Am I messing up by only using mouth calls?

[bowmike]

With the season coming to an end I am always going back and thinking things over. I am wondering if I am messing up by only wanting to use mouth calls. I am no pro caller by any means with one, but I can make them come in pretty decent.

I have a glass call that I really never use. I think I need to check out a couple different strikers for it.

I have two Lynch box calls as well that haven't hit the woods with me yet. My son uses them more than I do. The one I believe is the fool proof, and the other is a bit longer, and one side calls out hen and the other calls out gobbler.

I guess my biggest issue with the other calls, is that my hands are pre occupied with the call and not on my shot gun. Are you guys using the other calls first, then popping in a mouth call when they hit that 50 yard range, if they need any more coaxing?

Can you guys give me an idea on when you use what type of call? Maybe use the friction call when they are on the roost, then switch over? I want to expand to using the other types of calls but always end up leaving them at home and going with the mouth call. This sometimes becomes a disadvantage, as they may not like the call, or if one of the reads gets messed up, and squeaks or something.

I mean my Ol tom vest has pockets for a friction call and box call, might as well fill it up wink Any insight is appreciated.

[THattaway]

Yes, you are limiting your opportunity using only mouth calls. I use multiple types during any set, sometimes everything I have in the vest. Can't tell you the number of times I've hit one final call and gotten a response. If you are calling to them when they "hit that 50 yard range" then that might be your bigger problem. Make them hunt you when they get that close. Calling to birds in sight here in SC is usually the kiss of death, will usually see them show their back, wings refold and then they walk off.

[sixbird]

I say if it ain't broke, don't fix it...It's nice to be proficient with other types of calls but it's not essential.
That said, it's not a huge problem to put a mechanical call down as a bird is approaching. I sometimes put it along side of me and, if a bird needs a little extra coaxing, I discretely reach over and give a little purr or yelp. It doesn't have to be a championship performance, just some little sound that resembles a hen somewhat. That usually brings them if they're undecided or getting cold feet.
You can usually put the call in your lap or on the side away from the turkey and get away with a little movement as long as there is some brush between you and him or he gets distracted or struts with his back to you or gets behind a tree...
I wouldn't agonize over it. If you're calling them in...Good enough...

[sixbird]

Yes, you are limiting your opportunity using only mouth calls. I use multiple types during any set, sometimes everything I have in the vest. Can't tell you the number of times I've hit one final call and gotten a response. If you are calling to them when they "hit that 50 yard range" then that might be your bigger problem. Make them hunt you when they get that close. Calling to birds in sight here in SC is usually the kiss of death, will usually see them show their back, wings refold and then they walk off.

Good advice also...Usually not a great idea calling when they're too close, but, if they hang up, you might have to do something. That's when you judiciously make a subtle move...Or, use your mouth call...

[WildTigerTrout]

My vest is full of all different types and styles of turkey calls and I use them but I must admit mouth calls are my favorite. My last six gobblers have all been taken without exception by mouth calls. I really don't see any disadvantage to using them and  the big advantage is being able to call without any movement and I can keep both hands on my shotgun and be ready.

[sixbird]

I used a box this year, which I'm not the greatest at. I wanted to try to get better with it and I did. Called in a number of tough turkeys with it.
Also use pot calls. Slate, glass, copper, aluminum. Diaphragm calls...Love them...  They all work.
One day this year, I was about to give up. Had stayed in one spot all day and was thinking about my little dog having to be let out.
Started packing up and while doing that thought I should condition my calls so they'd be ready next day..Conditioned one, yelped a little. Conditioned the next, yelped a little. Nothing that sounded like a good call, just a couple of strokes. More like noises than anything turkey sounding. Conditioned maybe 5 calls. Last call was a copper. Worked on it and made a couple of "noises." I was rocking to get up off my seat... GOBBLE! I settled back and called that big boy in!
So, are there times when different calls will make a difference? Yep...
Bottom line...Are you good enough with one to make 'em come? If so, good enough. On the other hand, do you want to be proficient at different types of calls? It could make a difference...
I wouldn't say you're messing up though...Not by any stretch...

[Gooserbat]

I use a mouth call 75% of the time. I've had gobbler's hat didn't respond to one but would a pot, box, wingbone...  Having the arsenal and the proficiency to use it is never a bad thing.

[spaightlabs]

I use a mouth call 75% of the time. I've had gobbler's hat didn't respond to one but would a pot, box, wingbone...  Having the arsenal and the proficiency to use it is never a bad thing.

+1 on this.

fewer items to drop, no moving hands for the bird to see with a diaphragm.

[TauntoHawk]

I always have a mouth call in but even an expert calling will miss gobbles sticking to one call exclusively. Box calls just seem to get gobbles when other calls can't. I've used pot calls a lot in the past but this year I became kind of infatuated with using scratch boxes another easy to carry but great tool to have. Carry a few but don't weight yourself down. I like 2 pots with a couple of strikers, a box, a scratcher or two and 3 mouth calls.

[Dr Juice]

I use a mouth call 75% of the time. I've had gobbler's hat didn't respond to one but would a pot, box, wingbone...  Having the arsenal and the proficiency to use it is never a bad thing.

I had the same experiences with the bird's response, but I do not use a mouth call 75% of the time. I'm not that good!

[CT Spur Collector]

No you are not messing up.  Long, long time ago, (35 years) I had a great turkey hunter tell me, if you want to start killing birds on a regular basis, teach yourself how to mouth call.   Boy was he ever right!

Practice, practice, practice.

[GobbleNut]

I, too, used to have the attitude that if they were not going to come to my mouth calling that they were not going to come at all.  I have seen quite enough evidence in recent years hunting with some folks that are accomplished friction callers to now admit that that attitude was foolish. 

There are definitely times when turkeys want to hear a different sound,...and I am convinced that there are times when they want to hear a very specific sound.  Too many times I have witnessed gobblers get fired up over the sounds coming from one particular call when they seemed disinterested in similar calling coming from a different call type,...and when, to me, the sounds were so similar that I could not imagine why one was working more effectively than the other.

Another good thing about friction calls is that they do not wear out like mouth calls do.  It is much easier to "lose the sound" with a mouth call.  Whereas, a friction call that has proven to be a consistent producer will often remain that way for years.  There are just some calls that have a certain tonal quality, rasp, or break-over that seem to consistently call turkeys when other very similar sounding calls will not. 

It doesn't seem plausible for that to happen, but I have seen it too many times over the years to think there is not something to it.   

[Jbird22]

First off, I own way more calls than I could take hunting at one time. This year, I really got hooked on finding a pot call that had "that sound". I've also found tube calls to be really useful based on the wide range of sounds you can make on them. With all that said, I rely on mouth calls for probably 80% or more of calling. It's been proven that a person who is proficient with a mouth call can make ANY sound a hen turkey makes with great authenticity. That along with the fact that mouth calls are totally hands-free makes them invaluable to me. I'm not saying that all other calls are useless, just saying that I've personally killed more turkeys with mouth calls than all other types of calls combined.

[bowmike]

First off, I own way more calls than I could take hunting at one time. This year, I really got hooked on finding a pot call that had "that sound". I've also found tube calls to be really useful based on the wide range of sounds you can make on them. With all that said, I rely on mouth calls for probably 80% or more of calling. It's been proven that a person who is proficient with a mouth call can make ANY sound a hen turkey makes with great authenticity. That along with the fact that mouth calls are totally hands-free makes them invaluable to me. I'm not saying that all other calls are useless, just saying that I've personally killed more turkeys with mouth calls than all other types of calls combined.

I am still a rookie and am only in my 3rd season, but all the birds I have killed have all came into mouth calls.

The first bird did only come in when I used a gobble tube to interest his hen. I sealed the deal with mouth calling but to not mention the gobble tube would be lying.

The "Houdini jake" and the 3 other birds that came in on Bird #1 this year we brought in by the following.

3-4 yelps to locate the gobble I heard about 400 yards away, 15 min before.

then a series of excited cuts with a couple yelps mixed in

then a few soft clucks and yelps to get them to come over a brush pile.

The longbeard I got this year took some doing, I called his hen in twice on 2 different set ups. He only committed when I made a gobble sound (use that term lightly) to get him to break a terrain feature.

I bet a friction call could have worked with the 4 I called in, but to get them to break the brush pile, I would of had to move and possibly spook them. I don't think you could gobble on a friction call. But as with all things turkey who knows.

[THattaway]

Who knows why turkeys respond to one type call versus another? I've got my own opinions on that. I wonder if it may be that if you run through a sampling of calls and finally get a response it could be that you hit upon one that carries a pitch of a real hen a tom might be familiar with hearing or other times I wonder if it's just simply something new and different. I mean a turkey is imprinted with it's mother's calling while still in the egg, seems to me they should recognize calls like we recognize voices.

I always have a mouth call in my mouth while hunting, a trumpet around my neck, slate and box calls in my hands or vest while hunting. I've killed many a bird after easing a cluck or two out of a trumpet with one hand from under the gun. You can also cluck with your natural voice fairly easy if needed to straighten up a tom for a shot.

When I first learned to use mouth calls for years afterward I also thought they were the only call needed.  Most folks tend to ASSUME that if you don't exclusively use a mouth call then you simply don't know how to run one. That is a short sighted conclusion. Have killed plenty of turkeys with them and can run them better than most. If you rely on ANY single type of call you are limiting your turkey calling potential. I hated using box calls for many years because of their size and upkeep. I carry three now when hunting. Now those snuff can yelper calls, well I still hate them and the sound they make but I ain't a turkey either .