Gobbler " Wildcat" Call/ Your Thoughts.

[Greg Massey]

No doubt turkeys have vocal communications. Some of these sounds we have probably heard but just didn't understand what exactly we were hearing. I also believe gobblers can communicate and shut themselves down from gobbling. In my opinion a lot of these vocal sounds are sounds they make to survive and bring the flocks back together. IMO ... Thanks for, sharing Leon's sound file.

[ChesterCopperpot]

This topic comes up every few years.  I've never heard it myself, but have a rough idea of how it sounds from this soundfile (of Leon Johenning calling) that silvestris put up a few years ago.  Leon's example of a wildcat call starts are around 4:33.   silvestris remarked at the time that he has heard something very similar.

https://soundcloud.com/user-788295847/leon-johenning

I've only heard a gobbler make that noise one time and he was choking in the corn pile. Buddies run over and flogged him with the Heimlich maneuver. Saved his life.


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[quavers59]

  I am glad a member uploaded Leon Johenning's-- Wildcat Cat Call soundtrack. I just practiced a good 10 times those 2 slow Weird sounding whistles on a Glass Pot about 2 inches out from the Rim with a carbon striker and came pretty  close to the soundtrack.

[ferocious calls]

We hear what I call the growl most often when a wild Tom mounts a hen in the yard near the turkey enclosure. The first time I heard it we had 23 toms in the pen when a wild Tom and 2 hens came and bred in front of the crew. It seemed as though all the toms were growling. Very interesting sound. Only heard it once while hunting and that Tom was alone. He was traveling the other way when I first saw him. He came back and passed below me. I waited to call, thinking he would look for me and that he knew where the call came from. He then passed above me and continued the way he was going when first spotted. I called again from the same spot. He came back on my level. When he got just about into range he let out the growl. I did not shoot when he arrived. I wanted to hear it again.

[guesswho]

Unicorn!   It may exist, but not worth the time and effort for me as far as turkey hunting goes.

[ol bob]

If a cluck, purr, or yelp, want kill one he probably don't want to die, and anything else is not going to change his mind.

[RutnNStrutn]

I've only fall hunted for turkeys a few times, but I've been in the woods deer hunting in proximity to the turkeys plenty. I've heard fly up cackles and some tree talk before dark, but never that sound. In the mornings the roosted turkeys make every kind of noise known to have been made by turkeys, and some other calls that I've never heard. It's amazing!!
So for me personally, I would not use that call since I've never heard it. Doesn't sound like it's a major part of the turkeys vocabulary. But that's just me.
What I would use, if there was such a thing, is a thunder call. Man the turkeys where I live go crazy when a thunderstorm is within hearing distance.

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[Paulmyr]

If a cluck, purr, or yelp, want kill one he probably don't want to die, and anything else is not going to change his mind.

Unicorn!   It may exist, but not worth the time and effort for me as far as turkey hunting goes.

I would tend to agree but it may give up the location of an unknown gobbler. I heard that this spring on one of them quiet mournings and as stated in my previous reply blew it off as a wood duck. I remember saying to myself " what the heck is a wood duck doing in here"? It may have been a wood duck. I see plenty in areas I hunt cruising through and landing in trees. After hearing the audio I'm not so sure.

[Turkeybutt]

Is it a legend or a very seldom heard call?  I can't say for sure as I never heard it. I must say after listening to the audio I'm not so sure what I heard, but I do what to thank Mike for the info.
I have other issues!
Okay I learned to cluck, putt, purr, cut, cackle, yelp, the kee-kee, and the fighting purr.  Oh, and I also learned how to gobble. I am very proficient with the use of an owl or crow locating call as well.
Now after 50 years of hunting I find I need to learn the "Growl" or the "Wild Cat Call" and let's not forget the controversial "GRONK call", whatever that is!
OMG is there no end!
I have to say that some family members, friends, and some of you in here are going to suffer and are now off my Christmas list. I'm sorry, but I now have to spend a few hundred dollars on new turkey calls. It's just the way it is, ya never have enough!
Additionally, I must say I have a problem with the term the "Wild Cat Call". Each time I hear the mention of the Wild Cat Call my mind automatically goes to big cats, mountain lions, tigers etc.  certainly not anything to do with turkey hunting!
Can we call it or name it something else? Maybe "The Growler" or since it is a very mysterious call and few people have ever heard it, maybe we call it the Midnight Growler! Anything but the Wild Cat Call.
Any ideas?
No Gobblenut, I'm sorry   "locomotive whistle call" is not in the running!

[Greg Massey]

Is it a legend or a very seldom heard call?  I can't say for sure as I never heard it. I must say after listening to the audio I'm not so sure what I heard, but I do what to thank Mike for the info.
I have other issues!
Okay I learned to cluck, putt, purr, cut, cackle, yelp, the kee-kee, and the fighting purr.  Oh, and I also learned how to gobble. I am very proficient with the use of an owl or crow locating call as well.
Now after 50 years of hunting I find I need to learn the "Growl" or the "Wild Cat Call" and let's not forget the controversial "GRONK call", whatever that is!
OMG is there no end!
I have to say that some family members, friends, and some of you in here are going to suffer and are now off my Christmas list. I'm sorry, but I now have to spend a few hundred dollars on new turkey calls. It's just the way it is, ya never have enough!
Additionally, I must say I have a problem with the term the "Wild Cat Call". Each time I hear the mention of the Wild Cat Call my mind automatically goes to big cats, mountain lions, tigers etc.  certainly not anything to do with turkey hunting!
Can we call it or name it something else? Maybe "The Growler" or since it is a very mysterious call and few people have ever heard it, maybe we call it the Midnight Growler! Anything but the Wild Cat Call.
Any ideas?
No Gobblenut, I'm sorry   "locomotive whistle call" is not in the running!

Why don't we just call him a Constipated Gobbler Growler in pain... LOL...

[Turkeybutt]

Constipated Gobbler Growler in pain just doesn't roll off the tongue.

[GobbleNut]

No Gobblenut, I'm sorry   "locomotive whistle call" is not in the running!

Oh, c'mon now, Turkeybutt!  "Locomotive whistle call" does just roll off the tongue.  Just try saying it three times fast and see for yourself!  It's also much more imaginative than that plain ol' "wildcat call".  Whoever made that up had no imagination whatsoever!   
...Now, "constipated gobbler growler"?  That's a different story altogether!   

[Turkeybutt]

Gobblenut right now it's between you and G.Massey as to who wins the new name contest. Remember the winner receives a 6 month supply of Shamwows, the Chia Pet Turkey Collection, a used George Forman Grill, not 1 but 2 Pocket Fishermen and a six pack of Flex Seal products.
All yours if you are named the winner and $39.95 for shipping.
As a parting gift the runner up will get a used, one of a kind Flextone Thunder Gobble Turkey call autographed my me. If the runner up acts fast I'll send him or her a second Thunder Gobble Turkey call for $29.95.

[quavers59]

   Let's stay with Wildcat Call in honor of Leon Johenning.  Y'All should really  read his small 72 page Book. I bought mine from Canada's  Site.
    I  feel that some of these Old Masters- long gone now who lived for the Fall Turkey Hunting had a rare knowledge  that not everyone  possessed.
  I agree that Gobblers may communicate  with each other in seldom heard ways.

[crow]

Those pocket fisherman with a weighted treble hook sometimes come in handy for those pesky gobblers that flop back over the boundary line.