The past week or so I have really been struggling with the wait to spring. I have done everything I know to clear my mind and settle down, but it has not been working. I have pulled out calls and started practicing, have gone through my reloading items taking inventory, watched YouTube videos, and causing havoc on various FaceBook turkey hunting pages. None of these have helped much. My next step is going to be start reading the new book by Kenny Morgan, my wife gave it to me for Christmas.
During this time of withdrawal and being antsy I have decided on my calls for my vest, though not much different than last year. I am a little lighter by only carrying two pots but other than that it is pretty close. If I have had reasonable success with a call I have learned to stick with it.
My line up for this spring:
Pots: Loftis Crystal Screamer and Halloran Walnut/Wenge Slate
Strikers: Light's Out Cedar, Loftis Carbon, Fowler Osage/Snakewood, Fowler Osage/Apitong, and Halloran Wenge (Am anxiously awaiting a Fowler Osage/Mystery Wood that will probably make it to the vest)
Trumpets: NA African Blackwood, Hudson Lignum, Buice Osage, and MKW Cocobolo
Boxes: Will start with SS Maple/Spanish Cedar and Lancaster Jatoba/Holly, but have a Hustlin Hen and another Lancaster Purpleheart/Poplar that will see action.
Locators: Gibson Style Crow and Houndstooth Hooter (thinking on a Gibson Hooter)
Mouth Calls: XT and Natural Addiction
We are closing in on a month and a half here soon, thank goodness!
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My line up changes time to time. For pots I love aluminum, for sure a Schafer or two will make it. Had crazy good luck w both his atomic 13 and sapele double aluminum but I've got a new aluminum over aluminum that may be even better. Dawkins stoned aluminum may come n Dustin Jones aluminum is def comin. Glass/Crystal-crystal mistress and perhaps the Jones glass I'm waiting on if it sounds like it did on the phone.
Scratchers will be SS of some sort, prob their padauk/butternut or their yellow heart.
Short boxes I don't carry too much except to roost birds. Longboxes-either a twisting creek bloodwood/butternut or bloodwood over mineral poplar or an SS redheart over poplar.
Mouth calls from Hooks n Tru tone most likely. Maybe a mouth yelper but that's fairly new to me so we'll see.
Locators hootin stick n Gibson crow or I just cutt at em. Almost forgot a Tanner slate trough too
All this could change w the advent of newer calls or just because another call starts ringing truer in my ear so we'll see the night before. Gonna be cool to start putting on locators n binos n start looking for sure.
Love deer season but in my state it's 5 months long n I'm way ready to hunt turks by now
Added a Fowler Mystery Wood striker, man she sings!
I really like fowler strikers. I've added a Lonzo stoned in orange agate pot that's prob gonna squeeze it's way in. Funny cause at first I wasn't so certain about it n I can't figure out why. Call is really good
Here's a few calls I've bought this winter. Really like the Lon Trice pot. I don't own any custom strikers, may look at some before season. Got a Gibson crow coming and have to get mouth calls. Mouth calls are what I use 75% of the time so I need some decent ones. Likely Woodhaven or Primos as that's about all I've got experience with and been using them for years. Just wished they would last for more than a couple of weeks.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170213/df11d566c7acf77dd3c142af533d1eba.jpg)
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If you decide to get some strikers I recommend Mr. Harold Fowler. His strikers are my favorite. The ones I get from him and straight tipped, but if you like a flared tip I am sure he can make it if you call and asked, though not 100% sure.
Usually a custom mouth call like hooks, XT, cane creek will last a season, I had XTs last a couple years.
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(http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j468/rjr3006/Mobile%20Uploads/20170214_123238_zpshojylpfo.jpg) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/user/rjr3006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20170214_123238_zpshojylpfo.jpg.html)
My 2017 starting line up.
Quote from: dirt road ninja on February 14, 2017, 01:55:43 PM
(http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j468/rjr3006/Mobile%20Uploads/20170214_123238_zpshojylpfo.jpg) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/user/rjr3006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20170214_123238_zpshojylpfo.jpg.html)
My 2017 starting line up.
It would be a shame for that box to get "LOST" in SC this spring.
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What I will have in the vest opening day. Haven't decided between the boxes yet. Will rotate in a few pots and a tube
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Quote from: SwampRooster17 on February 14, 2017, 05:43:06 PM
What I will have in the vest opening day. Haven't decided between the boxes yet. Will rotate in a few pots and a tube
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170214/392c674bf285f588c168473cfe069f63.jpg)
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Is that a Gibson crow call?
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I plan not to let it out of my sight.
Quote from: davisd9 on February 14, 2017, 05:59:34 PM
Quote from: SwampRooster17 on February 14, 2017, 05:43:06 PM
What I will have in the vest opening day. Haven't decided between the boxes yet. Will rotate in a few pots and a tube
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170214/392c674bf285f588c168473cfe069f63.jpg)
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Is that a Gibson crow call?
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Nah it's a hooks synthetic
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Quote from: SwampRooster17 on February 14, 2017, 06:46:15 PM
Quote from: davisd9 on February 14, 2017, 05:59:34 PM
Quote from: SwampRooster17 on February 14, 2017, 05:43:06 PM
What I will have in the vest opening day. Haven't decided between the boxes yet. Will rotate in a few pots and a tube
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170214/392c674bf285f588c168473cfe069f63.jpg)
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Is that a Gibson crow call?
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Nah it's a hooks synthetic
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It looks really good!
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Looks like trumpets are popular. Never have tried one.
Ninja, who made that box, Albert Paul?
It's a Troy Wix, I've got a couple Albert Paul's. Something about that box just strikes gobbles. In all honesty it's not a great sounding call compared to others I own, but the birds respond to it very wel . Probably just a mental thing. If I see another I'd scoop it up in a second.
Quote from: davisd9 on February 14, 2017, 06:50:02 PM
Quote from: SwampRooster17 on February 14, 2017, 06:46:15 PM
Quote from: davisd9 on February 14, 2017, 05:59:34 PM
Quote from: SwampRooster17 on February 14, 2017, 05:43:06 PM
What I will have in the vest opening day. Haven't decided between the boxes yet. Will rotate in a few pots and a tube
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170214/392c674bf285f588c168473cfe069f63.jpg)
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Is that a Gibson crow call?
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Nah it's a hooks synthetic
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It looks really good!
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Thanks Donald
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Got a couple more to add to the lineup. Just got these in the mail from Mr. Gibson this afternoon. You can just breathe in the crow call and it talks!(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170216/313b168b7a765accd82c975e47a17330.jpg)
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Nice looking crow call .
Very nice locator set! Been thinking hard on one of those hooters myself.
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These are some of the calls I'll be hunting this year. Usually carry 4 pots 1 box and a few mouth calls.
Box is SS yellow heart/black limba
Crystal Mistress is usually always in my vest.
I run woodhaven mouth calls. Favorite is the red wasp.
Also got a halloran limited edition box coming soon that should be killer!
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You've got some nice calls. I've never owned many nice calls, especially at one time! I do have/had a Crystal Mistress. The crystal cracked so I sent it back to Mr. Halloran. He wasn't sure he could fix it so it may not make it back to me. I've always used mouth calls for the most part so frictions are just for a change of pace and to get a break after I get tired of keeping a call in my mouth all morning.
Had I won that Lee's Champion Gobble Box on eBay, it would have went to the woods with me and would have been used to call in a bird and then put on a shelf!
Very nice set of calls!
I have actually traded out the Halloran slate in my vest for a slate by Tony Reynolds. My new Fowler strikers just really brought the call to life. It is slate over slate and was a bit more mellow than the slate of glass.
Gear for the year +/- 10 things.
Quote from: USMC0331 on February 23, 2017, 11:50:16 AM
Gear for the year +/- 10 things.
And I thought I carried alot of stuff with me.
Quote from: trkehunr93 on February 23, 2017, 12:33:05 PM
Quote from: USMC0331 on February 23, 2017, 11:50:16 AM
Gear for the year +/- 10 things.
And I thought I carried alot of stuff with me.
That's not a lot poor guy can't even hunt yet. No shells, license, pen to fill it out, binos, compass, conditioning stuff, etc etc. not even snacks or water. He's packin light!
I think that's a sandwich on the top right.
Found out that is an egg salad sandwich.
I just posted calls so this is not a fair fight.
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Quote from: dirt road ninja on February 23, 2017, 07:35:41 PM
I think that's a sandwich on the top right.
you are correct egg salad on Hawaiian bread.
I doubt it will keep till the season opens.
Quote from: USMC0331 on February 23, 2017, 07:56:03 PM
Quote from: dirt road ninja on February 23, 2017, 07:35:41 PM
I think that's a sandwich on the top right.
you are correct egg salad on Hawaiian bread.
That's lunch you still need some snacks!
Quote from: Bowguy on February 23, 2017, 08:10:49 PM
Quote from: USMC0331 on February 23, 2017, 07:56:03 PM
Quote from: dirt road ninja on February 23, 2017, 07:35:41 PM
I think that's a sandwich on the top right.
you are correct egg salad on Hawaiian bread.
That's lunch you still need some snacks!
Dang right! Apples and oranges are a favorite of mine as you can throw the trash in the ground when done!
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Quote from: davisd9 on February 23, 2017, 08:55:54 PM
Quote from: Bowguy on February 23, 2017, 08:10:49 PM
Quote from: USMC0331 on February 23, 2017, 07:56:03 PM
Quote from: dirt road ninja on February 23, 2017, 07:35:41 PM
I think that's a sandwich on the top right.
you are correct egg salad on Hawaiian bread.
That's lunch you still need some snacks!
Dang right! Apples and oranges are a favorite of mine as you can throw the trash in the ground when done!
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Yea and corn spray. Turkeys like corn piles they might come to the smell. You can throw the cans on the ground too or if you use enough make a blind out of it
Granola bars, apples and pbj's
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That sounds good but the pbj makes mouth calls stick n granola mixes funny w a mouth full of dip. Maybe eggs are a good choice
Legacy mouth call, MadHatter copper pot, and Tony Quarino holly long box