Getting into box calls lately and was wondering who makes the best box call in your opinion, no matter what the price, and your favorite wood combinations. Thanks
I have several from SS calls, but my favorite is purple heart over butternut.
I'm also really, really high on a snakewood over holly call from Jody Harrison aka preacherman.
Here are some of my personal favorites in my collection
Marlin Watkins - Macassar Ebony over Persimmon
Albert Paul - All Walnut
SS - Yellowheart over White Limba
Preacherman - Snakewood over Butternut
I have a few more on order that have the potential to knock something off or get added to this list.
Marlin Watkins snakewood over butternut and mora over butternut
Richard Hudson hen box snakewood over black limba and rosewood over persimmon
Darrin Dawkins all walnut and walnut over poplar
Lamar Williams walnut over poplar
Mike Lapp walnut over butternut
Albert Paul all walnut
Jody Harrison snakewood over holly and snakewood over mulberry
these are just a few. I have so many it changes every few weeks.
Richard Hudson hen box -- snakewood over teak --- A great sounding box. I have tried a few over the years, but this one is special and will make it in the vest this year.
Sound-Bob Harwell
Looks and style- SS & Albert Paul
Value- Lonnie Mabry
fav wood combination- black walnut paddle and bottom and poplar box the contrasting colors make for a beautiful call.
SS purpleheart over mohagany
Spring Creek bloodwood over cherry
Lonnie Mabry walnut over poplar
I've got 3 other Mabry boxes but like the walnut poplar best. Have a Reynolds red rooster that's decent and his Li'l Jenny that came in a deal with the red rooster is actually a very good box that will see use mainly because it's already wearing its fair share of battle scars. Plan to put the SS and spring creek to work this year. Undecided about whether the Mabry walnut poplar will see action but the other Mabry's certainly will. I'd like to eventually get a Harrison or Paul box.
Honestly I only have 2. An Albert Paul short box, and a Jeff McKamey long box. I love that Jeff McKamey long box. Kwila/Butternut so easy to play it almost plays itself. I think it's impossible to make that call sound bad.
These type of threads pop up a lot. IMO, everyone has a different sound in their head of what a real hen is supposed to sound like. In turn, everyone will have their favorite call maker or caller because that particular call maker has that similar sound is in their head as well. Most of the time, that call maker will tune for their particular sound. I imagine most box call makers will ask you several questions to try and fit your hen in their call. There's really not a good answer. All of them will kill turkeys. You have to find that particular call maker who tunes their calls to your personal hen. And also decide if it's a tool to strike a bird(make him gobble) or a tool for you to predominately use during the entire encounter. Make sense?
I recommend coming to Unicoi next year and playing a lot of different calls and talking to the best in the business as far as box/paddle callers go.
Quote from: Big Guy on February 14, 2017, 05:49:48 PM
Honestly I only have 2. An Albert Paul short box, and a Jeff McKamey long box. I love that Jeff McKamey long box. Kwila/Butternut so easy to play it almost plays itself. I think it's impossible to make that call sound bad.
You chose well.
Albert Paul all walnut. Can't go wrong and a very nice gentleman
Ralph Snodgrass and Billy Bush are my favorites.
Someone that makes one that will call a turkey. Sound is the name of the game regardless who make it..
I only have a small collection of boxes. A couple of Albert Paul's, a Kenny Harrell, Tim Sanford, Scott Basehore, Daryl Helm, Lonnie Maybry, Robert Bunger and a Frank Kruer. Most of them are nice. A couple are really nice. But the best one of the lot is the Frank Kruer Persimmon over Black Limba. That sucker just runs like a top and is beautiful to boot. It's a call that I will hand down to one of my boys someday.
Quote from: Britton40 on February 14, 2017, 09:33:55 PM
These type of threads pop up a lot. IMO, everyone has a different sound in their head of what a real hen is supposed to sound like. In turn, everyone will have their favorite call maker or caller because that particular call maker has that similar sound is in their head as well. Most of the time, that call maker will tune for their particular sound. I imagine most box call makers will ask you several questions to try and fit your hen in their call. There's really not a good answer. All of them will kill turkeys. You have to find that particular call maker who tunes their calls to your personal hen. And also decide if it's a tool to strike a bird(make him gobble) or a tool for you to predominately use during the entire encounter. Make sense?
I recommend coming to Unicoi next year and playing a lot of different calls and talking to the best in the business as far as box/paddle callers go.
Valid point. Well stated. I've gotten rid of certain pots that others have loved. I like pots that others don't. All comes down to the sound we perceive to be turkey.
If im picking just one I got a Terry Baker bloodwood/butternut that took 3rd at midwest lat year and I couldn't imagine that there was 2 better sounding short boxes that day.. that little box runs effortlessly
Albert Paul Walnut/ Catalpa box b one of my favorite with Walnut/Cedar and all Walnut being close by. I am able to rotate other Albert's combos during the season. It all depends on my mood that day !!!
Not sure who makes the best. I sent one to Lonnie Sneed jr. for his bow or bear club donation. Lonnie Sr. said it was the best short box he ever heard. It was Osage over Osage called the Orange Crush. Making a flock of them currently. They are priced to sell.
The best sounding box I have heard is my Full Choke, Quarter sawn Sycamore over Sycamore. Those are the next flock to be made soon.
Albert Paul, Cherry over poplar, hands down best, sound, easy to use, fit & finish
Short boxes I like SS n Halloran makes a pretty nice one too. Longboxes I'll add MaCamey. Seems those guys are good n consistant. I've run others that were inconsistent. Some well known makers. And it's not just me, friends have sent em back for new ones. I like to know I'm getting a decent call not hope I got one of the good ones
Quote from: Britton40 on February 14, 2017, 09:33:55 PM
These type of threads pop up a lot. IMO, everyone has a different sound in their head of what a real hen is supposed to sound like. In turn, everyone will have their favorite call maker or caller because that particular call maker has that similar sound is in their head as well. Most of the time, that call maker will tune for their particular sound. I imagine most box call makers will ask you several questions to try and fit your hen in their call. There's really not a good answer. All of them will kill turkeys. You have to find that particular call maker who tunes their calls to your personal hen. And also decide if it's a tool to strike a bird(make him gobble) or a tool for you to predominately use during the entire encounter. Make sense?
I recommend coming to Unicoi next year and playing a lot of different calls and talking to the best in the business as far as box/paddle callers go.
. BINGO!!
I recommend coming to Unicoi next year and playing a lot of different calls and talking to the best in the business as far as box/paddle callers go
Great way to get the sound you are looking for. I had one of the better known callmakers make me a short box and he tuned it exactly as I told him I wanted. However, when I got the call I did not care for the sound at first. It was too high pitched. But I told him I wanted a young hen sound and he made me exactly what I asked for. But the more I run it the better I like it. It sounds turkey, just not the deeper more mature hen sound I normally prefer. At Unicoi you can run so many great calls and pick out exactly what you want. I know next year will be even better than this year.
Quote from: hunter22 on February 15, 2017, 08:05:09 PM
I recommend coming to Unicoi next year and playing a lot of different calls and talking to the best in the business as far as box/paddle callers go
Great way to get the sound you are looking for. I had one of the better known callmakers make me a short box and he tuned it exactly as I told him I wanted. However, when I got the call I did not care for the sound at first. It was too high pitched. But I told him I wanted a young hen sound and he made me exactly what I asked for. But the more I run it the better I like it. It sounds turkey, just not the deeper more mature hen sound I normally prefer. At Unicoi you can run so many great calls and pick out exactly what you want. I know next year will be even better than this year.
Exactly....Plus you don't have be on a waiting list for a big name callmaker... ::)
My Jerry "Dad" White Purple Heart over Cedar shortbox consistently makes gobblers die.
I've got some really good boxes from many of the aforementioned builders but that Dad's box rides in my vest more than all the others combined.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: paboxcall on February 14, 2017, 10:13:30 PM
Ralph Snodgrass and Billy Bush are my favorites.
Billy bush lives in the town next to me!!! Do you know any of his contact info by chance?
I have a "few" box calls. A box is a tool I always have with me. That said, I hunt with Steve Mann box calls. Most often a Paddle call.
I HAVE Quite A FEW
THERES ONE IN Particular THAT I HAVE IS FRICKING AWESOME BUT I CANT READ THE BOTTOM OF THE CALL , THE NAME @ DESCRIPCTION IS ALMOST WASHED OUT.........
A good call maker will make you something with the sound you want. They will also take the call back if it's not what you are looking for, no questions asked. You just tell them what you like/don't like about it. That being said, my favorite box call makers are:
Jeff McKamey
Frank Kruer
Marlin Watkins
Scott Witter
Ed Terefencko
Neal Impson is coming on strong.
I agree, unicoi is a great place to run a lot of calls.
Patrick Hilbert
Quote from: trb136 on February 15, 2017, 07:24:38 PM
Quote from: Britton40 on February 14, 2017, 09:33:55 PM
These type of threads pop up a lot. IMO, everyone has a different sound in their head of what a real hen is supposed to sound like. In turn, everyone will have their favorite call maker or caller because that particular call maker has that similar sound is in their head as well. Most of the time, that call maker will tune for their particular sound. I imagine most box call makers will ask you several questions to try and fit your hen in their call. There's really not a good answer. All of them will kill turkeys. You have to find that particular call maker who tunes their calls to your personal hen. And also decide if it's a tool to strike a bird(make him gobble) or a tool for you to predominately use during the entire encounter. Make sense?
I recommend coming to Unicoi next year and playing a lot of different calls and talking to the best in the business as far as box/paddle callers go.
. BINGO!!
X4
Quote from: KYTURKEY on February 21, 2017, 07:03:09 PM
A good call maker will make you something with the sound you want. They will also take the call back if it's not what you are looking for, no questions asked. You just tell them what you like/don't like about it. That being said, my favorite box call makers are:
Jeff McKamey
Frank Kruer
Marlin Watkins
Scott Witter
Ed Terefencko
Neal Impson
Great group of call builders. It would be tough to make a better list
Eric
:camohat: I got three that rate my favorites , Billy Bush, Marlin Watkins and Ralph Snodgrass.