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I want to start key hunting this year. I need recommendations on turkey calls.


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Spend a few bucks on a custom call or two. I prefer pot calls aka "slate" type calls. Oak Ridge Custom Calls makes a great pot call. His Mad Hen 1 is really nice and easy to run crystal call. David Halloran also make a nice pot call, his Crystal Mistress is a popular one.

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I collect calls but for hunting my go to calls are made by Paul Meek of Paul Meek Outdoors. He makes a scratch box that is awesome and you would think I was lying if I told you how many Toms I have taken with it. He does make quite a few custom calls and his hunting calls will fit any situation.

Last edited by coyote268; 01/20/16.
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Take the time to learn how to use a diaphragm mouth call. They're not that hard to learn, you just need to put in time practicing. The real benefit of using one is that it leaves both hands free to handle the gun. Allows you to make some soft calls when a gobbler is close without them seeing any movement.

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Best thing for a new turkey hunter is to find an good veteran turkey hunter to take you hunting a few times. Learn from him on movement, setups, and calls. Knowing when to call ,how much to call, and when not to call may be more important than being able to make the perfect hen call. If possible stay uphill of Tom.
Box call, slate call, mouth diaphragm to get started is all you might need. --- Web


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When I started, I used pot calls until I could really run mouthcalls.

Now I carry a couple custom pot calls, one a Cherrywood slate, and a maple glass call
I also have an aluminum pot call

I carry a bunch of strykers, but use a tulip and a polymer ones the most.

I also have a custom box call that I have tubed to make very, very soft tree clucks, and that is all I use it for.

I also have a "wallet" full of mouth calls, stretched different ways with different reed counts

A good wood owl hooter, and a crow call are also necessities

Pm me if your interested in some very, very good custom calls at a decent price


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Go to the call makers section at the OldGobbler turkey hunting site. Custom turkey calls are addictive... be careful. smile


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All of the above plus my 2 cents. Buy a few different mouth calls and learn to use them. You won't like all of them and you will learn real quick what you like and what you dont. I like double reed double frame calls cause the reeds don't stick together and they last longer I also can do more with them. I use a tube call a lot, not many guys use a tube call. I love pot calls for the ease of use. A good loud box is a good locator call. A slate is a good soft finesse type call. Custom calls are great but to get started on the cheap knight and hale, hs strut or quaker boy are all good calls for the money.

Just buy a little of everything and play around with them. Listen to live turkeys or recordings of live turkeys and try to make the same sounds. It ain't rocket science, if I can do it anyone can.


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Thank you for the replies.

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Since you are just starting, I wouldn't go the custom call route. A Lynch Foolproof box call, a decent slate, and a mouth call or two would be a good start. As you decide what you like, then do the custom. I use to use Preston Pittman mouth calls, but the quality doesn't seem to be the same. I started using Houndstooth Game Calls mouth calls last year. I love them. Good luck and practice.

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N2---nailed it. I can't make the diaphragm sound good. I use the box call for these Colorado Merriams. When I go to KS for eastern a they seem to like the slate.

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Look at Down and Dirty friction calls, they are some of the best sounding calls on the market. I have a preference for the slate for finishing and glass for a loud "contact" call.


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Every turkey hunter (beginner or experienced) should have a Lynch box call in his bag of tricks. they just work.

its that call in the middle of these.
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I make pot calls and just started making my own box calls, and I've been on pro staffs. My suggestions for a fellow just starting out would be as follows:

1) A Quaker Boy Easy Yelper-- cheap, easy to use, good sound. I still keep mine handy for close-in clucking and purring and such coupled with a mouth call or my voice.
2) For a box call, I'm currently enamored with the work of Al Shoemaker, http://www.sscustomcalls.com/ . Contact Al and tell him what you're up to. He'll send you a field grade box you'll be using the rest of your life.
If you want to stick with a production call, I can still recommend the Quaker Boy Grand Old Master.
3) Pot calls -- I'm fond of slate, slate over glass and most recently added copper to my goto list. For strikers, I am fond of hickory, purple heart, and dymondwood. Check out this place:
http://customsawing.com/STRIKERS.html for some good strikers.
The also sell the parts for making your own strikers and calls.

I'm not an expert in the subtleties of mouth calls, since I do a fair job of calling with just my voice. However, I usually look for deals online that will get me several at a time for $3/call. You'll want to start with a clear sound single reed for learning and then work into the more exotic multi-diaphragmed raspy calls.



Having said all that, the most important thing is getting out and learning how to call. You need to get among the turkeys and have them teach you. Get out and start scouting and listen to turkeys at flydown. If you can't get out, listen to my podcasts (see my signature for the link) or check out Mike Battey's CD's:

http://www.wildtalker.com/WildTalker_Game_Calls/Spittin_Feathers_CD.html




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Ya know

1) find what you like best. Which call can you play best? Box? Mouth?Pot?

Buy used ones on ebay or cheapest ones you can get to find out what that is. Dont jump to custom call right now. I use exclusively mass produced calls, less the $15.

2) once you find it, learn how to play it well. Not perfect, turks dont care about perfection, cause Ive heard some seriously bad real turkeys make alot of horrendous calls over the years.

Learn to be a consistent as you can as often as you can when you call. Practice practice practice. Treat pot calls like a bullseye. High around the edges, mid tones toward middle, and low tones toward center. Its like a musical instrument almost..

3) be gentle when conditioning calls- less is more. If its a pot Find the best striker for your hunting weather and surface. Some strikers can play anything, some less. Some play in damp weather, some dont.

The goal is the find a call and a striker that can make music every time, (if your gonna use a pot call). Sometimes you can have a gud pot, but bad striker. And vicee versee

One time I lost my favorite striker, I went and looked for it for two hours and back in another day, but couldn't locate it. Was devastated. A right tool is a pleasure to work with, as anybody that has worked wood knows. Bought 4 new strikers; only break glass in case of emergency

4) learn dinosaur "small talk". Single yelps, gentle purrs, whines, putts. Called in flocks just by making dinosaur chit chat, like girls at the beauty parlor.
Later on Learn to string chit chat together with strings of yelps coming in and out of both on command.


HUNT. prepare yourself mentally for being made an ass out of, there is a quick learning curve to Dinosaur hunting. Remember the lessons.

You may shoot the first bird that presents itself the first time. The young guys are most eager. I like to toy with them and look for the old guys.


To recap:

Find whats easiest to play
Learn to handle it well
Hunt. Laugh at being bested, and remember the lessons.

Lets Have fun out there. Its fun, dammit!
The call is like an egg, hold it like an egg.

Last edited by WillARights; 01/24/16.

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David Halloron Crystal Mistress is really good.

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I think box calls are the easiest to master. Pots are next easier. Diaphragms will take time and lots of practice.

I also agree that cheap production calls are definitely the place to start. Once you figure out the game, then consider customs. Even then, I use some of my old Lynch and Quaker Boys more than my customs.


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Year after year, I would never be without a diaphragm and a good box call. Simply put, they have worked for years and will continue to be successful...


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Love the Merriam's most of all.

Beautiful birds, there.





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I'm a big fan of Lonzo Game Calls. This Eastern and a few Osceolas were fans too. For 50 bucks, can't beat the birds eye maple slate


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