Make a turkey call / How To video

[Blount County Hunter]

Well it depends on how often you use the call, I usually reapply 2-3 times during the season

 

[LA man]

very interesting info guys, thanks. now i need to find me some bamboo

 

[spoon]

We use to make them out of the old 35mm film containers

 

[catman529]

Yep those would work great but not so readily available...I like my SD card a lot better

 

[Anonymous]

Snuff cans are the bomb, I really like my tube call, takes a lot more practice to get it rite (lot more than a diaphram) but but they sound sweet.

Kinda been think'n about make'n one outta a real snuff can just to see how they sound, it worked for the old timers.

 

[catman529]

more practice than a diaphragm call? How good would you say my calling was in the video, because it didn't take all too much practice...kee kees are the hardest. I have yet to try a diaphragm call

 

[AllOutdoors]

Did you use Bamboo or cane?

 

[Blount County Hunter]

more practice than a diaphragm call? How good would you say my calling was in the video, because it didn't take all too much practice...kee kees are the hardest. I have yet to try a diaphragm call

Your calling was above average, that's for sure, I picked up a diaphragm when I was 13 and started practicing, I was able to make noises with it right away, but it took a couple years to get the exact noise down, but I think its a mixture of getting the right pitch and sound, and then getting the rhythm of a hen down pat

 

[catman529]

Did you use Bamboo or cane?

Not much difference, you could use either, just gotta get the diameter about right, 1 to 1.5 inches wide is good.

more practice than a diaphragm call? How good would you say my calling was in the video, because it didn't take all too much practice...kee kees are the hardest. I have yet to try a diaphragm call

Your calling was above average, that's for sure, I picked up a diaphragm when I was 13 and started practicing, I was able to make noises with it right away, but it took a couple years to get the exact noise down, but I think its a mixture of getting the right pitch and sound, and then getting the rhythm of a hen down pat

Thanks I hope my calling works well in the spring...what I need practice with is using the right calls and amount of calling at the right time, and like you said the "rhythm" of a hen...so I guess watching youtube stuff and random things like that to get a better feel for how to call them in without spooking them. I know for sure the purr and cluck will keep them content at a very close range, as I've done it on a flock of hens before

 

[Blount County Hunter]

Did you use Bamboo or cane?

Not much difference, you could use either, just gotta get the diameter about right, 1 to 1.5 inches wide is good.

more practice than a diaphragm call? How good would you say my calling was in the video, because it didn't take all too much practice...kee kees are the hardest. I have yet to try a diaphragm call

Your calling was above average, that's for sure, I picked up a diaphragm when I was 13 and started practicing, I was able to make noises with it right away, but it took a couple years to get the exact noise down, but I think its a mixture of getting the right pitch and sound, and then getting the rhythm of a hen down pat

Thanks I hope my calling works well in the spring...what I need practice with is using the right calls and amount of calling at the right time, and like you said the "rhythm" of a hen...so I guess watching youtube stuff and random things like that to get a better feel for how to call them in without spooking them. I know for sure the purr and cluck will keep them content at a very close range, as I've done it on a flock of hens before

Calling to much is a major problem with new hunters, they get discouraged and think that a tom isn't heading their way just because they don't hear it gobbling back to him, I can't tell you how many toms I have called in and never heard a peep and 9 times out of 10 they came from directly behind me because they circled around, I carry my watch on me and call precisely every 30 minutes, because I stay in one spot, my calling sprees last no nore than 20-30 seconds when I do call, but sometimes its only a few soft yelps and some purrs if I think one is nearby, I usually put down the call right away if one answers back, no need to call anymore, he knows where you are at, almost to an exact degree, they can pinpoint sounds very well, and know exactly where you are at

 

[REN]

a tube call is a very good call to use and master (although like golf you never really MASTER any call) but if you can learn to gobble on it with a jake sound you will be amazed at what you can do with this call!

the yelps and cutts are fairly easy to learn as long as you get the read placement down but a gobble is a very difficult call to get right!

i have witnessed some amazing things using a tube call to emulate a jake bird and most often it is the only seal the deal call i need (minus the leaves part which i agree 100%)

 

[Blount County Hunter]

a tube call is a very good call to use and master (although like golf you never really MASTER any call) but if you can learn to gobble on it with a jake sound you will be amazed at what you can do with this call!

the yelps and cutts are fairly easy to learn as long as you get the read placement down but a gobble is a very difficult call to get right!

i have witnessed some amazing things using a tube call to emulate a jake bird and most often it is the only seal the deal call i need (minus the leaves part which i agree 100%)

I agree that the jake gobble can be effective if done right, this post is not anyone in particular, just some advice to novice turkey hunters, but I would recommend a lot of practice in the house before you put it to use in the field, all it takes is one strange noise to come out of that call and that gobbler you have been working for over an hour might just shut up and walk the opposite direction, I've had it happen to myself a few times when my slate call or striker got damp, and it made a loud squeak, that can ruin a hunt quick, and also calling in the house is a whole nother story when it comes to calling for an audience of turkey, some people even get nervous, I wouldn't start off trying anything to crazy in the woods for a person just starting out, it might educate the birds a lot more than they already are, stick to what you feel most comfortable doing, and you will have far greater success, 99% of my toms killed, I just yelped and purred, and threw in the occasional cluck

 

[REN]

just to add on, you have to think of all the scenarios you may have to use this or a mouth call like after you climb up a hill or are running to get ahead of the bird....something you dont think of while practicing in your car but man it is hard to do right when you are out of breath.

also with the other scenarios below just to name a few

1. with gloves on
2. calling loud and calling very soft. calling very soft can actually be very difficult for some people and certain reed calls.
3. trying to call from an awkward sitting position without moving your body
4. while laying down.

again just to name a few. IMO very few turkey kills happen by the book and something is always odd or different in the way it goes down. The more prepared you are to be able to call get started in any situation the better your chances will be.

if you can yelp or cluck you can kill a bird. if you can add other types of calls like a cut or gobble just adds to your arsenal. again IMO the key is not how your call sounds as much as when to call and what type of call to put out there as well as set up. I know plenty of people that are not the best sounding callers but KNOW how to hunt turkeys successfully.

 

[bvoss]

......again IMO the key is not how your call sounds as much as when to call and what type of call to put out there as well as set up. I know plenty of people that are not the best sounding callers but KNOW how to hunt turkeys successfully.

So true. I'd pick a guy who knows how to work birds over a guy who can call like a mad man any day. After all, there is so much more to killing birds than blowing on a mouth call. Things like terrain, when what call to make, set up, decoys, camo, ect.

 

[catman529]

I will hopefully get to go start setting up some natural blinds at Yanahli after the last deer segment closes, so by april 2 I will have a few spots to camp out in and call in some big ole gobbler. I will remember to call sparingly for sure and won't call much when he gets in range. Also want to pick up a cheap hen decoy to make the setup better....

Anyway I cant wait for April as many of you are probably also thinking. And I'll keep in mind the advice you all have given, thanks, it should help in the field.

 

[Blount County Hunter]

just to add on, you have to think of all the scenarios you may have to use this or a mouth call like after you climb up a hill or are running to get ahead of the bird....something you dont think of while practicing in your car but man it is hard to do right when you are out of breath.

also with the other scenarios below just to name a few

1. with gloves on
2. calling loud and calling very soft. calling very soft can actually be very difficult for some people and certain reed calls.
3. trying to call from an awkward sitting position without moving your body
4. while laying down.

again just to name a few. IMO very few turkey kills happen by the book and something is always odd or different in the way it goes down. The more prepared you are to be able to call get started in any situation the better your chances will be.

if you can yelp or cluck you can kill a bird. if you can add other types of calls like a cut or gobble just adds to your arsenal. again IMO the key is not how your call sounds as much as when to call and what type of call to put out there as well as set up. I know plenty of people that are not the best sounding callers but KNOW how to hunt turkeys successfully.

I totally agree with you, every turkey I have skilled, the scenario has always been different, all of mine have been killed within a 30 yd radius, and they STILL have been completely different, some came in alone, others came in pairs, while some came with hens and up to 5 gobblers, and even better sometimes whole flocks of up to 30-40 birds have came in to my calling in the spring, I usually prepare the best I can when i can judge where the gobbler is gonna come from but sometimes its just not possible if he isn't gobbling, they can be quiet and sneaky if they want to, I usually just adjust appropriately when the time comes, if a turkey come from a direction I don't expect him to, I don't move a muscle and just wait for him to make the wrong move of coming around me in front of my barrel, and if he doesn't, then i try not to spook him, and let him wander off in search of the hen, 9 times out of 10 on my property, he will come right back to the calling, and I will be in better position to kill him

 

[Blount County Hunter]

Its not always a good thing when more than one turkey comes in, it is a lot more challenging to move with more than one set of eyes on watching out for you

 

[catman529]

Yeah if one head pops up they all do...although a flock would be cool coming to my calls.

 

[Blount County Hunter]

Yeah if one head pops up they all do...although a flock would be cool coming to my calls.

Its happened to me twice, the first time, there were about 20-30 turkeys, they layered up, the first 10 yards stood all the hens, then about 20 yds stood a bunch of jakes, then about 40 to 50 yards out 5 toms stood about 5 yds apart in full strut, then about 60-70 yds out was the boss tom of the flock, he strutted all by himself in the back, I was really deep in the woods so it was a shock to me to see all of them coming to one hen, or what they thought was a hen lol, I never killed one that day, I was young and inexperienced and didn't know how to handle that kind of situation back then, but man it made for some memories and getting me more hooked then I already was

 

[REN]

1 more big thing to practice BEFORE the season i forgot to mention is PRACTICE CALLING WHILE SEATED WITH YOUR GUN ON YOUR KNEE. seems easy but it can be very challenging if you are not use to it. working a slate or box while trying to not let your gun fall is not as easy as it seems to be with slick style camo clothes on.