Shaman is a Wise Ole Gobbler Hunter..
Thank you. Mind you, I do not make any claims on being an expert turkey hunter, only an expert at being a beginning turkey hunter. The only claim I make with the Shamanic turkey calls is that I guarantee the turkeys will not laugh at you.
One other hint: A lot of what makes a good pot call is in the striker. Again, these don't have to be specially lathe carved 1 piece works of art, but this is where the exotic woods come in handy. I monitor the turkey call making forums and pick their brains what what's good for striker material and then order cheap dowels of the stuff and cement them onto cheapest handles I can find.
Left to right
1) Osage Orange
2) Bloodwood
3) Cherry
4) Persimmon
5) Diamond Wood
The latter is a pre-made 1-piece striker I found while I was ordering stuff from Shipleys. It's the bomb. However, I would also recommend collecting as many different strikers as possible. A handful of strikers in the bottom of your bag is a lot easier to carry than a dozen potcalls. That whole picture there is less than $20 in materials and less than an hour's work.
What have I actually used to kill turkeys?
Hickory, Diamond Wood, and Cherry, with Purple heart as probably the best all time.
What surface been successful calling in turkeys?
Damn near all of them. Slate and slate over glass have probably been the top producers. However, I've also brought them in with glass, aluminum and copper.