I recently purchased my first trumpet and have become somewhat proficient with it. I love the sound and the drive I have to become more proficient with it. The question I have is for those that use the trumpet. What is the allure of this sound on turkeys, compared to other calls? And do you have any more success with the trumpet compared to others in your arsenal? Curious, as this will be my first spring adding it to my pots, box and mouth calls.
I use a trumpet and mouth calls exclusively and every year I fall more in love with the trumpet. It's got a sound that a gobbler can hear from a long way. I was on a mountain yelping with a trumpet a couple years ago, at what I consider normal volume and had a gobbler across a lake on another mountain, 0.62 miles away eating it up and responding. Where it really shines is public land. Yes a lot of people are using trumpets now, more than there were 6 years ago when I got my first one, but 90% of them don't take the time to really learn the call and understand how to run one. They use it more as a fashion statement. But a quality trumpet, in the hands of a skilled turkey hunter who takes the time to become proficient with one, will kill a pile of turkeys with it. They're not as versatile as other calls but they make up for it in realism and carrying distance. I wish you the best of luck and welcome to your new addiction. Merry Christmas to y'all.
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I would agree with the above statement. I like their versatility and find myself using one more so now than ever the past 5 years. I can produce that soft talk you hear from those birds when you're really close to them. I'm an avid bow hunter and when birds feed under me I can hear that small whine and yelp. I find the trumpet easier to get that small talk better than a diaphragm.
In other words it's how it resonates sounds better and carries for a longer distance.
They are fun and challenging to learn. I also really enjoy all the cool woods and other materials that they can be made from.
As far as how turkeys respond to them... I personally havent found that its any better or worse than any other call type. Sometimes they wanna hear the trumpet and nothing else. Other times they dont want anything to do with the trumpet, but crawl all over the box call... etc. It's just a other tool in the bag for me. That said, if you get proficient with the trumpet and don't use anything else, I bet you'll kill a pile of birds.
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It was twenty plus years ago when I first connected using a Kehl Hilbert ABW trumpet. Only sound I could confidently replicate was a cluck.
Since, ONLY with mentoring of a long time member here on OG, I've owned and traded good trumpets...live and learn...based on the internet hype that pumped up prices for those yelpers today. I was on a buying frenzy like most are when they start learning, when my mentor gave me the most important advice:
Pick one. Master one.
Once you can fully control air the of a quality caller, you'll realize its an amplifier of the sound you produce with your air draw, your lips and mouth. Amplification needs to be accurate, a yelper casting always in a particular direction, vs. a box that projects 360 degrees.
As commented above, once you have a bird 1/4 mile or more away, you hear him, and give him the softest yelp in response you can possibly reproduce...and he gobbles back...you learn less is more. Over the last two decades a yelper has pulled a gobble when nothing else does, because IMHO, a hen projects a sound somewhat similarly.
I agree with pick one and master one. All are different internally regardless of how similar they look. I went through a buying frenzy as well and had some good ones from Permar, Battey, etc but nothing I truly loved 100%. I got a shoebuck trumpet and absolutely loved it and wound up buying 4 or 5 of them and they all played the same. With that said, I got one from Daryl Slaton this year and had him make it with wood I picked out from the blank, the mouth piece material I wanted and had him do something a little different with the mouthpiece and I can say that I truly love it. I don't see myself ever carrying one other than that unless something unfortunate happens to it. And with that being said, since I've made the decision to stick with it 100%, I can do things on it and sound better than I have any of the other ones I've had.
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I like a variety of trumpets myself, I feel if your just playing one type or builder your missing out on some awesome trumpets and what other builders bring to the woods with sound / craftsmanship etc.. IMO
Now it's nothing wrong if you just like playing one type...
I just see the difference in gobbler sounds and hen sounds with tones / pitch on these trumpets .. IMO
I've accumulated some pretty cool trumpets.
I sit down and I play each and every one of them..... I am not great, or even good, with ANY of them.
I feel that the "Pick one. Master one" advice is the best advice you will get for free.
I received my first trumpet as a gift for my 18th B-Day, some 23 odd years ago. Practiced w/it for a few years but never carried it. Finally, winter of 06/07 I made my mind up to really learn the thing. Carried it opening day and the rest is history. Trumpet and cane are the go to calls for me and rarely use anything else. As far as how they work compared to other types of callers. If you know how to move on a turkey w/out spooking it, get in tight and have a good understanding of how turkeys move... you should have an upside down turkey nearly every time regardless of the call. Biggest POS call made is extremely deadly in the RIGHT hands.
Gentlemen, thanks so much for your responses. I have killed my share of turkeys with different calls. I love the challenge of this sport, the interaction with the birds and learning different calls and woodsmanship technics that enhances this GREAT sport we all love. The trumpet to me has a very different sound then other calls that we use, so I'm intrigued. I plan on putting in the time and being patient so I can learn the nuisances of this call. I am definitely looking forward to another weapon in the arsenal and seeing how the turkeys respond this spring. Any advice or video instruction is Greatly appreciated.
As others, I don't necessarily know what it is but when I run a trumpet as quiet as I can it gets responses. Last spring I positioned on a bird gobbling well...I couldn't get closer than ~100 yards. I called so softly I could barely hear it myself...he immediately responded. My last six birds have been with a trumpet/wingbone combination.
I don't consider myself good, but apparently good enough. Also, when I hear guys like Prudhomme and Farmer I really like that rasp...I can't do it no matter how hard I try. But the turkeys don't seem to care that my calling is clear. Now...I have a good box call, slate and glass but I'll stick to the trumpet/wingbone for another reason. I can call one-handed and, when I want, just hold it between my teeth while sitting there as a tom approaches. Barely any movement when I take my hand off the stock and back to the trumpet, if needed.
I wish I had a good answer for this one. The very first time I heard a response from a Tom on a wing bone was from my 10 y/o son. Nothing was working that day at all. Trackey Jr says, can I try this? and I say sure why not. He put one ugly yelp out and GrrrrObblObbleObble! He killed that Tom. His very first one, and it was a dandy for sure.
For me, it seems like I always get em cranked up with the wing bone. I tend to think it's the tone, deflection, decibel level has everything to do with them things. It sounds more hollow to me. I don't have a horn but I'd like to have one, one day. A wing bone has been a big part of my arsenal for at least 15 years now. I'm not great at it either. But proficient enough apparently. I tend to keep it simple and they like it.
I've always mixed it up between 2 or 3 different calls. One would always be a mouth call. I don't want to get caught when he is closing the gap fidgeting.
I'm fascinated by the affect these trumpets have on them as much as the next guy. I can't find the answer to why. But I feel that the suction style gives a sound that is hard to tell how far away it came from. It is an extremely realistic sound but there's a lot of unanswered questions that keeps me wondering.
I am honestly not very good with them but I have called in turkey with them sitting on the side of the road in the truck practicing long before the season even began. I did learn I seem to have better luck calling quieter than all out.
The trumpet can be played very softly, which is not my thing, and gives a different tone to anything I use. I am the absolute worst trumpeter here, but I will continue to work at it and use it in the field till I never get a response. I am a get one and learn to play it guy. Enjoy your journey. Z
Sounds as if many of us have taken on a PROJECT! I personally enjoy learning new things. I have only been at this sport about 15 years, and with the help I've received from each of you, I have learned woodsmanship, box, pot and mouth calls and have gotten into trumpets. I must say, there is a WEALTH of Knowledge here. By keeping an open mind and applying the knowledge that many of you have shared, I have come a long way in this sport. Thanks to ALL of you!
Since I have only had a trumpet for a couple of months, I consider myself a novice. I do have the basics down and have been watching videos from some of the GREATS (Zach Farmer, Mark Prudhomme, Del Crow, Marlin Watkins and Ted Pete Peters to name a few.) I am still experimenting with many different techniques but feel very comfortable with the trumpet. I'm really looking forward to this season, to try the trumpet on live birds. They will give me the feedback I'm looking for. As with all my calls, I only want to be able to call in a bird to the end of the gun barrel not win contests. This site and you guys make this sport, SO ENJOYABLE! Thanks Shannon and ALL of you that SHARE so much!
Quote from: bbcoach on December 30, 2025, 01:02:13 PMSince I have only had a trumpet for a couple of months, I consider myself a novice. I do have the basics down and have been watching videos from some of the GREATS (Zach Farmer, Mark Prudhomme, Del Crow, Marlin Watkins and Ted Pete Peters to name a few.) I am still experimenting with many different techniques but feel very comfortable with the trumpet. I'm really looking forward to this season, to try the trumpet on live birds. They will give me the feedback I'm looking for. As with all my calls, I only want to be able to call in a bird to the end of the gun barrel not win contests. This site and you guys make this sport, SO ENJOYABLE! Thanks Shannon and ALL of you that SHARE so much!
I sent you a PM the other day BB, have you received it?.
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Quote from: ScottTaulbee on December 30, 2025, 02:09:05 PMQuote from: bbcoach on December 30, 2025, 01:02:13 PMSince I have only had a trumpet for a couple of months, I consider myself a novice. I do have the basics down and have been watching videos from some of the GREATS (Zach Farmer, Mark Prudhomme, Del Crow, Marlin Watkins and Ted Pete Peters to name a few.) I am still experimenting with many different techniques but feel very comfortable with the trumpet. I'm really looking forward to this season, to try the trumpet on live birds. They will give me the feedback I'm looking for. As with all my calls, I only want to be able to call in a bird to the end of the gun barrel not win contests. This site and you guys make this sport, SO ENJOYABLE! Thanks Shannon and ALL of you that SHARE so much!
I sent you a PM the other day BB, have you received it?.
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I got it and have responded via text
I mostly have wing bones I make myself and one I call a bone and brass hybrid, they just have a different tone than any other call and just flat sound like turkeys!
First guy I ever used one I called in a nice late season tom, talk about a confidence booster!
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I quit worrying about "why" yelpers (Wingbones, Jordans, Trumpets) work so well in the turkey woods and am just satisfied knowing they are killer calls. Turkeys just like them. Anyone that puts an honest effort into learning and using these instruments will absolutely come to that conclusion.
I'm a turkey hunter first and foremost and use a variety of really good calls and all of them work great, but over the years, the yelpers have risen to the top as my "always go to" calls. That wasn't always the case, even when I first started making wingbones, it was a novelty to me (wish I could say different, lol). I was intrigued by the history and the coolness factor, but had no idea what killer calls these yelpers were. It was a slow process to learn and discover how much I didn't know back in the days of no internet and really very little info on much of anything, let alone the yelpers.
Fast forward to today and I will still tell anyone that there is no "magic wand" turkey call, but, a good yelper is the closest thing I've found. My first trip to Unicoi there was a "Round Table" of Trumpet and Yelper men. Someone in the crowd asked that very question as to "why" these yelpers were so effective. One of the men responded with the very popular answer that it was because so few folks use them and it's something different to the turkeys. Mr. Billy Buice interrupted..."That's wrong.....it's not that they don't hear that sound....it's the sound that they hear everyday!!!"
I believe that is 100% true.
One of the men responded with the very popular answer that it was because so few folks use them and it's something different to the turkeys. Mr. Billy Buice interrupted..."That's wrong.....it's not that they don't hear that sound....it's the sound that they hear everyday!!!"
I believe that is 100% true.
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EZ, I LOVE this!
Bit of an unpopular opinion here...
I don't believe that trumpets are ultra-realistic. I also dont believe that they elicit some near magical response from a wild turkey any more or less than any other call. Let me elaborate, but before i do, here are a few disclaimers. I say what I am about to say as someone that loves trumpets and wingbones. Ive hunted with them since the early 2000s when I was a teenager. At my current stage in my hunting career, my wife and I kill between 10-15 birds a season, all called in with either a trumpet or a mouth call (a tiny handful with a box call). I acknowledge that what im about to say may well be very wrong. Perhaps confirmation biased or perhaps ive just missed somthing that others have been able to identify.
Now, to my first claim that trumpets and wingbones are not ultrarealistic- I can think of maybe 2 or 3 guys that can run a trumpet and make it sound like a real wild hen turkey. A bunch of guys can sound sort of like a turkey (I put myself in this category) and the vast majority sound more like a chipmunk than they do a hen. I know of dozens of guys that can run a mouth call and sound like a turkey, many many more that can run a box or a pot call well. So, the claim that trumpets are so "effective because its what turkeys hear every day", I just cant get on board with that. For most, they are the least realistic turkey call in their arsenal. Now, that said (and this is the magical part), despite sounding more like a chipmunk than a hen, turkeys still do respond and even come in to those calls on occassion (just the same as they do poor calling on a mouth, box, pot call, etc. on occasion). Which leads me to my next claim...
Trumpets and wingbones do not elicit some response from turkeys that is any different than any other type of call. Over the last 20+ years I have called to and called in dozens and dozens of wild turkeys of all subspecies in every region of the US. I have done so with just about every type of turkey call you can imagine. In the last 10 years or so, I have used mostly trumpets, wing bones, mouth call and on rare occasion my trusty long box (when I know im gonna be out of breath). In all of this experience, if i remove my confirmation bias to the best of my abilty, turkeys do not respond any differently to trumpets than they do any other type of call. Ive called to birds with a mouth or box call and heard crickets only to have him run in on a string when i switch to the trumpet or bone. But i have had the opposite experience as many or more times as well. Like I said in an earlier post... the trumpet is another tool in the bag, but on any given day, its no more or less effective than any other call type. If i didnt feel this way, I wouldnt use any other type of call besides a trumpet.
I like trumpets because it is so difficult to make it sound like a real hen. Combined with the uniqueness of the call styles and woods and other materials, they are special to me, but not because they are extra good at striking or calling in turkeys.
Just one turkey hunters (drastically outnumbered lol) opinion. YMMV
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Trumpets are a waste of time. Lots of better, easier calls out there. Definitely more realistic ones the turkeys prefer.
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I'm mostly in agreement with BullTom. I've never heard a trumpet that I didn't know was a trumpet by the sound. Hearing guesswho on a Rivercane Yelper may be the exception.
Not that they don't sound good, just not 100% real turkey. I've heard a few mouth callers who did sound 100% real turkey. I've heard a couple of boxes that were 98%. Most of the time I can tell what kind of call I hear in the woods, including trumpets.
They are a solid choice for hunting, but for the time it takes to master one I don't blame someone who chooses not to use them.
Me? I have some, and decidedly have not mastered them tho. But I'll keep after it. I want to call in a bird with one soon. They are another good call to have in your arsenal, but I don't think they are genuinely the best or most "real turkey" sounding.
Some of you all must be hanging with the wrong type of trumpet players.
I've heard some yelper men that sound all turkey to my ear.
I've also seen success rate go up with yelpers on hard hunted public land compared to other types of calls.
But that's not stopping me from working on a lightweight call that sounds like a sack of corn being poured on the ground, I'm getting close.
Quote from: crow on January 01, 2026, 12:38:08 AMSome of you all must be hanging with the wrong type of trumpet players.
I've heard some yelper men that sound all turkey to my ear.
I've also seen success rate go up with yelpers on hard hunted public land compared to other types of calls.
But that's not stopping me from working on a lightweight call that sounds like a sack of corn being poured on the ground, I'm getting close.
That may well be true!
However, I will say that even the most highly regarded trumpet players dont sound super realistic to me. Dont get me wrong, they sound dang good and it inspires me to get better every day. I have listend to the popular sound files from these guys on repeat for years. But, compared to the most highly regarded mouth call guys, it's not even close. I think the trumpet has all the elements of realism, its just very difficult to put them together in a compelte, realistic package (if that makes any sense). The roll over isnt quite right and its very hard to get the shrill front end with a throaty, raspy, honky back end and then put it all together with the correct cadence. A handful of guys get close (I like to think myself included), but never as close as even just above average mouth callers.
Thats pretty sweet that you have a public land secret weapon! The majority of birds I hunt are on public land. Unfortunately for me, that hasnt been my experience. I have killed or almost killed birds on public that I dont believe I would have if not for the trumpet. That said, generally the realism and versatility of the mouth call wins for me. If i could only take one call to hunt heavily pressured public land birds, its gonna be a mouth call almost all of the time. Certainly open to the fact that this may change in the future.
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Some good points brought up. Everyone's experiences may vary. I remember decades ago, famed turkey biologist, Lovette Williams, studied the sounds made by turkeys and sounds made by turkey calls using equipment that measured sound wavelength. Wingbones and trumpets were nearly identical to that of real turkeys.
Gentlemen, this is the type of responses I expected to hear. I personally have come to the same conclusion that trumpets really don't have that hen sound, that we hear from other calls, even played by those we hold in HIGH regard as GREAT trumpet players. Maybe it's my ear or my lack of experience with the trumpet, but as many have said, they definitely get responses and they definitely bring birds to the end of the gun barrel. I don't want this thread to get into a P------ contest but the trumpet has its place and DEFINITELY fools birds. So why the response, in your opinion? Wavelength as EZ stated? Just questions to mull over and talk about sensibly until we can ALL get in the woods. HAPPY NEW YEAR to ALL!
I suppose I fall into the BullTom camp regarding my opinion of the sound and realism of a trumpet...or any other type of suction call. From my personal experience in hearing (conservatively) many hundreds of hen turkeys in the woods, there has only been ONE time that I have heard a real hen turkey sound like a suction call to MY ears...or at least the sound of the suction calls I have heard from the great majority of hunters I have heard using one of them. That bird was not in sight when I heard it, and I concluded that the sound was coming from someone using a trumpet/wingbone/etal. I admit I was shocked when the hen making the sound came into sight.
On the other hand, I have heard those same hundreds of hens "out there" that sounded either like a friction call of some sort...or another form of air-operated call (mouth call/tube). I won't even get into the discussion about how, out of those hundreds of hens, the "noises" they make have varied from the classic "box-call yelp" to everything all the way down to that of a braying donkey.
Regardless of my personal opinion, however, if somebody wants to pursue becoming proficient enough with any type of suction call to regularly kill gobblers with them, more power to them. Furthermore, if that somebody has convinced themselves that they killed a particular gobbler due only to their mastery of a trumpet, then even more power to them. I admire that dedication to our pastime. However, my own opinion on the matter is that 1) I will never be convinced that a gobbler that is killed by someone using a trumpet could not have been killed by someone using another type of call, and 2) that a gobbler that did not come to that suction call someone is using would not willingly come to a hunter that chose, at that moment, to use another type of call.
In summation, a guy is much better off hitting on whatever sound/calling sequence a gobbler wants to hear at any given moment than he is swearing by any particular type of calling device (which, by the way, is curious of me to say since I use mouth calls almost exclusively ??? ). Yes, that preferred calling device may, in any given encounter with a gobbler, be a trumpet...or it may, in the next encounter, be the call you have that sounds like that braying donkey. ;D :D
Entertaining and informative.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CAB6_JNRYMI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4zZtBcQCNE
Amazing calling by Mark Prudhomme there. For those here that can call like that on a trumpet I would suggest sticking with it in the turkey woods!
...For the rest of us, might be wiser to stick with the easier calls to use. Personally, I am looking for the gobblers that like the "braying donkey" sound that I am really good at! ;D :angel9:
I like trumpets for plain yelps, kee kees, tree talk, clucks and squealing. I like box calls for assembly yelping and hard loud cutting, and pot calls for purrs, clucks, soft talk and cutts. So for me, I use different types of calls depending on the circumstances.
I like carrying at least one suction call, one pot call and one box call at all times.
Quote from: Zobo on January 01, 2026, 10:34:37 PMI like trumpets for plain yelps, kee kees, tree talk, clucks and squealing. I like box calls for assembly yelping and hard loud cutting, and pot calls for purrs, clucks, soft talk and cutts. So for me, I use different types of calls depending on the circumstances.
I like carrying at least one suction call, one pot call and one box call at all times.
That's more along the lines of how I view calls. I like certain ones for certain types of calling. I always carry a suction call, a few diaphragms, and one pot call. I have several wooden trumpets, mainly because it's my preferred way to display dense, heavy woods used for calls. Wooden trumpets have also performed well for me in the field. Wingbones and cane yelpers are easier to run for me to just pick up and run though.
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Quote from: GobbleNut on January 01, 2026, 11:22:22 AMAmazing calling by Mark Prudhomme there. For those here that can call like that on a trumpet I would suggest sticking with it in the turkey woods!
...For the rest of us, might be wiser to stick with the easier calls to use. Personally, I am looking for the gobblers that like the "braying donkey" sound that I am really good at! ;D :angel9:
That's the thing. You don't have to be able to call like that to kill turkeys. Obviously, the more effort you put into anything pays dividends. The biggest mistake one can make with yelpers (I made it) is comparing the sound to other calls. Let the turkeys do the comparing.
Quote from: EZ on January 02, 2026, 08:45:00 AMQuote from: GobbleNut on January 01, 2026, 11:22:22 AMAmazing calling by Mark Prudhomme there. For those here that can call like that on a trumpet I would suggest sticking with it in the turkey woods!
...For the rest of us, might be wiser to stick with the easier calls to use. Personally, I am looking for the gobblers that like the "braying donkey" sound that I am really good at! ;D :angel9:
That's the thing. You don't have to be able to call like that to kill turkeys. Obviously, the more effort you put into anything pays dividends. The biggest mistake one can make with yelpers (I made it) is comparing the sound to other calls. Let the turkeys do the comparing.
Exactly EZ. Take a dozen different calls with you to the woods and let the turkeys decide. Many limit their offerings and wonder why they can't get a GOBBLE! Some days we all get skunked but if you only use ONE bait to catch a fish (Turkey), you will get skunked more often than not. :z-twocents:
Not trumpet related specifically but applies to the topic, a friend and I were working a bird, he responded to my friends calling immediately, I dropped back to finish the bird and I got nothing!
After a few series my friend called again and got immediately cut off, my ego was crushed, I proceeded to cycle through every mouth call I had and on the last one the bird cut me off immediately! Ego saved...lol
The bird game in but never offered a clear shot, but obviously that bird wanted a certain pitch that was not obvious to either one of us!
We killed the stubborn joker the next day I believe?
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Sometimes I think we miss the point in using calls / trumpets. There's a big difference in just playing calls,you better learn what sounds / tone's to make and when to make them on any call. If not you're probably running / scaring more turkeys away than you know. Regardless sometimes it doesn't matter what you do that day, you're just not going to kill that gobbler. Next day that could all change with you giving him a ride home.
If you learn one thing by using calls / trumpets included - KNOWING what calls to make and when to use them will make you a lot more successful with your calling. AS we all know setup and patience is a big part of killing a gobbler. A lot of times the right place / right time gets him killed.
So regardless, never limit your arsenal of calls in my opinion, carry several with practicing and learn to be proficient on all of them. Remember one or more bad sounds can ruin a good morning hunt and whose fault is that,I would say your.
Weather and conditions can dictate what calls to bring and use during those bad days. So AIR CALLS will always be in my arsenal of calls, along with pots and boxes. I pick my calls for what works best for me and my environment. With our season being pushed back the last 2 years everything now has pretty much greened out and I had to make changes with how I hunted along with the calls I carried. So again there are many factors with what you need and use in your areas / states while hunting.
So again IN my opinion WHY limit yourself, the season is just so many days. It's like the person who says I only carry 2 shells, well I carry 5 or more myself, because I might miss... LOL
I still carry and use a longbox, small slate box, scratch box, tube call, diaphragm and several yelpers. Last season longboxs by Ralph Snodgrass and Billy Bush were just as hot for the gobblers I was running into as any of the yelpers. Just how it goes sometimes
Quote from: EZ on January 01, 2026, 06:40:28 AMSome good points brought up. Everyone's experiences may vary. I remember decades ago, famed turkey biologist, Lovette Williams, studied the sounds made by turkeys and sounds made by turkey calls using equipment that measured sound wavelength. Wingbones and trumpets were nearly identical to that of real turkeys.
I think there's something to this and would love to dig into this deeper with someone who has more knowledge. One thing that is worth adding to this thread is my dogs reaction to the trumpet. His ears will twitch and he will turn his head. He will even come up to me and give me the impression that it hurts his ears. I can play a pot call or box call as loud as I want and he is so accustomed to it and he won't even acknowledge it. But a trumpet will drive him crazy. I wonder if our ears aren't hearing the trumpet to the full effect of other animals ears.
Quote from: BullTom on January 01, 2026, 01:16:39 AMQuote from: crow on January 01, 2026, 12:38:08 AMSome of you all must be hanging with the wrong type of trumpet players.
I've heard some yelper men that sound all turkey to my ear.
I've also seen success rate go up with yelpers on hard hunted public land compared to other types of calls.
But that's not stopping me from working on a lightweight call that sounds like a sack of corn being poured on the ground, I'm getting close.
That may well be true!
However, I will say that even the most highly regarded trumpet players dont sound super realistic to me. Dont get me wrong, they sound dang good and it inspires me to get better every day. I have listend to the popular sound files from these guys on repeat for years. But, compared to the most highly regarded mouth call guys, it's not even close. I think the trumpet has all the elements of realism, its just very difficult to put them together in a compelte, realistic package (if that makes any sense). The roll over isnt quite right and its very hard to get the shrill front end with a throaty, raspy, honky back end and then put it all together with the correct cadence. A handful of guys get close (I like to think myself included), but never as close as even just above average mouth callers.
Thats pretty sweet that you have a public land secret weapon! The majority of birds I hunt are on public land. Unfortunately for me, that hasnt been my experience. I have killed or almost killed birds on public that I dont believe I would have if not for the trumpet. That said, generally the realism and versatility of the mouth call wins for me. If i could only take one call to hunt heavily pressured public land birds, its gonna be a mouth call almost all of the time. Certainly open to the fact that this may change in the future.
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Respectfully, other than Mark, you Sir, are listening to the wrong players ;)
Quote from: WLT III on January 02, 2026, 06:33:21 PMQuote from: BullTom on January 01, 2026, 01:16:39 AMQuote from: crow on January 01, 2026, 12:38:08 AMSome of you all must be hanging with the wrong type of trumpet players.
I've heard some yelper men that sound all turkey to my ear.
I've also seen success rate go up with yelpers on hard hunted public land compared to other types of calls.
But that's not stopping me from working on a lightweight call that sounds like a sack of corn being poured on the ground, I'm getting close.
That may well be true!
However, I will say that even the most highly regarded trumpet players dont sound super realistic to me. Dont get me wrong, they sound dang good and it inspires me to get better every day. I have listend to the popular sound files from these guys on repeat for years. But, compared to the most highly regarded mouth call guys, it's not even close. I think the trumpet has all the elements of realism, its just very difficult to put them together in a compelte, realistic package (if that makes any sense). The roll over isnt quite right and its very hard to get the shrill front end with a throaty, raspy, honky back end and then put it all together with the correct cadence. A handful of guys get close (I like to think myself included), but never as close as even just above average mouth callers.
Thats pretty sweet that you have a public land secret weapon! The majority of birds I hunt are on public land. Unfortunately for me, that hasnt been my experience. I have killed or almost killed birds on public that I dont believe I would have if not for the trumpet. That said, generally the realism and versatility of the mouth call wins for me. If i could only take one call to hunt heavily pressured public land birds, its gonna be a mouth call almost all of the time. Certainly open to the fact that this may change in the future.
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Respectfully, other than Mark, you Sir, are listening to the wrong players ;)
Who should I be listening to? Id love to hear some sound files.
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Quote from: BullTom on January 02, 2026, 07:57:19 PMWho should I be listening to? Id love to hear some sound files.
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Just listen to turkeys and that "turkey in your head" and emulate that as best you can.
I've listened to some of your sound files and in my opinion, you should have no trouble piling them up.
Quote from: EZ on January 02, 2026, 08:23:37 PMQuote from: BullTom on January 02, 2026, 07:57:19 PMWho should I be listening to? Id love to hear some sound files.
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Just listen to turkeys and that "turkey in your head" and emulate that as best you can.
I've listened to some of your sound files and in my opinion, you should have no trouble piling them up.
EZ, I appreciate the advice and the kind words however I was asking about sound files of the "correct" trumpet players. I have exhausted every trumpet (and wild turkey) sound file that I can find on the internet ×10. If someone knows of soundfiles of trumpeters that are as good or better than Mr. Prudhomme, I would really like to give em a listen!
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Bull your calling matchs up with the best I have heard!
Quote from: EZ on January 02, 2026, 08:23:37 PMQuote from: BullTom on January 02, 2026, 07:57:19 PMWho should I be listening to? Id love to hear some sound files.
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Just listen to turkeys and that "turkey in your head" and emulate that as best you can.
I've listened to some of your sound files and in my opinion, you should have no trouble piling them up.
The Ol Boy who gave EZ that advice, could run toe to toe with the top 3 Senior division mouth yelpers in Nashville. Proud to call him a friend ;)
Quote from: WLT III on January 02, 2026, 09:59:47 PMQuote from: EZ on January 02, 2026, 08:23:37 PMQuote from: BullTom on January 02, 2026, 07:57:19 PMWho should I be listening to? Id love to hear some sound files.
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Just listen to turkeys and that "turkey in your head" and emulate that as best you can.
I've listened to some of your sound files and in my opinion, you should have no trouble piling them up.
The Ol Boy who gave EZ that advice, could run toe to toe with the top 3 Senior division mouth yelpers in Nashville. Proud to call him a friend ;)
With his 5.5 Osage Buice yelper, that is.
Quote from: BullTom on January 02, 2026, 07:57:19 PMQuote from: WLT III on January 02, 2026, 06:33:21 PMQuote from: BullTom on January 01, 2026, 01:16:39 AMQuote from: crow on January 01, 2026, 12:38:08 AMSome of you all must be hanging with the wrong type of trumpet players.
I've heard some yelper men that sound all turkey to my ear.
I've also seen success rate go up with yelpers on hard hunted public land compared to other types of calls.
But that's not stopping me from working on a lightweight call that sounds like a sack of corn being poured on the ground, I'm getting close.
That may well be true!
However, I will say that even the most highly regarded trumpet players dont sound super realistic to me. Dont get me wrong, they sound dang good and it inspires me to get better every day. I have listend to the popular sound files from these guys on repeat for years. But, compared to the most highly regarded mouth call guys, it's not even close. I think the trumpet has all the elements of realism, its just very difficult to put them together in a compelte, realistic package (if that makes any sense). The roll over isnt quite right and its very hard to get the shrill front end with a throaty, raspy, honky back end and then put it all together with the correct cadence. A handful of guys get close (I like to think myself included), but never as close as even just above average mouth callers.
Thats pretty sweet that you have a public land secret weapon! The majority of birds I hunt are on public land. Unfortunately for me, that hasnt been my experience. I have killed or almost killed birds on public that I dont believe I would have if not for the trumpet. That said, generally the realism and versatility of the mouth call wins for me. If i could only take one call to hunt heavily pressured public land birds, its gonna be a mouth call almost all of the time. Certainly open to the fact that this may change in the future.
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Respectfully, other than Mark, you Sir, are listening to the wrong players ;)
Who should I be listening to? Id love to hear some sound files.
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Listen to turkeys and you will see you short stroke your yelps then start drawing too much air. The first couple yelps on the Mero Gidgee is pretty good then it goes away. Do not listen to people, listen to the real thing.
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Quote from: davisd9 on January 02, 2026, 10:36:28 PMQuote from: BullTom on January 02, 2026, 07:57:19 PMQuote from: WLT III on January 02, 2026, 06:33:21 PMQuote from: BullTom on January 01, 2026, 01:16:39 AMQuote from: crow on January 01, 2026, 12:38:08 AMSome of you all must be hanging with the wrong type of trumpet players.
I've heard some yelper men that sound all turkey to my ear.
I've also seen success rate go up with yelpers on hard hunted public land compared to other types of calls.
But that's not stopping me from working on a lightweight call that sounds like a sack of corn being poured on the ground, I'm getting close.
That may well be true!
However, I will say that even the most highly regarded trumpet players dont sound super realistic to me. Dont get me wrong, they sound dang good and it inspires me to get better every day. I have listend to the popular sound files from these guys on repeat for years. But, compared to the most highly regarded mouth call guys, it's not even close. I think the trumpet has all the elements of realism, its just very difficult to put them together in a compelte, realistic package (if that makes any sense). The roll over isnt quite right and its very hard to get the shrill front end with a throaty, raspy, honky back end and then put it all together with the correct cadence. A handful of guys get close (I like to think myself included), but never as close as even just above average mouth callers.
Thats pretty sweet that you have a public land secret weapon! The majority of birds I hunt are on public land. Unfortunately for me, that hasnt been my experience. I have killed or almost killed birds on public that I dont believe I would have if not for the trumpet. That said, generally the realism and versatility of the mouth call wins for me. If i could only take one call to hunt heavily pressured public land birds, its gonna be a mouth call almost all of the time. Certainly open to the fact that this may change in the future.
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Respectfully, other than Mark, you Sir, are listening to the wrong players ;)
Who should I be listening to? Id love to hear some sound files.
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Listen to turkeys and you will see you short stroke your yelps then start drawing too much air. The first couple yelps on the Mero Gidgee is pretty good then it goes away. Do not listen to people, listen to the real thing.
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Yes, I agree. I listen to hen recordings and hens in the wild as much as possible. Most of the time I am practicing, I am trying to mimic a real hen in a sound file. I was actually just comparing my most recent recording of me calling on a trumpet to a recording of a wild hen realier today... I need more practice!
However, unfortunately I havent found any videos of wild turkey hens offering tips and tricks on how to make a trumpet call sound more like a real wild hen. Thats typically when i turn to videos of people running trumpet calls. Just watching and listening with the hopes of seeing or hearing somthing that helps me mimmic that real hen better. I also just really enjoy hearing people call well on a trumpet call. Its like watching a skilled musician play their instrument. For me, the trumpet is just for fun.
Additionally, I am well aware that my trumpet calling doesnt sound all that realistic. Hence the position i have held in earlier posts on this thread. Also why i typically prefer a mouth call for realism in situations where a "short stroked yelp" might hinder my chances of calling in the turkey.
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Now were talking about the true sound of the trumpet, Gentlemen. This is exactly what I put up this thread for. I personally don't hear the YE AWK (high and low) of the hen in the trumpet. Maybe it's the novice in me but many of the Top Notch, Bonifide trumpet players don't have it either IMO. I have to say though, The Trumpet gets it done! Is it the cadence or pitch or frequency that fires up those stubborn Gobblers? Redwad has made a post that talks about his dog's reaction to the trumpet. I have always wondered if any of our calls (boxes, pots, diaphragms etc) has to have that certain Frequency. Interesting to Think and Talk about.
Quote from: BullTom on January 01, 2026, 01:16:39 AMYes, I agree. I listen to hen recordings and hens in the wild as much as possible. Most of the time I am practicing, I am trying to mimic a real hen in a sound file. I was actually just comparing my most recent recording of me calling on a trumpet to a recording of a wild hen realier today... I need more practice!
However, unfortunately I havent found any videos of wild turkey hens offering tips and tricks on how to make a trumpet call sound more like a real wild hen. Thats typically when i turn to videos of people running trumpet calls. Just watching and listening with the hopes of seeing or hearing somthing that helps me mimmic that real hen better. I also just really enjoy hearing people call well on a trumpet call. Its like watching a skilled musician play their instrument. For me, the trumpet is just for fun.
Additionally, I am well aware that my trumpet calling doesnt sound all that realistic. Hence the position i have held in earlier posts on this thread. Also why i typically prefer a mouth call for realism in situations where a "short stroked yelp" might hinder my chances of calling in the turkey.
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You get no more information from watching other people sound files. Very rarely is a good caller making a vocalization then explaining what they are doing. You have to listen, then experiment on producing the sound. You can do the same with a live hen videos.
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Quote from: davisd9 on January 03, 2026, 08:34:18 AMQuote from: BullTom on January 01, 2026, 01:16:39 AMYes, I agree. I listen to hen recordings and hens in the wild as much as possible. Most of the time I am practicing, I am trying to mimic a real hen in a sound file. I was actually just comparing my most recent recording of me calling on a trumpet to a recording of a wild hen realier today... I need more practice!
However, unfortunately I havent found any videos of wild turkey hens offering tips and tricks on how to make a trumpet call sound more like a real wild hen. Thats typically when i turn to videos of people running trumpet calls. Just watching and listening with the hopes of seeing or hearing somthing that helps me mimmic that real hen better. I also just really enjoy hearing people call well on a trumpet call. Its like watching a skilled musician play their instrument. For me, the trumpet is just for fun.
Additionally, I am well aware that my trumpet calling doesnt sound all that realistic. Hence the position i have held in earlier posts on this thread. Also why i typically prefer a mouth call for realism in situations where a "short stroked yelp" might hinder my chances of calling in the turkey.
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You get no more information from watching other people sound files. Very rarely is a good caller making a vocalization then explaining what they are doing. You have to listen, then experiment on producing the sound. You can do the same with a live hen videos.
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Perhaps YOU dont get any information this way, but I have learned a lot from just observing. Explanations help, but observing subtle things like how top callers hold their hands, move their jaw, the angle that they hold the call, how their throat is moving, etc., etc., has helped shorten the learning curve for me when I transitoned to the "Farmer/Draw" calling method a couple of years ago.
I have been calling and hunting turkeys for nearly 30 years. Although I am far from an expert caller, I am better than most and trying to get better every day. Particualrly on a mouth call. I have learned a lot over the years about calling technique from watching the behavior of top callers. To suggest that there is nothing to glean from observing good callers is just nonsense.
Two things can be true at once. I believe there is value in learning calling technique from observing human callers AND from checking yourself against real hens. In fact, I recently had a pretty significant breakthrough from watching videos of a very good trumpet caller on a fb trumpet group. I came to the realization that I was drawing too much air and trying to hard to call loudly (among other small tweaks). That breakthrough likely wouldnt have come (atleast not as quickly) by just listening to a hen.
The cool thing about this game is that you dont have to watch people play turkey calls if you dont want to. I will continue to as much as possible. I think other visual learners should too. Thanks for all the advice, though! Have a good one.
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Quote from: BullTom on January 03, 2026, 09:31:32 AMQuote from: davisd9 on January 03, 2026, 08:34:18 AMQuote from: BullTom on January 01, 2026, 01:16:39 AMYes, I agree. I listen to hen recordings and hens in the wild as much as possible. Most of the time I am practicing, I am trying to mimic a real hen in a sound file. I was actually just comparing my most recent recording of me calling on a trumpet to a recording of a wild hen realier today... I need more practice!
However, unfortunately I havent found any videos of wild turkey hens offering tips and tricks on how to make a trumpet call sound more like a real wild hen. Thats typically when i turn to videos of people running trumpet calls. Just watching and listening with the hopes of seeing or hearing somthing that helps me mimmic that real hen better. I also just really enjoy hearing people call well on a trumpet call. Its like watching a skilled musician play their instrument. For me, the trumpet is just for fun.
Additionally, I am well aware that my trumpet calling doesnt sound all that realistic. Hence the position i have held in earlier posts on this thread. Also why i typically prefer a mouth call for realism in situations where a "short stroked yelp" might hinder my chances of calling in the turkey.
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You get no more information from watching other people sound files. Very rarely is a good caller making a vocalization then explaining what they are doing. You have to listen, then experiment on producing the sound. You can do the same with a live hen videos.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Perhaps YOU dont get any information this way, but I have learned a lot from just observing. Explanations help, but observing subtle things like how top callers hold their hands, move their jaw, the angle that they hold the call, how their throat is moving, etc., etc., has helped shorten the learning curve for me when I transitoned to the "Farmer/Draw" calling method a couple of years ago.
I have been calling and hunting turkeys for nearly 30 years. Although I am far from an expert caller, I am better than most and trying to get better every day. Particualrly on a mouth call. I have learned a lot over the years about calling technique from watching the behavior of top callers. To suggest that there is nothing to glean from observing good callers is just nonsense.
Two things can be true at once. I believe there is value in learning calling technique from observing human callers AND from checking yourself against real hens. In fact, I recently had a pretty significant breakthrough from watching videos of a very good trumpet caller on a fb trumpet group. I came to the realization that I was drawing too much air and trying to hard to call loudly (among other small tweaks). That breakthrough likely wouldnt have come (atleast not as quickly) by just listening to a hen.
The cool thing about this game is that you dont have to watch people play turkey calls if you dont want to. I will continue to as much as possible. I think other visual learners should too. Thanks for all the advice, though! Have a good one.
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Create a backend to your yelp and you are well on your way. What you have breaking into a strong backend will be great. Then start working on the nuances within the yelp and that is when life starts happening. Nuances are tough and create a frustrating plateau at times. Good luck on your quest, a caller from a quality builder has the ability, we are the weak link.
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Sounds like some really good discussions for Unicoi, lol.
The one thing you can garner from watching (and listening) to accomplished callers, is how little effort they put into it...the "less is more" factor.
We're kind of getting into the calling technique and away from the original "what is the allure of trumpets (yelpers) on turkeys?"
IMHO, I think it is inherently built into the call. There's something about the sound produced that turkeys just like. I base that solely on my experience and not what someone else said. When I go turkey hunting, I take my "A Game". I don't carry anything because of the "coolness" factor or historic significance or the degree of difficulty and over the years, yelpers have gone from on the team, but sitting the bench to designated hitter to lead off AND clean up. They earned those spots. And that's coming from someone who was a contest caller with mouth and pot calls for several years in the late 80's, early 90's.
One other thing I will give my opinion on. Everyone marvels at the great callers that really draw that rasp. It does sound cool and realistic. I love it and have learned it....but, again, IMHO, turkeys don't care one iota whether it's raspy or clear or in between.
See y'all at Unicoi, lol!!!
Quote from: EZ on January 03, 2026, 10:23:24 AMSounds like some really good discussions for Unicoi, lol.
The one thing you can garner from watching (and listening) to accomplished callers, is how little effort they put into it...the "less is more" factor.
We're kind of getting into the calling technique and away from the original "what is the allure of trumpets (yelpers) on turkeys?"
IMHO, I think it is inherently built into the call. There's something about the sound produced that turkeys just like. I base that solely on my experience and not what someone else said. When I go turkey hunting, I take my "A Game". I don't carry anything because of the "coolness" factor or historic significance or the degree of difficulty and over the years, yelpers have gone from on the team, but sitting the bench to designated hitter to lead off AND clean up. They earned those spots. And that's coming from someone who was a contest caller with mouth and pot calls for several years in the late 80's, early 90's.
One other thing I will give my opinion on. Everyone marvels at the great callers that really draw that rasp. It does sound cool and realistic. I love it and have learned it....but, again, IMHO, turkeys don't care one iota whether it's raspy or clear or in between.
See y'all at Unicoi, lol!!!
Very true Tony. Frankly, I have killed a lot more turkeys with clear calling (whatever call style I used), maybe that is because I had early success and tended to go that route more often? In any event, I use a trumpet for the enjoyment/challenge, don't even care if it "works the best", although I do believe it is plenty good....Hope to see you guys at Unicoi.
Quote from: GregGwaltney on January 03, 2026, 11:44:49 AMQuote from: EZ on January 03, 2026, 10:23:24 AMSounds like some really good discussions for Unicoi, lol.
The one thing you can garner from watching (and listening) to accomplished callers, is how little effort they put into it...the "less is more" factor.
We're kind of getting into the calling technique and away from the original "what is the allure of trumpets (yelpers) on turkeys?"
IMHO, I think it is inherently built into the call. There's something about the sound produced that turkeys just like. I base that solely on my experience and not what someone else said. When I go turkey hunting, I take my "A Game". I don't carry anything because of the "coolness" factor or historic significance or the degree of difficulty and over the years, yelpers have gone from on the team, but sitting the bench to designated hitter to lead off AND clean up. They earned those spots. And that's coming from someone who was a contest caller with mouth and pot calls for several years in the late 80's, early 90's.
One other thing I will give my opinion on. Everyone marvels at the great callers that really draw that rasp. It does sound cool and realistic. I love it and have learned it....but, again, IMHO, turkeys don't care one iota whether it's raspy or clear or in between.
See y'all at Unicoi, lol!!!
Very true Tony. Frankly, I have killed a lot more turkeys with clear calling (whatever call style I used), maybe that is because I had early success and tended to go that route more often? In any event, I use a trumpet for the enjoyment/challenge, don't even care if it "works the best", although I do believe it is plenty good....Hope to see you guys at Unicoi.
Totally agree the turkeys don't care if it's clear or raspy. As I've said use what works best in the areas your going to hunt, this could mean changing out your calls ... But regardless i'm going to use what I think works best for me ... Air Calls etc... Good Post everyone ... We can always learn ... IMO
Quote from: BullTom on January 02, 2026, 07:57:19 PMQuote from: WLT III on January 02, 2026, 06:33:21 PMQuote from: BullTom on January 01, 2026, 01:16:39 AMQuote from: crow on January 01, 2026, 12:38:08 AMSome of you all must be hanging with the wrong type of trumpet players.
I've heard some yelper men that sound all turkey to my ear.
I've also seen success rate go up with yelpers on hard hunted public land compared to other types of calls.
But that's not stopping me from working on a lightweight call that sounds like a sack of corn being poured on the ground, I'm getting close.
That may well be true!
However, I will say that even the most highly regarded trumpet players dont sound super realistic to me. Dont get me wrong, they sound dang good and it inspires me to get better every day. I have listend to the popular sound files from these guys on repeat for years. But, compared to the most highly regarded mouth call guys, it's not even close. I think the trumpet has all the elements of realism, its just very difficult to put them together in a compelte, realistic package (if that makes any sense). The roll over isnt quite right and its very hard to get the shrill front end with a throaty, raspy, honky back end and then put it all together with the correct cadence. A handful of guys get close (I like to think myself included), but never as close as even just above average mouth callers.
Thats pretty sweet that you have a public land secret weapon! The majority of birds I hunt are on public land. Unfortunately for me, that hasnt been my experience. I have killed or almost killed birds on public that I dont believe I would have if not for the trumpet. That said, generally the realism and versatility of the mouth call wins for me. If i could only take one call to hunt heavily pressured public land birds, its gonna be a mouth call almost all of the time. Certainly open to the fact that this may change in the future.
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Respectfully, other than Mark, you Sir, are listening to the wrong players ;)
Who should I be listening to? Id love to hear some sound files.
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The Gentleman I speak of, does not do soundfiles. As for calling "correct", there is realistic calling and unrealistic calling. At times, either will get turkeys kilt.
Quote from: WLT III on January 03, 2026, 02:32:26 PMQuote from: BullTom on January 02, 2026, 07:57:19 PMQuote from: WLT III on January 02, 2026, 06:33:21 PMQuote from: BullTom on January 01, 2026, 01:16:39 AMQuote from: crow on January 01, 2026, 12:38:08 AMSome of you all must be hanging with the wrong type of trumpet players.
I've heard some yelper men that sound all turkey to my ear.
I've also seen success rate go up with yelpers on hard hunted public land compared to other types of calls.
But that's not stopping me from working on a lightweight call that sounds like a sack of corn being poured on the ground, I'm getting close.
That may well be true!
However, I will say that even the most highly regarded trumpet players dont sound super realistic to me. Dont get me wrong, they sound dang good and it inspires me to get better every day. I have listend to the popular sound files from these guys on repeat for years. But, compared to the most highly regarded mouth call guys, it's not even close. I think the trumpet has all the elements of realism, its just very difficult to put them together in a compelte, realistic package (if that makes any sense). The roll over isnt quite right and its very hard to get the shrill front end with a throaty, raspy, honky back end and then put it all together with the correct cadence. A handful of guys get close (I like to think myself included), but never as close as even just above average mouth callers.
Thats pretty sweet that you have a public land secret weapon! The majority of birds I hunt are on public land. Unfortunately for me, that hasnt been my experience. I have killed or almost killed birds on public that I dont believe I would have if not for the trumpet. That said, generally the realism and versatility of the mouth call wins for me. If i could only take one call to hunt heavily pressured public land birds, its gonna be a mouth call almost all of the time. Certainly open to the fact that this may change in the future.
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Respectfully, other than Mark, you Sir, are listening to the wrong players ;)
Who should I be listening to? Id love to hear some sound files.
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The Gentleman I speak of, does not do soundfiles. As for calling "correct", there is realistic calling and unrealistic calling. At times, either will get turkeys kilt.
I agree with everything you just said. But you also said I was listening to the "wrong" trumpet guys. I was just wondering who the correct trumpet guys were. Thats all. Thanks and have a good one.
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In terms of realism, Mark in person, is as real as it gets on a yelper. I'm not talking about a string of 6 or 7 semi raspy, one note monotone yelps, with a half hiccup thrown in either. Inflection = realism
1- Huge difference in just using this type of call in the woods, and working and practicing enough with it to be able to communicate and call up gobblers to kill with it consistently. And then another thing to sound as much like a hen turkey as any in the woods, so keep in mind just because were all talking baseball that some are 5 tool players and some can barely catch.
2- If you're primarily focused on making long drawn Farmer yelps than anything else in the woods, that may be more to do with why you're not seeing the success that's been talked about with trumpets. More of what's being said than what its being said with.
3- The man talked about is simply the best caller alive with a trumpet. And yes he's better than Mark even though that shouldn't be important. There was a recording going around from Billy's shop a few years back and if you heard it then you know.
The first spring i hunted with a wingbone, i had a "hen" answering and coming in strait behind me. Her yelps were clear with zero rasp. I was convinced it was somebody making fun of me :D sounded like somebody on an old single reed diaphragm.
This was 1 week after a an old turkey hunter got shot twice on public about a mile from where i was so I wasn't moving around much. A real hen finally circled in front still yelping clear as a bell.
Kept her there as a live decoy for 20 min or so and she never had a hint of rasp in her yelps, she also didn't call a gobbler in either, :TooFunny:
Don't know if she was imitating me yelping or if that was just her normal yelps, but it was the clearest yelps i can remember hearing
I wanna ask crow about the sack of corn call...
Quote from: tal on January 04, 2026, 02:31:36 PMI wanna ask crow about the sack of corn call...
That's the call that replicates a sack of corn being poured into a trench. Still in development, working on getting it lighter in weight.
Going to call it the "Shake and Bake"
Also something that needs to be said is that this whole trend of recommending guys to get one trumpet and practice with only one trumpet couldn't be anymore nonsense. If you're serious about hunting with a trumpet you're going to practice and have to practice a lot, but not all trumpets are the same and some have been making them for as many decades as some have months or years. And what Cornbread does on a Jerry white trumpet, another man will use a Ralph Permar 45 for, and another on a Buice with a #2 mp, and another on a Cox or Stowe. A man should try as many as possible and as early as possible in my opinion.
Secondly, just because a man has a huge trumpet collection and talks slick, that doesn't mean much. Many don't hunt them, can't hunt them, and don't have blood or feathers on any of them. Talk to killers and men that have been making them for decades. ESSE QUAM VIDERI
Quote from: redwad on January 02, 2026, 05:00:32 PMQuote from: EZ on January 01, 2026, 06:40:28 AMSome good points brought up. Everyone's experiences may vary. I remember decades ago, famed turkey biologist, Lovette Williams, studied the sounds made by turkeys and sounds made by turkey calls using equipment that measured sound wavelength. Wingbones and trumpets were nearly identical to that of real turkeys.
I think there's something to this and would love to dig into this deeper with someone who has more knowledge. One thing that is worth adding to this thread is my dogs reaction to the trumpet. His ears will twitch and he will turn his head. He will even come up to me and give me the impression that it hurts his ears. I can play a pot call or box call as loud as I want and he is so accustomed to it and he won't even acknowledge it. But a trumpet will drive him crazy. I wonder if our ears aren't hearing the trumpet to the full effect of other animals ears.
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Quote from: redwad on January 02, 2026, 05:00:32 PMQuote from: EZ on January 01, 2026, 06:40:28 AMSome good points brought up. Everyone's experiences may vary. I remember decades ago, famed turkey biologist, Lovette Williams, studied the sounds made by turkeys and sounds made by turkey calls using equipment that measured sound wavelength. Wingbones and trumpets were nearly identical to that of real turkeys.
I think there's something to this and would love to dig into this deeper with someone who has more knowledge. One thing that is worth adding to this thread is my dogs reaction to the trumpet. His ears will twitch and he will turn his head. He will even come up to me and give me the impression that it hurts his ears. I can play a pot call or box call as loud as I want and he is so accustomed to it and he won't even acknowledge it. But a trumpet will drive him crazy. I wonder if our ears aren't hearing the trumpet to the full effect of other animals ears.
This is my take as well. Tone, deflection and decibel level that they put out. It almost sounds hollow to me.
Quote from: EZ on January 03, 2026, 10:23:24 AMThe one thing you can garner from watching (and listening) to accomplished callers, is how little effort they put into it...the "less is more" factor.
Yup 👍
Quote from: EZ link=msg=1237801
IMHO, turkeys don't care one iota whether it's raspy or clear or in between.
/quote]
Hens make all those kind of sounds, there's really no right or wrong in the field as long as the bird comes in. I think a lot of this only matters in calling contests
Quote from: appalachianassassin on December 23, 2025, 09:40:23 AMBiggest POS call made is extremely deadly in the RIGHT hands.
I kind of agree with this too
From a different perspective and I mean no criticism towards anyone with their comments on this topic. I believe the trumpet call derived from the wing bone call made by Native Americans. I can't imagine they critiqued their calling and methods this much. The design, being an air suction caller, has a proven history of being a turkey killer.
One thing everyone is missing in this discussion, is the assumption that turkeys hear the same thing we do. I spent years studying the sound each call makes including several hours in a recording studio and I came to the conclusion the they don't. I think its not the sound we hear but how the sound is made. Just the rambling of a old wore out call maker.
Bob, I have always wondered about what you just posted. I posted about Redwad's dog post, wondering what the dog hears, and I've always wondered if turkeys gobble to a certain frequency. We always talk about the hen in our heads so... IMPO, I get a lot of gobbling from calls that have a thump in them like a Bass has. Just my observations.
Quote from: ol bob on January 05, 2026, 08:31:27 AMOne thing everyone is missing in this discussion, is the assumption that turkeys hear the same thing we do. I spent years studying the sound each call makes including several hours in a recording studio and I came to the conclusion the they don't. I think its not the sound we hear but how the sound is made. Just the rambling of a old wore out call maker.
Lot's of wisdom in those ramblings!!!
Quote from: EZ on January 05, 2026, 10:10:19 AMQuote from: ol bob on January 05, 2026, 08:31:27 AMOne thing everyone is missing in this discussion, is the assumption that turkeys hear the same thing we do. I spent years studying the sound each call makes including several hours in a recording studio and I came to the conclusion the they don't. I think its not the sound we hear but how the sound is made. Just the rambling of a old wore out call maker.
Lot's of wisdom in those ramblings!!!
Yessir !!! :icon_thumright:
Another thought I've had over the years .....and it applies to ALL calls. Not just trumpets. But, "that one call" that just had a tom eating it up ?? Going berserk ?? Is it because "that one call" has the tone qualities (whether WE can hear it or not) of a particular REAL hen that he knows ?? Some "local gal"....
Dunno. If I DID know, I'd write a book and become rich and famous....instead of poor and infamous.
Quote from: Yoder409 on January 05, 2026, 11:46:09 AMQuote from: EZ on January 05, 2026, 10:10:19 AMQuote from: ol bob on January 05, 2026, 08:31:27 AMOne thing everyone is missing in this discussion, is the assumption that turkeys hear the same thing we do. I spent years studying the sound each call makes including several hours in a recording studio and I came to the conclusion the they don't. I think its not the sound we hear but how the sound is made. Just the rambling of a old wore out call maker.
Lot's of wisdom in those ramblings!!!
Yessir !!! :icon_thumright:
Another thought I've had over the years .....and it applies to ALL calls. Not just trumpets. But, "that one call" that just had a tom eating it up ?? Going berserk ?? Is it because "that one call" has the tone qualities (whether WE can hear it or not) of a particular REAL hen that he knows ?? Some "local gal"....
Dunno. If I DID know, I'd write a book and become rich and famous....instead of poor and infamous.
I've often thought the same thing. When you go through your call line up and never get a response and then you pull out a particular one and a gobbler comes unglued and seemingly appears out of the sky, if that call sounded like a local hen he's been gallivanting with.
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I'm a Southern public ground pounder, Spring and early Fall. My style has always been soft, subtle, and as realistic as possible. I almost exclusively hunt a trumpet. To my ear, nothing replicates that soft stuff better than a well turned wood yelper. I will agree with several other though, the worst built call, in the right hands, will kill a lot of gobblers.
I don't know for sure if ol bob's right on this but it stands to reason and I wouldn't bet against him.
I've said it before on this forum, I inadvertently called in several turkeys using a rusty winch that just kept squealing over and over. It absolutely did not sound anything like a turkey to me and I was shocked at what I was witnessing.
I also have called in a bird once rubbing the bottom of an old pot with a wooden spoon. I was just joking around and actually struck a gobbler.
And also, I have a sawed and glued box call by Daryl Helm that sounds nothing like any competently built turkey call I've ever heard. I'm up to about 15 called in and shot gobblers with that "dud."
WOW guys, almost 3000 views and MANY GREAT discussions about the trumpet and calls in general. I hope this discussion continues and facts and opinions are raised in the coming months. I wish the BEST to ALL that are attending UNICOI this weekend! I hope you guys have time to discuss this subject when you see one and other and renew OLD friendships.
For you guys heading to UNICOI this weekend, I hope many friendships are renewed and ALL things Turkey are discussed around the anticipation of another spring Turkey season. It is my hope that this Thread, about Trumpets and Calls in general, will bring about more conversation. As I stated, I've only been involved in turkey hunting for about 15 years and with my analytical mind, I really strive to find answers to why one specific call will get responses and others will not. Has any research been done to say it's frequency, a certain sound or just what the birds respond to on any given day? Could be a combination of all three but it is a Great discussion topic. Thanks for letting me have the opportunity to get on my soapbox and I appreciate ALL the interest and discussions!
Quote from: bbcoach on January 08, 2026, 10:34:19 AMFor you guys heading to UNICOI this weekend, I hope many friendships are renewed and ALL things Turkey are discussed around the anticipation of another spring Turkey season. It is my hope that this Thread, about Trumpets and Calls in general, will bring about more conversation. As I stated, I've only been involved in turkey hunting for about 15 years and with my analytical mind, I really strive to find answers to why one specific call will get responses and others will not. Has any research been done to say it's frequency, a certain sound or just what the birds respond to on any given day? Could be a combination of all three but it is a Great discussion topic. Thanks for letting me have the opportunity to get on my soapbox and I appreciate ALL the interest and discussions!
You can search ( call frequency } and read some older posts about sounds / pitches and tones ...
Thanks Greg. DUH! Should have remembered the Search on here!
Quote from: bbcoach on January 08, 2026, 12:14:01 PMThanks Greg. DUH! Should have remembered the Search on here!
It's amazing what we can learn from members ... LOL ... I need help myself sometimes ...
Quote from: bbcoach on January 08, 2026, 12:14:01 PMThanks Greg. DUH! Should have remembered the Search on here!
Very interesting stuff Greg, when I did the frequency search. Time to add a frequency generator app to my phone and start using my calls with the app. Research time!
Quote from: bbcoach on January 08, 2026, 10:34:19 AMFor you guys heading to UNICOI this weekend, I hope many friendships are renewed and ALL things Turkey are discussed around the anticipation of another spring Turkey season. It is my hope that this Thread, about Trumpets and Calls in general, will bring about more conversation. As I stated, I've only been involved in turkey hunting for about 15 years and with my analytical mind, I really strive to find answers to why one specific call will get responses and others will not. Has any research been done to say it's frequency, a certain sound or just what the birds respond to on any given day? Could be a combination of all three but it is a Great discussion topic. Thanks for letting me have the opportunity to get on my soapbox and I appreciate ALL the interest and discussions!
It would be interesting to throw weather conditions into this mix. How does weather effect the frequency of the sound? The turkeys?