What call to use for a beginner?

[finspat]

Ok here is the skinny.

I have hunted turkeys before, with another person

doing the calling, yeah I shot a 22 pound Tom.

Called it in to about 10 yards !!

Now this is some really fun hunting.

Then I hunted again I only hunted twice

for turkeys.

We had some bad luck, The Toms wanted so badly to come in on our decoys, had 2 of them.

But every time A tom would sneak out on the Pasture

stepping out of the woods, a turkey Vulture !

Would swoop down on the Tom. So that year did not get one.

But the calling is what made this Tom wanting bady to come in we watched him for about 45 mins or so , buddy would call he would gobble, it was fun to watch. Finnally this Tom went for cover had enough of this turkey vulture. Even had this stupid

Turkey Vulture attack my hen decoy.

So Now I finnallly get drawn after 4 years !!!

I am pumped, cuz this is where I Deer hunt, I see

Turkeys all the time wondering around my tree I am sitting in

Blaze orange and all, watching turkeys.

They are fun to watch when they fly out of their trees

from roosting. Crash landing and a gobble!

Sorry to ramble, Now I have been drawn, also my brother inlaw

got picked too.

But my Buddy is unable to take some time off work.

So now No caller, I will go turkey hunting

and try to call them in or just sit all day like I do

deer hunting and wait. I am pretty sure I will see turkeys

wondering around. I would like to know whats a good call to get and I will practice alot between now and then end of April.

Lets here it from you Turkey Hunters whats you fav Call

and what would you use for a call? For a beginner caller.

Good Luck To All you Turkey Hunters.

Be Safe too !

FINS

[DonBo]

You are about to addicted to a never ending search for THE best call. Before you are through (that will never happen) you will have dozens. Of those just a few will be your favorites.

You will need a box call of some sort AND a slate call. The options from here are limitless. My advice is get a good one right off and hopefully it be among your favorites for a long time. This is true of both the box and the slate.

How do you know a good one? You do get what you pay for.

Slates come in a wide variety, not all are slate. There is aluminum amd other metals, there is glass and crystal and, well you get the idea. My favorite happens to be crystal, but that's me.

I could go on and on but I'm sure you get the idea. Others will have their opinion and their favorites.

My best advice? Get a couple now and a good CD or tape to listen too and get started. It's not too early to get a good feel for what your comfortable with. With comfort comes confidence.

Good luck and welcome to the addiction.

[Bucksnort101]

I would at the very least get a good Box Call. If you are near a Cabelas store they should be setting up thier Turkey Display pretty soon. They generally have one of each of thier calls on display for you to try out.

I picked up a waterproof box call a couple years ago, needs no chalk to operate it, so that may be somethig to think about as well.

I would even go as far as getting two different box calls that have a different sound to them, or a two sided box that has a definate difference in how each side sounds. Sometime a Gobbler won't come to one call, but go crazy with another one.

One Pot call (AKA Slate call) would be a good idea, but in my opinion are a little harder to use and perfect.

I would at least pick up one mouth call too, may as well see if you can use one, there will be times when you are unable to use a friction style call and a mouth call is your only option.

I agree with DonBo, get a CD/DVD as well.

Do a google search with the terms "Midwest Turkey Supply" and have them send you a catalog. They carry everything you could ever want for Turkey hunting.

Good luck and have fun, set up inside the woods so those Turkey Vultures leave you alone.

[rbs]

Another suggestion on the slate call......buy multiple diff strikers! I have had the same ole slate for 10 years plus and have 6 or so diff strikers. Everyone of them makes a little different sound. I am a big believer in the slate...love them!

[cw642]

How do you know a good one? You do get what you pay for.

I'd have to disagree with the price dictating how good a call is. I purchase quite a few calls and to tell you the truth some of the most expensive ones you can buy at the box stores are junk. Plain and simple you are better off buying vintage or custom any day over the Primos, HT, Woodwise, Cody's, ect. To tell the truth you will find that many of the old faithful originals are priced right in the same range as the upper massed produced calls. Or for that matter why buy 2 cheeper box calls when an original 101 would cost you the same money and be twice the call. The good thing is they were made to last and an added bonus is they were made in the USA.

There are tons of types of calls out there to try. Easiest for most would go Pushpin, Box, Trough, Pot, Scratch Box, Yelper/Trumpet/Wingbone, Tube, with a Diaphragm in there somewhere depending on user. They all have a place in the woods and all of them can be effective on any given day. The one you choose may work one day and the next you might get nothing. The key is to have enough different calls or the ability to make a single call sound like multiple birds. I think that several of those harder to use calls do a much better job in the versatility and the different types of calls they can produce.

The biggest thing about every call is the practice. Doesn't matter how great of a call you have if you can't do a sequence correctly. No matter witch call type you get they all take a great deal of time to master. The fun part is once you master one style you just pick up the next and start all over again.

Good luck with the search for the Perfect Call.

[Borch]

Nice info Chris!

Chris turns out some very nice calls.

I have a few production calls that are very sweet calls and have called in a lot of birds for me. I also have several custom calls including calls I've turned myself. Not only do these calls sound great but they are a piece of art as well.

Lots of options out there.

[Nate McVey]

Like the others said, lots of options out there, you just need to find some that you are comfortable with and can make great series of calls. I prefer glass over slate/crystal, I can't use a mouth call and like the push call I have over the box calls. Like DonBo said, it is a never ending search for what you are comfortable with. Good luck and let us know what you decide on.

[finspat]

Thanks for the reply,

I am going to get a few different calls.

Sounds like you need to sound like there is a few different birds, just in case the Tom wants variety.

Now I have to go pattern my shotgun, I think this is part

of the hunt getting ready!

So on the Agenda I am going to go to the cabin, may as well

go for a couple of days!

I am thinking like the Last Tom I got was 12 yards!

I used my buddies gun, I forget the make, but I do remember the shells, yeah he loads his own, 3.5" shell

with 2.5 oz of heavy shot. Poor Tom had his head darn near blown off! I am planning on using a regular full choke

not a turkey choke, but I will determine what choke to use. when I shoot.

Starting out at 5 yards then evry 5 yards out to 40 yards.

Sounds like overkill, one thing is you can not over prep!

Have plenty of time, Wife is kinda mad cuz I have to buy

more hunting stuff!

Good luck hunting, good luck waiting too

April seems so far away!!

Finspat

[Archerysniper]

I have called most of my birds in with a penns woods push button call it hooks under the barrel or in my case the bow stabilizer year after year they seem to reaspond to that one the best but dont for get the diaphrams when the get real close

[bmc]

Primos makes a push button box style call that worked really well for me. I just can't get used to a diaphram call.

Brian