. Thinking about getting a new box call as well.
What’s your go to for either?
Prefer to buy from a call maker rather than a mass produced call.

I make my own box calls - turkeys always taste better when called in on your own call. Really!

I do recommend a diaphragm for when they hang up close in and you need your hands on your gun, not your call