mouth call starter packs

[AppalachianHollers]

I mean, is it that hard just to buy one one each cut and see what works? I ran a Woodhaven Toxic Orange this year and found out I can't do a normal yelp to save my life with a ghost cut—I'm one of those "tree yelp and kee-kee only" ghost cut users as a result.
Next season, I'll run 1 other cut and see how it handles. Eventually I'll know what I like in a "no-hands" call, and until then I'll just rely on friction calls to do the rest.


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[TauntoHawk]

Trail and error.. Good thing they're cheap

Over the years I've probably run 100 different mouth calls.

Unfortunately most of those we production calls and I kept searching until I found some better made calls then I just had to zero in and tinker with what I liked but but I had a lot more good then bad while searching for great.



I know now that 3 Reed batwings are my preferred set up, 2 Reed batwing are my second and I really don't mess much anymore with other styles. I can run them all I just have better control over a batwing

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[Meleagris gallopavo]

I appreciate the feedback guys.  I've already talked to a couple of the custom call makers that have been mentioned here and in other threads and they have been very helpful.

[GobbleNut]

After hunting with some guys that use mouth calls I've decided to try them myself.  Are starter packs a good place to start?  Who do you think makes the best ones?  Anyone started-off with some of the more popular individual calls and did okay?

Here's my suggestion:  Start with basic two-reed call(s) made out of thinner material (.003 is a good starting reed thickness for most folks).  Get you two or three inexpensive calls without any reed cuts (you should be able to buy suitable calls to get started for no more than $5 a call). 

Play around with them until you are comfortable with them in your mouth and learn how to position the calls and start producing sounds.  Until you have gone through the process of learning to make and control sounds with a mouth call, you are spinning your wheels trying a bunch of different call types.

Stick with it and keep practicing until you can make some basic turkey "noises" with regularity with your calls and have some control over the sounds that you can make.  You have to get to this point before you can start trying to find out what kind of call works best for you! 

Do not give up!  A lot of guys get frustrated very quickly with mouth calls because they can't immediately put the call in their mouths and sound like a turkey.  You have to be determined to stick with it.  If you do that, you will eventually get the hang of it.  Once you do, then is the time to start graduating to different call types. 

"Call types" include many variables, all of which influence the quality of sound you can make.  Numbers of reeds, thickness of reed material, spacing, stretch, and cut designs are literally endless,...but until you get your basic calling mechanics down, you will just be confused by all of those things. 

Summary:  start simple, stick with it, learn to call first.  Then start expanding your mouth call horizons to find out what works best for YOU.   

[perrytrails]

I make a starter pack. $10 shipped

2 reed with no cuts

2 reed with a V and extra cuts, raspy

3 reed split V

All .003 latex

[sixbird]

You will be better off getting you starter pack form Sam - Gooserbat on the forum, reason why you can talk with him and he will help you bunch in getting you what you need ... Don't mess with that starter kit .. that was posted ...

Greg I completely disagree and do not have anything bad to say about Sam at all, but why spend a bunch of money on what may well not work for you when you can get the kit and learn for yourself what does not work thus saving money in the long run and then go and buy some very good calls from Sam once you know you are not throwing money away on what you may not be able to use? Sam can't see how he is using the calls and what will and won't work for him because he is not there, if he was then it would be different.

I would suggest Sam or any of the other mouth call makers that I have dealt with here to anybody that KNOWS what they are looking for, but I know I threw a lot of cash in the trash buying a bunch of calls that were no good to me (Both here on this forum and in stores) and this call pack has not only saved me money but shown me that it was not my problem with the calls making me lose confidence in myself but that some calls are not good with all people.

He is going to end up spending more trying to find out what may or may not work for him if he just buys random calls. Now if he knows all that will work with him then yes he would be better buying a starter pack of calls he knows will work for him.

Oh and for your comment of the price come on, it is cheaper in both the short and long run.

Agree 100%. I can't, or won't, for reasons of embarrassment say how much I've spent on these damned things, having no idea why some would be o.k. and some I couldn't make anything beside a rough yelp.
I got the Calling All Turkeys diagnostic pack and it became immediately clear why I couldn't make some cuts work for me. Now, I know if it's not a ghost cut, it's not for me.
Get the kit and find what cut suits your air flow and THEN try different brands/makers of that cut. It'll save you tons of time and frustration.