I've been reading tons of articles, watching videos and checking OG posts on diaphragm calls and it has me asking myself, does anyone make a call that will do it ALL? Everything I've read or watched via YouTube, tells me NO. I've been buying and practicing, for about 10 years now, calls that will kill turkeys but none that will yelp, cluck, cutt, purr, whine, whistle, and kee kee in one call. Most calls that I've tried will do the basics, but I have to change to something else to get a kee kee or get a quality purr and do the soft stuff. I've recently went away from small split v cuts and ghost cuts and went to a radically deeper cut call and believe I have found a call that will do it All for me. Do you have a diaphragm (you don't have to name it), that will do it all or do you need multiple calls to get it done?
Great question. I have a commercial reed, a beginner call with no splits and get the higher pitched and the soft stuff really well. KeeKee has called in jakes in the fall (but they are dumb, so not sure that means I am all that great). I have been thinking about trying more variety calls as well for some different sounds. My purr is not great unless very very quiet. I tend to mostly use a diaphragm as a finisher, but have killed birds with it as a primary and I think I am going to try some other versions.
One question I have is what makes a custom maker's calls better than production calls?? It looks so simple I don't really understand.
One question I have is what makes a custom maker's calls better than production calls?? It looks so simple I don't really understand.
I believe it is quality and consistency. Most custom calls are precisely made one at a time. The reeds are made from quality materials, stacked precisely and stretched to a specific tension every time. If you buy a production call, the materials come from who knows where and the tension isn't the same from call to call. Go to Walmart and pay $4 to $5 for 5 calls and you may get 1 to sound right. Also you never know how long ago the Production (mass produced) calls were made and been setting in a warehouse. My 2 cents.
I build a lot of mouth calls and I'm of the opinion if there's a call that can do it all, it's a Gulvas style two reed. You play one a little different and it takes learning and un-learning how you play. Not for everyone but me thinks it's versatile.
As far as consistency, the small boutique call strechers are going to build the best.
Thanks, Sam, for the response. When I put this up, I was hoping for call makers to respond and give us Professional Guidance.
Thanks Gooser. Gonna get a couple of yours and see how they sound. I guess that is always the only test.
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Perfection Raspy D or quaker Boy Ol Boss Hen.
There are probably some mouth call users that have spent enough time perfecting their calling and tinkering with mouth call formulas (think upper-tier contest callers) that they can do it all with one call. I doubt there are many. I know I have spent decades trying to find a single call that I was personally satisfied that I could make all of the turkey sounds we commonly use while hunting with the realism that I want to achieve.
...Still looking for that call! I have just accepted the fact that sometimes I have to switch calls to make certain sounds to the realism I want to have.
With the YouTube turkey hunting craze, I have also noticed that there are quite a few hunters that may THINK they are making a variety of turkey sounds realistically, but in reality are just getting close enough to fool a gobbler once in a while. From my own experience, I have found that there always seem to be a few gobblers out there that are just not that picky. ;D :D
I run batwing cut calls..Thats fits me the best and with a 2 or 2.5 reed call i can do it all expect gobble,i cant do that on any mouth call...i can do a coyote howl as well,good enough to make you stop in the woods and listen for it again
The amount of air that a 3 reed call takes to run and the sound of them to me is pure garbage..Why people want to put that amount of effort in a mouth call and the air it takes is beyond me..way way to loud..but hey if it works for you then good for you
Del crow is my mouth call guy..picked up some of the kluk two reed calls they offer and they are pretty good but i don't care the yelp I'm getting from them at the moment
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I'm with Gooserbat on the Gulvas style calls. Its all I run, and I can do everything on just one call. I primarily run a Gulvas masters choice, which is a 2.5 reed, no cuts. I will say though, they are a very tough call to figure out, and actually run properly. With a Gulvas call, there is no tongue movement at all, and the call is controlled from your diaphragm, up to your throat. When you hit it good, it literally 'feels' as though the sound is coming straight from your own voice box! Everything comes from deep down, and you use way less air than typical store bought calls. If you put your hand in front of your mouth, and talk, it will give you a good idea of how little air that the Gulvas calls require. Again, they are very challenging, but VERY worth it in my opinion. The more time I spend on them, the more I'm blown away by their versatility. Im sure there are other calls out there that can do it all aswell, so I'm merely sharing my own experience, which is only really with Gulvas calls. I honestly probably couldnt even run anything different if I tried... But also don't want to anyways...
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I have been hunting these rascals since 1975 and have used a variety of commercially available calls, a few of the high end "boutique" plus many I have made using the toy the Drury Boys put out back in about 1996. All of them work and as a beginning caller I liked the Perfection Blue two reed best and most that I make using Drury call maker are just simple calls of the two reed variety. I have been able to get just about any sound I want out of those simple calls. Don't waste your money on high dollar mouth calls. If you are seeking unique sounds to mouth calls use any one of these: nail calls, tube calls, or friction calls of personal preference. Not meaning to appear as a know it all but this is my take over the years. Good Luck.
If you are seeking unique sounds to mouth calls use any one of these: nail calls, tube calls, or friction calls of personal preference. Not meaning to appear as a know it all but this is my take over the years.
Absolutely agree Rifleman. I never go into the woods without several proven friction calls with multiple strikers, at least one quality box and several mouth calls. To me and many dead turkeys, it is hard to beat a GREAT slate over glass or slate over slate. I'm the type of hunter that NEVER relies on one call and wants to get very proficient with what I have in my vest. If a particular call doesn't get a response that day, it's on to the next for me. I have spent years and tons or money on diaphragms that will do this or that but NONE that can replicate most of the turkey's vocabulary. I'm a center air caller, so split v, batwing and ghost cuts have been my go to. Last year a New company started business and I tried several of their radical cut calls with different stretches and believe I have found the ONE for me. I have never tried the Gulvas calls but many on here swear by them. I will NEVER enter a Calling Contest but I do PRIDE myself in becoming very proficient with my calling WHERE it counts.
I do have a ghost cut that will do it all for me. It's a small local call builder that I don't know but is a friend of a friend. I get a few of them every year for free. This will be year 6 running his calls and every bird I have killed in those 6 years has been killed with that ghost cut. Minus a couple trumpet birds. I bend all of my calls slightly to "tune" them to my liking. Especially if I try a new call and don't love it. I'll start bending to get a better fit in my mouth and add or reduce tension. I haven't seen anybody else do this but it makes a huge difference in getting a good seal. I've gotten to where I can keep the same sound and just make the call fit my mouth better or I can change the sound fairly significantly to my liking.
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I would suggest checking out the Shane Simpson mouth call videos. I was in the same boat as you with all the calls I had been buying. I watched his videos and he discusses what side of your mouth your air flow comes out of. I realized that my air flow comes directly down the center and have used ghost cut calls since. I can do all the mentioned calls plus gobble on a ghost cut. I used to have to switch calls to different cuts to try to make different notes.
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Thanks Scott. I am a center airflow guy and I found my GO TO last spring. It is a modified ghost cut with low stretch and it does everything. I've been putting tons of time practicing and I'm getting really comfortable with All of the vocalizations with this one call.
I've watched all of Scott's videos and they have helped immensely. I actually knew I was a center airflow guy several years ago and only used split v and ghost cuts but it wasn't until last spring that I started using low stretch that everything came together. I hope this thread helps others look at the stretch they are using.
Exactly the same here!!!
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Quote from: bbcoach on March 04, 2024, 05:22:36 PM
Thanks Scott. I am a center airflow guy and I found my GO TO last spring. It is a modified ghost cut with low stretch and it does everything. I've been putting tons of time practicing and I'm getting really comfortable with All of the vocalizations with this one call.
I've watched all of Scott's videos and they have helped immensely. I actually knew I was a center airflow guy several years ago and only used split v and ghost cuts but it wasn't until last spring that I started using low stretch that everything came together. I hope this thread helps others look at the stretch they are using.
That's super interesting!. I've never played around with stretch before!. Do you recommend someone that will do calls like that?. The "boutique" guys I buy from have quality stuff but I've never heard either of them mention offering to change the stretch
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Quote from: ScottTaulbee on March 05, 2024, 10:17:52 AM
Quote from: bbcoach on March 04, 2024, 05:22:36 PM
Thanks Scott. I am a center airflow guy and I found my GO TO last spring. It is a modified ghost cut with low stretch and it does everything. I've been putting tons of time practicing and I'm getting really comfortable with All of the vocalizations with this one call.
I've watched all of Scott's videos and they have helped immensely. I actually knew I was a center airflow guy several years ago and only used split v and ghost cuts but it wasn't until last spring that I started using low stretch that everything came together. I hope this thread helps others look at the stretch they are using.
That's super interesting!. I've never played around with stretch before!. Do you recommend someone that will do calls like that?. The "boutique" guys I buy from have quality stuff but I've never heard either of them mention offering to change the stretch
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Scott, I sent you a PM
Quote from: ScottTaulbee on March 05, 2024, 10:17:52 AM
Quote from: bbcoach on March 04, 2024, 05:22:36 PM
Thanks Scott. I am a center airflow guy and I found my GO TO last spring. It is a modified ghost cut with low stretch and it does everything. I've been putting tons of time practicing and I'm getting really comfortable with All of the vocalizations with this one call.
I've watched all of Scott's videos and they have helped immensely. I actually knew I was a center airflow guy several years ago and only used split v and ghost cuts but it wasn't until last spring that I started using low stretch that everything came together. I hope this thread helps others look at the stretch they are using.
That's super interesting!. I've never played around with stretch before!. Do you recommend someone that will do calls like that?. The "boutique" guys I buy from have quality stuff but I've never heard either of them mention offering to change the stretch
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Sadler McGraw will send you a handful of ones with different stretching. He sent me some different ones for a friend of mine.
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Quote from: runngun on March 05, 2024, 01:19:43 PM
Quote from: ScottTaulbee on March 05, 2024, 10:17:52 AM
Quote from: bbcoach on March 04, 2024, 05:22:36 PM
Thanks Scott. I am a center airflow guy and I found my GO TO last spring. It is a modified ghost cut with low stretch and it does everything. I've been putting tons of time practicing and I'm getting really comfortable with All of the vocalizations with this one call.
I've watched all of Scott's videos and they have helped immensely. I actually knew I was a center airflow guy several years ago and only used split v and ghost cuts but it wasn't until last spring that I started using low stretch that everything came together. I hope this thread helps others look at the stretch they are using.
That's super interesting!. I've never played around with stretch before!. Do you recommend someone that will do calls like that?. The "boutique" guys I buy from have quality stuff but I've never heard either of them mention offering to change the stretch
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Sadler McGraw will send you a handful of ones with different stretching. He sent me some different ones for a friend of mine.
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Sent you a message
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Scott, I believe Sadler makes a ghost cut called the Judge and Jury that is a Great call. Since you are a center air flow guy, you may want to check Sadler out as well. If he can change the stretch tension, that may help you.
Quote from: Kygobblergetter on February 11, 2024, 07:38:53 AM
I do have a ghost cut that will do it all for me. It's a small local call builder that I don't know but is a friend of a friend. I get a few of them every year for free. This will be year 6 running his calls and every bird I have killed in those 6 years has been killed with that ghost cut. Minus a couple trumpet birds. I bend all of my calls slightly to "tune" them to my liking. Especially if I try a new call and don't love it. I'll start bending to get a better fit in my mouth and add or reduce tension. I haven't seen anybody else do this but it makes a huge difference in getting a good seal. I've gotten to where I can keep the same sound and just make the call fit my mouth better or I can change the sound fairly significantly to my liking.
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I have always tuned my calls by bending them. I thought everyone done this,but I never asked anyone. Your darn tootin right it makes a difference. It often takes me 20 minutes or more to tune a call. I have taken calls that I would throw away out of the package and tuned them into good calls. Sometimes it takes a new cut, if anything I am in the camp a lot of mouth calls are too tight. I take a new call and place it on my thumb and push it up into my pallet and then tweak it with side bends form there. I can get most to play the way I want. Most calls also come built too large with the tape for me. I trim 95% of them. I have found very few that are in tune out of the box. I can honestly say gooserbat calls usually play pretty well right out of the package and most woodhavens play well but need a bit of trimming and tuning.
Being able to make all the turkey sounds on a mouth call is a learned skill.
The question then becomes, "Can that one mouth call make the absolute best version of each sound?"
Watch the Grand Nationals. Those guys are the absolute cream of the crop. They are always swapping calls between scenarios and even within the scenario. The answer to why is obvious. But that's what makes my curious mind love to build them. "What if I try this?"
If anyone were to figure it out, my money would be on Mr. Gulvas. So it doesn't surprise me to hear others say that. That man loves turkeys in a way that supercedes most anyone I know.
The question then becomes, "Can that one mouth call make the absolute best version of each sound?"
To me, this is completely Subjective. These Calling Contests are started by humans, entered by humans and judged by humans of what their perception of what a turkey sound like. Each one of us has our own bias of what a turkey sounds like and that is why there are so many variations of calls today. Most of these Champions are humbled, when hunting, just as much as the novices.
Being able to make all the turkey sounds on a mouth call is a learned skill.
I'll agree with this statement to a point. Over the past 10 years, I have bought plenty of mouth calls both production and custom and I for one, just as you have stated about Calling Contestants, have had to change calls to achieve certain sounds (should this be the norm?) (how do we know these Contestants calls aren't modified just for the contest or contestant?). But the one thing that has blown my mind is when I changed to a low/light stretch call, from 2 different manufacturers, this one change allowed everything to come together. ALL of the vocalizations are so much easier to obtain and control now due to being able to control the airflow over the call from my diaphragm. Maybe I'm the idiot here but being able to control the right amount of airflow for soft calls like purring, bubble clucks, feeding calls, whines and whistles wasn't there with the tighter stretched calls. Feedback and education are a GREAT thing IMO, so maybe my finite mind just isn't grasping this concept. I would Love to hear more on this subject from Everyone!
Quote from: bbcoach on March 07, 2024, 12:38:48 PM
The question then becomes, "Can that one mouth call make the absolute best version of each sound?"
To me, this is completely Subjective. These Calling Contests are started by humans, entered by humans and judged by humans of what their perception of what a turkey sound like. Each one of us has our own bias of what a turkey sounds like and that is why there are so many variations of calls today. Most of these Champions are humbled, when hunting, just as much as the novices.
Being able to make all the turkey sounds on a mouth call is a learned skill.
I'll agree with this statement to a point. Over the past 10 years, I have bought plenty of mouth calls both production and custom and I for one, just as you have stated about Calling Contestants, have had to change calls to achieve certain sounds (should this be the norm?) (how do we know these Contestants calls aren't modified just for the contest or contestant?). But the one thing that has blown my mind is when I changed to a low/light stretch call, from 2 different manufacturers, this one change allowed everything to come together. ALL of the vocalizations are so much easier to obtain and control now due to being able to control the airflow over the call from my diaphragm. Maybe I'm the idiot here but being able to control the right amount of airflow for soft calls like purring, bubble clucks, feeding calls, whines and whistles wasn't there with the tighter stretched calls. Feedback and education are a GREAT thing IMO, so maybe my finite mind just isn't grasping this concept. I would Love to hear more on this subject from Everyone!
Of course I agree that it's all subjective. But we haven't figured out a way to bridge the language barrier between English and Turkeys to get their 2ยข. Until we get that sorted, it's all we can really go off. If those guys don't sound like a turkey than what the hell is my backwater butt doing ????
As far as the lighter stretch/lighter material calls, I think all people learning to use a mouth yelper should look for calls of that nature when they're beginning. Easier to get sounds with less pressure and you learn how to manipulate your tongue, jaw, throat, and lips to make the desired sound more easily. If it's already giving you what you want? Boom. Calling with confidence is hugely important.
Should it be normal to switch calls to make sounds:
In my experience, nope. I can make any sound necessary on a call for hunting purposes. That's just practicing a lot on a zillion variations of yelpers over the years. Are they the best version of every sound? Absolutely not, but turkeys are much more generous with their "grading" than a human being is.
Compton, I sent you a PM
Quote from: Canadian on January 27, 2024, 01:30:32 AM
I'm with Gooserbat on the Gulvas style calls. Its all I run, and I can do everything on just one call. I primarily run a Gulvas masters choice, which is a 2.5 reed, no cuts. I will say though, they are a very tough call to figure out, and actually run properly. With a Gulvas call, there is no tongue movement at all, and the call is controlled from your diaphragm, up to your throat. When you hit it good, it literally 'feels' as though the sound is coming straight from your own voice box! Everything comes from deep down, and you use way less air than typical store bought calls. If you put your hand in front of your mouth, and talk, it will give you a good idea of how little air that the Gulvas calls require. Again, they are very challenging, but VERY worth it in my opinion. The more time I spend on them, the more I'm blown away by their versatility. Im sure there are other calls out there that can do it all aswell, so I'm merely sharing my own experience, which is only really with Gulvas calls. I honestly probably couldnt even run anything different if I tried... But also don't want to anyways...
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I typically make my own, but I bought several Gulvas calls to try. I am far from having it down, but the times I do get it right I like what I hear! Definitely challenging.