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Instead of this being a standard "what calls are you taking into the woods" thread, I'm more interested in how much weight people put into call variety. We've all been there and had a bird that wants a specific type of call that morning and unless you played that box or whatever else for him, he isn't making a peep.

I know there are guys out there that carry 5 pots and 9 strikers into the woods to mix and match combinations for different sounds but it seems to be like that would be a hindrance to not have other types. While a striker change definitely changes the sound of that call, it wouldn't be as drastic of a change as changing to a diaphragm or tube or whatever.

How much weight do y'all place on having 1-2 calls(that you have complete confidence in) of a lot of different categories of calls vs the same category of call in a different wood or surface? For example, does it make sense to carry a couple mouth calls, box, couple pots, trumpet, scratch box and tube (with the assumption that you put enough hours onto practicing with each to sound solid on all) because they're all a different categories of calls or have y'all found that having a clean vs raspy short box for example has been enough of a change in those situations?


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I always carry two pots with four or five strikers, a yelper, a mouth call, and a crow call. As season progresses I'll occasionally throw one more pot in the mix, usually something with a very different sound, so maybe something like brass over glass with a carbon striker. All that goes in an HS Strut chest rig I've outfitted to a backpack. I change calls out through the season but that's the typical daily lineup.


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Great thread. I carry a slate pot, raw aluminum pot, 3 strikers, and 2 pushpins. The pushpins are two different wood types that produce very different call tones. Lastly, I carry 2 mouth calls, one very raspy and one very clean. I will change a bit if it's really windy by adding a glass/crystal pot and sometimes a boat paddle. One thing I am hard set on is if I tangle with a gobbler that just won't commit on a particular morning, I come back the next day with a totally different Arsenal and approach. It will be different striker/pot combo's, different pushpin and different mouth calls. This usually works, I feel that giving him a dose of the same thing 2 days in a row is not good. This is usually my game plan throughout the season.....

Quote from: Tom007 on January 17, 2022, 06:56:45 AM
Great thread. I carry a slate pot, raw aluminum pot, 3 strikers, and 2 pushpins. The pushpins are two different wood types that produce very different call tones. Lastly, I carry 2 mouth calls, one very raspy and one very clean. I will change a bit if it's really windy by adding a glass/crystal pot and sometimes a boat paddle. One thing I am hard set on is if I tangle with a gobbler that just won't commit on a particular morning, I come back the next day with a totally different Arsenal and approach. It will be different striker/pot combo's, different pushpin and different mouth calls. This usually works, I feel that giving him a dose of the same thing 2 days in a row is not good. This is usually my game plan throughout the season.....

If you don't carry that wingbone you're missing out!!! LOL!!!

It's always good, IMHO, to have several different sounding calls. It's funny how sometimes it's that ONE pitch he wants to hear.

Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 07:15:45 AM

Quote from: Tom007 on January 17, 2022, 06:56:45 AM
Great thread. I carry a slate pot, raw aluminum pot, 3 strikers, and 2 pushpins. The pushpins are two different wood types that produce very different call tones. Lastly, I carry 2 mouth calls, one very raspy and one very clean. I will change a bit if it's really windy by adding a glass/crystal pot and sometimes a boat paddle. One thing I am hard set on is if I tangle with a gobbler that just won't commit on a particular morning, I come back the next day with a totally different Arsenal and approach. It will be different striker/pot combo's, different pushpin and different mouth calls. This usually works, I feel that giving him a dose of the same thing 2 days in a row is not good. This is usually my game plan throughout the season.....

You know I forgot that beauty, I am still trying to get it to sound perfect. My wife told me to leave it in my display case, she said it's too nice to take out. It will be out there this spring, but I have work to do with it.....
If you don't carry that wingbone you're missing out!!! LOL!!!

It's always good, IMHO, to have several different sounding calls. It's funny how sometimes it's that ONE pitch he wants to hear.

Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 07:15:45 AM

Quote from: Tom007 on January 17, 2022, 06:56:45 AM
Great thread. I carry a slate pot, raw aluminum pot, 3 strikers, and 2 pushpins. The pushpins are two different wood types that produce very different call tones. Lastly, I carry 2 mouth calls, one very raspy and one very clean. I will change a bit if it's really windy by adding a glass/crystal pot and sometimes a boat paddle. One thing I am hard set on is if I tangle with a gobbler that just won't commit on a particular morning, I come back the next day with a totally different Arsenal and approach. It will be different striker/pot combo's, different pushpin and different mouth calls. This usually works, I feel that giving him a dose of the same thing 2 days in a row is not good. This is usually my game plan throughout the season.....

If you don't carry that wingbone you're missing out!!! LOL!!!

It's always good, IMHO, to have several different sounding calls. It's funny how sometimes it's that ONE pitch he wants to hear.

Ez, I know your opinion might be a little biased but what is your opinion about carrying a wingbone and a trumpet vs one or the other? Just whatever you can run best?

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Quote from: RLAG on January 17, 2022, 07:59:12 AM

Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 07:15:45 AM

Quote from: Tom007 on January 17, 2022, 06:56:45 AM
Great thread. I carry a slate pot, raw aluminum pot, 3 strikers, and 2 pushpins. The pushpins are two different wood types that produce very different call tones. Lastly, I carry 2 mouth calls, one very raspy and one very clean. I will change a bit if it's really windy by adding a glass/crystal pot and sometimes a boat paddle. One thing I am hard set on is if I tangle with a gobbler that just won't commit on a particular morning, I come back the next day with a totally different Arsenal and approach. It will be different striker/pot combo's, different pushpin and different mouth calls. This usually works, I feel that giving him a dose of the same thing 2 days in a row is not good. This is usually my game plan throughout the season.....

If you don't carry that wingbone you're missing out!!! LOL!!!

It's always good, IMHO, to have several different sounding calls. It's funny how sometimes it's that ONE pitch he wants to hear.

Ez, I know your opinion might be a little biased but what is your opinion about carrying a wingbone and a trumpet vs one or the other? Just whatever you can run best?

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I will first say that I love and hunt with all kinds of turkey calls. Whatever he likes is what he gonna hear right up to the gun.

I am (admittedly) a little biased to yelpers in general. I'll put wingbones, cane yelpers and trumpets in the same "yelpers" category (I love them all). My bias comes honestly though.....after seeing a yelper completely change the game, time after time after time.

Getting back to the heart of the subject, I believe it's absolutely a good idea to have several different pitches and sounds of calls in your vest.....however you decide to do that.

Mouth calls: 85% of the time. Usually carry 3, and I just can make the most sounds with the most realism with them so that's usually what I run.

Pots: 10% of the time. Always 2 Pots, a Mahoe crystal and a Walnut green slate. Usually for when the birds are quiet and I'm sick of having a call in my mouth. 3 strikers that I rotate.

Box: 5% One box for each hunt. Specifically if it's windy or I find myself in a situation where I need to gobble at them. I really like my boxes but just don't use them probably as much as I should.

I'll add that I think anyone who doesn't practice and put themself in a position to run two calls at once is limiting themself greatly, whether that be a mouth call and a pot, a mouth call and a box, a yelper and a pot, two pushpins, whatever. Personally I love a trumpet and a pot simultaneous, a mouth call and a pot if more volume is needed. I can't count the number of times creating the illusion of two hens got a gobbler to commit that was hung up, slow to trot, or unresponsive.


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Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 09:19:17 AM

Quote from: RLAG on January 17, 2022, 07:59:12 AM

Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 07:15:45 AM

Quote from: Tom007 on January 17, 2022, 06:56:45 AM
Great thread. I carry a slate pot, raw aluminum pot, 3 strikers, and 2 pushpins. The pushpins are two different wood types that produce very different call tones. Lastly, I carry 2 mouth calls, one very raspy and one very clean. I will change a bit if it's really windy by adding a glass/crystal pot and sometimes a boat paddle. One thing I am hard set on is if I tangle with a gobbler that just won't commit on a particular morning, I come back the next day with a totally different Arsenal and approach. It will be different striker/pot combo's, different pushpin and different mouth calls. This usually works, I feel that giving him a dose of the same thing 2 days in a row is not good. This is usually my game plan throughout the season.....

If you don't carry that wingbone you're missing out!!! LOL!!!

It's always good, IMHO, to have several different sounding calls. It's funny how sometimes it's that ONE pitch he wants to hear.

Ez, I know your opinion might be a little biased but what is your opinion about carrying a wingbone and a trumpet vs one or the other? Just whatever you can run best?

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I will first say that I love and hunt with all kinds of turkey calls. Whatever he likes is what he gonna hear right up to the gun.

I am (admittedly) a little biased to yelpers in general. I'll put wingbones, cane yelpers and trumpets in the same "yelpers" category (I love them all). My bias comes honestly though.....after seeing a yelper completely change the game, time after time after time.

Getting back to the heart of the subject, I believe it's absolutely a good idea to have several different pitches and sounds of calls in your vest.....however you decide to do that.

Have you had situations where one type of yelper wasn't doing it, you switched to a different one (wingbone to cane for example) and that created an opportunity? Essentially switching calls within the same yelper category to find success?

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Long, long time ago my vest was Noah's ark, two of everything. That vest was as heavy as the ark. And hot, too.

20+ years back I learned two things. As EZ said, yelpers can be a game changer.  And there's nothing a vest full of calls can do that one long box can't.

These days its a minimalist vest, for sentimental reasons I tote two pots I built, and a mouth call or two. But 95% of my season is a quality yelper and the long box.

Quiet mornings I will run the pots, or switch out the long box for a mini boat or a misfit. But I've found if they don't hit the long box or trumpet or EZ's wing bone, they're just not talkative today.

I carry my box, 2 pots (one slate, one glass/aluminum/ceramic), 4-6 strikers, a crow call, and maybe Roger Parks' Gobbler Pot if I want to try something different in the spring. I'll take a Scratch box with me every couple hunts too, but I don't use mouth callers very much. I've got a cane Jordan yelper on order that I'll keep around my neck when it comes in, but nothing else otherwise. That gives me 11-16 different tones counting the two sides of the box (makes a HUGE difference some days), which is more than enough.

After 50+ seasons I carry the callers that have been most effective for me.

-Soft talker slate pot
- Grey/Black Slate pot
-Aluminum pot
-Gobbler Slate
-Scratch Box
-Wingbone or Jordan
- Longbox

Seems like a bunch of callers,but the are not heavy or bulky.

Quote from: RLAG on January 17, 2022, 10:02:04 AM
Have you had situations where one type of yelper wasn't doing it, you switched to a different one (wingbone to cane for example) and that created an opportunity? Essentially switching calls within the same yelper category to find success?

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Not really, but I have had times when NOTHING was happening with ANY call and I took whatever yelper I had around my neck at the time and started long pleading strings of kee-kee runs, getting louder with each series and started a gobble fest.

These days I carry a Glenda sack with
1 box usually a long box
1 either Trumpet or wingbone
Watkins coaxer
1 either Grey or green slate
1 call either Glass/ceramic/aluminum
Gobble shaker
4/5 strikers

Probably way more than I need. Usually use trumpet and coaxer
Or
A pot and that's it. If it's real windy might dig out the long box


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From January to the first part of April, I break out ALL my calls and practice religiously.  When April rolls around, I normally have 1 box, 4 or 5 pots with 6 different strikers and 4 or 5 mouth calls that I feel really confident in.  When I hit the woods, each one will get their opportunity to shine.  If I can't get a gobbler to respond or come to the call, on a given hunt, I switch it up.  I believe in letting the bird or birds tell me what they want to hear and respond to on any given day.  Confidence in a particular call is Great but if the birds won't respond or come to you, you have 2 options, change calls and/or put some boots on the ground.     

Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 01:59:20 PM

Quote from: RLAG on January 17, 2022, 10:02:04 AM
Have you had situations where one type of yelper wasn't doing it, you switched to a different one (wingbone to cane for example) and that created an opportunity? Essentially switching calls within the same yelper category to find success?

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Not really, but I have had times when NOTHING was happening with ANY call and I took whatever yelper I had around my neck at the time and started long pleading strings of kee-kee runs, getting louder with each series and started a gobble fest.

EZ, I need advice on my beautiful wing bone. Need to learn how to make it sing......

Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 01:59:20 PM

Quote from: RLAG on January 17, 2022, 10:02:04 AM
Have you had situations where one type of yelper wasn't doing it, you switched to a different one (wingbone to cane for example) and that created an opportunity? Essentially switching calls within the same yelper category to find success?

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Not really, but I have had times when NOTHING was happening with ANY call and I took whatever yelper I had around my neck at the time and started long pleading strings of kee-kee runs, getting louder with each series and started a gobble fest.

If you don't take this tiny tidbit of advice and store it away you probably shouldn't be reading Old Gobbler.


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Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 17, 2022, 06:37:00 PM

Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 01:59:20 PM

Quote from: RLAG on January 17, 2022, 10:02:04 AM
Have you had situations where one type of yelper wasn't doing it, you switched to a different one (wingbone to cane for example) and that created an opportunity? Essentially switching calls within the same yelper category to find success?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Not really, but I have had times when NOTHING was happening with ANY call and I took whatever yelper I had around my neck at the time and started long pleading strings of kee-kee runs, getting louder with each series and started a gobble fest.

If you don't take this tiny tidbit of advice and store it away you probably shouldn't be reading Old Gobbler.


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I'll definitely have to try this. I hunt on private land and I have had times where I wouldn't get a response from any calling and would shake a gobble tube a few times and get some action
Also works with fighting purrs in early part of season


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I always carry my little aluminum call for this exact reason. It's just so different than my other pots that it'll occasionally get a gobble from a bird who's already heard a mouth call and a crystal/glass and hasn't said a peep

Quote from: Tom007 on January 17, 2022, 05:51:44 PM

Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 01:59:20 PM

Quote from: RLAG on January 17, 2022, 10:02:04 AM
Have you had situations where one type of yelper wasn't doing it, you switched to a different one (wingbone to cane for example) and that created an opportunity? Essentially switching calls within the same yelper category to find success?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Not really, but I have had times when NOTHING was happening with ANY call and I took whatever yelper I had around my neck at the time and started long pleading strings of kee-kee runs, getting louder with each series and started a gobble fest.

EZ, I need advice on my beautiful wing one. Need to learn how to make it sing......

Give me a call.

Quote from: paboxcall on January 17, 2022, 12:23:26 PM
Long, long time ago my vest was Noah's ark, two of everything. That vest was as heavy as the ark. And hot, too.

20+ years back I learned two things. As EZ said, yelpers can be a game changer.  And there's nothing a vest full of calls can do that one long box can't.

These days its a minimalist vest, for sentimental reasons I tote two pots I built, and a mouth call or two. But 95% of my season is a quality yelper and the long box.

Quiet mornings I will run the pots, or switch out the long box for a mini boat or a misfit. But I've found if they don't hit the long box or trumpet or EZ's wing bone, they're just not talkative today.

I've never seen a more accurate post on Old Gobbler.  Well said paboxcall.

I am going lighter and lighter as I get older, lol. I carry 3 mouth calls, a box call and 2 pot calls with 3 strikers and a gobble call. Most are in my Glenda's satchel with a minimal amount in my vest. I will never lug a 12 ga 3.5" in the woods again. Down to a 28 now with a bunch of 20 as backups. Good luck to all and God Bless. Al Baker

I've been going lighter and lighter lately. 99% of my calling is done with a mouth call. I do usually carry 1 pot call and a gobble call. This year I'll be adding a yelper around my neck as well. It seems I get as good of results with a ghost cut mouth call as any other call I ever use. I am excited to start hunting with yelpers though


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If I'm going to wear a vest it will hold several different calls. The short box gets the most play. If that's not cutting it an EZ wingbone may. I like all of the calls slate, glass, aluminum, copper and diaphragms. Good to have the one he wants to hear with us.

I'll carry 4-5 mouth calls, 2 pot calls aluminum, and ceramic 2 sider w/ 4-5 strikers, a short box, a tube call and a trumpet. Goose, Wood duck, woodpecker and crow locator calls.

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My vest holds 4 pots so that's what I carry, plus 4 strikers. I like rotating through different pots. Weather plays a factor.

But also carry regular & long box.

Last turkey I harvested I used a box to locate him and get him close. Used pot to close the deal.

I hunt with a small belt pack.  So what doesn't fit.......doesn't go.  Over the years, I've run into some birds that would work to one call in my "arsenal" but not another.  Those birds have been few and far between.  Over 90% of my calling is with a diaphragm.  I carry 2 Gooserbat calls (both the same model....one I'm using and one spare if something happens to the first).  5% is a box.  Some days I carry a short box.  Some days a paddle caller.  Just whichever floats my boat that day.  And 5% is a slate over glass that I built.  It seems that on the odd occasion I do run into a tight-lipped gobbler, that pot call will make him go.  In my experiences, I believe it's way more about whether he wants to gobble or not, AT ALL, and way less about what he wants to gobble AT.     

I carry 3 pot calls, about 5-6 strikers and about 3 mouth calls.


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For me it's typically 4-6 pots, about 8 strikers, 2 short boxes and 2 scratchers. Not that I get to them all Everytime out but like having the choices.

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Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 17, 2022, 06:37:00 PM

Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 01:59:20 PM

Quote from: RLAG on January 17, 2022, 10:02:04 AM
Have you had situations where one type of yelper wasn't doing it, you switched to a different one (wingbone to cane for example) and that created an opportunity? Essentially switching calls within the same yelper category to find success?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Not really, but I have had times when NOTHING was happening with ANY call and I took whatever yelper I had around my neck at the time and started long pleading strings of kee-kee runs, getting louder with each series and started a gobble fest.

If you don't take this tiny tidbit of advice and store it away you probably shouldn't be reading Old Gobbler.


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This will be my 21st year turkey hunting but I just started running a yelper a couple seasons ago. I can yelp with the best of them but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to keep kee on one. Any advice?


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Quote from: ScottTaulbee on January 27, 2022, 07:07:04 AM

Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 17, 2022, 06:37:00 PM

Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 01:59:20 PM

Quote from: RLAG on January 17, 2022, 10:02:04 AM
Have you had situations where one type of yelper wasn't doing it, you switched to a different one (wingbone to cane for example) and that created an opportunity? Essentially switching calls within the same yelper category to find success?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Not really, but I have had times when NOTHING was happening with ANY call and I took whatever yelper I had around my neck at the time and started long pleading strings of kee-kee runs, getting louder with each series and started a gobble fest.

If you don't take this tiny tidbit of advice and store it away you probably shouldn't be reading Old Gobbler.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This will be my 21st year turkey hunting but I just started running a yelper a couple seasons ago. I can yelp with the best of them but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to keep kee on one. Any advice?


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Choke down the call and increase lip pressure. Once you get to where you can do it you can usually just do it with lip pressure, but in the beginning choking the call down to where it's almost closed off makes it a lot easier to kee.


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Quote from: ScottTaulbee on January 27, 2022, 07:07:04 AM

Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 17, 2022, 06:37:00 PM

Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 01:59:20 PM

Quote from: RLAG on January 17, 2022, 10:02:04 AM
Have you had situations where one type of yelper wasn't doing it, you switched to a different one (wingbone to cane for example) and that created an opportunity? Essentially switching calls within the same yelper category to find success?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

i had same problem.  i finally saw something that helped me.  i push the trumpet up where he mouthpiece presses into my bottom lip a little and close lips down a little and then pull a little harder in.  just like yelpinig takes a little experimenting and practice.  i still can't get it consistently
Not really, but I have had times when NOTHING was happening with ANY call and I took whatever yelper I had around my neck at the time and started long pleading strings of kee-kee runs, getting louder with each series and started a gobble fest.

If you don't take this tiny tidbit of advice and store it away you probably shouldn't be reading Old Gobbler.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This will be my 21st year turkey hunting but I just started running a yelper a couple seasons ago. I can yelp with the best of them but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to keep kee on one. Any advice?


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Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 27, 2022, 07:23:55 AM

Quote from: ScottTaulbee on January 27, 2022, 07:07:04 AM

Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 17, 2022, 06:37:00 PM

Quote from: EZ on January 17, 2022, 01:59:20 PM

Quote from: RLAG on January 17, 2022, 10:02:04 AM
Have you had situations where one type of yelper wasn't doing it, you switched to a different one (wingbone to cane for example) and that created an opportunity? Essentially switching calls within the same yelper category to find success?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Not really, but I have had times when NOTHING was happening with ANY call and I took whatever yelper I had around my neck at the time and started long pleading strings of kee-kee runs, getting louder with each series and started a gobble fest.

If you don't take this tiny tidbit of advice and store it away you probably shouldn't be reading Old Gobbler.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This will be my 21st year turkey hunting but I just started running a yelper a couple seasons ago. I can yelp with the best of them but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to keep kee on one. Any advice?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Choke down the call and increase lip pressure. Once you get to where you can do it you can usually just do it with lip pressure, but in the beginning choking the call down to where it's almost closed off makes it a lot easier to kee.


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I appreciate it!. I got it to work doing exactly what you said.


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