Do pros really use off the shelf mouth calls for competition

[Turkeyridge Calls]

Just wandering I've always used off the shelf for the comps I've  entered but every time I ask another caller they give me the run around .......... I don't have the money for a press .......

[savduck]

Yeah right.

I'm sure some do, but most of them use their own or have theirs custom stretched.

[Turkeyridge Calls]

Does anyone here make custom mouth calls for comps ...I make pot calls and box calls but have no exp. in making mouth calls

[Chris Downs]

Most of them make their own.  They may have a call in a company's line that is their Sig. call, but usually they are making them, themselves for the company, and the company is selling them and using their name on it.  For example...Southland has Jim Pollard and Sadler McGraw's sig mouth calls.  The guys that make  most of the mouth calls at that company aren't making the sig. series calls for those two guys.  Mr Pollard and Mr  McGraw are stretching those calls and Southland is selling them.

[TRKYHTR]

To answer your question, No they don't. They stretch there own or have somebody else stretch some for them.

TRKYHTR

[flatliner]

On another note most of them don't run the companies pot calls either just watch around at the nationals the run around to the custom guys booth run all their calls and will buy them from the custom builders. Some of them build their own also

[Turkeyridge Calls]

So does anyone custom make comp mouth calls here for other people ? Thanks for the help

[Gooserbat]

I do.  It takes some visiting between the customer and myself.

[TauntoHawk]

TRKYHTR (Joe Slaton) has recently made me some mouth calls to order and they've turned out just like I wanted them.

Makes a good striker too

[TRKYHTR]

I have been calling in competitions since 1986. The problem I have is I live in CA. From 1986 to 1995 we had 3-4 competitions in CA every year. We didn't have another competition until 2004-2005 and then didn't have another one until 2012. I was limited to using over the counter calls up until the 1995 comp. Then I started making my own mouth calls in 2003. It was a learning experience to say the least but my calling started to improve. It has gotten better every year since then. I don't want to get stagnant with my turkey calling. I have friends that haven't gotten any better or maybe even worse for 15 years. They still call good enough to kill turkeys on a daily basis but they have fallen way behind on the progression of turkey calls/ calling and sounding more like a real turkey. One thing you have to realize is that everybody is different. There calling techniques are different and how they make the sounds are different. Guys like Hendershot are using a 2 reed call and a lot of the other callers are using 3 reed calls stretched tighter. The reality is finding a call that you like and tweeking it to make it better. I use a 2 reed or 2 1/2 reed for most of my calling. I do use a 3 reed for cutting and flydowns. Shoot me a PM if I can help.

TRKYHTR

[Dean]

I too have been competitive calling on and off since the early 90's and I can't tell you how much money I wasted buying off the shelf calls.  Off the shelf calls are plenty good for hunting, but a person will struggle finding competition grade mouth calls on a consistant basis when buying mass produced mouth calls.  I invested money in a press and materials years ago and found way better results, in fact I got good enough to win several state titles and qualify for the Grand Nationals a couple of times.  If you want to get good in competition you will have to travel, listen to real wild turkeys, invest in a press, and practice, practice, pratice!  For me, one of the biggest obstacles is the quality and variation in latex that you get today.  As far as getting the run around don't feel bad, I have been there too.  People get good because they dedicate a lot of time and effort in practicing and experimentation and they don't want to give up there edge.  In the mean time until you can save up money and get a press I am sure someone here on Old Gobbler can stretch you some calls and get ya on the right track!  GOOD LUCK!!! 

[Turkeyridge Calls]

Thankyou