Apparently cluck and purr is not a hunting call?

[Life of Riley]

https://youtu.be/htsEZa3iLgA

[guesswho]

It's on youtube and he's a turkey hunter so it must be true.  I'm scratching cluck and purr off my hunting call list.   Now I know when I see a hen clucking and purring while feeding she is upset about what she's having to eat.  And when she's clucking and purring around her poults she's upset at them for acting up.  And the list goes on and on. 

[GobbleNut]

In my opinion, his advice is right on the money.  However, the key here is the circumstances.  Yes, turkeys will cluck and purr almost inaudibly when together and content, but I believe I can honestly say that in fifty years of turkey hunting, the only time I have heard hens cluck and purr in a hunting/calling situation was when they were concerned about something.

It is one thing to have a group of turkeys wander by in a contented, feeding mode doing those very soft clucks and purrs.  It is quite another to have a hen approaching your calling and suddenly start doing the loud, very audible clucks and purrs that indicate she has become concerned about something.

However, the use of the cluck and purr as a response call to when a hen starts doing it will, at times, be of value.  Responding to a hen that has started clucking and purring when closing in to your set-up can sometimes settle them down just enough to keep them hanging around those extra few seconds to get that gobbler than is out of range just behind her to come those last few important steps. 

I do believe that using a cluck and purr as a primary call when trying to locate a gobbler is generally a poor strategy.  At the same time, I am sure there have been hunters that have done so and ended up calling in a bird.  Turkeys running around the woods randomly clucking and purring in an effort to attract other turkeys is not the natural order of things, however. 

[Happy]

I have heard them cluck and purr when asserting dominance over other hens. Have also heard them cluck and purr while feeding. I typically hear just loud clucks or putts if you will when alarmed. Have called several hens in with aggressive clucks and purrs in conjunction with cutting. It will turn submissive hens away but seems to work well on the aggressive, dominate hens.

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

In my opinion, his advice is right on the money.  However, the key here is the circumstances.  Yes, turkeys will cluck and purr almost inaudibly when together and content, but I believe I can honestly say that in fifty years of turkey hunting, the only time I have heard hens cluck and purr in a hunting/calling situation was when they were concerned about something.

It is one thing to have a group of turkeys wander by in a contented, feeding mode doing those very soft clucks and purrs.  It is quite another to have a hen approaching your calling and suddenly start doing the loud, very audible clucks and purrs that indicate she has become concerned about something.

However, the use of the cluck and purr as a response call to when a hen starts doing it will, at times, be of value.  Responding to a hen that has started clucking and purring when closing in to your set-up can sometimes settle them down just enough to keep them hanging around those extra few seconds to get that gobbler than is out of range just behind her to come those last few important steps. 

I do believe that using a cluck and purr as a primary call when trying to locate a gobbler is generally a poor strategy.  At the same time, I am sure there have been hunters that have done so and ended up calling in a bird.  Turkeys running around the woods randomly clucking and purring in an effort to attract other turkeys is not the natural order of things, however.

Very well stated advice.   

[Marc]

I believe context and tone can have some bearing on the decision making process in utilizing these calls...  I do believe that the video gave some great advice and some food for thought.

Clucks and purrs are comparable to the word "hey."  It is all about tone and context.

Kids arguing in the other room and parents say "hey!"
Good lookin' gal at a bar and you approach her and say "heey..."
Guy coming at you with a knife "HEY!"
Buddy passing out beers at a BB-Q and you get skipped over "Hey!"

The last couple years I have been the unfortunate witness of groups of multiple hens with single toms...  I have heard an array of clucks and purrs...  I often hear loud single clucks as a means of a hen trying to attract a tom...  I have heard loud single clucks from alarmed birds as well.  Generally when calling myself, I accompany those loud single "popping" clucks with a bit of yelping.

The hens in a group seem to purr constantly though.  Generally quite purring and clucking as they feed, seemingly uninterested and unaware of the tom in the group desperately trying to initiate the intimate affections he is seeking.  If I am going to sit in a well-traveled area for extended periods of time, I will not hesitate to use these quiet and non-intimidating clucks and purrs to let a nearby tom know that there is a hen present.

I have also seen purring immediately proceed the coupling event...  I have heard that urgent purring from a hen, followed by the tom coming over to her and vie his affections on her...  So I would assume that there is a place for some excited purring in the midst of urgent yelping and cutting.

However, the premise of the video remains true...  A good percentage of the time that we hear aggressive purring or clucking, the bird is alarmed or agitated.  I for one will think a bit more carefully before using these calls...  And thinking back, such calling has seemed to pull some birds in, but it has also likely prevented forward progression of more than a few birds that were coming in.

[Bowguy]

The problem w you tube is anyone can post a video. Look up something you know about n you'll see what I mean. Not always best place to get info

[GobbleNut]

The problem w you tube is anyone can post a video. Look up something you know about n you'll see what I mean. Not always best place to get info

This is true. ...And it is the less-knowledgeable that often end up being confused by contradictory information.  Fortunately, as it relates to turkey hunting, there are some folks on here that can evaluate these videos and set everybody straight.  Now, if we could just figure out who those folks are, we will be in good shape!...

[guesswho]

Fortunately, as it relates to turkey hunting, there are some folks on here that can evaluate these videos and set everybody straight.  Now, if we could just figure out who those folks are, we will be in good shape!...

If I say it, you can rest assured that there's about a 35 to 40% chance that it's at least partly accurate.

[Ihuntoldschool]

Sound as much like a turkey hen as you can and be realistic with your calls.  Don't overthink things like the guy in the video. The guy in the video relies heavily on visual aids which can make up for his lack of understanding of turkey language.  Don't take calling advice from people like this.

[guesswho]

If it's called cluck and purr, why is he purr and clucking?   What do hens normally do, cluck and then purr, or purr and then cluck?   This turkey talk gets complicated. 

[dirt road ninja]

Is there an English to turkey app?

[silvestris]

That video may be as big a bunch of crap as I have ever seen.  Contented hen turkeys cluck and purr almost constantly when in the presence of other hens and the gobbler recognizes that everything is alright over there.  The "contest" cluck and purr is designed to attract the judge and rarely mimics the sound of a hen in the wild, especially in volume and frequently in delivery.  I have no reservations in clucking and purring often, but the human will not hear my cluck and purr farther than 25 yards, while the gobbler will hear it at 200 yards and know he is likely to be safe if he responds.  Most purring I hear on a slate caller sounds like a cricket and I don't know what most purring I hear from a mouth caller sounds like, but it is seldom that of a contented hen.

[Bowguy]

Is there an English to turkey app?

Pull up the translater app, it's right after spanish

[Cove]

That youtube clip is comical. Beware of where you get your "education."