Turkey hunting takes skill, stealth, and patience. Having the right gear, especially the right turkey call, can make the difference between a successful hunt and an empty vest. But with so many options on the market, how do you know which turkey call is the best for you? This comprehensive guide will walk you through the different types of turkey calls, key features to look for, and provide recommendations on the best turkey calls for beginners and expert turkey hunters.
The Main Types of Turkey Calls
There are four primary categories of turkey calls
Friction Calls
Friction turkey calls also known as pot calls, use friction between a round striker and the surface of the pot to create sound. Common surfaces include slate glass, aluminum, crystal, and ceramic. The unique tones of each material offer versatility. Friction calls allow precise control of pitch, volume and tone. They excel at close range calling but can also reach distant birds in the right hands.
Box Calls
Box calls use a wooden striker, called a paddle, dragged across a notched wooden box to mimic turkey sounds Box calls are easy to use and great for beginners. The open design projects sound over long distances, making them ideal for locating roosted birds. Box calls produce consistent yelps and cutts
Mouth Calls
Mouth calls use air pushed over one or more reeds to recreate turkey vocals. Hunters place the call on their tongue and control pitch and volume by altering tongue position and air flow. Mouth calls allow hands-free operation and are ideal for close range. They can make subtle sounds box and friction calls can’t. Mouth calls require more practice but offer versatility.
Push-Button Calls
Push-button calls use a plunger mechanism activated by pushing a button. They make realistic yelps without much effort. The enclosed design muffles sound, so push-button calls work best at close range when a tom is responding. They are great for beginners and allow one-handed operation with a gun ready.
Key Features to Look for in a Turkey Call
Sound Quality
The best turkey calls create sounds indistinguishable from actual hens. Listen to recordings of prospects to judge sound quality before buying. Turkeys have keen hearing so realistic sound is critical.
Versatility
Look for turkey calls that can make a wide range of vocalizations from excited loud yelps, to soft purrs and subtle clucks. Different sounds may elicit a response when others won’t.
Durability
Turkey hunting is rough on gear. Seek calls built from quality materials that will hold up season after season. Avoid low-quality plastic and laminated thin wood. Solid hardwoods like walnut, cherry, and osage withstand abuse.
Weather Resistance
Friction calls must stay dry to function properly. Consider all-weather pot calls with synthetic or treated wood pots and non-hygroscopic strikers that work when wet. Mouth and box calls made of quality wood also call well in wet conditions.
Price
In most cases, more expensive calls are built better with higher-grade materials and tighter tolerances. But excellent calls exist at lower price points too. Judge value based on construction and sound quality. Don’t overpay for a big brand name. Custom calls offer heirloom quality if you can afford the premium cost.
The Best Turkey Calls for Beginners
Here are great options to start building your arsenal of turkey calls:
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Push-Button Call: HS Strut Push Button Call – Easy to use and realistically mimics hen yelps.
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Box Call: Hook’s Custom Assassin Box Call – Mahogany box and purpleheart lid make crisp, loud calls with little effort.
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Friction Call: Primos Ol’ Betsy Slate Call – Quality slate call under $30 that’s easy to run.
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Mouth Call: Woodhaven Ninja Ghost Mouth Call – Consistent yelps and clucks without perfect tongue position.
Expert Picks: The Best Turkey Calls by Category
Best Box Call:
Woodhaven Cherry Real Hen Box Call
- Loud, two-tone yelps project over distance
- Easy to use even for beginners
- Attractive cherry construction
Best Push Button:
Hunter Specialties Drury Push Button Call
- Produces realistic clucks, yelps & purrs
- Versatile one-handed operation
- Durable wood and slate construction
Best Pot Call:
Woodhaven Fusion Ceramic Friction Call
- All-weather performance, even in rain
- Clear cutts, raspy yelps & soft purrs
- Loud enough to reach distant birds
Best Mouth Call:
Woodhaven Pure Turkey 3-Pack
- Three reed styles for diverse turkey sounds
- Durable reeds withstand moisture
- Compact and lightweight for vest carry
Best Slate:
Lynch Fool Proof Fool’s Gold Slate Call
- Deep, raspy tone ideal for soft calling
- Easy to control pitch and volume
- High-quality Pennsylvania slate surface
Best Crystal:
Hunter Specialties Pro Crystal Pot Call
- Loud, high-pitched cuts ideal for open calling
- Clear glass surface requires little conditioning
- Slate insert adds rasp and lowers pitch
Best All-Around Performer:
Primos Hunting HookHunter Turkey Mouth Call
- Versatile cuts allow yelps, clucks, & purrs
- Ultra-realistic sounds
- Durable reeds for consistent performance
- Affordable price under $10
With patience and practice, any turkey hunter can become proficient with various call types. Start with user-friendly calls to build confidence and skills. As you gain experience, incorporate more advanced calls into your repertoire.
Trust your ears when deciding what works best. If a call reproduces hen sounds that repeatedly pull in gobblers, it’s a keeper. The most important thing is matching your calls to the vocalizations and behaviors real turkey hens exhibit in your specific hunting area. Eventually, you’ll discover your go-to calls to fill your tag each spring.
The Best Turkey Calls
These are most of our go-to calls, the ones we reach for first when we step into the field each spring. We have plenty of hands-on experience with all of them. Our working turkey vests have changed over the years as old calls wear out and new ones take their coveted spots.
Here’s how we decide which calls will ride with us into the turkey woods each season:
- Personal Experience: These are the calls we have used or used for years. If a call spends more than a single season in our vest—or more than a single hunt, for that matter—it has something going for it.
- Ease of Use: Turkey hunting is hard enough without running a call requiring a genius-level IQ to operate. We like simple-to-use calls, and those are the ones that make the cut time and time again. However, we don’t let simplicity outweigh realistic sound. This line-up affords both.
- Sound: The best turkey calls, regardless of price tag, sound like real-life birds. Each call on this list will produce life-like sounds, although some may require more practice. The common denominator here is affordable calls from respected companies that can sound just like a mama (or soon-to-be) bird.Â
Best Turkey Call Overall: Houndstooth Game Calls Dixie Hen Slate
Best Slate:Â Zink Wicked Series Slate
Pros
- Attractive visually
- Great turkey sounds
- Built-in striker tip conditioner
- The rubberized grip around the circumference makes holding the call easy
Cons
- Expensive
- Slate may not be as loud as glass or crystal
I shot my first specklebelly goose with Fred Zink in northern North Dakota back in the early 1990s, and I’ve been a fan of the boy from Buckeye Land ever since. A champion goose caller and waterfowl call designer, Zink built his reputation on making duck and goose calls. Turns out, he’s just as good at making turkey calls.
I love the rubber ring around the edge of Zink’s pot call because this makes gripping the Wicked Series with my fingertips a sure thing. And this grip helps me get as much sound clarity and volume out of the instrument as possible.
You can also flip this call over to use a second calling surface. Dubbed “The Sweet Spot,†this added bonus is a great way to make those delicate, super soft, close-range calls.
It’s a plain and pretty call, with no skulls or bones or devil tongues. And it sounds like a million bucks. Soft and close; loud and far. This one does it all. However, I’m a fan of the flared-tip strikers, but swapping it for a Mad Calls purple heart/acrylic stick—my favorite— is pretty simple.
Specs
- Type: Pot call
- Material: Brazilian cherry pan, slate surface, Dymondwood striker
This is THE BEST Turkey Call for Beginners… | Buck Junkie Outdoors
FAQ
Which is better, glass or slate turkey call?
- Perform well in wet conditions, such as after thunderstorms
What call attracts turkeys?
There are several different types of locator calls made just for locating turkeys, like crow calls, owl calls and even hen calls.Apr 24, 2024
What is the best time of day to call turkeys?
The early stage of the breeding season typically means fewer hens have been bred, resulting in fewer hens laying their eggs. In this case, hunting earlier mornings would be the most effective. Getting as close as one can while the turkey is on the roost before calling is necessary, followed by soft calling.
What is the best locator call for turkeys?
The owl hoot is a highly effective after-hunting-hours call, and during my turkey tenure, it has been my most effective locator call for getting birds to gobble from the roost. Boy birds like to gobble, but when they go quiet, a well-timed locator call can make them pop.
What are the best turkey calls?
Read our review of the best turkey calls here. Box Calls: The box call is a great option for beginners and experienced turkey hunters alike. This friction-based call involves working the paddle (lid) over the sides of the box (trough) to create turkey sounds.
How many turkey calls are there?
The author has 22 different turkey calls in total: 13 mouth calls, two box calls, four pot calls with four separate strikers, and three locator calls.
Do turkey hunters like mouth calls?
Turkey hunters love mouth calls. In many cases, hunters prefer mouth calls over box and pot calls. But why is that when you have to practice with them to become good with them? Well, they’re usually cheaper than box and pot calls, you only use your mouth to make the sounds, and they’re hands-free.