Deceiving Sounding Calls

[Greg Massey]

Have you bought a call before and while playing this call or calls inside the house or sitting on a back porch come to the conclusion this call is just awesome but in reality the call was very deceiving to you ears. It's like in some ways the call has fooled your ears into thinking this call has it all with sound, tones and ease of play. Remember all of this playing time is in somewhat of a controlled environment. After getting the call outside in all kinds of terrain, humidity and sound barriers the call was very disappointing in how it overall sounded and played out in the woods. I have had this happen with pot calls and boxes especially with deceiving me into thinking this was the ultimate call and will call every gobbler and hen in a 100 miles. SO tell us if you have been deceived by calls or been fooled by their playing ability from house to woods.

[ScottTaulbee]

Absolutely I have!. I've got a few stacks of pot calls and 4 or 5 box calls just like that. Get them in from the maker or out of the packaging and it sounds fantastic inside. Carry a few days in the woods and can't buy a bird with it, try them again next season, same thing. I've probably purchased 100+ pot calls over the years, commercial, and custom and of those there's maybe 3 that I know if I take it from the vest, a turkey will likely gobble and commit with it. As far as box calls, I've purchased around 10 or 15 over the years, commercial and custom, and the only one that I've had success with is a Ron Clough Longbox, that to me, sounds too high pitched and squeaky, but sure as s**t I've called birds in with that call that wouldn't say a peep to anything else.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tom007]

100% happened on some pot calls. Especially when it comes to the volume level of calls. Calls that sounded good inside, when brought out to the field had volume issues, mostly the inability to cast out loud calls. Like you said, inside environments are not the best places to rate calls regarding quality of sound. I guess that's why most the renowned call makers on this site do their sound reviews outdoors several feet from the camera? Great post Greg.

[Turkeybutt]

Been there done that! I presently have two box calls with aluminum lids that sound like a turkey suffering from chronic laryngitis when played in my garage. Before I toss them out I will take them to the woods and have a friend or two listen and give me their opinions. I have purchased mouth calls from various markers and while driving down the road play it and if it doesn't sound right to me I'll bend the frame and keep fiddling with it until I have no confidence in it or come to the conclusion it won't call a turkey. It's then I toss it out. Grant it the mouth call may entice a turkey just like my box calls with the aluminum lids could but if I loose confidence; I don't want them!
I am sure many of you are the same way.
I am still trying to determine if I spent more money chasing women over the years or more on turkey calls. Come to think of it, I had the same results on both fronts in the past. I'd spend a lot of money and always got the short end of the stick. Suffice it to say on most outings I went home empty handed!

[deathfoot]

Absolutely I have. Mostly boxes. I lost my absolute favorite box a few years back and dummy me didn't know it until I got to South Dakota. I have yet to find it after hunting the same areas over and over. Anywho, I've bought a bunch of custom boxes that sounded great out of the package but I no longer use. I'm still looking for the sound my favorite box had. Dummy me...couldn't remember the exact wood except the top was purple heart. And that box was 16 years old and travelled all over the country. That custom caller has re-made me what he thought I had but it doesn't sound quite the same.

It's strange how a box sounds inside vs outside and in different situations.

[GregGwaltney]

So true, I always test calls in a little hardwood bottom behind my house, they will fool you until running them in the woods. Also, never know which one the birds like, usually only takes a few trips to the turkey woods to let them tell you the truth...lol

[guesswho]

No.  Mine seem to be always be terrible sounding indoors and out.  So I just roll with it and hope to find a hard of hearing gobbler.   Maybe one I've missed before and ruined his ear drums.

[Greg Massey]

Little story about a box call i bought couple years ago right around Thanksgiving, man i played and played this box until time to go opening morning of spring turkey season, i was all setup and after taking this fine custom box out of my Glenda Green satchel and get everything ready to call to that gobbler i started playing that box call and within a few minutes i wanted to throw it out across the field. I have never been so disappointed in a call in my life as i was with this call and here i sit with this call with no confidence in it at all... So guys if you think one or 3 calls is all you need i think you may be short changing yourself with denial and deception that 2 or 3 calls is all you need. The surroundings and environment can totally change a call .. NOW if you don't care for cadence and making the proper sounds and just want to have a few calls that will squawk then i guess having the 2 - 3 calls and type really doesn't matter...  I think there's a difference between calling gobblers to you and chasing turkeys in a run and gunning chase. But either way I just enjoy turkey hunting.  IMO

[Yoder409]

No.  Mine seem to be always be terrible sounding indoors and out.  So I just roll with it and hope to find a hard of hearing gobbler.   Maybe one I've missed before and ruined his ear drums.

Ain't it a good thing that turkey HUNTERS are way more critical of a particular call's nuances than turkeys are ??   

[guesswho]

Bingo!

[Sir-diealot]

I have one from one of the top call builders and it sounds great to me and to everyone that has heard it. I have not gotten so much as a head turn from a turkey when I play it though.

[ChesterCopperpot]

I quit caring what I thought when I played a pot I knew sounded horrible and me and a buddy doubled on it. Thing sounded like a screech owl getting shivved in a prison shower. Gobblers was fighting to get to it. We shot the world down!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Yoder409]

I quit caring what I thought when I played a pot I knew sounded horrible and me and a buddy doubled on it. Thing sounded like a screech owl getting shivved in a prison shower. Gobblers was fighting to get to it. We shot the world down!

Love it !!!

I spent a couple decades pro-staff for a small-ish call company.  The ONLY reason a call HAS to sound next to perfect is so I could call YOU from across a crowded show floor and SELL the call to you.

Wish I was bright enough to do sound files.  I'd go outside and fire up my 35mm film can and rubber surgical glove.      The biggest thing that would accomplish (because it has caused turkeys to die) is give EVERYONE a new outlook on how good or how bad they call and how little the tone matters.

[Greg Massey]

I quit caring what I thought when I played a pot I knew sounded horrible and me and a buddy doubled on it. Thing sounded like a screech owl getting shivved in a prison shower. Gobblers was fighting to get to it. We shot the world down!

Love it !!!

I spent a couple decades pro-staff for a small-ish call company.  The ONLY reason a call HAS to sound next to perfect is so I could call YOU from across a crowded show floor and SELL the call to you.

Wish I was bright enough to do sound files.  I'd go outside and fire up my 35mm film can and rubber surgical glove.      The biggest thing that would accomplish (because it has caused turkeys to die) is give EVERYONE a new outlook on how good or how bad they call and how little the tone matters.

I agree it not so much a matter of TONES.. It does have more to do with a consistent RHYTHM and delivering that RHYTHM in a correct manner in being able to kill turkeys on a regular basis.   SO in my opinion RHYTHM is the most important not so much sounds and tones ...

[3bailey3]

Man I got a call I had brought from Richard Hudson, a hen box, it was close to 95 degrees and call sat in mail box for a while, I brought it into the house with the air running at 69 degrees, call made no sound, I almost started to cry but I went and sanded it and re chalked it and it is a great caller..