Sounds kinda silly but this year I am forcing myself to learn how to use mouth calls. I have always used my slate/glass/aluminum calls & the box call the most with great success but this year I want to challenge myself & add a new skill to my turkey hunting. Do any of you have any advice on which ones I should start out with along with any tricks to help me get started. I have been practicing for 2 days now & have gotten some turkey sounds (mostly clucks and yelps) but not anything spectacular. Any advice would be appreciated (not only by me but also my family, I am driving them nuts).
the fewer the reeds the easier it is to start so find a single or double reed to start with till you get the basics. Youtube has tons of videos to help as well.
dont get as much caught up in the sounds as much as the cadence. If you have heard a bunch of turkeys together no 2 sound the same and some sound TERRIBLE lol
and lastly the most common mistake is allowing to much air to escape out so make sure you seal the call in the roof of your mouth.
First I would say practice in your truck on ur way home from work this way you can stay married.... :icon_thumright:.......Seriously though I would say start with a double reed split V call, they seem to be the easiest to get to work. Start by trying to get the double note yelp, something like kee-yuk. Also when you start putting yelps and/or cuts together slow down the rhythem a bit. Almost everyone seems to run them together by calling too fast as beginners. This throws your cadence off which is really what you are looking for in your calling vs sounding like a champion caller to start. Each note is its own call and need to heard as such, even when you put them together in a series. Hope this helps....Oh yeah one more thing, Practice, Practice,Practice..... :anim_25:
Id def. recommend Houndstooth mouth calls to start with. Great quality. Give Lyle a shout. He will get you taken care of.
Get on my website and order a Classic Hen (#003). This style of call has been a turkey killing mainstay for 30 years. It's used by newbies and veterans alike.
http://gooserbatcalls.com/catalog.php?category=1
I remember a post on here a while back when guesswho was learning how to use a mouth yelper. I think what he figured out was if you were doing it right your belly should move ;D
The two things I will say would 1. find a call that has a good chance for you to succeed with and 2. practice a lot!
As far as a call, a two reed is good to learn on. Gooserbat's classic hen is a good one to begin with. It will get you making good yelps and other turkey sounds pretty quick. As you know, lots of turkeys are killed with yelps and clucks, so keep working on those. Keep after them with your friction and use the mouth calls as "finisher" calls when you have the bead on him.
Good luck!
Thanks for all the advice. I will keep you all updated on my progress. Thanks agian....
You my need to buy some calls to find what works to start out with but the best way I can tell you is you want the call to make a high to low sound. So the call will sound like eeeeeee then with drop of the lower jaw you will hear yalk. Speed that up and there you have the high/low of turkey yelp. Nothing to it.See you at the Grand Nationals...
I'm a big fan of the raspy red reactor from Woodhaven Custom Calls.
Quote from: rmbailey2010 on January 30, 2013, 01:34:37 PM
I'm a big fan of the raspy red reactor from Woodhaven Custom Calls.
This is a great call. I also love the Copperhead and Copperhead II from Woodhaven
What people find easy to use varies widely.
I personally think a Ghost Cut is an easy one for a beginner, and I bought some Tom Teasers Cracked Corn for young kids. They seemed to pick it up pretty well with that call.
The Tom Teasers video followed up with Scott Ellis' "Mouthcall Magic" will help you a lot.
One of the things that helps me, and is not discussed a lot, is moisturizing the call well before you try to use it. I put it in my mouth well in advance of intended use and drink water.
I'd also reccomend "Mouthcall Magic" by Scott Ellis like Turkey Trot said