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Posted By: llamalover2 The Haint - 04/03/19
After three years I am proficient enough I want to give this call a serious workout of and by itself, rather than just as a supplement and locator call. Have any of you turkey nimrods worked with gobble calls in general, or haint gobble calls specifically , enough to give tips? My thoughts are as a solo call it would be a 10-2 pm proposition on open points and on obvious strutting paths like closed logging roads.

This will be my initial use with hopefully enough action to learn and adapt. I have no plans to decoy as of this trip, I just find it too boring, though effective.

Any input from actual users?
Posted By: shaman Re: The Haint - 04/04/19
I've used a gobble call very sparingly, and it has only been when I was sure I was the only hunter around. I pretty much gave it up after finding myself being hunted in Hocking Hills, Ohio back in the mid-80's.

Have I used a gobble call effectively ever? It's hard to say. I can't give you an instance where gobbling brought a bird in on a string. Usually, I've used it as a last resort.

What I have found that works is mimicking a gobbler's other vocalizations, specifically clucks and yelps. That has closed the deal a few times.

When I do gobble, it's on a box call.
Posted By: llamalover2 Re: The Haint - 04/04/19
I have done that as well shaman in PA where within a half hour of gobbling you call in as many as a dozen guys on public land. I plan on a SOLID back drop and open woods on 3 sides. The concept is you are challenging their dominance like elk bugling, the devil is in the details as always. The Haint call is by far the most difficult to master but the most realistic gobble I have ever heard, Im very excited to play with it this year when I feel safe enough to do so, which may be only on my own land, we shall see.
Posted By: scottishkat Re: The Haint - 04/05/19
You have to remember that Gobblers spend almost their whole lives together with other gobblers. During the mating season they'll be found following hens around sometimes with other gobblers and a lot of times by themselves because they ran the other gobblers off. You need to decide what your calling strategy is going to be. I've never used the haint but it has a pretty good tone and some times you can make every call in your arsenal for nothing then the ambulance will drive by and you'll hear them. I've used shaker calls effectively for years and turn to them more now than when I was younger.

The mating season changes and you have to alter your call strategy with the changes. Sometimes a shaker call will chase another gobbler off and others it will attract them. What works in the early season will not work as well in the late season. In the early season they're hearing hens all the time in the late season when they haven't heard a hen in a week its another game. Sometimes they hear another gobbler in an area they've staked out and they think that's fighting words. Some times they'll hang around in the same tree for every night for a week.

You can't have to many calls there's no telling what will turn them on. I have made some of the best call sequences I can to no avail and switch to the raspiest piece of junk I have in my bag and they answer.

Good luck and shot straight y'all. Especially at the beedy eyed thunder chicken.
Posted By: WillARights Re: The Haint - 04/05/19
Originally Posted by scottishkat
You have to remember that Gobblers spend almost their whole lives together with other gobblers. During the mating season they'll be found following hens around sometimes with other gobblers and a lot of times by themselves because they ran the other gobblers off. You need to decide what your calling strategy is going to be. I've never used the haint but it has a pretty good tone and some times you can make every call in your arsenal for nothing then the ambulance will drive by and you'll hear them. I've used shaker calls effectively for years and turn to them more now than when I was younger.

The mating season changes and you have to alter your call strategy with the changes. Sometimes a shaker call will chase another gobbler off and others it will attract them. What works in the early season will not work as well in the late season. In the early season they're hearing hens all the time in the late season when they haven't heard a hen in a week its another game. Sometimes they hear another gobbler in an area they've staked out and they think that's fighting words. Some times they'll hang around in the same tree for every night for a week.

You can't have to many calls there's no telling what will turn them on. I have made some of the best call sequences I can to no avail and switch to the raspiest piece of junk I have in my bag and they answer.

Good luck and shot straight y'all. Especially at the beedy eyed thunder chicken.



....truth truth and more truth. Fickle feral fowl. Bipolar bastids.

Thats why when things dont work out, you just gotta laff.

They gotta win some days.
Posted By: llamalover2 Re: The Haint - 04/06/19
Originally Posted by scottishkat
You have to remember that Gobblers spend almost their whole lives together with other gobblers. During the mating season they'll be found following hens around sometimes with other gobblers and a lot of times by themselves because they ran the other gobblers off. You need to decide what your calling strategy is going to be. I've never used the haint but it has a pretty good tone and some times you can make every call in your arsenal for nothing then the ambulance will drive by and you'll hear them. I've used shaker calls effectively for years and turn to them more now than when I was younger.

The mating season changes and you have to alter your call strategy with the changes. Sometimes a shaker call will chase another gobbler off and others it will attract them. What works in the early season will not work as well in the late season. In the early season they're hearing hens all the time in the late season when they haven't heard a hen in a week its another game. Sometimes they hear another gobbler in an area they've staked out and they think that's fighting words. Some times they'll hang around in the same tree for every night for a week.

You can't have to many calls there's no telling what will turn them on. I have made some of the best call sequences I can to no avail and switch to the raspiest piece of junk I have in my bag and they answer.

Good luck and shot straight y'all. Especially at the beedy eyed thunder chicken.


Damn, so I'm not the only one!

Last spring I was stymied by early season conditions (a very cold spring) Hen calls only brought in other hens, lots, but no boys with 'em. return trip two weeks after season and the gobblers were just going nuts for hens.

This is why I have spent my last winter mastering the Haint... well MASTERING may not be entirely accurate, but I am way better than I was and I think I can pull it off. I make my own box calls and as each one is completely different in tone I carry at least several with me at all times- squeeky to coarse. Osage orange- pinion pine.

I am really ;looking forward to using the haint as shaking a box may trigger a gobble but the haint if done well is just unreal good.

Funny thing is two years back on the last day I had 9 big gobblers that would only gobble for each other in the yard hens were long forgotten. A longer and more encompassing season sure would be nice... As on a day every gobbler is suicidal, the trick is to be there on THAT day!

My game plan (can you tell I'm READY for this season?) Is to stake out his mid day hangout and challenge him for strutting rights. This will mean most hunters are already back at home after the usual am attack plan has failed. With this timing I hope to not get shot as much... hopefully none.


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Posted By: Steelhead Re: The Haint - 04/06/19
Being where they want to be and knowing how to 'set up',trumps calls/calling ability, by a goodly margin.
Posted By: llamalover2 Re: The Haint - 04/06/19
Add in- Knowing what NOT to do- and yep you are correct! Mistakes make for longer beards! I just love this sport though, almost glad they made shed hunting illegal and forced me back into it.
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