Turkey Calls & Calling: Guide to Improving Your Turkey-Talking Skills

[Sir-diealot]

Turkey Calls & Calling: Guide to Improving Your Turkey-Talking Skills by Steve Hickoff

Lot of good information for the beginner or for those that are trying new calls. I was rather surprised to find that it talked about trumpets, wing bone, tube and yelper calls which are over looked in just about every other turkey how to book I have seen. Pages are nice thick glossy stock and full of color photographs and a few hand drawn diagrams. Information seems to be solid and what I remember (I had forgotten a lot due to meds I take because of a car accident, so this is a great refresher course) I would suggest this to the beginner for sure and maybe to those that are more experienced that are looking to try some new calls or info on them.
(Though I think most here that are experienced know more than this book will tell you this was a Amazon review)

[Greg Massey]

Safety and hunting tactics is your key. Your calling does not have to be perfect, just the right CADENCE's in your yelps, cuts and clucks can make all the difference in successful hunt. Scouting and having turkeys to hunt helps a lot ... Spending time in the woods is your best learning experience with turkeys . Practice , Practice, practice with your calls, with the right cadence and understand what a turkey is telling you in return. You don't have to be a good caller at all, but you do need a basic understanding of turkey language ... Patience's kills more turkeys ... hard to learn all of this in a book.... You need boots on the ground and time in the field with turkeys .. Can't hunt twice a year and expect to be successful .... Hunt as much as you can ... books are good , but time in the field and first hand experience with turkeys is your answer. Your better off having 3 - 4 good calls instead of 10 bad calls.. If you can afford buying call , looking into getting custom calls regardless if your a beginner or season hunter.. call makers and custom calls can improve you hunt and calling ability ....

[Sir-diealot]

Safety and hunting tactics is your key. Your calling does not have to be perfect, just the right CADENCE's in your yelps, cuts and clucks can make all the difference in successful hunt. Scouting and having turkeys to hunt helps a lot ... Spending time in the woods is your best learning experience with turkeys . Practice , Practice, practice with your calls, with the right cadence and understand what a turkey is telling you in return. You don't have to be a good caller at all, but you do need a basic understanding of turkey language ... Patience's kills more turkeys ... hard to learn all of this in a book.... You need boots on the ground and time in the field with turkeys .. Can't hunt twice a year and expect to be successful .... Hunt as much as you can ... books are good , but time in the field and first hand experience with turkeys is your answer. Your better off having 3 - 4 good calls instead of 10 bad calls.. If you can afford buying call , looking into getting custom calls regardless if your a beginner or season hunter.. call makes and custom calls can improve you hunt and calling ability ....

Can't say I disagree, books can be a great place to start though.

[Greg Massey]

Safety and hunting tactics is your key. Your calling does not have to be perfect, just the right CADENCE's in your yelps, cuts and clucks can make all the difference in successful hunt. Scouting and having turkeys to hunt helps a lot ... Spending time in the woods is your best learning experience with turkeys . Practice , Practice, practice with your calls, with the right cadence and understand what a turkey is telling you in return. You don't have to be a good caller at all, but you do need a basic understanding of turkey language ... Patience's kills more turkeys ... hard to learn all of this in a book.... You need boots on the ground and time in the field with turkeys .. Can't hunt twice a year and expect to be successful .... Hunt as much as you can ... books are good , but time in the field and first hand experience with turkeys is your answer. Your better off having 3 - 4 good calls instead of 10 bad calls.. If you can afford buying call , looking into getting custom calls regardless if your a beginner or season hunter.. call makes and custom calls can improve you hunt and calling ability ....

Can't say I disagree, books can be a great place to start though.

I feel this day and time , the internet and hunting video's and youtube video's are a lot better than some books ....Primos Truth video's are some of the best for a beginner...

[Sir-diealot]

Even Primos employees put out books, I guess the experts must know a bit more than you. Have a nice night.

[Greg Massey]

Even Primos employees put out books, I guess the experts must know a bit more than you. Have a nice night.

Regardless books are good, but you can get a lot of knowledge from the internet and forums just like this one ..Old Gobbler ... yes i agree the experts know a lot more than you also... you have a good day...

[Sir-diealot]

Even Primos employees put out books, I guess the experts must know a bit more than you. Have a nice night.

Regardless books are good, but you can get a lot of knowledge from the internet and forums just like this one ..Old Gobbler ... yes i agree the experts know a lot more than you also... you have a good day...

I, in all honestly, have gotten far more from this forum which reinforces reading than I have any video I have ever watch. That is why I like it here so much. I even like you though we seem to be butting heads lately.

[GobbleNut]

I'm sure the book would be an interesting read, but with today's calling devices and easily available information sources, turkey calling is the easy part.  learning what and how much to say to a turkey,...and when to say it,...is the more difficult aspect of turkey hunting, and that comes mainly from experience under a broad spectrum of hunting conditions and circumstances. 

Of course, there is nothing wrong with gleaning as much information as you can from other folks calling methods, but anybody that thinks their success or failure in turkey hunting is based primarily on their calling ability,...unless they are just totally clueless and inept with a call,...is probably focusing their efforts in the wrong place.

Even if you have enough experience and know the fundamentals, each encounter with a gobbler can be different in terms of what is going to "trip their trigger".  In any given situation,...and with any given gobbler,... a hunter may be able to do just about anything and have the bird come.  On the other hand, there are also birds out there that you can be perfect in terms of your calling, your set-up, and every other element of the hunt, and those birds are going to avoid being killed.

Over time, a "student" of turkey hunting will develop a "feel" for what he needs to do in a given set of circumstances. Dissecting one's successes and failures over many seasons of turkey hunting, and then applying the appropriate tactics and calling in similar situations is the best we can do.  After that, success is almost totally a function of being on a gobbler that wants to do his part and cooperate.

The moral of the story:  Learn to call and be the best you can be, but don't get "hung up" on the importance of calling.  It is much more important to spend time in the woods learning about the birds you are hunting, their interactions, and how they "talk" to each other.

[Greg Massey]

I'm sure the book would be an interesting read, but with today's calling devices and easily available information sources, turkey calling is the easy part.  learning what and how much to say to a turkey,...and when to say it,...is the more difficult aspect of turkey hunting, and that comes mainly from experience under a broad spectrum of hunting conditions and circumstances. 

Of course, there is nothing wrong with gleaning as much information as you can from other folks calling methods, but anybody that thinks their success or failure in turkey hunting is based primarily on their calling ability,...unless they are just totally clueless and inept with a call,...is probably focusing their efforts in the wrong place.

Even if you have enough experience and know the fundamentals, each encounter with a gobbler can be different in terms of what is going to "trip their trigger".  In any given situation,...and with any given gobbler,... a hunter may be able to do just about anything and have the bird come.  On the other hand, there are also birds out there that you can be perfect in terms of your calling, your set-up, and every other element of the hunt, and those birds are going to avoid being killed.

Over time, a "student" of turkey hunting will develop a "feel" for what he needs to do in a given set of circumstances. Dissecting one's successes and failures over many seasons of turkey hunting, and then applying the appropriate tactics and calling in similar situations is the best we can do.  After that, success is almost totally a function of being on a gobbler that wants to do his part and cooperate.

The moral of the story:  Learn to call and be the best you can be, but don't get "hung up" on the importance of calling.  It is much more important to spend time in the woods learning about the birds you are hunting, their interactions, and how they "talk" to each other.

Thanks GobbleNut , that what i've been trying to tell him and beginners ....

[Sir-diealot]

I'm sure the book would be an interesting read, but with today's calling devices and easily available information sources, turkey calling is the easy part.  learning what and how much to say to a turkey,...and when to say it,...is the more difficult aspect of turkey hunting, and that comes mainly from experience under a broad spectrum of hunting conditions and circumstances. 

Of course, there is nothing wrong with gleaning as much information as you can from other folks calling methods, but anybody that thinks their success or failure in turkey hunting is based primarily on their calling ability,...unless they are just totally clueless and inept with a call,...is probably focusing their efforts in the wrong place.

Even if you have enough experience and know the fundamentals, each encounter with a gobbler can be different in terms of what is going to "trip their trigger".  In any given situation,...and with any given gobbler,... a hunter may be able to do just about anything and have the bird come.  On the other hand, there are also birds out there that you can be perfect in terms of your calling, your set-up, and every other element of the hunt, and those birds are going to avoid being killed.

Over time, a "student" of turkey hunting will develop a "feel" for what he needs to do in a given set of circumstances. Dissecting one's successes and failures over many seasons of turkey hunting, and then applying the appropriate tactics and calling in similar situations is the best we can do.  After that, success is almost totally a function of being on a gobbler that wants to do his part and cooperate.

The moral of the story:  Learn to call and be the best you can be, but don't get "hung up" on the importance of calling.  It is much more important to spend time in the woods learning about the birds you are hunting, their interactions, and how they "talk" to each other.

I completely agree with you, and I as I said above agreed with Gregg when he said the same. What I am trying to make Gregg understand is that there is much to be learned from books as well, case in point everything you and he have pointed out is talked about in the book, something that I need to relearn because my meds make me forget things and that is part of what I forgot. This book has a chapter that titled "Where, when and why" and this is something I desperately need reinforced as I lost a lot of it because of memory loss. If it can help me then it can help others as well. Perhaps Gregg was thinking it is a how to call book only, and I can looking at it now understand how maybe that is the case by my above review, but you are only allowed so many characters for a review on Amazon and I had to remove a lot of what I posted here already. Here is a picture of the table of contents so maybe it will be more clear that there is much more to the book than just how to run a call.

That said I find it far harder to learn from people on Youtube than I do from a book, I think that is because you are bombarded by tons of people that think their way is the right way and then the next expert will say something completely different. About the only ones I really like is Primos Also watching videos or listening to tapes my mind wonders a lot, part of the ADD/ADHD where a book hold your attention completely because you have to engage the book in order to learn from it.

[GobbleNut]

From the Table of Contents, it looks like a good read for the avid turkey hunter.  Hopefully, a few of the participants here will read it and we can have a comprehensive review of the work.  I have personally read so many "how to" books on turkey hunting that I have kind-of gotten away from it, but I admire anyone that will put in the time and effort to write a book about it.  That takes a great dedication to the craft. 

[Sir-diealot]

From the Table of Contents, it looks like a good read for the avid turkey hunter.  Hopefully, a few of the participants here will read it and we can have a comprehensive review of the work.  I have personally read so many "how to" books on turkey hunting that I have kind-of gotten away from it, but I admire anyone that will put in the time and effort to write a book about it.  That takes a great dedication to the craft. 

My biggest reason for getting it was the chapter I mentioned about I think it was called "what, when and why" I don't remember when to use what calls, I think you start out with yelps but I don't remember when to use clucks, putts, cackles and so on. I used to know but lost that all because of the meds so I got this to help me. That is one of the things you don't see in the videos, they just do it, they don't tell you why or in what possible situation to use them.

Where the videos help somewhat is with cadence, I have also purchased one of Lovett Williams CD's and intend to buy more, though I was disappointed in the one I have as it does not give the when and where instructions I had hoped for. I do like them for cadence though along with another CD that I like a bit more titled Spittin' Feathers maybe just because I have owned it so long.

[guesswho]

I wish I had the attention span to read, but I don't.  I think I've read one book my entire life and it was a short one.  The only reason I managed to get through it was because a friend of mine wrote it.  He was an uncover game warden for years and wrote it after he retired.   I had seen a lot of the uncover videos of cases that are in the book so that held my interest for short periods of time.   Still took me about 3 months to get through it.   

The book you listed looks like it could be informative.   If it helps you in any way then it's worth reading.      The good thing about turkey hunting is there may be 2 or 3 reactions to a situation that works in your favor, and a hundred that doesn't.  And those reactions can swap sides from one bird to another.   What worked yesterday may bite you in the rear the next day.   Most important thing I've learned is the hunt isn't over just because your initial reaction failed.  Don't give up and go on to plan B, then C.   I've ran the alphabet and not killed a bird, and I've killed them from A to Z.    Glad you enjoyed the book.   I hope it helps you on future hunt. 

[Sir-diealot]

I wish I had the attention span to read, but I don't.  I think I've read one book my entire life and it was a short one.  The only reason I managed to get through it was because a friend of mine wrote it.  He was an uncover game warden for years and wrote it after he retired.   I had seen a lot of the uncover videos of cases that are in the book so that held my interest for short periods of time.   Still took me about 3 months to get through it.   

The book you listed looks like it could be informative.   If it helps you in any way then it's worth reading.      The good thing about turkey hunting is there may be 2 or 3 reactions to a situation that works in your favor, and a hundred that doesn't.  And those reactions can swap sides from one bird to another.   What worked yesterday may bite you in the rear the next day.   Most important thing I've learned is the hunt isn't over just because your initial reaction failed.  Don't give up and go on to plan B, then C.   I've ran the alphabet and not killed a bird, and I've killed them from A to Z.    Glad you enjoyed the book.   I hope it helps you on future hunt.

Still reading it, but am not into it much yet, I am taking my test to get my trapping license on the twenty second so I am reading that and trying to finish off another book as well. I wish studying was as easy as reading, it is funny because I can read all day long about bow hunting or turkey hunting but when it is something that I HAVE to read it is very very hard for me, they tell me that is part of the above mentioned ADD/ADHD but I think it must be that way for most. I only have 2 chapters left so if the dog will leave me along I should have it (trapping pre-test) finished this weekend and then I will scour through it all week trying to reinforce myself. This is the only outdoor license test that has ever had me worried, I have never had to take one on the medicines that I am on now and I am having a very hard time retaining it.

[GobbleNut]

I

The good thing about turkey hunting is there may be 2 or 3 reactions to a situation that works in your favor, and a hundred that doesn't.  And those reactions can swap sides from one bird to another.   What worked yesterday may bite you in the rear the next day.   Most important thing I've learned is the hunt isn't over just because your initial reaction failed.  Don't give up and go on to plan B, then C.   I've ran the alphabet and not killed a bird, and I've killed them from A to Z.   

Wise words,...especially from a Goob from Alabama...   

To carry that idea and discussion a bit further (from a senile, old fart from New Mexico), one of the "keys to success" (insert picture here, Ronnie) is having enough experience to know how to go through the sequence from A to Z such that you haven't screwed it all up by trying Q too early. 

In other words, there may be two or three tactics that will work on a gobbler and a hundred (or more) that won't, but we have to learn to work our way through the mine field of poor tactical choices so we don't blow ourselves up before we hit on the tactic that will work on a particular bird.

Those of us with years/decades of experience have blown ourselves up enough times that we have a pretty good idea of where to step while working a gobbler such that the explosion doesn't happen too early in the encounter.  For me, personally, anymore, I can usually get to about K before the mine goes off...