Mastering the Art of Turkey Calling: Tips for a Successful Turkey Hunt
Turkey calling is an essential skill for any serious turkey hunter. The ability to imitate the vocalizations of wild turkeys can mean the difference between going home empty-handed and bagging that trophy gobbler.
This blog post will guide you through the art of turkey calling and provide tips for a successful turkey hunting season.
Understanding Turkey Vocalizations
To call turkeys effectively, you must first understand the different types of turkey calls and vocalizations and their meanings. Some common turkey calls may include:
Yelp:
The yelp is a fundamental turkey communication call utilized by both hens and gobblers, making it an essential skill for hunters to master. This vocalization typically consists of a series of short, rhythmic notes that can convey various messages, such as a hen indicating her location to a potential mate or a gobbler asserting his dominance within the flock.
As a hunter, understanding the nuances of the yelp and effectively mimicking it can significantly improve your chances of attracting and calling turkeys, and eliciting a response. To achieve a realistic yelp, practice using different types of calls, such as box calls, pot calls, or diaphragm calls, and pay close attention to the pitch, cadence, and volume of the natural yelps you hear in the field.
Cluck:
The cluck is a concise, sharp sound used by turkeys to maintain contact with their flock, making it a valuable call for hunters to incorporate into their arsenal.
This simple vocalization can be used in various situations, such as when a turkey is seeking reassurance from a hen or other flock members or when a gobbler is expressing curiosity or mild interest. As a hunter, mastering the cluck can be good way to help you effectively communicate with turkeys and maintain their attention, a good way of increasing the likelihood of a successful encounter.
To perfect the cluck, practice with different types of calls, like box calls, pot calls, or diaphragm calls, and pay close attention to the tone and duration of the natural clucks you hear in the field.
Purr:
The purr is a soft, rolling sound produced by contented turkeys as they forage or socialize, making it an important call for hunters looking to create a sense of calm and security.
This subtle vocalization can be particularly effective when attempting to lure wary birds into range, as it conveys a sense of safety and normalcy within the flock. As a hunter, mastering the purr can help you establish a convincing scenario that encourages more turkeys to approach your position with minimal suspicion.
To perfect the purr, practice using various types of calls, such as the box call, calls, pot calls, or diaphragm calls, and closely observe the natural purrs of turkeys in the field to understand their tone, cadence, and volume.
Kee-kee run:
The kee-kee run is a high-pitched whistle made by young turkeys, typically when they are lost or separated from their flock. This unique vocalization serves as a distress call, signaling to other turkeys the need for reassembly and assistance.
As a hunter, learning to reproduce the kee-kee run can be a valuable addition to your calling repertoire, as it can evoke a sense of urgency and compassion within the flock, drawing in both adult birds and other young turkeys.
To master the kee-kee run, practice using various types of calls, such as the box call, calls, pot calls, or diaphragm calls, and closely observe the natural whistles of young turkeys in the field to understand their tone, pitch, and rhythm.
Choosing the Right Turkey Call
There are several types of turkey calls available, each with its own advantages and learning curve. Consider the following when selecting a call:
Box Calls:
Box calls are a popular choice among turkey hunters for their ease of use and ability to produce realistic yelps, clucks, and purrs.
These calls consist of something called a resonating chamber and something called a stick or a paddle, which, when rubbed together, create the distinctive vocalizations associated with calling turkeys out. The simplicity of the box call's design allows even novice hunters to quickly learn the necessary techniques for generating authentic turkey sounds.
Furthermore, by varying the pressure, speed, and angle at which the paddle is scraped against the chamber, hunters can fine-tune their calls to mimic different turkey vocalizations effectively.
Pot Calls:
Pot calls are versatile and highly regarded by turkey hunters for their ability to produce a wide range of turkey sounds. These calls consist of a circular pot, typically made of wood, slate, or acrylic, with a striking surface on top.
By using a striker to rub or scratch the pot call' surface, hunters' pot call can generate various turkey vocalizations, including yelps mouth calls, clucks, purrs, and even loud gobbles. The pot call's design allows for precise control over the pitch, volume, and cadence of the sounds produced, enabling hunters to create a diverse array of calls to engage and attract turkeys.
Diaphragm Calls:
Diaphragm calls are hands-free and highly versatile turkey hunting tools, but they do require practice to master. These calls consist of a small, horseshoe-shaped frame with a latex reed stretched across it.
Placed in the mouth call the roof of the mouth, the diaphragm call is operated by blowing air across the mouth call the reed, generating a wide variety of turkey vocalizations, including yelps, clucks, purrs, and gobbles. The hands-free nature of diaphragm calls provides a distinct advantage to hunters, as it allows them to maintain their shooting position while calling.
However, diaphragm calls do require a certain level of skill and practice to produce realistic sounds effectively.
Push-Pull Calls:
Push-pull calls are a popular choice among turkey hunters for their simplicity and ability to create a variety of turkey vocalizations.
These calls consist of a box or cylinder containing a peg attached to a spring, which is then pulled or pushed to create friction against the striking surface. By varying the speed, pressure, and pattern of the movement, hunters can produce an assortment of turkey sounds, including yelps, clucks, and purrs.
The ease of use associated with push-pull calls makes them an excellent option for beginners or those looking for a reliable, low-maintenance call.
Locator Calls:
Locator calls are specifically designed to elicit shock gobbles from turkeys, thereby helping hunters pinpoint their position.
These calls imitate non-turkey sounds, such as crow calls, owl hoots, other owls or crows and even coyote howls, which trigger an instinctive response from gobblers without arousing their suspicion. By using locator calls effectively, hunters can determine the location of turkeys from a distance and plan their approach accordingly.
Mastering the use of locator calls requires understanding the timing and technique involved, with dawn, early mornings after dawn and middle to last hour late afternoons being prime times for their use.
Tips for Effective Turkey Calling
Mastering the art of turkey calling takes practice and patience. Here are some tips to improve your calling skills:
Start with the basics:
Starting with the basics is essential for hunters looking to build a solid foundation in turkey calling. Focusing on mastering yelps and clucks before moving on to more advanced calls allows hunters to develop a strong understanding of the fundamental techniques and nuances associated with turkey vocalizations.
By dedicating time to practicing these simple yet effective calls, hunters can become more confident in their ability to mimic turkey sounds and engage their quarry.
As proficiency in yelps and clucks is achieved, hunters can then progress to more complex calls, such as purrs, gobbles, and kee-kee runs.
Observe and learn:
Observation and learning are crucial components in honing your turkey calling skills. By listening to real turkeys or recordings of turkey vocalizations, you can gain a deeper understanding of the nuances, pitch, and cadence that characterize their calls.
This immersive approach allows you to develop a more authentic and accurate imitation of these sounds, enhancing your ability to communicate with and attract turkeys in the field.
Paying close attention to the different vocalizations and their corresponding situations can help you decipher the various messages conveyed by turkeys, such as their mood or intentions.
Vary your calling volume:
Varying your calling volume is an essential technique for effective turkey hunting, as it helps prevent spooking nearby birds while still attracting more distant turkeys.
Starting softly and gradually increasing the volume of your own breed of calls allows you to mimic the natural vocalizations of wild turkeys much more accurately and establish your breed a sense of safety and normalcy within the flock.
Soft calls can be heard, particularly useful when attempting to engage wary or cautious birds, while louder calls may be heard when necessary to reach turkeys further away or in densely wooded areas.
Time your calls:
Timing your calls is a critical aspect of successful turkey hunting, as it requires knowing when to call and when to remain silent to avoid overcalling and scaring off wary gobblers.
A well-timed call can engage a turkey's curiosity and draw it closer, while excessive or aggressive calling may make the bird suspicious and cause it to retreat. Learning the appropriate intervals between calls and recognizing when to pause can help create a more natural and convincing scenario for the turkeys in the area.
This skill comes with experience, observation, and understanding the nuances of turkey behavior in different situations.
Adapt your calling strategy:
Adapting your calling strategy is crucial for maximizing your success in the field, as it involves adjusting your calling technique based on the turkey's response and the specific hunting situation.
Turkeys may react differently to various calls and vocalizations, depending on factors such as their mood, the time of day, and the level of hunting pressure they have experienced.
By closely observing the turkey's behavior and response to hearing your calls, you can make informed decisions on whether to increase or decrease the intensity of your calling, switch to a different call, or remain silent.
Turkey Calling Tactics for Success
Use these turkey calling tactics to increase your chances of success during the hunting season:
Pre-season scouting:
Pre-season scouting is a crucial component of a successful turkey hunt, as it helps you familiarize yourself with the area, observe turkey behavior, and identify prime hunting spots. By spending time in the woods before the season starts, you can pinpoint feeding and roosting locations, practice your calling techniques, and develop effective hunting strategies.
Pay attention to the sounds turkeys make, look for tracks and droppings, watch, and use trail cameras if possible. This preparation will not only enhance your hunting skills but also increase your chances of success once the season begins.
Using locator calls:
To call a turkey using locator calls, such as owl hoots or crow calls, is a key strategy for pinpointing elusive tom gobblers in the wild. These non-turkey sounds elicit shock gobbles, revealing turkey locations and allowing hunters to plan their approach.
Early morning, dawn and late morning or afternoon are ideal times to employ locator calls, starting with soft, natural-sounding calls and increasing volume as needed. Experiment with various calls, including hawk screams, peacock calls, and coyote howls, to determine which works best in your hunting area.
Mastering locator calls not only helps locate turkeys but also enhances your overall hunting skills and increases your chances of bagging a prized gobbler.
Matching the mood:
When calling turkeys, it's essential to carefully observe their responses and adjust your calling strategy accordingly. Turkeys, like all animals, exhibit different moods and levels of interest, which can be gauged through their vocalizations and body language.
By being attentive to these cues, you can fine-tune your calling techniques to better match the turkey's mood, increasing the likelihood of a successful interaction. For example, if a gobbler seems aggressive or dominant, you might escalate your calling intensity to mimic a rival male, whereas a more cautious or disinterested bird may require softer, more subtle calls.
The key to successful turkey calling lies in your ability to adapt and respond to the unique behaviors and preferences of each individual bird, demonstrating the importance of honing your observational skills and building a versatile calling repertoire.
Working as a team:
Hunting with a partner can significantly enhance your chances of success during a turkey hunt, as teamwork allows you to effectively call and position yourselves for an optimal shot. When hunting together, communication and coordination are crucial to ensure that one person focuses on calling while the other prepares for the shot.
This division of tasks allows the caller to fully concentrate on luring the turkey into range and reading its behavior, while the shooter remains poised at gun range and ready to take advantage of any opportunities. Additionally, having a partner can increase your versatility in calling strategies, with the ability to create more convincing scenarios by mimicking multiple birds or alternating between different calls.
Hunting with a partner not only improves your chances of bagging a prized spring gobbler but also strengthens camaraderie with other turkey hunters and fosters a shared appreciation for the challenges and rewards of turkey hunting.
Practicing patience:
Remember that turkey hunting is a waiting game, and success often comes to those who are patient and persistent.
Wrap Up
Turkey calling is a vital skill that can greatly enhance your turkey hunting experience. By understanding turkey vocalizations, selecting the right call, and practicing effective calling techniques, you'll be well on your way to a successful turkey hunting season.