I was thinking about the calls I carry on a given hunt, which, generally, is a couple pots, a box call, 3 or 4 strikers, diaphragm calls and for the past 3 or 4 years, a trumpet. Over the past 21 seasons of carrying all of this, I realized that I've called and killed 7 turkeys with pot calls, 1 with a box call, and all the rest with the diaphragm calls. That could be because I have the most confidence in diaphragm calls and to me, with a friction call, the sound is built in, whereas with a diaphragm call, it's all in the user and I have always taken great pride in calling them up with a diaphragm. Or it could be because I always have a diaphragm call in my mouth and it's less of a hassle than digging out the others. Any who, I'm curious to see what y'all typically carry and what style you seem to favor over others.
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About 95% with a pot. The other 5% with a box
I get the most use out of a diaphragm call. I usually try my other calls first but if they're not cutting it I fall back to ole faithful.
It varies. Most of my birds came to a mouth call. The last couple of years most fell to a pot call. This year a box sounds good to my ear. I will be starting out with a box this year I think.
I use a trumpet 90% of the time followed by a scratch box. I carry two trumpets and 1 scratch box.
90% pot call, although most are finished with a mouth call (if needed).
Slate of some sort and mouth call
90% of mine have fell victim to the box call. The other 10% to pots.
Just a variety of different calls. 2 pot calls that have a lot of sentinel attachments is my first slate call - Lohman Thunder dome and my first ceramic pot call from Jim Shelley in a cherry pot.... another call i carry on all my hunts is the first crow call I bought, a black plastic one from Knight Hale - Cadiz Ky ... to this day it sounds more like a crow than any others I've heard. I still use them all in my bag of tricks
Give me a cane call and a mouth diaphragm and I'm set.
I put a diaphragm in at the truck in the dark. It doesn't come out until a tag is punched or I'm back at the truck to go home.
So 90% + diaphragm. The other 10% weighted heavily toward a box. Might go for days and not pull out my pot call. This is TYPICALLY. Once in a long while, I'll get a wild hair and switch it up. But not typically.
Mostly a pot call to call to call them close and a mouth call to finish them off.
Working a bird, I'll warm him up with the trumpet and finish him off with a diaphragm..
Locating a bird, it's 50% trumpet, 25% pot, 25% diaphragm..
A trumpet does something to a gobbler that I've never been able to replicate with another call..
95% mouth call and 5% doubled-sided pot call. Glass on one side and slate on the other. I usually carry a couple of mouth calls and one pot call. Travel light
My green delrin Adj. trumpet.
Mouth yapper 90%...crystal 8% slate 2%.
All approximations
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Quote from: ol bob on January 31, 2023, 04:06:34 PM
My green delrin Adj. trumpet.
I'd like to see that...
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Trumpet for me. Last couple years it has started to approach 100%. Works for me and I enjoy it.
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100% pot call, I have a MAD Smokin' glass that has million yelps run through it and I'm hoping for a million more! When I want to change up, I use a Woodhaven Cherry Classic.
Box and trumpet
Mouth call, followed by a wingbone or trumpet and then a pot call.
Like a Ball team that is up by forty with 3 minutes to go in the game...I then put the mouth call in the game. Slate call is first string unless rain or Florida high humidity.
I like a slate.
Long box and trumpet. Usually pull out a pot call to fiddle with on the rare occasion I'm setup blind calling.
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When set up and anything I'm talking to within a hundred yards: 100% diaphragm
When walking and trying to strike up a bird: 80% pot, 20% diaphragm
I used to only carry a single diaphragm (plus a backup buried in the pack). Did well with it. No movement, cheap and weatherproof. Why would you need anything more? However, I've come to really value the pot call for reaching out.
David Hollaran Metal Mouth II and Top Shelf Ceramic are my go to. Finish the deal with ghost cut mouth call.
Great topic OP and surprising responses based on the affinity of box and pot calls in general on the site. I would have expected a more even mix.
I am 90% diaphragm 10% trumpet, but I have a few new calls from Unicoi that may change that mix this spring.
Mouth call for sure, not to say that I've never used others.
What ever the birds want to hear that particular day
Mouth call almost exclusively. Have killed a few wit other calls, I do use a glass call to locate later in the day quite a bit. Question for everyone who carries a box, how do you keep it silent while carrying it, holster, rubber bands, or one of the specific silencers. I've never been able to carry one much without it making noise.
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Calling for myself, locating is 60% box/ 20% pot/ 20% mouth call. Working a bird is 75% pot and 25% mouth, finishing is 100% mouth. Calling for others is different as I can use both hands and stay concealed while doing so and not worry about the shot. Same for locating and working, finishing I will use a pot 60% and a mouth call 40%. I personally have good success purring on my pot and then shutting up, lol. Z
Quote from: Flatbottomarky on February 01, 2023, 04:07:44 AM
Mouth call almost exclusively. Have killed a few wit other calls, I do use a glass call to locate later in the day quite a bit. Question for everyone who carries a box, how do you keep it silent while carrying it, holster, rubber bands, or one of the specific silencers. I've never been able to carry one much without it making noise.
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Holster works great for me. Never had a problem with it. And I crawl through some nasty stuff. The mt. laurel around here will grab anything.
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Tube call will normally get them fired up the finish with pot call
The last 6 years or so I've killed probably 20 birds with a Halloran Twisted Sister. That call gets them flat out fired up. That or an Outlaw Hen green slate is about all I use. Sometimes need to close the distance with a mouth yelper, but rarely.
About half Cody wc slate and half buice trumpets mixed with a soft talker for purrs
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Shannon Snakewood....everyday......
60% trumpet and 40% box, I usually carry a long box, a hen box and sometimes switch out to a fiddle box. Always carry two trumpets, never know which one he's going to like.
I generally turkey hunt in the neighborhood of 20-30 days each spring. I pretty sure I could count the number of times I use anything other than a mouth call on the fingers on one hand. Now, I know I SHOULD probably use something else once in a while and would probably, on occasion, get better results, but I suppose I am just too set in my ways (or maybe it's just laziness) to try other calls. :D
If i have a bird roosted almost always use pot call unless its raining then i use a wingbone. If I'm locating it could be pot box or wingbone i try em all. Whatever the bird responds to i try to finish with. I'm not comfortable enough with a mouth call and I'm sure it has cost me some shots up close where the bird was just out of range and i couldnt move to call.
Locating i use an owl hoot, crow call, or piliated woodpecker. If none of those work then its a tube call, wing bone or a box. Gotta try a little of each. But once located its almost always a mouth call since I'm not hunting from a blind and want 0 movement. If I'm blind calling mid morning I do have a purr pot I use. I can't purr on a mouth call good enough yet.
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I use all kinds of different calls, that's part of the fun. Most of the time I use my Primos box cutter. I like it so much I bought an extra one to keep in reserve.
Quote from: TJR on February 01, 2023, 06:38:05 AM
Quote from: Flatbottomarky on February 01, 2023, 04:07:44 AM
Mouth call almost exclusively. Have killed a few wit other calls, I do use a glass call to locate later in the day quite a bit. Question for everyone who carries a box, how do you keep it silent while carrying it, holster, rubber bands, or one of the specific silencers. I've never been able to carry one much without it making noise.
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Holster works great for me. Never had a problem with it. And I crawl through some nasty stuff. The mt. laurel around here will grab anything.
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Primos lock jaw https://www.amazon.com/Primos-Hunting-66907-Lock-Call/dp/B0075D2S2S
Since I started making kits I find myself using those more often on "Made it Mondays". I also do Tulipwood Tuesdays so those all come out on Wednesdays of course. Of the "Professionally" made calls I use most it would be the Fiddle Paddle/Boxes from Marlin Watkins that I use the most.
Quote from: Spitten and drummen on February 01, 2023, 12:48:56 AM
Whatever the birds want to hear that particular day
This. With this being said, I carry 4 different pots, a box and several mouth calls and all will get their time afield on any given day. The call that has brought in and killed the most birds is the grey slate, hands down. Normally grey slate with a mouth call to finish.
Hooks tube call on windy, sometimes rainy days. Slate K&H on calm dry still days/ close in. Box call
made from kit for deep woods/all around. Been fooling around learning how to call with my home-made
wingbone, looking forward to giving it a try this year.
Glass Hammer and a reed to close it out when it's going good. Most times there is a whole lot in between.
Permar delrin classic is definitely my most used and most consistently carried call. I'm a pot call and yelper man for sure. I usually carry two to four pots and five to eight strikers, the pot choices changing as the season progresses.
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I have killed most of my turkeys with a pot call. Wendell Rye makes all of my pot calls. My Ambrosia Maple Slate over glass has the highest head count. My Wormy Persimmon Copper over acrylic has tricked a few also. The last couple years I have gotten into using a trumpet. The late Lewis Stowe made a couple for me, his original trumpet in AZ Desert Ironwood and a cartridge call in African Black Wood. The ABW cartridge call had an Old Tom coming last year until a mushroom hunter decided to crash the party. I have a Lynch box call that doesn't get much use. Other than when using a flute, I always have a Gooserbat mouth call in. They have fooled a few Tom's into their untimely death also. I have an AZ Desert Ironwood tube call that Pappy from this page made. I just can't seem to get it mastered, so it stays on the shelf.
I use trumpets and box calls the majority of the time. I carry several of each so if he doesn't like one I will try another. I always finish with the same call that I start him with. My favorite trumpet and most used is a KP Cocobolo.
I hate to say it but my go to call for the last 15 yrs has been a Quaker boy rimshot slate I got on clearance from Wal-Mart for $5. That thing has caused a lot of death in the turkey population over the years.
Start them with either a short box or longbox normally. Scratch box is always available if needed. Always have a mouth call in my mouth to finish with allowing no movement. I do carry a pot but it normally stays in the vest unless other calls aren't effective that particular day.