never turkey hunted - which calls

[Franco]

I appreciate all the great advice and I do ask a lot of questions, just my nature I guess.
 
Reading these posts- I guess I will have to take a step back and ask questions a little further back.
 
What is a POT and PEG- is that different than a slate call?
 
What is a PUSH PIN call - I did not see anythng like that at Gander Mountain or Rural King?
 
What is double barrel and over under call-
 
Does anyone use this call and what is it - I saw a call advertised by HS Strut, it was a call to imitate a hen being mated by a gobbler. I know it sounds weird, but the noise was similar to a noice hen chickens make. I grew up in the country and I recognized that noise and they showed picture of a gobbler running - I know with chickens that noise use to have that same reaction to roosters, they cound't resist.
 
 
Turkey Sound CD- I like the idea of a CD, the 'Spittin Feathers CD', where can I get this?
 
THANKS!!!
 
 

[kenturkey89]

Hey Franco,

I love it when people ask questions because I like to see what everybody says and see if I can learn a little something as well!

A Pot and Peg or Pot call is another phrase to describe a slate call. The "pot" refers to the slate, or the portion you hold in your hand, and the "peg" refers to the striker. However, Pot and Peg doesn't always have to correspond to a slate surface, it could refer to glass, crystal, copper, aluminum, or any other surface you wish to use.

A push pin call is definitely the easiest call to use to produce turkey sounds. It basically consists of a small box that serves as a sound chamber, with basically a small dowel rod or "pin" that runs through the center of it. The pin is connected to the mechanics inside the box that produce a turkey sound, so every time you "push" the "pin", it produces a turkey sound. Very simple to use and are usually very inexpensive compared to other types of calls.

As Shaman has said, Heirloom is a company that makes many different game calls. One of their turkey calls is called the Double-Barrel Pot Call, which is literally like two calls in one. On one side of the call it has something like a slate, and on the other side it has glass. Heirloom also makes their Over and Under call, which I believe is similar to the Double-Barrel, it's just a little more compact. So basically, both the Double-Barrel and Over and Under are pot and peg calls produced by Heirloom, they've just given them a fancy name.

The call you're talking about that makes the breeding hen sound is known as the Squealing Hen by H.S. Strut. I hunted with a buddy who had the call one time and we had a gobbler hang up for about 30 minutes at 150 yards away. We threw everything at him except that call so we decided to give it a try. It sounds like a call used to call in coyotes. I will say this, it didn't bring him running like the video but it didn't scare him off either. I went back to my crystal pot call and he finally came back down the ridge but still a little bit out of range. One thing I do know for sure is that you'll get mixed opinions on this call. I don't think it's necessary to have but it's up to you. You may be in a situation where you feel you may need to use this call, so it's up to you if you want to buy it. There's a forum on here somewhere that talks about that product. Just type in Squealing Hen in the search bar and you'll find it. Hope this helps!

[DeanoZ]

Franco,

as a beginner myself (this will be my second full season) calling was one of those areas that perplexed me and at times frustrated me (next to trying to locate the buggers, lol, but that's another topic), that is until the fellas here helped me get my head screwed on straight.  Starting out simple is better and less is more when it comes to calling, at least until you have a better sense of what the birds react to and can take their temp, (get a sense of their mood on a given day).  Here is what not to do because I did it or tried it and failed miserably, lol!  For starters unless your naturally gifted forget about the mouthcalls, at least for your first season...you can practice with them if ya like, but I would leave them at home until your better and sound more realistic.  Get your self a push-pin box and a slate/glass pot n peg.  The push pin is fool proof and with little practice you will generate great sounds with little movement and that's key.  I also like the pot n peg for the same reason, easy to make great sounds with little practice and movement.  Some will say the same about a box call, but I've found I tend to use more hand movement with a box call and can make a greater variety of sounds with a pot n peg.

Speaking of variety of sounds...don't try try to imitate every sound that's out there.  Keep it simple and there are really only 3  feel you need to know as a beginner Yelp,Cluck, and Purr.  I feel with these 3 calls you have everything you need to call a bird in.  Once your comfortable with those calls you can getting into cutting, fighting purrs and combos above the above...but for now forget about throwing in the kitchen sink.  NWTF.org has all the sounds on their web page and a short description..its a good start bu I would recommend a Cd and some of the ones mentioned earlier are good.  My personal favorite and the one that came with my calls are the Primos CD's...Will does a great job of explaining the call, how to make the sound, and when to use the call.

Speaking of the kitchen sink, when it comes to calling I've found that less is more, especially when hunting pressured birds on public land.  Keep in mind a mature Tom has probably heard it all by virtue of other hunters who aren't as disciplined and call at the wrong times or too much...I'm no exception and I learned the hard way.  A Tom expects the hens to come to him...what brings him in is the tried and true female tactic of playing hard to get.  So like many of the male species we tend to loose interest if we have to work too hard for it or it comes too easy...we like a little bit of a challenge and a gal that leaves us wanting more, and Tom's are no exception.  Start off soft with a couple clucks or soft yelps and wait..wait a good 15-30 min before you sound off again.  If the Tom responds to your calls shut up and don't call again unless he gets hung up and you don't hear him for a good 30 mins. Then you can call again and hopefully get a response and indication if he's moving in or away from you.

Lastly be wary of all the gimmicks...I fell pray to a few of these...some claim they work but if I tried it or knew someone who had, it never worked for me or them...the Squealing Hen call I believe is the one you asked about.  I've never tried it and by the time it came on the market I had smartened up some and decided no more gimmicks or junk ..and IMHO the squealing hen falls in that category.

Hope this helps, and one thing I will say is there are some really helpful folks on this sight...don't be afraid to ask too many questions...no such thing here and the fellas here are all to happy to help..good luck to you this season, keep us posted on how you do.

[ghamlin10]

im fairly new myself 1st time hunting was last season. I have not mastered mouth calls but what has drew two gobblers in for me is a night&hale push button call names linesome hen.

[hunter177]

For a beginner Knight & Hale makes a beginner pack of mouth calls that runs around $8. It has simple single & double reed calls with no notches in them. The easiest slate would be Primos's Old Betsy which costs around $12. Most of the name brands also make beginner kits that include a locator call, mouth call, slate, and some have a DVD.The best instructional DVD I've found is Primos's Mastering The Art. Hope this helps, good luck!

[SouthernStrut]

Good to hear you're getting into turkey hunting, it's the most fun you can have in the woods I promise. Get you a box call and a slate to start off with. Don't jump right into mouth calls or you could end up discouraged. Slates and boxes are easy to work with very little practice. I used to have a Primos Box Cutter box call, good call to start with, really easy to yelp, cut, and cluck on it. I used to have a few different slates like the Lohman's Thunder Dome, HS Black Magic, HS Lil Deuce, and Primos Power Crystal. Wish I still had Thunder Dome, it's a unique call that sounds great. The Primos power crystal, or any of those cyrstal surface slates from walmart, would be a good one to start with. Crystal slates sound really good with a purple heart striker and they're easy to learn. Over the years I've phased out most slates and boxes and replaced them with mouth calls. Mouth calls are more fun to use and once you master them you have a lot more versatility and range. I started off using some Quaker Boy mouth calls that sounded pretty good. As I got better at it I bought some Knight & Hale diaphrams that stayed with me for 3 or 4 seasons until I chewed em up. I killed many many birds with those calls, they were really good. I moved on to HS Strut after they started coming out with these newer calls and really like those. They fit my mouth just about perfectly. I've recently started making my own mouth calls and it's a lot of fun. Things to remember if you want to start learning how to use mouth calls.....A mouth call MUST fit to the roof of your mouth well enough to create a seal. Air can't pass between your palate and the call, it must all go between the call and your tongue. Your call should fit up to your palate well enough so it feels like nothing's there and you're not fighting with it while you're trying to call. Trim it little by little if you have to so it feels like nothing's there. Be careful trimming it though or it'll end up too high in the roof of your mouth and you'll ruin it. Best diaphram to start off with would be a double reed with no cuts on the latex at all, but find a brand that has the right kind of tape that feels best on the palate. Tape is most important to me because the roof of my mouth is so highly arched and very narrow. Good luck bud, and most importantly, have fun and soak in the enjoyment of the turkey woods. It's a great experience that you'll carry with you forever.

[locke]

I always tell new hunters to use a slate pot call...easiest and best sounds for new hunters

[MrCritterKiller]

1. Slate with a couple of different strikers (mushroom tip for cuts, carbon for soft purrs and rainy weather). Soft yelps, cluck and purr on a slate kill a lot of toms. Learn to work the slate when setting on the ground beside you. Put a stick under it so as not to dampen the sound or get a leg-strap model.
2. Boat paddle box call to reach out and touch someone on windy days.
3. BEGINNERS ALWAYS OVER CALL!!! If you can't see the tom and take his temperature and call based on response, don't call more than every 20 or 30 minutes, and don't always blast the woods.

[rodbaseball]

what these guys are telling you is golden, vol is what did it fir me not to lound and not to much, remember i had decoys but they figur that out and i started setting the decoy dounwind slate call i have 3 3 mouth calls 1 box 1pushbutten 3 slates 3 dif pegs 1box , use what get them talking . and if you can need to put that turkey to bed the eveing before u hunt

[crookedspur]

My first was the Power Crystal pot. Very easy to learn to use and puts out nice sound.