Call for a kid

[shad309]

My son has been eyeballing my calls, especially my first call (NO WAY). I can't decide between a scratchbox, box, slate, or a wingbone. I figure if he gets started at an early age he should be a "pro" in no time. I'm not a mouthcall user so I would be no help in teaching so staying away from them.
 
He will turn 8 on the 14th, so I'm looking for something quick. I don't really want to buy something off the rack but not looking for a show piece, just something for him to cut his teeth on. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[WillowRidgeCalls]

I would suggest either a box or a slate, for the one reason you can run most every sound a bird makes on them with a little practice and both are very easy to master and very little maintance. Also don't over look a push button, easy to run and very effective.

[Matt Raymond]

I have a slate, and a few box calls. My kids love working all of them. My daughter is a little better than my son. She is 9 he is 8. She can purr really well on the slate and does a pretty convincing yelp. They also love my wingbone, but I don't let them mess with it. Kids pick it up pretty quickly, I was amazed. We've had birds gobble back out behind the house when they call, they get excited when a bird hammers back.

Matt

[shad309]

I took a great suggestion from Scott and ordered a box call kit. Hope he will have a lifetime of memories from it, I know I will enjoy every minute of it!

[simpzenith]

I say get the started practicing a mouth call as soon as possible and if that's not an option then give them a pot call. They are fairly easy to learn and can produce most sounds of a turkey.

[JPH]

I agree with simpzenith. I think I benefit from the fact that I was handed a diaphragm call and an instructional cassette at an early age.

My advice would be to pick up a thin reed diaphragm along with a box or a pot and peg.

[shad309]

Thanks for all the responses! I will have a box call kit arrive any day for us to put together. I'm going to work on that first and then I will do some looking for a youth reed.
 
I uploaded some mp3's of turkeys to his ipod and have a cd on the way to put on there as well.
 
He may turn into my little Ace in the hole!!!

[JPH]

Sounds like fun. Enjoy!

[WillowRidgeCalls]

As fast as kids pick up on things he may rock n roll on all of them [;)].