Diaphragm Call or Yelper

[Uncle Nicky]

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Just a friendly informal poll....I've just lately discovered/learned how to use a wingbone call, and I'm really pleased with the number of different sounds I can get with it (with some practice). I had a devil of a time learning how to use a diaphragm call, and I'm still not all that good with it. The yelper seems a lot easier to just pick up & use, without having to walk around the house making turkey sounds driving the wife & dogs crazy (like I do with a diaphragm each spring). The only negative so far is that I can't get a gobble sound out of the wingbone (yet). So, which do you think gives you a better range of sounds- a yelper/trumpet/wingbone call, or a diaphragm call?

[guesswho]

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I love my suction style yelpers now and always have mine around my neck, very realistic yelps etc.    But as far as range of calls, I'd have to say diaphragm. 

[Tail Feathers]

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I can usually make turkey-like sounds on a yelper but proficiency eludes me on one.  I have been give a couple of exceptional yelpers but just can't do 'em justice.
I'm a diaphragm call man.

[silvestris]

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Traditional hen calls, I prefer an wingbone/trumpet.  Few can gobble on a suction call and I ain't one of them.  Take care of your teeth as while I can call fairly well on a diaphragm without my falsies, I seldom put the falsies in my pocket while hunting.

[GobbleNut]

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I have never really made an effort to learn to be proficient with any kind of suction-type call.  I have heard a few folks who are quite good with them (mostly from sound files on these forums), but in all honesty, I have heard very few wild turkeys that sound like these types of calls.  In fact, this spring I heard a hen calling that I was certain was another hunter using a suction device,...and I remember noting that I was surprised when she showed up as a real, live hen turkey.  That is how seldom I have heard suction-yelper sounding turkeys in my fifty years plus of doing this. 

On the other hand, I have heard hundreds, perhaps thousands, of turkeys that sounded like mouth call users,...both good and bad.  I also think that, with equal application of practice and perseverance, it is considerably easier for someone to become proficient with a mouth call over the suction-type calls.  Of course, that could be explained by the fact that I have never taken the time to try to master those calls.

So, in terms of "voting", I would have to state that because of my personal experiences with hearing live turkeys, I would take the sound of a good mouth call over the typical suction call just about any time.  Having said that, there are no doubt times when the gobbler you are calling to wants to hear the seductive sounds of a suction yelper over anything else. 

[daddyduke]

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Diaphragm for me. Like the variety of sounds you can produce with hands free operation.

[MK M GOBL]

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My vote is Diaphragm call, haven't done much with wing bone/yelper... Have killed some birds using but like with a box or a pot call it ties up my hands while calling, I use the diaphragm as my finisher.

MK M GOBL

[paboxcall]

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I have never really made an effort to learn to be proficient with any kind of suction-type call.  I have heard a few folks who are quite good with them (mostly from sound files on these forums), but in all honesty, I have heard very few wild turkeys that sound like these types of calls.  In fact, this spring I heard a hen calling that I was certain was another hunter using a suction device,...and I remember noting that I was surprised when she showed up as a real, live hen turkey.  That is how seldom I have heard suction-yelper sounding turkeys in my fifty years plus of doing this. 

On the other hand, I have heard hundreds, perhaps thousands, of turkeys that sounded like mouth call users,...both good and bad.  I also think that, with equal application of practice and perseverance, it is considerably easier for someone to become proficient with a mouth call over the suction-type calls.  Of course, that could be explained by the fact that I have never taken the time to try to master those calls.

So, in terms of "voting", I would have to state that because of my personal experiences with hearing live turkeys, I would take the sound of a good mouth call over the typical suction call just about any time.  Having said that, there are no doubt times when the gobbler you are calling to wants to hear the seductive sounds of a suction yelper over anything else.

I can run a mouth call and a suction caller, and not even close I have struck more public land gobbles from birds using a trumpet or wing bone than a mouth call.

Never leave home without both a trumpet and a wingbone around my neck.

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

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There is not an answer to this question.  It not only depends on the ability of the player of the call,  but that particular bird, that particular day.  Etc, etc...... 
But my vote would be a trumpet.  (or a scratchbox:)

[mgm1955]

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As has been said, very few are able to gobble with an air operated call. Whichever you can be proficient with is the one to use.

[Happy]

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My humble opinion:
A diaphram in the right mouth is the most Versatile and realistic call.
I am fairly new to trumpets but I don't see myself being able to purr or gobble on a trumpet. Ever.
However there is something about a trumpet that will get a tom to gobble when nothing else will. Sound seems to carry well over distance without seeming loud and I think they do the soft talk really well. I honestly would feel perfectly comfortable hunting only with my two favorite diaphrams and a trumpet or wingbone.

Sent from my SM-G800R4 using Tapatalk

[Chris O]

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I know a lot of guys love the trumpets and wingbones and I don't want to make anyone mad, but I agree with Gobble Nut.I have a wingbone and I had a penn woods trumpet 30 years ago . I could get Ok sounding yelps but I never felt that they sounded great.They just seem a little off in sound to my ear. I have never used one hunting because of that and maybe the turkeys would tell me different but when I don't have confidence in the sound I am making It is hard to use it. I would have to say mouth calls hands down for me.Listen to Matt Vancise at a turkey calling contest on youtube his hollow clucks are "AWESOME " and his yelps and kee Kee are awesome to. I think it would be hard for him to sound like that with a suction call just my opinion

[Coop1082]

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Diaphragm guy here. It's what I was taught with back when I was a kid, so it has stuck with me. My father participated in quite a few calling contests when I was younger and is very good on a mouth call, so when it came to teaching me that's what I learned to talk turkey with. Unlike him I've found an addiction/love of friction calls and tend to favor an array of those on any given day, but when push comes to shove the diaphragm usually gets popped in. I have however given suction style calls a try. Not a honest try, but a try nonetheless. I got my first yelper around the time I first started messing with scratchers. It took me less than 24 hours to realize I was going to devote most of my time to becoming more proficient on a scratch box (love the sound they produce) and that the yelper would be on the back burner, so I sold it off and haven't tried one since.

[crow]

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I can run a mouth call and a suction caller, and not even close I have struck more public land gobbles from birds using a trumpet or wing bone than a mouth call.

Never leave home without both a trumpet and a wingbone around my neck.
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This is what I have seen also, but not just in striking up a gobble, but better overall success in general. There is something in the sound that the turkeys like and respond to.

get a tube call for gobbling, weighs a couple of ounces, doesn't take up much room and in my opinion does a good gobble

If forced to pick I would go with a suction yelper

[SteelerFan]

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"So, which do you think gives you a better range of sounds- a yelper/trumpet/wingbone call, or a diaphragm call?"

I'd have to say the diaphragm gives me the most versatile, realistic sounds. I'd say the diaphragm duplicates the vocalizations of the turkey the best - like Happy said: "in the right mouth".

Champion callers sound better than real birds when they call on stage with a diaphragm. I don't recall ever seeing or hearing a wingbone or trumpet in a contest. That said... there is something tonally unique about a trumpet or wingbone in the field / woods. Gobblers love it, and respond to it.

I like the challenge of playing all types of calls and I like to switch it up when I'm in the woods. Sometimes the birds like a type of call better - or more likely, the way I'm running that call.