What's your go-to call when you set up on a hot bird? The one you have the most confidence in I'm hitting the wingbone first and if he don't like that I'm hitting him with a cherry slate.
Go to call
- Thread starter timberjack86
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Gobble4me757
Well-Known Member
Houndstooth vixen diaphragm call…I can make every sound on it from feeding whines to gobbles. It's a killer. Though lately I hit em with a combo woodhaven box and it just cause it's a blast to hunt with a box call lol
For me it's my crystal mistress. I've got a special one. A couple of hunting buddies have bought one after hunting with mine and seeing it in action and theirs just don't perform the way mine does. That call has called in over 50 gobblers to the gun.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
I don't think it matters when you find that one out of 20 birds who are hot. Anything you throw at them, they crawl over it, and come working in...
The question is, what is your go to call to get a bird to work that isn't hot?... but to actually kill that bird that isn't hot is STILL not about the call... its understanding WHY he isn't hot and exploiting it. Is he not hot because of pressure? Is he not hot because he has been whooped by other birds? Is he not hot because he has real hens with him? Is he not hot because he is not comfortable going your direction because of terrain or obstructions? Is he not hot because he has the brain the size of a pea and doesn't want any nookie at this particular moment?
I guess what I'm saying is that we as turkey hunters focus WAY too much on the call, they type of call, the way it sounds, etc... while in my experience the call itself has zero factor in killing the bird or not. Don't get me wrong... different calls have strengths and weaknesses (box calls carry longer, enabling you to strike a bird farther away, but make the most annoyingly grating sounds... you could strike that same bird with any other call if you were closer... mouth calls or aluminum pot calls work great when it's pouring rain... etc)
Once you graduate from focusing on which call to use to understanding why a turkey is behaving (or misbehaving, usually) the way he is, your kills will go up 10 fold, even on the birds that aren't hot.
I've said this before on this forum... EVERY single bird has his own individual personality, and that personality will change throughout the season as his life experiences and pecking order changes throughout the season. Hell, his personality can even change in a few hours in the SAME DAY!
We all love hitting the turkey hunting jackpot... striking the hot lonely bird that closes from 300y to gun range in 5 minutes... those experiences make us feel like turkey hunting gods. I love those experiences as much or more than anyone. But I would argue those birds would have done the same thing regardless what call you used if you talk turkey with it. But sealing the deal on those other 19 out of 20 birds who don't come running (noone can do that...) is what truly makes you a master killer.
The question is, what is your go to call to get a bird to work that isn't hot?... but to actually kill that bird that isn't hot is STILL not about the call... its understanding WHY he isn't hot and exploiting it. Is he not hot because of pressure? Is he not hot because he has been whooped by other birds? Is he not hot because he has real hens with him? Is he not hot because he is not comfortable going your direction because of terrain or obstructions? Is he not hot because he has the brain the size of a pea and doesn't want any nookie at this particular moment?
I guess what I'm saying is that we as turkey hunters focus WAY too much on the call, they type of call, the way it sounds, etc... while in my experience the call itself has zero factor in killing the bird or not. Don't get me wrong... different calls have strengths and weaknesses (box calls carry longer, enabling you to strike a bird farther away, but make the most annoyingly grating sounds... you could strike that same bird with any other call if you were closer... mouth calls or aluminum pot calls work great when it's pouring rain... etc)
Once you graduate from focusing on which call to use to understanding why a turkey is behaving (or misbehaving, usually) the way he is, your kills will go up 10 fold, even on the birds that aren't hot.
I've said this before on this forum... EVERY single bird has his own individual personality, and that personality will change throughout the season as his life experiences and pecking order changes throughout the season. Hell, his personality can even change in a few hours in the SAME DAY!
We all love hitting the turkey hunting jackpot... striking the hot lonely bird that closes from 300y to gun range in 5 minutes... those experiences make us feel like turkey hunting gods. I love those experiences as much or more than anyone. But I would argue those birds would have done the same thing regardless what call you used if you talk turkey with it. But sealing the deal on those other 19 out of 20 birds who don't come running (noone can do that...) is what truly makes you a master killer.
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
Leaf scratching. THE audible go to "call" for me not made out of slate, ebony, aluminum, cherry, cedar, carbon, rosewood, or wingbone. Leaves.
Every wild turkey hen on the planet makes way more scratching sounds each day than she she runs her beak. A tom knows this.
Every wild turkey hen on the planet makes way more scratching sounds each day than she she runs her beak. A tom knows this.
Dawkins slate in walnut pot and Lonzo green slate in bullet wood pot have both been good to me
I agree with this….. most people call too much and don't listen enough. Mouths calls save a lot of turkeys lives as most can't use them effectively. Most times less is best but alot of guys think they are comp callers.
I keep a grocery bag in my vest and use it a lot in place of leaf scratching. It has sealed the deal for me several times with very little movement required.
You been listening to ol Randle…..I thought you preferred the fan.
Displaced_Vol
Well-Known Member
I agree with Mega's post too but for the purpose of the thread I'd say whatever is my current combo cut mouth call. 2 years ago it was the ninja hammer from wood haven & last year one from Houndstooth (forget the specific name or model).
If I have real good cover or feel I need to be more realistic or subtle it is the green slate pot I got from @String Music a couple years ago.
If I have real good cover or feel I need to be more realistic or subtle it is the green slate pot I got from @String Music a couple years ago.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
The funniest thing about leaf scratching... is that noone actually scratches the leaves the way a real wild turkey does. Not saying it doesn't work when you donit wrong.... but when you do it right, it can make a difference. It's not 'SCRATCH, SCRATCH, SCRATCH, SCRATCH', it's 'scratch, scratch....scratch, scratch...step, step'. The hens scratch once or twice with each leg, then take two steps back to see what they uncovered.... I guess I've spent WAY too much time with them :)
You thought wrong.
We've all seen the videos….
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
True. 100%.
Watch a hen feed sometime. She'll scratch scratch then step back, look, peck peck at a bug or a grub or a seed then move on. Repeat. I've even seen em slap a wing to flush a bug out and snap it up pronto before it hides under leaf litter again.
Two videos from a long time ago? I've seen a picture of you on FB with a dead turkey and a strutter decoy in the picture but whatever dude. I got nothing to prove, you can keep on trying to create drama on social media and me and my crew will keep on killin. No fan or decoys needed.
I'm quickly reminded why I don't post on here much anymore. Y'all fellas have a good season
Boy it didn't take long to get your panties in a wad….. chill out dude, I was just messing with you.
Bye!!!I'm quickly reminded why I don't post on here much anymore. Y'all fellas have a good season
I suck at remembering the names but I like a slate call and when they get close switch to the mouth call. Like Mega said when he's hot it doesn't really matter. The worst sound I ever heard was a real hen. I was on public ground and would've sworn it was another hunter.
Southern Sportsman
Well-Known Member
Not knowing if there was history at play, I read your post as a joke. But joke or not, I am glad to see someone take offense to such a slanderous allegation.
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Actually its three swipes, its always right foot, left foot, than right again
David Halloran twisted sister, slate over glass. Been using it 9 years
The sound of a 50# bag of wal mart corn being opened and poured on the ground. Lol JUST KIDDING JUST KIDDING. I'm horrible at mouth calls cause 95% of the time I have a chew in so I either choke on my chew or sound like a cat stuck in a serpentine belt on a cold morning when starting your truck. Most of the time it's going to be a simple wingbone and a stick to kick the leaves and then sit still.
Rakkin6
Well-Known Member
So to strike up a bird I like my Long ox from TJ Johnson or Fulkerson Hen Box. I switch them up throughout the year. Just depends on which one I grab that day. But once I close the distance I will generally go to a pot call. Honestly it depends on which pot I am carrying also. I love slate but later in the season when it getsore humid I don't carry them has much.
My mouth call and just letting him know I'm there.
If it's a super hot bird on un pressured ground, and I'm confident the property around him hasn't been pressured, then I'm probably gonna have fun with him and see what I can get away with on calling.
If it's a super hot bird on un pressured ground, and I'm confident the property around him hasn't been pressured, then I'm probably gonna have fun with him and see what I can get away with on calling.
Plateau Hunter
Well-Known Member
@fulldraw
Well-Known Member
A couple light yelps. Don't get too aggressive like ole Roost. They'll run away more times than not.
Yeah I guess I got too aggressive. Jakes usually like it tho…..A couple light yelps. Don't get too aggressive like ole Roost. They'll run away more times than not.
woodsman04
Well-Known Member
Usually a homemade turned tube call
Made out of cedar. Sounds different from other calls and works and it's old school.
Also use mouths, pots, boxes, i don't give a crap plus leave scratching.
Just don't call too much. A couple of yelp series and a cluck or two is all it takes if your set up right and he ain't got hens with him.
Made out of cedar. Sounds different from other calls and works and it's old school.
Also use mouths, pots, boxes, i don't give a crap plus leave scratching.
Just don't call too much. A couple of yelp series and a cluck or two is all it takes if your set up right and he ain't got hens with him.
Why?
