I had posted this question in the "Locator Calls" section but things are pretty quiet down there---- "I have an old Red Wolfe gobble call but have heard good things about the Haint. What's your opinion of it? Plastic or wood?" Any advice on gobble calls? I understand the Haint takes a lot of practice but I'm up for it. Gotta say my experience with gobble calls getting answered is not very good. I've used two sided boxes with the rubber band for 50 years and the Red Wolfe call or that style for about 15. I admit I don't sound great on them, even to myself. I probably get a gobbler to gobble back at me less than 10% of the times I try.
I recommend learning how to use a tube call. Great to gobble on.
I don't even know if the haint is available anymore. And it's damn near impossible to run. I have one somewhere. My wife hid it years ago because she was sick of me sounding like a goose all over the house. That wolf's is good enough.
Quote from: Candyman on May 28, 2019, 01:05:25 PM
I recommend learning how to use a tube call. Great to gobble on.
X2
A lynch world champion 102 makes an OK gobble. Better than the shake tube.
The "Haint" ain't the best anything imo. For what limited sucesss a gobble call will produce a boxcall or tube would be better.
I wonder if anyone makes a box call specifically for gobbling?
Quote from: idgobble on May 28, 2019, 02:03:15 PM
I wonder if anyone makes a box call specifically for gobbling?
A rubber band works pretty well on most boxes.
Quote from: idgobble on May 28, 2019, 02:03:15 PM
I wonder if anyone makes a box call specifically for gobbling?
John Eddleman's Gator Gobbling Stribling, for one.
Quote from: Bay1985 on May 28, 2019, 02:08:11 PM
Quote from: idgobble on May 28, 2019, 02:03:15 PM
I wonder if anyone makes a box call specifically for gobbling?
A rubber band works pretty well on most boxes.
^^^
This
I gobble better on a mouth call than I have heard any other call sound. Just need a deeper pitched call
My dad back in the late 70's had a Roger Latham "true tone" box call the one with the leather strap. It made a pretty decent gobble. It wasn't good for anything else as I recall but he could get bird's to at least shock gobble back at it. I see them on flebay, I guess I should pick one up just to put on the shelf as a another reminder of time spent with him.
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A double sided box cant be beat.
Quote from: Ozarks Hillbilly on May 28, 2019, 06:48:01 PM
My dad back in the late 70's had a Roger Latham "true tone" box call the one with the leather strap. It made a pretty decent gobble. It wasn't good for anything else as I recall but he could get bird's to at least shock gobble back at it. I see them on flebay, I guess I should pick one up just to put on the shelf as a another reminder of time spent with him.
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I had one of these and actually killed a handful of birds with just yelping and clucking on it.
Double sided long box works pretty well
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When they came out, I tried the Haint and the Hale Fire gobble calls... Similar calls with similar sounds, but I might have had a slim preference for the Hale Fire.
Duck hunters pick up on this calling quite easily, as it is a feeding chuckle (used on any mallard call) with back pressure (cupping your hand over the call). I have noticed that non-duck hunting turkey hunters have significantly more difficulty learning this call...
I ended up finding an old predator call that had a better tone and pitch than either, using the same method... If I lost it, I would probably replace it with either the Haint or the Hale Fire though... I believe I have an acquaintance that uses a squirrel call (which also sounds better than the Haint or Hale Fire)...
I do think that the Hale Fire is probably a bit more affordable, as I see them floating around in the $20 price range if I recall correctly.
I can make a pretty decent gobble with the Hale Fire call. I usually just use it as a locator call. I tried the Haint the way they said to and never could get a good sound out of it.
Any discussion about "gobble calls" needs to be prefaced with a discussion about what you are using one of them for. If you are using one mainly as a locator call, then your primary concern should be the ability of the call to be LOUD. Realism is less important than loudness. The shaker/baffle type calls are quite often useless as locators because they are not loud enough. Your locator call has to trigger that instinctive, "shock" response in order to be effective,...and that is most often a function of volume more than anything else.
I don't know about the Haint call and how loud it is. As others have mentioned, the one call that you can learn to make very loud gobbles on is a tube call. As a locator, it can't be beat. On the other hand, when trying to pull in a reluctant gobbler that is otherwise hung-up and you are trying anything you can to break him loose, a less-loud call with more realism is more in order. In those cases, you are not looking to "shock" him as much as challenge him. In fact, a really loud call in those situations might actually intimidate a gobbler rather than lure him in. The shaker/baffle calls might just be the ticket then.
The gobble tube is my go-to call, utilizing the peck order to challenge a gobbler. I've tried several and, for my purposes, the Primos shaker-type works best for me. Here's how I use it: Primarily, while it's still dark in the early morning, I try to get within a couple hundred yards of where I expect the turkeys to be roosted. After setting up my decoys, which consists of either a Pretty Boy strutter or Funky Chicken and a hen, I wait for the gobbling to begin so as to get a good idea of where they are located. After 3-4 times that the toms gobble while still on the roost, I reply once with my shaker call. This often gets an immediate response which lets me know that I'm within hearing distance. I'll throw in a few light hen yelps to let the real bird know that there's a new hen in his territory. In my experience, gobblers tend to sound off in a sequence. I get in on the tail end of the sequence and work my way up until I'm leading the gobbling, sometimes double gobbling. I often try to cut off the lead gobbler with my tube, much the same way I'd do when trying to challenge a hen, hoping that she'd drag in a gobbler when she made her way to my position. The gobbling between the real bird and me may last 15-20 minutes until he flies down. If he gobbles on the ground, I'll respond until he either goes silent or his gobbling reveals that he is coming my way. From this point on, I'll let the decoys bring him in. Illinois has three seasons and I'm usually successful in all of these using this technique. While there is nothing certain when trying to bring in a gobbler, this has worked for me close to a decade, especially in the later seasons when the hens have gone to their nest but the gobblers are still looking. Best of hunting success.
How about the Flextone Thunder Gobble call? Anyone tried comparing that to Haint or Hale Fire?
Quote from: GobbleNut on May 29, 2019, 09:13:07 AM
Any discussion about "gobble calls" needs to be prefaced with a discussion about what you are using one of them for. If you are using one mainly as a locator call, then your primary concern should be the ability of the call to be LOUD. Realism is less important than loudness. The shaker/baffle type calls are quite often useless as locators because they are not loud enough. Your locator call has to trigger that instinctive, "shock" response in order to be effective,...and that is most often a function of volume more than anything else.
I don't know about the Haint call and how loud it is. As others have mentioned, the one call that you can learn to make very loud gobbles on is a tube call. As a locator, it can't be beat. On the other hand, when trying to pull in a reluctant gobbler that is otherwise hung-up and you are trying anything you can to break him loose, a less-loud call with more realism is more in order. In those cases, you are not looking to "shock" him as much as challenge him. In fact, a really loud call in those situations might actually intimidate a gobbler rather than lure him in. The shaker/baffle calls might just be the ticket then.
I have limited experience with the Haint (or the Hale Fire), and it has been a couple years since I was able to play with them...
But, one of the advantages about an "air-blown" call, is that you can control the volume with the amount of air put forth, as well as utilizing proper back-pressure. I feel that my little predator call is about as realistic as I have heard, and I can go from loud to quiet.
I use it as a locator... But I also use it to fire up birds in the area (as I do feel that gobbling is contagious)... Maybe before entering an area of potential on a quiet morning (or afternoon), I might gobble a few times before giving some hen yelps...
I use it when birds are henned up... I generally have a low success rate of pulling in birds from live hens, but I would credit a gobble call for a couple successes (right up there with agitating a hen to string a tom along with her). And when a bird comes into a gobble call, they often come in a hurry, which can be very exciting to see and experience.
I have used it on birds that are hung up as well... It is my last resort, as I understand that I could be calling to a bird that is NOT looking for a fight. But I have had it work to pull in that bird that just (for whatever reason) is very interested, but will not come any further.
Marc was spot on in his post above when he said non duck hunting guys have trouble blowing the Haint and Hale Fire. If you just want to get a shock gobble occasionally use all of the previous suggestions on this thread about tubes, boxes, shakers, etc. If you want to go head to head with a Tom and kill him right here right now my experience over 30+ years is you either have to use the Haint or Hale Fire. Either you can blow it or you cant. I couldnt for about 3 years and finally taught myself how to blow the Hale Fire by leaving it in my truck and practicing with it A LOT while travelling on my job. If you can make a really good gobble you will call Toms away from hens and kill them with regularity. I have seen about 15 die this way since 2012 when Hale Fire came out, and all of them had hens and would not work the traditional way. Neither of the calls are being produced any longer which is why they are going for $75 to $150 on ebay. It is THE MOST exciting way to call a Tom in and kill him in my opinion.
I think some box call maker would be wise to make boxes specifically for gobbling. I bet it would be profitable. I messaged John Eddleman about his "Gator Gobbling Stribling" but haven't heard back yet.
I can get a good gobble out of the Haint, but I like the Hale Fire quite a bit better. It makes the best gobble of any call that I have heard.