Does anyone know anything about this call?
Does anyone use this type of call?
Cool find. Hopefully Herb McClure (a OG member) will see this and chime in. That is his favored call and he has chapter about this call in his book Native Turkeys. The call was introduced by Leon Johenning around the late 1950s or early 1960s, I believe. Leon Johenning also mentions it in his book The Turkey Hunter's Guide.
Thanks for the info! I hope Herb chimes in for sure.
Leon Johenning Leon, the man and his unique turkey caller have been in my life as a turkey hunter since 1964. There are very few turkey men today, who knew him personally, or ever knew much about him, except from reading his book which he wrote or from collecting his callers. However, Jim Cassidy, has a good chapter about this old call-maker in his book "Remembering the Greats". Leon and I had many conversations back and forth;by telephone and letters about his caller and why he developed this type of caller. The following are things he related to me. Leon was a turkey hunter going back into the late 20's and 30's, and when World War ll began he joined the Navy and was schooled and taught to be a sound and vibration expert to detect enemy submarines. After the war was over, Leon,in his later years used his sound knowledge, taught to him, experimented in trying to duplicate sound vibrations, as well as sound-tones; much like the calling of real live turkeys. Leon, being a Fall turkey hunter, also wanted a caller that would duplicate the kee-kee calls of the young turkeys, like the wing bones and trumpets do. He emphasized, to me, that with breath calling, one can put feeling into the calling, especially when having a real live turkey in one's mind's eye. This makes the calling more natural and life-like. He, also knew when calling that the wing-bones and trumpets were very similar in sound vibrations of a real live turkey. So, Leon using his Navy sound training to devise a caller that would have sound-tones, and also sound-vibrations like live turkeys. He did this by using a rubber diaphragm, which is inhaled to make it vibrate.This was a more natural sound-vibration; like the wild turkey have. This was measured using a scientific way of measuring with an instrument; instead of using just human ears to judge how a turkey's calling is duplicated.
All call makers, that I have knowledge of, use their human ears to listen to how a caller sounds, and no knowledge of the vibrations produced. But, Leon being a trained sound-vibration expert, as well as an expert turkey hunter recognized the true results being duplicated.
Unfortunately, for Leon, he did not have access to various rubber back in his time, and the only available rubber supply was condom rubber which he used doubled-up to apply. The double-ply wound stick together and become like one thick-ply. To thick; when all slavered up. This caused multiple bad things to happen thus keeping a user from being able to make the caller call ; not to mention , trying to learn how to use the caller and keeping the two ply rubbers in good condition. Very few people ever haD the patience to learn how to make this caller call IN it's full potential.
Many years later, after Leon had passed away, my long time good friend and hunting partner, James McClure, who also uses a Leon caller, experimened and taped on a single rubber dispragm or modern-day thickness on his caller . This result eleminated the trouble of diaphragms sticking together. Another friend made an exact copy of Leon's box caller for me except for the way Leon made his caller using the condom rubber diaphragms. On this duplicated caller, the rubber diaphragms, which are available today are taped on this caller, like the way, James and I are now using our original Leon callers.
As for me, having artificial hearing , I cannot judge turkey callers,the sound-tones, However, nothing has ever equaled my Leon caller in bringing gobblers into my calling. I, will leave the judging of this turkey caller, to the gobblers that have responded to my caller and also to a friend that I demosrted my Leon turkey caller too; at Unicoi last mounth, who is a calling judge. That was Mr Larry Proffitt, who judges at the Nationals; in Nashville and an expert turkey caller.
Pretty cool history behind that little call! Thanks for sharing!!! :icon_thumright:
Thats a nice history lesson. Thanks !!
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Thanks for sharing your life's experience with Mr Johenning and with your gobblers. I like your book too Mr. McClure. :icon_thumright:
Thanks Herb. Very interesting history.
I heard a recording of Mr. Joehenning gobbling on his call and it was the most realistic reproduction of a turkey gobble I have ever heard.
Herb, thanks so much for the information
Its awesome to hear from one of the turkey hunting elders. The old school way of hunting turkeys are about gone. That is why I love Unicoi. You get to meet some of the best turkey call makers and more apt to meet some of the seldom heard of legends. You are able to talk with them and hear some good tales.
I have never been to unicoi, but I would love to go sometime
Sounds cool. Does anyone make a version today? If not someone should so this style doesn't die since it's that good.
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In reference to Southern-Leo's post, cocerning some modern-day call maker, re-making the Leon turkey caller and improving it to a modern-day caller; thus using today's rubber diaphragms, and keeping the legacy alive; for this type caller. This was my reason to post on here too begin with; hoping to keep his legacy.
Originally, I had planed to tell my same story, at Unicoi's Call Makers Event; and the call makers there. However, I not being a call maker, I was not allowed to talk, or tell my story. Even, after the round table discussion was over; on in-haled wind instruments like wing bones and trumpets; this year.
One more ti-bit, about Leon's caller. Back in 1964, in Yatesville, Ark., a Mr. Bill Clements, won the Champion of Champion Turkey Calling contest; using the Leon Turkey caller.
Herb McClure
Love the history lessons on this site.
One sold on eBay earlier this week. After reading Mr. McClure's book I would have probably bid on it, but after a massive gunsmith bill last month I'm on spending restrictions.
Thanks for sharing Herb!
Amazing story. Thanks for sharing
I have a leon's in my collection , mint in the box , I won't part with it --
Great history lesson!! Thanks....I have a couple of the Leon turkey callers I bought still in the box and a copy of his book.
This will be a call that will very hard to reproduce the 3 metal parts will have to be stamped and to make the dies will cost more than you could ever sell enough to re coupe your cost and if you hand made them the cost would be so high you could never sell them.
Quote from: Herb McClure on February 21, 2018, 01:49:07 PM
In reference to Southern-Leo's post, cocerning some modern-day call maker, re-making the Leon turkey caller and improving it to a modern-day caller; thus using today's rubber diaphragms, and keeping the legacy alive; for this type caller. This was my reason to post on here too begin with; hoping to keep his legacy.
Originally, I had planed to tell my same story, at Unicoi's Call Makers Event; and the call makers there. However, I not being a call maker, I was not allowed to talk, or tell my story. Even, after the round table discussion was over; on in-haled wind instruments like wing bones and trumpets; this year.
One more ti-bit, about Leon's caller. Back in 1964, in Yatesville, Ark., a Mr. Bill Clements, won the Champion of Champion Turkey Calling contest; using the Leon Turkey caller.
Herb McClure
As one of two people that put this show on, I feel the need to comment on this post! First and foremost, let me say, Russell and I do the best that we can do to make this show a success! We try to keep down any and all problems to make it run smoothly!!
Mr. Herb called me and stated he wanted to sit on the round table discussion to tell Leon's story! After much discussion on this, Russell and I decided that this round table was for the ones that actually built calls! I offered Mr Herb the opportunity to do a seminar about Leon's callers. He declined!! He wanted to talk to the call makers. If a guy wants to attend a seminar, he does! If he doesn't, he doesn't!! Russell and I both take offense to this post! No, we're not going to make everyone happy!! We understand that!! But, to sit here and say you weren't ALLOWED to talk, is way out of line!!!
Quote from: M Sharpe on February 28, 2018, 09:50:36 PM
Quote from: Herb McClure on February 21, 2018, 01:49:07 PM
In reference to Southern-Leo's post, cocerning some modern-day call maker, re-making the Leon turkey caller and improving it to a modern-day caller; thus using today's rubber diaphragms, and keeping the legacy alive; for this type caller. This was my reason to post on here too begin with; hoping to keep his legacy.
Originally, I had planed to tell my same story, at Unicoi's Call Makers Event; and the call makers there. However, I not being a call maker, I was not allowed to talk, or tell my story. Even, after the round table discussion was over; on in-haled wind instruments like wing bones and trumpets; this year.
One more ti-bit, about Leon's caller. Back in 1964, in Yatesville, Ark., a Mr. Bill Clements, won the Champion of Champion Turkey Calling contest; using the Leon Turkey caller.
Herb McClure
As one of two people that put this show on, I feel the need to comment on this post! First and foremost, let me say, Russell and I do the best that we can do to make this show a success! We try to keep down any and all problems to make it run smoothly!!
Mr. Herb called me and stated he wanted to sit on the round table discussion to tell Leon's story! After much discussion on this, Russell and I decided that this round table was for the ones that actually built calls! I offered Mr Herb the opportunity to do a seminar about Leon's callers. He declined!! He wanted to talk to the call makers. If a guy wants to attend a seminar, he does! If he doesn't, he doesn't!! Russell and I both take offense to this post! No, we're not going to make everyone happy!! We understand that!! But, to sit here and say you weren't ALLOWED to talk, is way out of line!!!
I got a question. I make calls but I'm very unfamiliar with this call. Is there anyone making a modern version that you know of? Looks like a cool call and people seem to have liked it. Thanks
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Matt McLain took measurements at Unicoi. Don't know if he will build any of them. Bob Buckner is going to make one or two of them, I think. See ol' bob's post on this thread.
Quote from: Turkz39 on February 06, 2018, 08:18:47 PM
Does anyone know anything about this call?
very nice find i have one just can,t get it to work like would like
Love the insight and the history lesson as always Mr. Herb. Thanks for your post on this thread.
Here are the pictures Mr. McClure sent me to show how the latex sits on the caller. I'm posting these with his permission.
Additional pics.
Thanks to wislnwings for putting these photos on here; so some can get an idea of taping a single rubber across a Leon caller. This single works much better than the old double. These callers have always been hard to learn to use; but well worth learning.
Want to sell it. Or I willj build you a hen box for it.
When I pulled up Leon's thread and see there are over 1700 views or hits, I realized that many turkey hunters are either interested or curious; about the Leon Turkey Caller. Over the 50 years; I have used this caller; I have only known of no more than 10 or 12 turkey callers; who could really use this caller. However, those few were very great turkey callers; judging from the number of gobblers they regularly killed.
I feel very for chant, to have been tooter-ed by Leon himself, which was by the telephone. I learned how to hold the caller, how to draw breath-in from deep down in the throat and how to keep the caller in top-notch shape for calling.
Yes, like all turkey hunters, I tried and used everything that I could find that would make a turkey sound. But, for me, nothing called gobblers like the Leon caller.
It's no secrete, to anyone, who knows anything about Herb McClure; how addicted he became hunting remote high mountain gobblers on the Blue Ridge WMA; located in North Georgia's mountains. After 20 years hunting the Blue Ridge and lots of other places, I settled on just Blue Ridge gobblers, because my desire in turkey hunting; was not; to see how many gobblers I might kill, but the hardy hunting was what I enjoyed.
Why would I want to hunt in a more differ-cult place? To get away from lots of hunters, because of my lack of hearing; other hunters will and do take advantage of you without hearing and there are thousands of places to get away. I even wrote a book about my life as a turkey hunter and using Leon's turkey caller.
Herb McClure
I was lucky enough to find a Leon's Caller and purchase it. I am tickled to death to own such an awesome piece of turkey hunting history. I would love to learn how to use it and take a bird with it one day. We will see.
As a kid I always saw this call on my dad's work bench. I can't say that I every saw him use it and I believe it may still be intact in the original box; I'll have to inquire the next time I visit. What are these calls valued at now?
:turkey2:Would like to say again, how impressed I am at all the hits that Leon's Turkey Caller has generated; over the last eight months. Ovhttp://oldgobbler.com/Forum/Smileys/classic/turkey2.gifer 3,250 hits showing, the last post was posted in May-20http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/Smileys/classic/turkey2.gif18.
Still amazed at the number of hits this old thread still receives. Saw on another turkey forum where a guy in Virginia is making and selling replacement rubber diaphragms like the original diaphragms Leon Johenning made. Go to GON's turkey talk for information.
For call makers. I have a home-made version of Leon's turkey caller, which was made by a late friend from black walnut wood many years ago. To tell the truth, I like it every bit as much as the originals I have. The walnut wood gives the call a different tone than the originals have, and that's good with me as turkeys have different tones in their calls.
Funny thing....... Just this past weekend, I happened across a Leon's 45 RPM instructional record .
Quote from: ol bob on February 24, 2018, 08:23:36 PM
This will be a call that will very hard to reproduce the 3 metal parts will have to be stamped and to make the dies will cost more than you could ever sell enough to re coupe your cost and if you hand made them the cost would be so high you could never sell them.
Mr. Bob. thank you so much for the Leons turkey caller you made and gave me at Unicoi. I would like very much like to send you a personal message through old gobbler if I can.
Herb McClure
Knowing that Ol Bob made you one I am sure it is about as close a reproduction to an original as one can get. You being a master of that style of call I know that you will appreciate all the work that Bob put into that call for you as your Post here already signifies. Would love to see a picture of what Ol Bob was able to do for you. Enjoy and AWESOME job Bob.
Thanks, Mr. Austy for your request to see Mr. Bob's Leon's caller he made and gave it to me. It is a work of art.
I have never learned the ropes of putting a photo on a form, however, I will try to get some help and have it shown in the near future.
Herb
This is a reference post to pull back up and show the history and the information about Leon's Turkey Caller, which I have nearly sixty years using this caller.
Herb McClure
That call is a real piece of history.
This is the patent...
https://patents.google.com/patent/US2833086A/en?oq=Us2%2c833%2c086+turkey+call