Mouth call is not like riding bike.....

[ShootingABN!]

if you are good with them, they are absolutely like riding a bike, get good with 1 or 2 and you should be great. Mike

Thanks Mike.... However I haven't ran one for thirty years..... LOL It's not like riding a bike for me.... I'm starting all over. But it's fun to learn..... I'm not trying to win at the NWTF, just when over an Ole Tom.....

[mspaci]

All good, didnt mean it negative at all, practice some & you will be fine. Find a couple that you like & get good with them, you can then just put them in & use no problem. My favorite has always been QB pro triple(no cuts) & an old fashioned cutter call like Butski cuttin 4. Cant run any of the ghost or split V calls as well. Mike

[ShootingABN!]

All good, didnt mean it negative at all, practice some & you will be fine. Find a couple that you like & get good with them, you can then just put them in & use no problem. My favorite has always been QB pro triple(no cuts) & an old fashioned cutter call like Butski cuttin 4. Cant run any of the ghost or split V calls as well. Mike

Thanks for the recommendations and the heads up.

[Marc]

There are a number of good diaphragm tutorials on Youtube, Scott Ellis is among my favorite...

Diaphragm calls have changes, and while the different cuts  of latex are capable of different and more realistic sounds, these cuts can add a new dimension of difficulty to using the calls.

I might consider going back to a double-D call and practicing basic sounds...  Also with the new cuts, make sure the latex has not folded over on the call, as when this happens the call will not sound correct.  And, as opposed to the older style calls, these newer calls will not play well if used upside down, so make sure you are putting them in your mouth correctly.

As a final thought, I previously had more confidence with a mouth call due to not being as aware of turkey sounds and calls.  In other words, the more I know about turkey calling, the more I realize my calling is and wasn't as good as I thought.  It is far easier to get a friction call to "roll-over" on the yelp than it is a diaphragm...  In the past, I was not so concerned about a 2-note yelp, and after getting more interested in friction calls, I became more aware and interested in the minutia of proper mouth calling.

[GobbleNut]

Although I have beat this horse to death, I can't emphasize enough the importance of learning how to "tune" your mouth calls.  A recurring theme with mouth call users is that they couldn't use a particular call, so they just tossed it.  It is a rare call that doesn't have a "turkey" in it somewhere.  Learn how to tune your calls (change the cut design, make additional cuts, or remove reeds) and the "tossed call problem" will all but disappear. 

[ShootingABN!]

Although I have beat this horse to death, I can't emphasize enough the importance of learning how to "tune" your mouth calls.  A recurring theme with mouth call users is that they couldn't use a particular call, so they just tossed it.  It is a rare call that doesn't have a "turkey" in it somewhere.  Learn how to tune your calls (change the cut design, make additional cuts, or remove reeds) and the "tossed call problem" will all but disappear.

I remember doing that 30 years ago..... Things have changed.... I got so HS calls. Tried trimming the tape. Then went to bend the horse shoe...... BAM snapped in half, not aluminum it was plastic!!!!! Also on one of those fancy cuts the little piece keeps flopping on top of its self. When it does that HIGH pitch sounds crazy.

Again I'm learning all over again.....

Thanks everyone for taking time to post on this.

[kjnengr]

If you are still having problems after buying a decent mouth call and watching videos, maybe you can find a local turkey hunter than can diagnose some obvious problems.

30 years is a long time without using a mouth call so it's likely that your muscle memory in your mouth disappeared. Good luck.

[ShootingABN!]

If you are still having problems after buying a decent mouth call and watching videos, maybe you can find a local turkey hunter than can diagnose some obvious problems.

30 years is a long time without using a mouth call so it's likely that your muscle memory in your mouth disappeared. Good luck.

Thanks brother. You're so right no muscle memory..... LOL  + a few concussions don't help... LOL
I'm starting to piece it together. Got a whole year to practice before Mississippi season comes back in....

[ShootingABN!]

local Walmart had Quaker Boy. Beginners double reed, and I got the Pro III (no cuts). They are sounding better than the HS Strut's.... Gotta keep after it...

[perrytrails]

PM sent...

[ShootingABN!]

PM sent...

PM returned thank you so much!

[sixbird]

My suggestion is to get Calling All Turkeys test pack. It has a noncut call and three cut calls. The noncut gives you a baseline sound and you match that to the cut call soundwise. That cut will be what you'll use the rest of your life. System works really well and saves you from buying every call on the market like we all have...Here's the link...
https://youtu.be/3uPXoGEZeYg

[coyote1]

Imo, you should try calls from several different makers and find what fits your pallet best. A call that fits good will be much easier to make the proper sounds with.


After much trial and error i have found gooserbat calls fit me the best. The ice is an easy running call that would be worth trying out.

The link sixbird posted is very informative, unfortunately i found it too late. Haha