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Calls

Fishbonker

Fishbonker

Life Member
I need advice on good brands of calls. After reading the posts on here about what calls a beginner should try I bought a box and a pot call and took them back. The box call was a MAD with metal sides. It sounded like a tin can, go figure. The pot call was plastic and I don’t remember if the face was slate or glass, but it just didn’t have a “soul”. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never used a turkey call before and my only frame of reference are the sounds that Muddy made last spring that he said were turkey sounds. I still think the turkey I shot was just strolling by and didn’t respond to the sounds he was making.

These may have been good calls and as a beginner I couldn’t get the good sounds out of them.

So who makes a good box call?

Why do some of them have rubber bands?

What should I look for in a good box call?

Do they all take chalk?

My purchases at the DEER Classic will be TURKEY gear. Go figure. Actually there may be a beer in it for somebody at the Classic to “guide” me through all the booths with calls so I can buy something that is well made, that works well and will last for years.

The ‘Bonker
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fishbonker</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
My purchases at the DEER Classic will be TURKEY gear. Go figure. Actually there may be a beer in it for somebody at the Classic to “guide” me through all the booths with calls so I can buy something that is well made, that works well and will last for years. The ‘Bonker
</div></div>

I'm in.
For $10.00 for a bottle of beer I will be your guide. Shoot for two beers I will even teach you how to use them. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
I wouldnt even use a box call. Ive never heard a good one, plus their a pain in the A$$. Some people love em, some people hate em. I think slate calls sound the best, but that is just me.
 
I got a box call I'll GIVE you (name brand, too)!

I'd recommend a slate and striker call then maybe a diaphragm call. The mouth call is good for close work when movement needs to be minimized. If you are hunting out of a blind, this might not matter, but I can still call at full draw with the mouth call, impossible with the slate/striker.
 
Bonker,
I would go with a Lynch's box call. I have a World Champion and and Foolproof both by them. They are not cheap but have lasted me for 10-15 years and still going. I also have a Drury's box call called the "Hammer". They sound the best to me and are easy to use. All of the ones I use have to have chalk. I don't know of any that do not use chalk.

The rubber bands help to keep the top in place so it will not rub the sides plus you can grab it by the bottom and shake it to make a gobble sound with the rubberbands on. Another thing I do when I am walking is put a leaf in there so it will not make any sounds if bumped into.

As far as the slates they are all about the same but different tones can be used by using different types of strikers on different places on the slate. Sometimes they have holes in the back to also help with different tones.
I like box calls and mouth calls for the yelps and cutting. The slate I like for purring and clucks. Every call can be used for all the different sounds some just make better sounds for different people.

Hope this helps.
 
Bonker,

I think your best bet would be to get a slate call with a couple different strikers and learn to use a mouth call. To make basic calls on either one is really not that difficult to learn. I've got a CD for mouth calling that has a lot of great sounds and technique information on it. I can burn a copy for you if you'd like. I listen to it and practice driving back and forth to work.

I also bought a Primos Box Cutter last year. Pretty easy to work, also, and a lot louder for windy days or long range calling.
 
Go slate/glass. Here are some of the best for the money I have found. http://www.lightsoutcalls.com/ Wendell is the man and will hook you up.

I can also vouch for the lynch boxes being good stuff. I have a few custom calls... but have had 3 birds killed over a primos jackpot. 24.99
 
Remember turkey calls are a lot like bourbon. you gotta try them all.. and than pick your favorite.
 
What you really need to do is buy a dozen turkeys. You can listen to them to learn their language, see which call works best on them, then, when you don't get that wild bird, you still got a turkey or two for Thanksgiving. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

You have space out there and this way you can be a turkey farmer on the next Ag Survey.
 
I personally agree with Liv. I have a box call but rarely take it out. Some days (windy) I wish I packed it all the time, but they are bulky and can rattle around making noise as you walk. That being said, I prefer not having a rubber band on my box call.

As far as a really good slate, Knight and Hale's Ole Yeller is hard to beat.
Those tinny sounding slates aren't the greatest for our ears, but turkeys seem to repond to them.
Remember, with slates your striker makes all the difference in the world. You may have to mix and match to find a conbination that you like.

Right now I am have a slate and box that a high school friend made. Nothing fancy, but man do they talk turkey! I think they are 35-40 bucks each, but well worth it. If you don't find something that interests you at the Classic, this guys calls are worth the money.

Bonker.... how do you like getting call advise from a contest partner that didn't fill his tag last year?! Take it for what it's worth!
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: gundog870</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Remember turkey calls are a lot like bourbon. you gotta try them all.. and than pick your favorite. </div></div>

Totally agree Gundog.
 
if you must have a boxcall. lynch makes a one sided call that is so easy to use, even you can make turkey sounds on it.

another good beginner, quaker boy pushbutton yelper. also, incredibly easy to make turkey sounds on

when it comes to slate calls, stay out of the stores. custom calls are the only way to fly. lightsout are good ones, kaisekalls.com are good. our own gersdorf can whip you up a call that sounds better than anything i've ever heard come out of a store.

mouth calls can be tricky. some people just can't get the hang of them, but i thought it was pretty easy to pick up. you might get one, to play with, if it works out for you, you can always get a couple more.


i assume you are coming to the IBA event friday night, i can bring some calls (if you remind me) and let you try some stuff out
 
Bonker,

I'll give you a site to explore: http://www.codyturkeycalls.com.

Their wooden pot calls World Class and/or Spec I are second to none. I prefer slate and these will crank if you need the volume on a windy day. Also very easy to run. These are top end equipment as the $125.00 pricetag will attest but you won't need to buy another one.

AGS
 
Bonk, I have several slate calls that I will never use again. You're welcome to have them if you want them. Lessons cost some of your worldly insight only.
 
Wow, thanks for the advice. I thought on a previous thread box calls were the way to go for beginners and pots for guys who knew what they were doin.

I'm gonna have to reread all the posts to see your recomendations about box calls, but jkratz offered to show me how to make my own pot calls, so I'm gonna take a stab at makin my own. Sorta "Give a 'Bonker a fish, he'll smell like one for a day, teach a 'Bonker to fish and he'll smell like one forever".

Thanks again.

The 'Bonker
 
If I could only take one call with me, it'd be a double reed mouth call made by Primos...or any decent mouth call for that matter. But these take practice, and are probably not the call for a beginner.

I'll go against the grain on the box call and say I almost always have one with me. On extremely windy days, they are often the only call that can put out the cutting volume needed for turkeys to hear you. They also give you the flexibility to easily make very soft calls, including putts and purrs. I left my favorite one lay somewhere in the woods last spring, and you can bet I'll be replacing it before season.

NWBuck
 
I've got several box calls- customs by Kenny Harrell, a Northwoods, and I always have the Lynch because it was cheap enough that I won't cry if I sit on it. I think the Old Yeller is a good composite slate, I have a Madd Crystal and Madd titanium with assorted strikers. Got a custom slate New River call that has never been afield. Harn pocket hen is a neat little scratch box that I use once in a while.
 
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