How to Use a Turkey Call
Listen to turkeys., Buy a box call., Chalk it up., Try a yelp., Gobble and cackle.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Listen to turkeys.
Before you start making calls of your own, you need a solid handle on what turkey calls sound like.
You can’t imitate what you don’t understand.Find recordings of different turkey sounds, or better yet, sit down in the forest and listen to them.
Recognize that turkeys are social animals'; they travel in groups and make noises to communicate.
Your turkey calls will be best if you think of them as language, not just noise.
A variety of turkey calls can gain turkey's attention, pull or push them in certain directions, and either soothe or scare them. -
Step 2: Buy a box call.
This type of call is popular and reliable, and is well-known for being the easiest to learn for novices.
Because it is so easy to use, you can start using the box call as you develop an ear for sounds.
Experimenting with it will help you differentiate between the calls, and what it takes in terms of pressure, friction, and duration to produce them.Box calls can be purchased over the Internet, but many like to buy them in person, so they can test them beforehand.
You can get a solid one for around $15 (USD), but many cost $30 or more.
Wooden box calls have been around for over a century.
There are many types of wood available, all valuable for their versatility and timbre.Aluminum box calls are also useful, as they last longer in wet weather., Before you practice with your box call or set out to hunt with it, rub down the moving surfaces with a wax-free chalk. (This should be available where you purchase your other hunting supplies.)It’s a good idea to do this at least once during your hunting session, as well. , Yelps are some of the most well-known turkey calls, so they’re a good one to master.
Slide the lid of the box, across the open box with pressure to create friction.
Swing it smoothly to create a full sound--don’t stop in the middle.This sound imitates the noise a turkey makes when trying to reconnect with its flock.Hold the paddle gently instead of pulling it firmly.You can vary the sound of the yelp by changing the speed and friction you use.
Yelps are a good basic, but not the end-all be-all of turkey calls.
Don’t rest on your laurels once you’ve mastered this sound--keep learning new ones., Hold the box call vertically (so that its long end is perpendicular to the forest floor).
Now, shake it vigorously so that the lid clatters against the box.
Do this a bit more slowly to make a gobble (a noise meant to attract female turkeys and challenge tom turkeys).
Moving more quickly will produce a cackle (which turkeys use to communicate their locations to one another).Use this call to provoke the turkey to gobble in response, thus give away its location.
As you do this, don’t move around too much.
Because the box call requires physical activity, the motion can easily spook the birds if they are nearby. -
Step 3: Chalk it up.
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Step 4: Try a yelp.
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Step 5: Gobble and cackle.
Detailed Guide
Before you start making calls of your own, you need a solid handle on what turkey calls sound like.
You can’t imitate what you don’t understand.Find recordings of different turkey sounds, or better yet, sit down in the forest and listen to them.
Recognize that turkeys are social animals'; they travel in groups and make noises to communicate.
Your turkey calls will be best if you think of them as language, not just noise.
A variety of turkey calls can gain turkey's attention, pull or push them in certain directions, and either soothe or scare them.
This type of call is popular and reliable, and is well-known for being the easiest to learn for novices.
Because it is so easy to use, you can start using the box call as you develop an ear for sounds.
Experimenting with it will help you differentiate between the calls, and what it takes in terms of pressure, friction, and duration to produce them.Box calls can be purchased over the Internet, but many like to buy them in person, so they can test them beforehand.
You can get a solid one for around $15 (USD), but many cost $30 or more.
Wooden box calls have been around for over a century.
There are many types of wood available, all valuable for their versatility and timbre.Aluminum box calls are also useful, as they last longer in wet weather., Before you practice with your box call or set out to hunt with it, rub down the moving surfaces with a wax-free chalk. (This should be available where you purchase your other hunting supplies.)It’s a good idea to do this at least once during your hunting session, as well. , Yelps are some of the most well-known turkey calls, so they’re a good one to master.
Slide the lid of the box, across the open box with pressure to create friction.
Swing it smoothly to create a full sound--don’t stop in the middle.This sound imitates the noise a turkey makes when trying to reconnect with its flock.Hold the paddle gently instead of pulling it firmly.You can vary the sound of the yelp by changing the speed and friction you use.
Yelps are a good basic, but not the end-all be-all of turkey calls.
Don’t rest on your laurels once you’ve mastered this sound--keep learning new ones., Hold the box call vertically (so that its long end is perpendicular to the forest floor).
Now, shake it vigorously so that the lid clatters against the box.
Do this a bit more slowly to make a gobble (a noise meant to attract female turkeys and challenge tom turkeys).
Moving more quickly will produce a cackle (which turkeys use to communicate their locations to one another).Use this call to provoke the turkey to gobble in response, thus give away its location.
As you do this, don’t move around too much.
Because the box call requires physical activity, the motion can easily spook the birds if they are nearby.
About the Author
Raymond Phillips
A passionate writer with expertise in organization topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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