Finding the Sound

[GobbleNut]

I have been at this game a long time,...and every so often something happens that reinforces a conclusion I came to long ago that there is a very specific tonal quality in a hen's calls that tell a gobbler when she is "ready". 

It happened again this year when a couple of friends came to hunt with our local group.  One of them had an old Lynch's Fool Proof box call, which is all he ever uses, and the gobblers could not resist it.  The two of them called in almost every gobbler that they called to while the rest of us struggled.  He did nothing special with the call,...exclusively short series of yelps,...but with a sharp, crisp cadence that, for whatever reason, told those gobblers that this was a hen ready to breed. 

Using my box calls, pot calls of a variety of tones, and umpteen mouth calls, I wandered the woods trying to duplicate the sounds he was making,...but to no avail.  Even though I thought I was right on the sounds he was producing, I never hit that tone that was working.

I have seen this before,...time and time again,...where one guys calling was making the difference in whether the gobblers would come,...or not.  I have been that guy at times, and I have seen others be the guy with "the sound". 

I have also witnessed this phenomenon while observing live turkey flocks, as well.  I have seen groups of hens calling back and forth with gobblers nearby,...and with those gobblers paying no attention to the hens,...until one of them made just the right sound,...and then the gobblers would get fired up and start gobbling.  And it appeared to be the result of the change in tone, or something, that that specific hen did.

Whatever it is, it is a very specific sound that seems to be clear to the gobblers,...but is not so clear to humans,...or at least not me. 

I suppose the moral of my story is that if you find a call, or "the sound" that gets the gobblers going.  Don't change it,...and try not to lose it.  It will likely work time and time again.

[Jay Longhauser]

Interesting that you brought this up.  I think sometimes its a particular sound for that bird on that day, and sometimes its a sound that just seems to work better season after season.  I have 2 crystal pot calls that make gobblers come looking for me more often  than other pot calls that I have tried.  I also notice that some calls I have and use seem time and time again to make a bird gobble, but might not make him come to the sound.  Is it coincidence or is there something to the sound?  Probably never know.  I agree, when you get a sound that works well today it will probably work tomorrow too.

[DirtNap647]

i bleieve box calls are very deadly

[howl]

Once, while out recording turkeys before our season started, I watched an entire flock of hens fly down, along with a gobbler roosted nearby. As the hens flew down and fed off, the gobbler was tearing it up. One hen flew down and started repeating an assembly call. I took particular notice because the hen sounded exactly like a box call I have. The gobbler flew down and left.

An actual hen was walking around maybe 100 yards from the gobbler and the gobbler went the other way. That was the day I stopped carrying box calls.

[NFW]

If this is the case what kind of calls should one stick too or what brand or what kind of sound the one specific to what your talking about?

[Matt Meyer]

Amen on the box calls. They've helped me get a lot of birds

[StorminNorman]

If this is the case what kind of calls should one stick too or what brand or what kind of sound the one specific to what your talking about?

It could be any one of the calls you carry with you of any brand of call you do have. It just happens when for whatever reason that one call you're using at that time comes out with that tone and pitch that fires them up to come looking for you.And try to remember what call it was and how you used it. I can hunt in one area and it seems only 1 call they seem to like , go to another and not that far away and that call gets the silent treatment but they eat up another call. Sure practice makes perfect when using them but remember live birds don't always make perfect calls either.

[mudhen]

Box calls can be pretty special for sure!

I have a Paul's Call that has some pretty incredible hunts connected to it.

Just last week, in Nebraska, I called in a single tom from well over 600 yards away.  Open bean field, good wind, he simply walked right up to the sound if the box call alone.  Shot him at 30 yards.

mudhen

[BBD]

I've seen this myself too. My dad has an old push pull call that the clucks have a different tone to them than any other call I've ever found. It has caused a many of broken hearts.  Few years ago I had a Preston Pittman mouth call that would flat set them on fire. I sure wish I still had that call or could find one that I could reproduce that "sound" with. 

[Uncle Tom]

Go back and read what Warrent423 just said, and then read it again and burn it in your memory...that box call is without a doubt the most deadly....day in and day out... than any you can use. Now, does the other calls bring them in and do their work...you bet your life they do. Have a Billy White, a Don Carter box and an old Lynch 'World Champion Call' ...my first box ever bought. They all have accounted for their fair share of birds. That old Lynch didn't get that name by just being another call. If you don't believe that a box has that old hen sound that you are trying to sound like, have a friend get down in the woods when the leaves are really coming out, say 100 yards or more and have him work his boxes, slates, glass, mouth calls, and any other out there. Be sure to have an experienced, well seasoned caller doing this, I mean he can really make any and all of these make that perfect sound...that yelp, cluck, purrs, whines...all of them. Now you and a friend that really knows his turkey calls stand and listen...write down on separate pieces of paper which calls sound best, most like a real turkey sounds. Have done this several times with different hunter friends, and that 'dam old box call will win out every time.' So, my conclusion is, that box call gets my vote when I am trying to call a gobbler in most of the time.

[NFW]

With that being said who makes that call, couldnt seem to find it online.

[Uncle Tom]

NFW, the 3 boxes I mentioned I have had a long time and think they are still made. Don Carter can be reached at Don Carter Turkey Calls at 382 Beech Bay Road, Roper N.C. 27970---(252) 793 3810. His E-mail is Singingsam@clis.com. The White call is Anthony Foster out of Brookhaven, Mississippi. I believe his company is Anthony Foster Game Call Co. Do not have phone # or other contact info, but the call I have is The Classic model 120, and it is 16 - 18 yrs. old. He was honorable mentioned at the NWTF convention this year I believe for his work. I have called many birds with this call and it is beautiful made, have no idea if still available. This makes the best yelps, clucks, and purrs of any call have ever heard. The Lynch call can be found at Midwest turkey supply, but believe is on back order. Hope this helps.