Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

I know there's a ton of different ways to hold a striker, but this is concerning the palm of the hand. Is it supposed to rest ON the call surface,  on the side of the pot, or should I be avoiding putting my palm anywhere near the pot? I've tried all 3 and leaving my palm out of the equation sounds best, but I don't know if this is "proper" technique. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

I read my palm on side but that's me and I'm no where near a professional.

To each their own but the way I was taught and have seen most pros use is to rest the side of you palm on the bottom of the surface. Your holding your striker in a manner similar to a pen so for natural movement you need your hand supported not floating. Some people hook their pinky around the side, I do not do this. If your hand is floating you will have a hard time maintaining consistent pressure for smooth calling especially on purrs and soft talk.

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Quote from: southern_leo on February 19, 2018, 05:21:47 PM
To each their own but the way I was taught and have seen most pros use is to rest the side of you palm on the bottom of the surface. Your holding your striker in a manner similar to a pen so for natural movement you need your hand supported not floating. Some people hook their pinky around the side, I do not do this. If your hand is floating you will have a hard time maintaining consistent pressure for smooth calling especially on purrs and soft talk.

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X2.  I also lay the pinky along the edge.

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I lay the inside part of my wrist bone on the top rim of the call near the 4:00-5:00 position. Have no
idea if this is right or not, I taught myself, when I started turkey hunting there was no one I knew that had ever been...

I have shared these pics before, again it's what works for me!

MK M GOBL

Quote from: MK M GOBL on February 19, 2018, 07:57:56 PM
I lay the inside part of my wrist bone on the top rim of the call near the 4:00-5:00 position. Have know idea if this is right or not, I taught myself, when I started turkey hunting there was no one I knew that had ever been...

I have shared these pics before, again it's what works for me!

MK M GOBL

Nice post this is some good info for the OP

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Went back into my post and made an "edit" with an updated sheet. All good now, hope it's useful for some.

MK M GOBL

I'd suggest getting bill zearings dvd. Or roger parks

The Cody cd is the one I learned by, I have had two and both times I shared it never saw it again!

Wow, wow. What a wealth of information. MK, Leo, everybody just wow. These are the most in-depth answers I've ever gotten on this question and it's perfect. I just went and practiced using some of these suggestions and it's a whole new world. Thank you, thank you so much everyone. This place is great!

Quote from: IdahoMountainGobble on February 19, 2018, 09:36:35 PM
Wow, wow. What a wealth of information. MK, Leo, everybody just wow. These are the most in-depth answers I've ever gotten on this question and it's perfect. I just went and practiced using some of these suggestions and it's a whole new world. Thank you, thank you so much everyone. This place is great!

We are a community brother, I've received helped many times here myself. Glad we could help. Only charge is photos of that big tom you smash this spring with these tips

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I've been able to purr on a pot but it's been real spuratic, not real good sounding and kinda jumpy. Nothing ever real consistent until I saw a guy in a soundfile video which he took his index finger on his call hand placed it about a half inch up from the tip of the striker while holding the striker as you normally would. The index finger of the call hand that is on the striker is on about the 1-1:30 o'clock position and is used to push the striker at an angle across the surface while the striker hand held the constant slight pressure

Anybody do this or seen it done? Don't know if I explained it well enough

Here is a snapshot of the guy I saw and it really has helped me


(http://i952.photobucket.com/albums/ae10/ltr168/D7FB9E04-6007-47A2-B10C-BC1899EA51A0_zps32qxacfc.png) (http://s952.photobucket.com/user/ltr168/media/D7FB9E04-6007-47A2-B10C-BC1899EA51A0_zps32qxacfc.png.html)

@riverroost-That makes total sense. Seems like it would give a more steady force to "push" rather than "pull" the striker. I've used a K&H fighting purr for years(I love the sound of it) and it "pushes" across the soundboard. I'm actually trying to emulate that sound on a pot call so this helps tons. Thanks!

Quote from: RiverRoost on February 19, 2018, 10:29:33 PM
Here is a snapshot of the guy I saw and it really has helped me


(http://i952.photobucket.com/albums/ae10/ltr168/D7FB9E04-6007-47A2-B10C-BC1899EA51A0_zps32qxacfc.png) (http://s952.photobucket.com/user/ltr168/media/D7FB9E04-6007-47A2-B10C-BC1899EA51A0_zps32qxacfc.png.html)

Hmm never seen that. Only concern I would have is dirt and oil from my finger getting on my playing area I have conditioned. I personally grip a bit harder on the striker and do a small arch shape for purring almost like I could keep my hand still and pivot the pot under my hand for the same slight arch movement. I'm able to get a good consistent purr this way. Just have to be careful your pressured grip goes to the striker only and doesnt push the striker harder into the surface. I also try to  run my purrs on the edge of my conditioned area because they seem best on freshly conditioned surface so I don't purr where I yelp.

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when I purr, I slide my hand up the striker about an inch, and pull straight lines.

[/quote]Hmm never seen that. Only concern I would have is dirt and oil from my finger getting on my playing area I have conditioned. I personally grip a bit harder on the striker and do a small arch shape for purring almost like I could keep my hand still and pivot the pot under my hand for the same slight arch movement. I'm able to get a good consistent purr this way. Just have to be careful your pressured grip goes to the striker only and doesnt push the striker harder into the surface. I also try to  run my purrs on the edge of my conditioned area because they seem best on freshly conditioned surface so I don't purr where I yelp.

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[/quote]


I have to slide to pot down a little farther in my hand bc I don't have wide hands so the finger  tip  and the pads from the buckle down to the finger tip that's doing the pushing are elevated a bit off of the surface. I've not noticed any oil or dirt yet but I've just started to get the hang of it, will be wearing gloves on that hand during the hunt so we'll see how it goes

Another good way to purr is, instead of pulling the striker towards the center (against the conditioning grooves), run it left/right (with the grain of the conditioning) or diagonally across the conditioning marks. This will take away some of the "choppy skips" from the striker trying to "jump" the uneven conditioning grooves.

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We all have different abilities with our hands. We have to work out how to do what with what we have. I personally only tough the call with the fingers of the hand holding it. That might not be an option for someone else.

Sadler McGraw has some instructional videos on the youtube that are very helpful in figuring out your own way in using pot calls.

I read some stuff that Sadler McGraw did in a F&S article and it was kinda confusing honestly. I will check out his YouTube channel. Guy definitely knows his stuff.