I don't want to ruffle any feathers, so to speak, with this post, but would appreciate some honest input. I've never sprung for what most would consider a true custom made call, although I have had a couple given to me in the past. I've run the gamut from friction calls, to diaphragm calls almost exclusively, to friction calls, to using both through the years, but most have been mass produced. Some I never liked after I bought them, either because of being difficult to run, or they just never sounded "right" to me, although I've no doubt someone, somewhere has killed birds with them. I also have my favorites, which seem to always ride in my turkey vest, and will be the first call I generally reach for. I had a nice little box call, a cedar Purrfect Yelper made by the Rohm brothers a dozen or so years ago. I loved that thing, and could purr with it so softly. I managed to sit on it one day, cracking the side of the box, but glued it back together and it sounded fine. Then, one day while hunting with a buddy of mine here in MO, I dropped a bird, and when I stood up to go after him, I stepped square dab in the middle of that little box call, smashing it to smithereens. I was sick, and sure I could never call turkeys as well with anything else. I even ordered another by the same maker, but it did not sound like my old favorite. But, you know, I just used another call, and it wasn't long before it was my favorite.
My question after all this rambling is, for you guys that are primarily hunters, rather than collectors, are you convinced that any custom or handmade call you have, or have had, is, in the real world, actually better than something you can pick up at Walmart at fooling turkeys? Is it really worth it, from purely a practical standpoint, to pay the better part of a hundred dollars for a custom call, other than simply to be able to say you have one? In other words, if you packed up this spring and drove 500 miles for an early season, out of state hunt, and discovered you left your calls at home, forcing you to drive to the nearest Supercenter an hour before flydown and pick up a $15 generic pot call off the rack, would you be any less confident in your ability to call in a longbeard that morning, given the opportunity? Neill
YES and no..
I am not going to buy a $100+ hand carved box call and carry it in my vest. But are there affordable custom calls that are better than production calls.. YES, Hooks mouth calls, actually cheaper than many production calls are at least 10x better than any box story brand and ive used at least 50 different mouth calls.
The turkey makes the rules, as to what he wants to do...
I have calls from TRKYHTR as well as Hooks. They are far better than any Primos call I have tried. These are mouth calls. The were $5-6 each. I have bought 2 slate calls from TRKYHTR as well and they sound much better than my Ole Betsy Primos. They were $30-40. So, I haven't paid $100 for a call yet but am seriously thinking of getting an aluminum and a box call from makers here.
So, well worth the money, better (more realistic) sounding, and supporting guys that you "know". Made in the USA!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm cheap. Most of the birds I kill hear a 10 year old Primos Old Glory, a K&H mouth call that may be three or four years old, I also use mouth calls that people have given me, unused I hope, and last year I used a Trumpet MKW sent me. I will say the MKW trumpet call is well worth the going rate. Excluding the trumpet, all my calls at any given time have an estimated value of about $5 ;D And they have a pretty good track record.
Quote from: guesswho on January 06, 2012, 07:38:22 PM
I'm cheap. Most of the birds I kill hear a 10 year old Primos Old Glory, a K&H mouth call that may be three or four years old, I also use mouth calls that people have given me, unused I hope, and last year I used a Trumpet MKW sent me. I will say the MKW trumpet call is well worth the going rate. Excluding the trumpet, all my calls at any given time have an estimated value of about $5 ;D And they have a pretty good track record.
Maybe a little better than pretty good....... ;D
I believe it is the caller not the call The $10 HS Strut calls sound great and I would be very confident if that's all I had. Here is the difference to me. Store bought calls are inconsistent. I have one ole yeller that is pure turkey and one that is horrible. I have Lynch World Champion boxes that sound great and a couple that are pitiful. The custom call makers on here will not send out a call that is sub par and most guarantee satisfaction. A truly great custom call is hard to make bad sounds on. They just bleed turkey.
I can kill turkeys with my single shot H and R, but I do like my Benelli and my tricked out 870! That makes it a great sport to me. I have seen the guy with a vest full of expensive custom calls and the best shotgun, choke, and shells eat tag soup while the guy with army fatigues and a couple home made calls consistently filling tags.
The best weapon will always be good woodsman ship and experience with gobblers.
Quote from: drenalinld on January 06, 2012, 08:22:26 PM
The best weapon will always be good woodsman ship and experience with gobblers.
This.
The only custom call I own is a pot call built by Al Holbert of Enticer Calls right here in Pa. It sounds GREAT and bleeds Turkey. I also have one each( slate and glass) of the "The Woodsman" series by Bill Zearing of Cody Calls again built here in Pa. They are production calls but also bleed turkey. IMO you cannot beat Will Primos stacked frame mouth calls. I like the entire series. The last thing the Old Gobbler in my avatar heard was the sounds of Will Primo's "True Double" mouth call. ;D
Quote from: a-j calls on January 06, 2012, 04:55:59 PM
The turkey makes the rules, as to what he wants to do...
Well said !! Ain't it the truth
Quote from: chatterbox on January 06, 2012, 08:28:17 PM
Quote from: drenalinld on January 06, 2012, 08:22:26 PM
The best weapon will always be good woodsman ship and experience with gobblers.
This.
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I agree with the above. IMO there is a big difference between a call that is mass produced and a call built by craftsman. The custom call builder wants you to be completely happy with your call and builds it to last a lifetime. The couple of builders I've dealt with wont sell you a call thats not top of the line. When you consider the time and high quality materials most custom calls are a bargin.
Quote from: Old Gobbler on January 07, 2012, 12:34:57 AM
Quote from: a-j calls on January 06, 2012, 04:55:59 PM
The turkey makes the rules, as to what he wants to do...
Well said !! Ain't it the truth
X3.... seen days where the cheap production call was what the gobbler was dying to hear and other days it was the custom call. I think the best approach might be to take a variety of different sounding calls with you in hopes that one of them might match up to what a particular gobbler is wanting to hear.
Yes, They are worth it most of the time, there are a few days where birds just want to die and it doesn't matter what call you are using, but day in and day out I feel they will produce better. The woodsmanship post was spot on because to me that is the most important aspect of turkey hunting. Be set up where that bird wants to go and killing him will be a lot easier. Scoot
i love my custom callers,
for one they aren't that much more money than mass produced callers. and two most of them are one of a kind no one else has one exactly like it. three they are made in America by craftsman. and four they usually sound much better than production calls . and have sentimental value to me because i have formed some good relationships with people that made my calls that other wise would not have happened.
it is woodsmanship and experience in calling that will get the long beard to come in when i first started i had a 20 dollar combo pack from H.S. strut with a small glass pot and killed three birds with it
Guys, thanks for the replies. I understand that the hunter is, and always has been, more important than the call, but I don't think anyone has actually answered the question I am trying to ask, so I'll try to rephrase it another way.
We all have a certain level of confidence when we set up on a gobbler, based on our own experience, or lack of, and our individual personality traits. Is there anyone that would find that confidence level decreased IF they did not carry a custom call, or calls? If so, why? I suppose I'm fishing for something that perhaps isn't there, but I guess what I'm looking for is someone to reply with something like, "I bought a so and so call, and immediately began experiencing more success".
I want everyone to understand I'm not knocking custom calls, or the guys that make them, or the guys that have a suitcase full of them. I enjoy hunting with my semi-autos with red dot sights a lot better than I did with the single H&R I started with 35 years ago, just as I enjoy driving my automatic transmission, power steering, air conditioned vehicles more than the old car I owned as a teenager, but they both were capable of getting me to the same destination. I'm just curious if there is anyone that is convinced they arrive at that destination on a more regular basis with a custom call, or calls. Thanks. Neill
I see where you are coming from.
I have to admit, I have more confidence in my custom calls than I do with any production call I have run.
When I run a custom pot call from my collection, I don't have to look down to make sure I'm in the right spot. I have found that with mass production calls, there are more flat/dead spots on the calling surfaces.
That doesn't happen with my customs. Therefore, I feel more confident when I play them.
I make custom call and my two son, wife own 1UP Game Calls. Lets put it this way to answer your question. You can go out and buy yourself a fully equiped Cadillac. Great car, but if you don't know how to drive the car is worthless to you. Do I make my point?
I do not think you we ever find any one call that starts to bring you more sucesss. Turkeys do not work that way. I have called in a gobbler with $5:00 call I got a Walmart and I have called in gobbers with $40 pot calls. Plus I have called in gobblers with calls I have made myself. They all have one thing in common. They all sounded like real turkeys. To answer your question . No I have not found the so and so call that has brought more success. Because turkey are picky, they all do not like the same call evertime all the time. They like different hens whcih have different sounds. I can tell you this that if I lost all my call on turkey hunting trip I would need no calls from Walmart to get me a bird. Cause I have the confinence in my woodsmanship and my on natural voice to call in a turkeys.
To me its more the fact that I'm buying from my fellow Americans. Also most calls can work at calling a turkey if the maestro running the orchestra does his part.
I have quite a few custom calls.. but not all of them sound great.. have the maker play some of his calls for you before you purchase one... some sound worse than some store bought ones... and there are ones I wouldn't trade for anything...PM me and I will tell you some of my favorites... I have some that are 25 dollar calls which sound better than 100 dollar ones..
Quote from: gob09 on January 07, 2012, 10:51:29 AM
i love my custom callers,
for one they aren't that much more money than mass produced callers. and two most of them are one of a kind no one else has one exactly like it. three they are made in America by craftsman. and four they usually sound much better than production calls . and have sentimental value to me because i have formed some good relationships with people that made my calls that other wise would not have happened.
it is woodsmanship and experience in calling that will get the long beard to come in when i first started i had a 20 dollar combo pack from H.S. strut with a small glass pot and killed three birds with it
Exactly
I'll chime in on this. I've been killing turkeys since the mid 80's and have used many different calls. From store bought mass produced to Neill Cost box calls and alot inbetween. You can kill turkeys with just about any type of call if you know what your doing. Heck you can kill turkeys without a call. Something I don't like to do much because I like to call. I even killed a turkey with a piece of rock slate I picked up off the ground and used a wood peg for a striker. BTW it had 1 1/4' SPURS. There are some on here that can kill turkeys with their natural voice. All that said I think there is a confidence with any call. Whether it's a store bought mass produced call or a finely made custom call. BTW I too have some custom made calls that I would have a hard time killing a turkey with it. If you feel confident in a call your going to use it. Most of the time it's because it worked in the past and you know how to use it well. If you don't know how to use a call thats your fault. Spend the time and learn how to use it. Most don't take much practice. It urks me to hear those guys who drive to wally world Friday before opening day and then spend all day out in the woods trying to learn how to use the call while turkey hunting and messing up my day. But hey they have just as much right to be out there as I do.
Since I have now become a call maker I want to make a call that sounds like a turkey, easy to use, and very affordable. I want to make a call that most hunters can buy and use. I try not to price anyone out of a good sounding call. Most of that comes from the material you buy. If I make a trumpet that cost me 10.00 for material I'm not going to sale it for 100.00. Even though it might sound as good as some 100.00 ones. I had an old call maker tell me one time " we don't get paid for our shop time, and thats just about true. I make alot more money at my real job than I could ever make at call making. I do it because I like it and it keeps me thinking about turkeys all year long. Not that I didn't before but you know what I mean. I did just purchase a piece of wood that cost me 81.00 plus shipping and I'll only be able to make 2 calls out of it. I obviously can't sale that trumpet for 50.00. So to answer the question about whether a custom call is better or not, well, THERE ARE NO CALLS OUT THERE THAT WILL KILL A TURKEY EXCEPT FOR CUSTOM MADE CALLS.
I hope you realize I am kidding. Use what you feel comfortable with and that you can use well, as long as it is a MOTHER LODE TURKEY CALL. Lol!!!!!!!!!
TRKYHTR
I use what sounds most like a hen turkey to me. The awesome part of custom calls is that they are works of art, made in America, and much more personal to the owner. But if it doesn't sound good.... Then it's worthless.
The callers ability is much more important than the call IMO. The best custom call in the world will not make a bad caller suddenly sound great.
I carry and use both but the customs are usually the first out of my vest. A few makers have found a way to make a fuller tone in their callers. I have more confidence in them but will use mass produced calls when the customs don't work.
Quote from: a-j calls on January 06, 2012, 04:55:59 PM
The turkey makes the rules, as to what he wants to do...
X10
NP......I absolutely think a quality custom calls is better than any ol call off the Walmart shelf. Ive killed plenty of birds with production calls, but the sound and ease of use is so much better on a good quality custom.
I only own a few customs that were over a hundred...they were boxes and trumpets, but I have no issue with a 50 to 70 dollar pot.
I have learned that custom calls are much like cigars or scotch whiskey. A $20 Cigar or a $100 bottle of scotch are not nessesarily better because they are more expensive. The only custom call I carry is a Mother Lode Slate. It replaced a Primos Power Crystal I had carried for 10 years or so.
People are way harder to satisfy than wild turkeys. When huntin I have as much confidence with $10 pot call from Wallyworld as I would with a top of the line custom, won't make one bit of difference in the outcome. Now if I called in competition then I would lean towrds dumping the extra dollars for a top of the line custom simply because people are a lot harder to impress.
Guys I have not read through this whole thread so if someone has said this already I apologize. I started buying custom calls two years ago. The main reason I did was inconsistancy of mass produce calls. You can go to Bass Pro and buy two of the same exact call, and they may sound totally different. That is what made me start buying custom calls. I ahve learned that jsut because some calls there calls custom doesn't nessecarily mean it's a custom call. I won't buy a custom call without running it first. Then I will insist upon buying the very call I ran. I realize not everyone has the time or ability to go to shows and run some calls, but that is what has worked for me.
some custom calls are worth the money others aren't better than mass produced calls
Can't compare! Custom all the way
I've used production calls that worked fairly well but as others have said most of them seem to have a dead spot somewhere. A good custom call maker will normally make their calls with precision and pride. I started making calls only about five years ago and today it's still a learning experience. I do it because it's a hobby I like and I'm always trying to improve. Every piece of wood will have different properties. I can make two calls from the same board and the dimensions be exactly the same and the calls have a slightly different sound. I say first use a call that you are comfortable with and you can run well. If it's a $14.99 call from Wally World or a custom. If it's what the birds like that day, you'll call him in. I mostly use calls I've made personally or from other people on here that I just wanted one of their calls because they like myself take pride in what they do. I've bought a couple of call from people on here that go to the woods with me every time I go.
I always said the beauty is in the turkey hunter's ear. If he feels confident using it and has some woodsmanship he will kill more birds.
One guy will dislike what another thinks is the best he ever heard. I seen it over and over at shows.
Another thing...back to the sounding like a turkey bit... I have heard calls on hunting shows that sounded pretty ridiculous.. killed turkeys but I personally want a call that screams turkey, that alone boosts my confidence.
I don't think anyone will have the story about switching to a custom call and all of a sudden turkeys were running down their gun barrel. But that doesn't mean they don't help.
If you kill one or two more birds because you didn't accidentally hit a flat spot you won't know it. That gobbler came that day is all you know. We don't know about the one that would have gotten away.
As far as confidence goes I would rather have a vest full of production calls that I have practiced with than a vest full of calls that were "custom" that I had never run before. The only production call I carried in my vest last year was a peacock call. But I don't carry the others just because they are custom - they gotta sound turkey to make my vest.
As a custom call make for 15 year before retiring i told the customer that you could get as call as good as i made at wally world but you may have to buy 5 to get a good one. when i sold one i would replace it as long as i was able if they were not happy. I have repaired calls as far back as 1998 that had been broken. This is the one reason to pay more for a custom call. Most custom call maker will make there call good.
I like supporting fellow turkey hunters.
People hear and sound different just like turkeys. I have heard guys calling to me that sounded awful, but they managed to kill a turkey with the call (production).
Several years ago my wife bought my first custom call, a glass pot call from Supreme turkey calls. It is a shore enough turkey call. I do not hunt with out it. But I have a production copper pot call from Preston Pittman that is deadly as well. It is that good, don't hunt with out it either.
Now to me mouth callers are a no brainer because to me there is no comparsion between custom mouth callers and production. I prefer the custom.
Boils down to two things ABILITY and CONFIDENCE without either you ain't got nothing.
Good Luck and God Bless
Ray
A custom call maker probably will not send out a call that he/she would not go out and hunt with....when it comes to mass produced calls, some sound good some don't. I like buying calls from the custom maker for this reason and also for the customer service, these guys want to please the customer and most go above and beyond to see a satisfied buyer.
I have bought mass produced calls before and probably will again but most times my money is going to the smaller custom makers.
I have to sound off...........there are three words that were constantly showing up in the posts, custom....confidence ... and comfortable. These three words defines the user and maker alike. I feel that ANY CALL that even slightly sounds like a turkey will eventually bring a bird, though he may be deaf, but , IMO ... it is the bird that will define the call's ability to entice it in. You can ask any hunter that has a custom call, they just feel better in your hands, I make my pots that way, confidence comes with practice and time in the woods. Costs are variable, but the time and effort a call maker puts into their calls is worth something isn't it? And one issue that was raised.............MADE IN AMERICA WITH AMERICAN HANDS.........I guarantee my calls as so many call makers, 100% you don't like it you don't keep it and you don't have to send it to China for a refund or another call. I offer to play my calls over the phone or face to face, I listen to the user's wants, and desires they are looking for in the call, and address those issues to THEIR liking. This brings COMFORTABLE to the forefront. Being comfortable with a call means you'll work with it more and the sound you hear, ultimately gets better, gets closer to the turkey's and makes it more exciting when you are in the woods and all those hours of work on the call and practice in the user's hands.....come together as that Old Gobbler drops at 30 yards........so.......do I think custom calls out perform mass produced calls in the woods or field.....absolutely I do, are they worth the difference in price, eehhhh.....some are, I wouldn't pay over a 100 bucks, and carry it out there, taking a chance to lose it, but I would buy one to offer my support to the men and women in this country still practicing the art so the heritage of hunting will live on forever.....pappy
I have to agree with pappy and a lot of what's been said here. I make custom calls and I have played a call over the phone for people and also played them face to face. I spend a lot of time showing and explaining to people just how to improve their personal skills on a call.
My view is in line with what lots of folks are saying. I think it is all about preference and confidence, but I will also add that for me, part of the fun is not doing the same thing or sounding the same way all the time. I like to change things up and use different calls on different days just for the sake of giving the birds a little something different to hear. Therefore, I have LOTS of calls, mouth calls, pot calls, box calls, you name it. 95% of them would be considered custom calls because I tend to like and respect the craftsmanship that goes into making a hand made call.
Any call that sounds like a turkey can kill a turkey, but I have calls that I like better than others because I have a sound that I like and have the most confidence in. The best part about the ecosystem that is the custom call are of turkey hunting is that there is all the variety that you could want. Have fun trying and playing and go with the ones that you like the sound and build confidence in them. The killing will take care of itself. I believe that calling is a much smaller part of a successful turkey hunt than many other skills and factors, but that is the subject of another post.
Safe and Happy Hunting!
Follow me on twitter @GobblerChaser.
The Chinese children in sweatshops make the best turkey calls from plastic.
:TooFunny: :TooFunny:
I have got custom calls that I paid over one hundred dollars for... yeah some sound good others don't I have got custom calls I paid twenty dollars for and they sound just as good as the more expensive ones.... my opinion.... just because they cost alot doesm't mean they bleed turkey...I can play one.... but you need to watch out because not all custom call makers can put a turkey in a pot... yeah ... just my opinion.
I have quite a few custom pot calls, even though I tell myself I don't have enough, some I like the sound a lot better then others. Find some you are real comfortable playing and like the sound and go from there. I have learned in my short turkey hunting career that woodsmanship and setting up correctly on the birds is much more important. Learned that the hard way last year. Also, how easily a call plays is important to me because when I am nervous or my hands are freezing from some Wisconsin mornings I want a call I can play without really thinking about it. Scoot
Quote from: tomanyturkeycalls on January 22, 2012, 04:55:50 AM
I have got custom calls that I paid over one hundred dollars for... yeah some sound good others don't I have got custom calls I paid twenty dollars for and they sound just as good as the more expensive ones.... my opinion.... just because they cost alot doesm't mean they bleed turkey...I can play one.... but you need to watch out because not all custom call makers can put a turkey in a pot... yeah ... just my opinion.
X2