Friction v. mouth call for locating

[mcw3734]

I used to only carry and hunt with a diaphragm call. Over the last few years I've begun carrying a crystal pot call, mostly for calling long distances and locating as I hunt big parcels out west. Besides reaching out a little better (it seems), I think I can hear better by using that away from my face, as opposed to hammering on a diaphragm call.

You know those times when a distant gobble comes back right away? I wonder how many times I missed that when using a diaphragm for a long series of loud calls?

[Gooserbat]

While I've struck birds with about every kind of call, I'd say a box or trumpet for locating.

[GobbleNut]

I have always been a mouth call guy and rarely use anything else.  I "feel" like I have mouth calls that I can really hammer on and just have never felt the need to try something else.  Having said that, I am also pretty certain I have failed to get a response from a gobbler or two that would have said something if I had used a different calling device. 

"The Problem" (if you will) is that none of us knows for certain what any particular gobbler wants to hear at any one moment,...or conversely, what he doesn't want to hear.  When all is said and done, the best we can do is to use what we have the most confidence in, say what we think a gobbler wants to hear under the circumstances, and hope one of them that might be out there likes it. 

I will honestly say that my personal methods have produced fantastic results at times, and on other occasions have produced dismal results.  When I manage to get those "fantastic results", I think I really know what I am doing, and when I don't, I still think I do,...but there are just no gobblers around!  That's got to be the reason!   

[PalmettoRon]

Neither. For purely locating a bird I owl hoot with my voice, use a crow call or out west I'm a real fan of a peacock call. If none of that works,  I cut loudly on a box.

[WildTigerTrout]

IMO for locating a gobbler at long distance it's hard to beat a boat paddle box call.  I have a couple favorites. They are both Quaker Boy.  I also have a brand new in the box Primos "Battleship" boat paddle however I have not used it. 

[Greg Massey]

Boxes and pots

[randy6471]

Friction call

[mcw3734]

I think I missed the mark with this thread. I realize I should have been clearer in the title.

What I was wondering is... does anybody else feel they may miss hearing distant/soft gobbles by loudly using a mouth call, given its proximity to your ears and, in the case of a diaphragm, noise created inside your head? Versus using a friction call further away from your head? I feel I have.

Sorry for the confusion.

[Tom007]

I use a glass or crystal pot to locate them. On a very windy day, I'll switch to a long box to strike one. Once he answers, I revert back to my regular arsenal regiment.....I will on occasion troll with a mouth diaphragm, it all depends on circumstance.

[GobbleNut]

What I was wondering is... does anybody else feel they may miss hearing distant/soft gobbles by loudly using a mouth call, given its proximity to your ears and, in the case of a diaphragm, noise created inside your head? Versus using a friction call further away from your head? I feel I have.

When hunting by myself, I am sure there ahve been times when I have not heard a distant gobble because they responded while I was calling (with a mouth call).  How often does that happen?  Couldn't say for sure, but I think not often.  Would it make a difference if I was using another type of call?  Maybe, but again, I think those instances are generally rare.  Generally speaking, with the delay in sound getting to a distant bird, I have found that I often hear a responding gobble after I have stopped calling.

Now, I can say for sure that when I am hunting with one or more other guys, there are times when someone will hear a gobble when the others don't,...and sometimes those gobbles are not all that far away. 

In addition, when hunting with someone else, we pretty regularly think that a gobble we heard came from different directions.  They can be very deceiving at times.  I think gobblers have learned to throw their voices so hunters can't pinpoint where they are!  (No way could it be that my hearing is going bad)...   

[PALongspur]

While I've struck birds with about every kind of call, I'd say a box or trumpet for locating.

100% agree