Might be a stupid question...

[Timmer]

Why do so many hunters cup their hand on one side of their mouth when using a mouth call?  I could see maybe in the woods if your decoys were off to the side and you were trying to muffle the sound going out the other direction.  Even then I would imagine that the turkey's ability to pinpoint the sound would make that effort irrelevant.  I have been using a mouthcall for years and have never used my hand.  What am I missing? 

[jshively]

I think it may have something to do with how people imitate callers from competition and TV shows.  I have come to believe that a turkey can pinpoint your location even if you are trying to "throw" the call to one side or the other.  A hen can turn her head while calling - but that gobbler knows exactly where she is standing either way.  That being said - I use my hand while calling in the car during the drive to work - probably to conceal my action from other drivers.

[stinkpickle]

I do it to reflect some sound back towards me, so I can hear myself butcher the call.   

[TrackeySauresRex]

I do it for Tone, Deflection,Realism.   

[Timmer]

I do it for Tone, Deflection,Realism.   

So perhaps you can educate me.  Where and how do you hold you hand and how does that effect tone and realism? 

[guesswho]

It helps change the pitch for me, at least to my ears but I don't do it every time.  I don't do it so my hand is cupped, I do it for pressure on my left cheek.  Closing the chamber so to speak, like a nozzle on a water hose.  You can take the same amount of water pressure through a hose and change the opening on the nozzle to get different streams of water.  I figure if it works on a water hose it should work on air coming out of ones mouth.  But I suck using a diaphram so don't take anything I say about using a mouth call to be correct.

[CASH]

I do it to reflect some sound back towards me, so I can hear myself butcher the call.   

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