I guess we all would rather call plenty to a bird, to the point of excess, than to keep things to a minimum. I know I would. I love to hear one gobble and, when I’m the reason he is gobbling, I have to watch myself or I will get tangled up in spending more effort on that than I do in trying to get him to come in. And that doesn’t put nearly as many birds over your shoulder. By the early 90s, I had convinced myself that I was a good enough caller to break a bird if I called enough. And so began the lesson for me in standoffs between man and turkey. The very bird that started the training on “how not to call a turkey” was one that ended up becoming a character bird in my neck of the woods. I believe I am the sole reason he never died because of a hunter; at least, not that I’m aware of. Everyone that tried him, after the morning this bird and I introduced ourselves, returned home, like me, with their tail tucked between their legs.
He was one of those obnoxious birds that gobbled at everything that first morning we met from owls, crows and geese to airplanes and trains. I started on him hot and heavy and he was eating it up. When he flew down he didn’t waste a lot of time closing the distance and, within 10 minutes I began hearing him drum, very loudly, off to my left and out of sight. I continued to pour it on and another ten minutes later, he was standing on a little rise in front of me, no more than 55 yards away.
This is where I slowly came unraveled and the transformation began. It was a transformation that slowly developed over the next decade where it eventually sunk in that if I would back off the calling every now and then, I stood a better chance of killing a few more turkeys. I absolutely hammered that bird for a full 90 minutes. He strutted, drummed and I believe he nearly gobbled himself to death. I finally convinced myself he was close enough, without him ever taking a step inside 55 yards, and peppered him with a load of #4 shot. His name was Sergeant Pepper from this point forward. I believe that I learned more from this turkey over the course of time than I have from any one particular bird since. He was downright mean.
It was a hard lesson learned but one of great value. When you overcall a bird and watch him disappear because of it, you don’t easily forget it. Unfortunately, those lessons will likely repeat themselves in various forms. The sooner you are able to recognize them, the less frequently they will appear and the better off you will be.
This is one of the easiest traps to fall into in the heat of battle with a wild turkey gobbler. A typical tendency while engaged with a hot gobbling bird is to want to pour it on him. That is exactly what happened on the hunt above and when it was over, I knew exactly why he never walked into easy gun range. Sometimes it is ok to call a lot to a bird. The rule of thumb I use is if he is gobbling a lot, you can get away with more calling. That is unless he is standing in full view of you while you do it. It simply makes no sense to him to walk to the spot he expects to see a hen, if he can clearly see that she isn’t there. Sometimes he might gobble all the way to his demise. Other times, though, he might put the brakes on and lock it down out of range. It’s important to understand the message we are sending to a bird when we are constantly hitting him with the call. It can be, and likely will be, interpreted by a gobbler that you are a hen that is extremely interested and willing to spend some time with him. It is also very possible that it will cause him to hang up. His reasoning, not that he is actually standing around mulling over the situation, is basically that he believes that if you are a hen that is that hot and excited, you are going to come to him. If you aren’t careful, though, he will eventually get tired of waiting on you to show up and one of three things will happen. The least likely of the three possibilities is that he will show up in gun range. The other two possibilities are that he will either get tired of waiting on you to show up and leave, or you will give up on him showing up and leave. There is simply no need to call to a gobbler that is already on the way. If he is getting closer and continuing to gobble here and there, let him come. If you can see him, and he is coming, let him come. We all love the sound of a gobble, but I’ll take fewer gobbles if it means more flopping turkeys.
For many hunters, the thrill of spring turkey hunting lies in carrying on a back-and-forth conversation with a fired-up tom. Being able to make authentic turkey sounds, read the bird’s reactions, and ultimately call it within range is an addictively rewarding experience. However, excellent turkey calling takes practice and nuance. Follow these tips to master the art of calling in turkeys.
Learn the Key Turkey Vocalizations
The first step is studying the main turkey sounds what they mean, and when turkeys use them. Focus on mastering these essential calls
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Yelp – The fundamental vocalization of hen turkeys Use excited, rhythmic yelp sequences to locate toms and signal readiness to breed.
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Cluck – A short, subtle single note that conveys contentment. Use between yelps to mimic relaxed feeding hens.
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Purr – A soft, vibrating sound that signals calmness. Use when turkeys are nearby to avoid spooking them.
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Cutt – A loud, fast series of aggressive notes. Use sparingly to amplify interest from reticent toms.
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Gobble – The iconic call of male turkeys. Do not over-gobble, as that signals an insecure tom.
Listen to recordings of real turkeys to refine your imitation of these essential vocalizations. Their nuanced cadence is more important than perfectly mimicking pitch.
Master Proper Setup and Positioning
Before calling, ensure you have a solid position with a clear line of sight in the expected direction of approach. Situate yourself with adequate cover and have your firearm easily accessible. Face the anticipated turkey route, with sun at your back when possible.
Position any decoys logically, mimicking realistic flock patterns. Hens should appear relaxed, while dominant toms are more upright and conspicuous. Less is often more when deploying decoys.
Start Softly and Increase Volume Gradually
When starting a calling session, begin very softly to avoid alarming birds prematurely. Focus calling in the expected turkey direction, gradually increasing volume if needed to elicit a response.
If a tom gobbles nearby, avoid blasting the bird with overly loud calling. Respond gently to maintain realism and avoid seeming too eager.
Mimic Real Turkey Conversation Flows
Listen to how wild turkeys converse and mimic those patterns. Typically, hens yelp excitedly, then pause to listen. The gobbler responds, then the hen yelps back delicately.
Avoid constant loud calling, especially when birds are responding. This will seem unnatural and make turkeys hesitant. Practice reading turkey reactions so your calling sophistication improves.
Mix Up Calls for Realism
String different calls together in lifelike sequences, just as real turkeys do. For example, follow some clucks with soft yelps and purrs, or answer a distant gobble with a short burst of loud cutting.
Using a mouth call, slate call, wing bone, and box call together will sound like a flock of vocal turkeys. Vary calls to entice turkeys while keeping sequences believable.
When In Doubt, Cluck and Purr
As turkeys get closer, shift to non-aggressive clucks and purrs. Consider them the “all clear” signals that keep birds advancing without becoming alarmed.
Save loud, excited yelping for when trying to excite a distant gobbler. Minimize calling when the tom commits, letting him zero in on your inviting setup sounds.
Silence Also Speaks Volumes
Once a tom is fired up and approaching, stop calling altogether. Many savvy hunters allow silence to draw lovesick gobblers in the last critical yards.
If a hangup occurs, throw in some lonely clucks or plain yelps as natural reminders you are waiting. But avoid constant noise, which can override his instinct to investigate further.
With dedication to learning turkey language, setup strategy, vocalization practice, and reading bird reactions, you will master the nuanced art of calling in spring gobblers. Be patient, experiment with calling variations, and let the turkeys themselves guide your continuing education. Honing these skills takes time, but success awaits those who diligently work to become a turkey talker.
Lesson #2: Out of Sight Calling
One of the hardest turkeys to kill is one that gobbles little or none at all. I know that there is a strong possibility that I have left a lot of birds in the woods that probably showed up at my setup after I had decided to pack it up and head to the house, because I didn’t believe they were going to show up. I simply didn’t give them time to get there, and I likely called so often that I slowed their time of arrival greatly. It’s easier to make this mistake when he never gobbles after you locate him. I can sit for hours on a bird if he will occasionally gobble, but if he never opens his mouth, it can get pretty tough to stay long enough. You may have graduated to the point where you are able to back off on your calling if need be but it is still difficult to know when you should call if you can’t see a bird that might be coming. These are birds that you will possibly never know for sure if they were going to show up in range or not, if you are constantly calling. All it takes is one call at the wrong time to turn a hunt in the wrong direction. Again, if a bird is coming, you don’t need to call. But how do you know if he is coming or not when he isn’t talking or if you can’t see him?
That’s a good question and the answer is easy; you don’t. So, it is a better option to assume that he is coming in, than it is to assume that he isn’t. Give him time and leave the call alone. For me, it goes back to the old school way of turkey hunting in this situation. The turkey hunters of “way back when” believed in yelping three to five times and not calling again for 30 minutes to an hour. They killed too many turkeys to argue the point. Even if you strike a bird, and he never gobbles again over the course of the hunt and you can’t see him, you need to remember one thing; he still knows where you are. I honestly believe that every bird I strike is on the way until he convinces me otherwise. It has helped me close the deal countless times over the years.
Lesson #3: Pressured Bird Calling
Here is another bird that will test your restraint. The old battle-tested warriors. These birds have heard and seen a lot in their lifetime. Some have been stung, too, as was the aforementioned Sergeant Pepper. Many have tagged along with a buddy heading to a caller, only to watch him get his head obliterated or maybe they simply got an education when they slipped in on an unsuspecting hunter. Regardless of why, there are many reasons that can cause a turkey to live each spring of his life at the highest level of survival. Do these birds become call shy? Not necessarily, but I do believe they become somewhat reluctant to respond to calling and even more reluctant to go looking for its origin. Some of these types of birds will still respond but they prefer to hold their ground. Others might never open their mouth but might take forever and a day to show up. When hunting these types of birds, I treat them similarly. I still believe that they are going to eventually show up, but I have the mindset that it’s going to be a while. A good, long while. Your patience will be tested to the extreme with these boys. Let them know you’re there and settle in. Resisting the urge to call much is paramount here. If you don’t think you will be able to sit quietly and not call for long periods of time, you might need to take drastic measures to be sure you can. If you use a mouth call, spit it out. If it’s a box or a pot call, put it back in your vest.
How To Call Turkeys For Beginners & Basic Calling Strategy
FAQ
What is the best way to call in a turkey?
Make sure you’re calling loud enough. Soft purrs and clucks on a pot call won’t cut it. The turkeys likely can’t hear you if you’re not using a box or mouth call during high winds. The louder you can go with your yelps and cutts, the more likely you will rise above the wind and be heard by nearby gobblers.
How to get turkeys to come to you?
We believe the frequency and pitch of certain sounds causes turkeys to gobble. I have heard them gobble at several different sounds from sirens to thunder; any sudden loud noise usually will bring a gobble out of a tom.
What is the best call sequence for a turkey?
Typically, turkeys begin with a tree call indicating their location, then cackle as they leave the roost. It begins as quick clucks and cuts, and as the bird lands the cadence slows and often ends with yelps. Use the fly down cackle when you’ve heard a gobbler fly down, provided he’s not in sight.
What do you say into a turkey call?
With the call in your mouth, press the reed lightly with your tongue, and blow while saying the word “yelp” or “chalk.” At first it will likely tickle; that’s okay and normal. Experiment with call placement, tongue pressure and air flow until you produce quality sounds without tickling your mouth.