Purr W/ Cluck??

[Texforce]

I need some help here, gents......I've heard that a great sound you can make is a Purr w/ Cluck on the end. I've also heard that the Purr w/ Cluck on the end should only be made when you have a hen in, on top of you - it's an angry sound that hens make. What do you guys think? Is it a "nice" soft call, that I should be making, just blind calling, or is it an "angry" call that I should only make when a hen is present? I appreciate any input, and Good Huntin', fellas.

[Greg Massey]

It's just another way they communicate , as they feed in a group. The cluck is more or less telling i'm here. Clucking can also be good or bad it can be confused with putt's .  As you know your cutting is different with you mixing in your clucks and yelps together , she's a fired up hen.  I just like the purr first with maybe couple of clucks and back to purring again. Agree for soft calling.

[guesswho]

Not an angry call.  If it is, I have some hens that stay mad about all day.

[kyturkeyhunter4]

I agree with Greg Massey it's just another way they cummmunicate as they feed in a group. It's also a great call to use when you are hunting in a area where there is alot of hunting pressure. I've killed a ton of big long beards by just purring and using a few clucks.

[Sir-diealot]

I may well have this wrong, but I was Listening to Real Turkey's 3 or 5 I don't remember which by Lovett Williams and I think it is purrs he said either always begin or end in a cluck. (Can be either way he said) If somebody remembers that part of the CD please be kind enough to correct me.

[Turkeytider]

When I afternoon hunt, I only soft call. I mean, I don`t see how they hear it but they do. Soft clucks and purrs mostly with a soft, short yelp added. Particularly when clucking a bit louder, you can lessen the chance of a misunderstanding that it`s an alarm putt by adding a yelp. It`s just adding some context. An alarmed hen usually won`t yelp but she sure will putt!

[GobbleNut]

I've heard that a great sound you can make is a Purr w/ Cluck on the end. I've also heard that the Purr w/ Cluck on the end should only be made when you have a hen in, on top of you - it's an angry sound that hens make. What do you guys think? Is it a "nice" soft call, that I should be making, just blind calling, or is it an "angry" call that I should only make when a hen is present? I appreciate any input, and Good Huntin', fellas.

The cluck and purr you are referencing is made when a turkey comes to your calling, is looking for the source of the calling it is hearing (you), and cannot locate the source.  Initially, it is just a curious "where are you?" vocalization as it first comes looking. 

The longer the turkey is looking for the source of the calling (you) without seeing a turkey there, the more that curiosity is replaced with concern.  At that point, the clucking and purring will become more pronounced,....as if the turkey is aggravated that it cannot find the calling source. 

That concerned/aggravated clucking and purring will continue until the turkey has determined that something is amiss.  Sometimes it will go straight into alarm putting and high-tail it away (especially if it sees something it doesn't like), and sometimes it will just wander away while continuing the cluck and purr. 

In terms of using that call when a turkey is close and making that sound,...yes, it can temporarily calm a bird so that it hangs around a bit longer,...perhaps long enough for that gobbler that is bringing up the rear to get in range.  Rarely is a bird going to hang around very long after it goes into the higher levels of aggravated clucking and purring, however. (the exception, on occasion, is when you have a decoy out)

The "nice, soft purrs" you mention are generally those made by unalarmed turkeys while going about their business with other turkeys.  Those do not have the same meaning.  And on the other end of the spectrum are fighting purrs made by turkeys when trying to establish dominance. 

All of them can be thrown into the general category of "turkey language" and all of them can be effective in calling under any given set of conditions.

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

What Gobblenut said!  Watch....

https://youtu.be/D1U0MgIVW20

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

In my video above I was deer hunting.  I saw the turkeys and made a keekee whistle for fun.  They started looking for me and then she became aggravated there was nothing.  She eventually called in another hen with her aggressive calls.  Thus comforting her confusion. They all left together and calmed back down. 

[Texforce]

Wow....Great stuff, men. I certainly appreciate it.

[MK M GOBL]

Turkeys add many inflections to their calls whether calm, angry, lost, content, alarmed. It's the way you play it, I remember seeing some guy on a Mossberg vid saying never do a purr and cluck (saying it's a "alarmed" call) I laughed and thought only if you play it that way. Had hens on the farm and it is just everyday turkey talk.


MK M GOBL

[silvestris]

Just get in with some yard chickens, or better turkeys, and just listen to the soft talk.  And then, consider how far you can hear a gobbler drum and realize that he has amazing hearing.  Apply your calling accordingly.  The loud calling has its place, but you can' unring a bell.

[GobbleNut]

https://youtu.be/D1U0MgIVW20

That is probably the best example I have ever seen showing the classic concerned/aggravated cluck and purr.  That vocalization is unique for any similar situation.  The sound is also VERY consistent and specific.  That particular purring sound, from what I have experienced everywhere, is always that short five or six note sound with the same inflection. Same with that popping, concerned cluck. 

You will notice in the video that one hen starts doing it, and then pretty soon another hen starts doing the same thing.  That is why you want to try to perfect that particular call so that you can respond when a turkey starts doing it when approaching your calling.  As I stated above, being able to respond realistically to that sound will very often keep the turkeys around longer than they will stay otherwise and possibly give you a chance at any gobbler that might be coming in, as well. 

Just an observation:  If you watch enough turkey hunting videos, you will often see hunters making the contented cluck and purr in this situation rather than the concerned/aggravated cluck and purr.  In addition, many hunters make their purrs way too long rather than that short 5-6 note purr that is typical of turkeys. 

Now, I'm not saying it makes a big difference to turkeys.  Apparently, from the videos we watch, often it does not.  However, if you want to be "true" to the turkey language, learn to duplicate that cluck and purr on that video for when those hens come to investigate.  If you do that, you will be telling them what they want to hear,...in "real" turkey talk,... in that situation. 

[Greg Massey]

When you're watching that video , look at the posture of the other hens , they look alert from what little you can see in the video or like what is going on . Makes you wonder if those 3 are younger hens . Good video.

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

When you're watching that video , look at the posture of the other hens , they look alert from what little you can see in the video or like what is going on . Makes you wonder if those 3 are younger hens . Good video.

You are correct.  I would watch them fly up in the evening and fly down in the mornings.  They were pounding the deer corn 75 yards away.  You will never kill a turkey in that spot in the spring.  Never.