Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting What type of call are you using?

Box call, reed, friction plate?
For years I've been using a butternut box call made by a fella named Mathew Foley. I call it the Box Of Death. Sure would like to get another from this guy but I can't seem to find contact info. Anyway it has me wondering what most of you guys use..

For years, nothing but mouth calls, leaves both my hands available.

I see Matts calls listed for sale on ebay.
J

I use mostly mouth calls, but have been known to use a slate for purrs and clucks. The purr is a very deadly call and has been the fatal blow to many a hung up gobbler.

Thanks gents. Happy hunting!

I use all Paul Meek calls. Here at times we have to call birds clear across canyons long distance. He developed a call for us we call the Terminator that will really reach out long distance. He has a large variety of call including mouth calls but many years ago he talked me into using a scratch box. For finishing a Tom or close in work it is now my go to call. He also makes custom calls and one called the rock pot. Check him out at paulmeekoutdoors

I highly recommended Bent Mountain Game Calls. I have know these people for 45 years and they know turkey hunting like no one else. It is a father/son operation and the calls are not only beautiful they sound great.

https://bentmountaingamecalls.com

I could easily get by with mouth diaphragm calls. They are realistic, versatile and leave your hands free. With that said, I like turkey calls and calling and am a bit of a traditionalist. Running a custom box call or pot/peg is just fun and I have a bunch of each.

Mike Yingling waterproof crystal over slate
Mike Yingling copper over slate in flamed ash
Mark Cunningham slate over glass in Sassafrass - he goes by footballer on oldgobbler, Mark Cunningham on YouTube.

I got a new mouth call by Gobbler Recon from eBay, sounds great so far.

Typically I'll start with a box call (Tomfoolery call from Maine or Lynch Foolproof) and especially for when I want some volume. When I get them coming in I'll switch to a Quaker Boy mouth call with their Pro Triple being the one I reach for most often.

I have and can run them all but I pretty much just carry a trumpet anymore.

Committed to learning a box call a few years back, not just sqauking and squeeling on one. Got one out I bought over 20 years ago, was just intimidated by it. Finally got down to making a nice soft cluck then finally a light purr. It'll go loud too but that's not what most gobblers want in the areas I've hunted. Had it made by Mr. Albert Paul in Mississippi. When I met him at a NWTF convention I started looking for feathers. He's that good. No matter what you wanted to hear he did better. Ordered one on the spot using Mississippi Black Walnut for top and bottom and Honduran Mahogany for the body. Have shot my last 3 using it. One went over 22 on Zebco fish scales and the biggest gobbler I've ever seen went over 24. Both limb hangers. And both came in quiet to low volume low number calling. Sweet talk. I still carry a slate in case I need a different sound and always have a diaphragm in place to make them stop if need be. Check out Paul's Calls: HERE

Lynch World Champion box call and
Flextone Tramp Stamp Slate Turkey Call are my go too`s.
in that order.

Old Lynch box, cedar easy yelper, home made slate, and mouth diaphragms. I like to be able to switch it up if necessary. The purrs and whines from that old slate will always close the deal.

Use whatever the notion takes me to use.

Always have a diaphragm in my mouth. Use a box for windy days or birds at a distance. Have a walnut pot slate I made about 15-20 years ago that fits right in the middle somewhere.

Basic double reed and a backup slate.
Used MAD stuff way back and worked fine.
Think the newer stuff not as good in quality.
Proly order a custom slate.

All of them, but I use what the birds like and most people won't have tried.

I like a FoxPro myself.

I use a Quaker Boy mouth call- it came with two other calls, but the one I use most just seems to play a tune the Toms in my hunt area really like.

Bought a Dennis Kirk walnut box call in Delhi NY sometime about 30 years ago and it works when nothing else does. Last three years it is the only call I have used.

I've killed turkeys calling them with tube, slate, glass, mouth call, voice, and am quite confident with each. That old box called my first, largest, and last 5 birds. It's out now and it sounds as good as it did 30 years ago. Wife isn't particularly enamored with it.

Thunder dome and primos freak, with custom strikers. Use my mouth/voice for up close if necessary.

I have used just about every kind of call there is over the years. I have never liked mouth calls, as I just cannot get used to them. I've made and used several wingbone calls, and have called in quite a few birds using one. In the early years, my favorite call was a Lynch Foolproof box call. But, my favorite, and most used call, is a little Johnny Stewart push pin call that I bought in the clearance bin at a sporting goods store over 25 years ago. It's great for those little clucks that will draw them in the last few yards.

I really liked the original MAD single and double reed red tape calls. Wish I could still get them. Haven't found a replacement yet that I can run as well or feels as comfortable.

About all my calling these days involves a Harn Final Summons box and an H S Strut 360GT with various strikers. There's also a push button box on the fore end of my gun for close in sweet talk and I'm getting better at voice calling.

"There's also a push button box on the fore end of my gun for close in sweet talk.."
Like!

Appreciate all the replies.

I attached a push button easy yelper to the leg of a decoy. Operated it by small zebco reel and mono filament. Worked like a charm to finish a hung up gobbler in a highly pressured unit. Movement and soft yelps from the decoy focused his attention there and not on me.

I use a sort of a home-made box call, but I didn't make it.

About 45 years ago, I was living in Jasper, TX. The local Parks and Wildlife biologist showed up at my home one evening with an old cedar fence post that he had found. By old, I mean well aged and dried--an unusual find in deep East Texas. He said that it would make great turkey calls, but had no way to cut it like he needed. I had him give me the dimensions he wanted.

One of my uncles was a retired petroleum engineer who had a retirement home over on Toledo Bend Reservoir, and he had a completely equipped wood shop. I took it over and we cut around a dozen blanks out the heart of that old fence post. I could tell that he really wanted one of those turkey calls, but he was too polite to ask. I took the blanks back to my friend Billy, and told him that I needed two calls out of the deal.

Several months later, Billy brought me back two finely crafted, hand-finished box calls. I took one back to my Uncle Bill and showed him how to use it. He was not a hunter, but to his great delight, he did call several turkeys into his yard.

I have used mine to call turkeys in Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and New Mexico. The sound just seems to get better every year!

John Sinclair or Mike Yingling pots

Got a Ed Terefencko short box and long box this spring after waiting for a year. Really looking forward to running those this spring.

I genuinely like turkey calls and refuse to use mouth calls. The craftsmanship and time put into these calls by callmakers deserve to be used in the field.

After 25 years plus of turkey hunting I've accumulated a number of calls, but my favorite is the pot call - my two most used over the last 15 years are these two (slate & glass) from a small maker in Northeastern NC. Last season I saw this new variation on the push-button (no button outside the box so no accidental yelps) - gave it a try on two birds last spring - worked as advertised.

Slate, mouth, and a homemade scratch box .
Carry a glass but hardly use it.
Think I might go out again monday .
Supposed ta be storms tommorow.
Birds getting pizzed on all night on the roost .
Should make really active monday morning.
Doing some arrowhead hunting in the meantime.

I just pulled some 35 year old cedar split rail fencing out if someone wants any of the wood for making calls. I believe it's red cedar. If interested, we'll work something out on how to get it to you.

The cheapest blister pack, 3-pack mouth call. Usually 1-2 will sound good, others will suck. I will try tuning the sucky ones and after 15 min will throw them in the trash. Same routine every year.

Primos Alumislate (out of production) to reach out into the woods and also for nasty weather, Knight & Hale Sweet Hen slate pot call (out of production) for up close and personal calling when the wind isn't blowing. Wood or acrylic strikers depending on the weather.

This year I’m running a JT slate over glass pot call, plus a zink and a primos mouth call.

My 50 year old Lynch box, a slate, glass striker and a push button.

Wish I still had my big ol Tom Kirby box call! That thing could really reach out!

Duck call.. what else is there..

Like a lot of us I have tried mouth calls, pots, slates, box calls, things with a string on em' that you fasten out on the barrel, and a wingbone a guy made for me years ago.

These days I use a box call and mouth calls and call it good.

Several of his are on eBay right now.

I think, his business is Last Call Custom Game Calls, but not positive. Found a Facebook page you can send a message and ask.

https://m.facebook.com/pg/LAST-CALL...14/posts/?ref=page_internal&mt_nav=0

I've got an older Dick Kirby----Quaker Boy----"Grand Old Master" box call. It's really the only call I use. I have complete confidence with it.

I use two types of calls, box call and pot call.

MAD Heavy Metal box call

Primos Ol' Glory pot call

Northern Scratch Box call. (This one was made by a member here,Everyday Hunter, and has become my favorite)

Two glass calls and a mouth call cover 90pct of my calling. Every now and then I pull out the box call (I often wonder why I carry it) or tube call but it’s rare

Locators are owl hooter and crow call. I need to get a pileated woodpecker call

I carry a glass call and 2 strikers but I honestly never use it. Buddy bought it for me 3 years ago for being his best man. Need to kill one using it though out of respect.

Just mouth calls. Once you master them per say they are all you really need in my opinion. Although I do love box calls. Just never use them as they are impractical to carry in my opinion when running and gunning

Mostly box calls, got a couple new ones to try this year, but occasionally a slate.

I carry a combination of slate and glass calls by Cody, Lonny Sneed , and John Sinclair.

Also carry a shaker tube for later in the season.

I carry owl and crow calls but dont use them a whole lot anymore.