Calling wild turkeys is both an art and a science. When done right, it allows hunters to interact with these incredible birds and draw stubborn toms into shotgun range. However, for beginners, learning how to properly call in turkeys can seem intimidating.
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover everything you need to know about mastering the craft of turkey calling.
Why Calling is Crucial for Hunting Wild Turkeys
Calling is so important simply because it is the most effective way to engage and attract spring gobblers During the breeding season, male turkeys are eager to find receptive hens. By imitating hen calls, hunters can pique the interest of dominant gobblers and pull them away from real hens.
Even if a tom is already with a harem of actual hens, expert calling might convince him to come check out the new girl. When hunters can mimic hen vocalizations and deliver the right message, it makes the gobbler come to them rather than vice versa. This allows hunters to get within ethical shooting range.
Calling also enables hunters to locate and interact with specific birds on a property. You may entice a gobbler to sound off that you would have never found otherwise. Calling makes the hunt much more engaging and thrilling.
Key Turkey Vocalizations to Master
To call turkeys successfully, you must first learn what sounds they make and what they mean. Here are some of the most important turkey vocalizations:
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Gobble – The gobble is the iconic spring call of male turkeys, though hens occasionally gobble too. Gobbles proclaim dominance and attract hens.
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Cluck – The cluck is a short, single-note sound most often made by hens. It shows contact and contentment.
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Yelp – The yelp is arguably the most vital sound for hunters to learn. Hens yelp to summon males, gather flock members, and more. It is the foundation of calling.
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Purr – The soft, rolling purr signals calmness and contentment in turkeys. Hens often purr while feeding.
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Cackle – The raucous cackle, frequently heard when turkeys fly down from roosts, helps them keep track of flock members.
Mastering these core turkey sounds will allow you to have natural “conversations” with gobblers. Listen intently to live birds whenever possible.
Selecting the Best Turkey Calls
Another key part of learning to call turkeys is picking the right gear. There are four primary types of turkey calls:
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Mouth Calls – Also called diaphragm calls, these allow hands-free operation but require lots of practice. They provide extremely realistic sounds.
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Box Calls – Box calls are easy to use even for beginners. They can produce loud calls to reach distant birds.
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Friction Calls – Friction calls like pot calls and push-button calls take more skill. Rubbing surfaces together makes realistic turkey sounds.
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Tube Calls – Tube calls use a small tubular body and latex reed. You blow air through them to create yelps and clucks.
Try various call types to find your favorites. Ultimately, having multiple options gives versatility for any scenario. Pair calls with realistic decoys too.
Expert Tips for Calling in Wary Toms
Calling turkeys successfully requires subtlety and patience. Here are some proven tips:
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Start practicing calling long before the season opens. Don’t wait until opening day.
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Call loudly enough for turkeys to hear, but no louder. Overcalling is a common mistake.
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Know when to call and when to stay quiet. Calling nonstop does not work.
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Make realistic sounds. Study actual hen calls and precisely mimic them.
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Move a bit when calling to seem like a live hen. Turn your torso or walk with a friction call.
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Use decoys to add visibility and realism. Decoys can help draw in hung up toms.
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Have patience and let toms fully commit before panicking. Give finicky birds time.
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Avoid common mistakes like overcalling, improper timing, and unrealistic sounds.
Common Turkey Calling Blunders to Avoid
It’s equally as important to know what not to do as a novice turkey caller. Here are some classic errors to avoid:
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Overcalling – One of the biggest mistakes is calling too much and aggressively. Listen twice as much as you call.
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Poor Timing – Turkey calling isn’t always effective. Don’t overcall at roosted or silent birds.
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Unrealistic Sounds – Mimic live hens precisely. Don’t make up fictional calls.
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Wrong Call Choice – Understand when to use loud locator calls versus soft clucks and purrs.
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Poor Setup – Only call from spots with adequate visibility and room to safely set up.
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Impatience – Many hunters overcall when toms don’t respond instantly. Be patient.
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Aggressive Starts – Begin calling sequences calmly. Get aggressive only if the turkeys do.
Final Thoughts
Calling wild turkeys is a subtle art form requiring regular practice. But any turkey hunter can become skilled with dedication. Study actual turkey vocalizations, invest in quality calls, follow expert advice, and avoid common mistakes.
The satisfaction of interacting with a fired-up tom and calling him in is unmatched. This season, grab your calls and experience the addicting thrill of talking turkey! Gobble at the ready!
There are a wide variety of different sounds or vocalizations made by wild turkeys. Listen to them here.
There are many factors that go into successfully hunting wild turkeys, including calling them at the right place at the right time. Knowing the distinctly different sounds wild turkeys make in specific situations will increase you chances for a successful harvest and make you an all-around better wild turkey hunter.
Sounds courtesy of Denny Gulvas of Gulvas Wildlife Adventures.
The adult hen assembly call is a series of loud yelps, usually a little more emphatic and longer than a standard series of yelps. The assembly yelp is used by a hen to assemble her flock or young poults. It is a good call in the fall when trying to call a scattered flock back together. Your browser does not support the audio tag.
The cluck consists of one or more short, staccato notes. The plain cluck often includes two or three single note clucks. Its generally used by one bird to get the attention of another and a good call to reassure an approaching gobbler that a hen is waiting for him. This is a great call while trying to encourage gobbler to come into range if he starts to hang up. It can also be used while birds are still on the roost to subtly let a gobbler know you are there. Your browser does not support the audio tag.
The cluck and purr is a cluck followed by a rolling, almost staccato call. It is often associated with flock talk or the feeling of contentment. Typically not a loud call, though sometimes it can be amplified, it is good for reassuring turkeys as they get close to your position. Your browser does not support the audio tag.
Loud, sharp clucks that are often mixed with yelping. Cutting is a sign that turkeys are excited, not alarmed. Cutting has several uses in hunting. If a gobbler is henned up, and one of the hens is cutting, you can cutt back in an attempt to bring her to you. You will want to mimic her calls, while cutting off her vocalizations and being a bit more excited. The goal with this tactic is to lure a dominate hen to you for a fight, often times bringing the gobbler with her. You can also cutt when you have tried soft calling to a gobbler that is hung up. Your browser does not support the audio tag.
Similar sounds and notes as a plain yelp but much more excited, rapid and with more volume. This is not a sign of alarm, but indicates that a turkey is worked up about something. If a gobbler is henned up, you might be able to bring him to you by picking a fight with the dominate hen in the flock. Yelp at her excitedly, cut off her vocalizations with your own calls and you might lure the hen, and the gobbler with her, to you. You can also use an excited yelp when you have tried soft calling to a gobbler that is hung up. Your browser does not support the audio tag.
Fly Down or Fly-up Cackle
A cackle usually consists of three to 10 irregularly spaced notes, loud and staccato, increasing in pitch as the call nears its end. The cackle is generally associated with leaving the roost, but can also be heard when a bird is flying up to a roost. A fly-down cackle is good call to tell a gobbler that a hen is on the ground. However, a fly-down cackle often works best if the gobbler is already on the ground before you call. Otherwise, the tom may stay on the roost; waiting for what he thinks is a hen turkey to come to him before he flies down. A fly-up cackle can also be a good tool when trying to locate roosted toms, as it may get a roosted tom to gobble. Your browser does not support the audio tag.
The gobble is a loud, rapid gurgling sound made by male turkeys. The gobble is one of the principal vocalizations of the male wild turkey and is used primarily in the spring to let hens know he is in the area. Hunters must be cautious using a gobble, especially on public land where it may attract fellow hunters to your position. It can also be a double-edged sword. A gobble may draw a dominate tom to you looking for a fight or you might drive away less dominant birds who want to avoid a beating. It is often used as a call of last resort. However, it can also be used effectively late in the evening when trying to get a tom to gobble on the roost. Your browser does not support the audio tag.
The kee kee is usually a three-note call that lasts about two seconds. A variation of the call, the kee kee run, is merely a kee kee followed by a yelp. The kee kee is the call of lost young turkeys and variations are also made by adult birds. Its often associated with fall hunting and is used to reassemble a scattered flock. It can be used in the spring to make you sound more natural – especially on public land where it may set you apart from all the other hunters using yelps and cutts. Your browser does not support the audio tag.
The plain yelp of a hen is a basic turkey sound and is often delivered in a series of single note vocalizations. The plain yelp can have different meanings depending on how the hen uses it, but it is basic turkey communication. It is also commonly used by a hen to communicate with a gobbler during mating season. This is a basic turkey hunting call. If you can yelp, you have a chance of being able to call in a turkey. Your browser does not support the audio tag.
Purring is a soft, rolling call turkeys make when content. It is a low vocal communication designed to keep the turkeys in touch and often is made by feeding birds. This is not a loud call, but is good for reassuring turkeys as they get close to your position. Your browser does not support the audio tag.
The putt is a single or several sharp notes. The putt is generally associated as an alarm and usually means the bird has seen or heard something and is signaling danger. This can be useful when you have a gobbler in range, but cant get him to raise his head or stop. However, before putting at a gobbler it is best to have your shotgun ready and on target. Once you raise the alarm by putting, you will have little time to shoot and the bird will take off at the slightest movement. Your browser does not support the audio tag.
The tree call is a series of soft muffled yelps given by a roosted bird that sometimes picks up in volume as fly down time nears. Maybe accompanied by soft clucking. It is generally acknowledged as a call to communicate with others in a flock. It can be used to let a gobbler on the roost know you are there. Your browser does not support the audio tag.
TURKEY CALLING TIPS | Turkey Sounds and What They Mean
FAQ
How do you call a turkey to come to you?
The real secret to taking turkeys on windy days is to call loudly, call often and keep your movement to a minimum. A turkey may be gobbling and coming to you, but you may not see him until he’s in your face. I like a Turkey Thugs box call, a double-reed diaphragm call for volume and/or a tube call.
How do you properly call a turkey?
Calling every 15 minutes or so and starting off quieter and then getting more aggressive/louder as the day goes on are good rules of thumb. If you hear a hen, try to mimic her exact vocalizations. If she does a soft 4-note yelp, you do the same – if she gets loud, you get loud, too.
Can you use your phone to call turkeys?
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What is the safest position to call a wild turkey?
Calling from an open forest location is generally safer than calling from thick brush since you have a better view of a turkey or other hunter approaching your position. If your location prevents you from seeing in all directions another hunter may slip in near you without you seeing him.
How do you call a wild turkey?
Calling wild turkeys is the most enjoyable part of turkey hunting. Few hunting scenarios match the excitement of talking a fired-up gobbler into range. For beginners, turkey calling can seem pretty complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Remember the key turkey vocalizations are the yelp, cluck, and cutt.
How do you learn turkey calling?
As you study turkey calling, the cluck and the yelp should be your starting points. The purr and cut turkey calls are your next steps. A purr is a quiet call that seems to signify contentment. Easy to master on the slate, but difficult with a diaphragm. The purr generally boils the blood with the heat of sexual tension in gobblers.
How do you make a turkey call?
This friction-based call involves working the paddle (lid) over the sides of the box (trough) to create turkey sounds. Box calls are relatively easy to use and they can run very loudly, which helps with striking far-away toms. Diaphragm (Mouth) Calls: The diaphragm (mouth) call is another excellent option.
What are the most common turkey calls?
Many of these calls are fairly common, but adding one or two of these turkey sounds to your arsenal can put you on your way to becoming a better hunter. The yelp is the most basic turkey call you will hear. The yelp generally consists of shorter single notes normally strung together in a series.
How do you Cluck a Turkey with a mouth call?
Match your calling sounds to the decoys you have on display. If there are turkeys inside of 100 yards, keep the calling to a minimum, and be very quiet and still. This is where knowing how to purr and cluck with a mouth call comes in handy.
How do you call a Turkey on a windy day?
Always try to call from a location that turkeys already want to go. Know when to use certain turkey calls, such as mouth calls, box calls, and slate calls. For example, on a windy day, a high pitched, loud box call will be more effective at striking toms.