I don't want this to be a Bashing or Ridicule topic but a topic we can listen and hopeful learn from. Just give us an honest assessment and why?
I would not call myself a great caller but I know when to call and when to shut up. In my opinion, experience is everything .
For many, it probably depends on what call is being used. On a diaphragm, a person may be really good. But on a pot call or a box, they may just be average. Maybe they struggle to play a Trumpet at all. Most tend to favor certain calls for various reasons and few are experts with every type call. That said, calling ability itself may be the strongest trait for some hunters, while it may two-three spots down on the list of strengths for another.
But backwater is right and maybe what you are looking for in this thread. I think beyond how awesome a caller you are is not the top issue as maybe the issue of when you combine your calling ability (great or average) with your woodsmanship and with patience and also knowing when to and when not to call is more the key as whether you are a great caller or not.
I will add this to what Backwater said, I think the volume and also the cadence may be of far more importance than how good a caller someone is just based on the quality of the sounds they produce. The soft stuff is just more natural and cadence I think is more important at 100-300 yards than whether or not you are a world class caller. In the wind, and with terrain, that cadence is what he is hearing at distance in my estimation. Learned early on, some of the worst calling I have ever heard was real hens. But their cadence is never off.
I feel I'm an above average caller. The biggest reason is Confidence. I spend many hours listening to Live birds and practicing. I get Honest feedback from my wife, fellow hunters and most importantly turkeys. I've been fortunate enough to hunt all 4 species of birds and have been pretty successful in my 15 years. Confidence, practice and observing birds when I call has helped. Don't take anything I'm saying the wrong way and think I'm bragging because, I'm not, and I get humbled by these animals just like anyone else. When I make a mistake, and I make plenty, I evaluate what happened and do my best to learn from each miscue. When I make a mistake, I get to go hunt again tomorrow. If the turkey makes a mistake and thinks I am the Real Deal, he may pay Dearly. Remember, this is a discussion and learning forum. Be honest with your answers and NO BASHING GENTLEMEN!
Beginning of season, trash, middle of season ok, end of season decent.
I still call in birds regularly but don't practice much prior to season.
Not the best strategy but I can hit the pot call solid right out the gate!
As much as I prefer a mouth call I hate having it in my mouth more and more!
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I've been told by others that I'm an above average caller. I can call very well on a mouth call, I can call better than most on a trumpet. But with a pot or box, I can learn a lot. I'm average at best. 98% of my calling is with a mouth call or suction type caller. I very rarely use a box or pot other than messing around the house because I have the most confidence in a trumpet or mouth call. Like BB, I think confidence kills more than anything. When I hear a turkey gobble, there isn't a doubt in my mind and I instantly switch to, I can call him in and kill him with a trumpet or mouth call. And most of the time it works. I can say that I win more than one beats me and I feel the confidence in my calls and my ability play in to that. I don't use decoys and I hunt public so I rely 100% on calling and experience knowing how turkeys will "think" and approach the calls.
I will add that I run a mouth call or trumpet and listen to hen recordings every day of the year for at least 10 to 20 minutes.
Be no means am I bragging, but on opening day of youth season I called in 8 hens and a Jake with a trumpet, on the second day, that morning, I called in 5 gobblers with the trumpet, in the afternoon I heard one gobble and called it in for my daughter with a mouth call. Opening day of regular season they were across the river, no luck. The second day I hunted I heard one gobble once and called him and killed him with the trumpet. The next morning I hunted I heard one gobble and called him and his buddy up with a trumpet/ pushpin combo. That filled my tags, the next morning i hunted I took a new hunter out and heard one gobble and called him up to 60 yards with a trumpet but due to a time crunch due to having class we had to leave before allowing him to work the last few yards. All public land birds except youth season and that was on a hunt club. Those are some of the reasons I have so much confidence in trumpets and mouth calls.
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Quote from: backwater on April 29, 2025, 11:14:51 AMI would not call myself a great caller but I know when to call and when to shut up. In my opinion, experience is everything .
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Quote from: backwater on April 29, 2025, 11:14:51 AMI would not call myself a great caller but I know when to call and when to shut up. In my opinion, experience is everything .
This is me, to the T ;)
For myself, I'm always looking to make improvements with my calling ability. I feel I have the confidence to call gobblers and be successful in doing so. I agree cadence, tones, sounds and feeling all play a part. I always want to be the best I can in using my variety of calls. I enjoy using and practicing with my calls year round. My biggest reward is calling one to the gun barrel and hopefully I won't miss ... LOL..
Just be as efficient as you can with your calling is what I tell others.
Regardless of the calls and regardless how good you are sometimes you will get very frustrated and leave the turkey woods defeated. BUT tomorrow is another day to play the game..
Great post my friend ...
I think I am probably in the top 25% group with most calls, probably best and with a pot, diaphragm, and trumpet. Understanding how to call to a turkey is the important part.
If I were to rate my own calling in the woods against every other guy I've ever heard in the woods, I'd say I'm well above the 90th percentile.
That being said..... I'd NEVER even come close to making it on stage. In a pone conversation with MVC, he had me call for him (diaphragm call). He said I am what they call a "mouth caller" as opposed to the style of calling the stage guys do from the belly/diaphragm. He said, "You'll probably kill the crap outta turkeys in the woods. But you'd never call on stage". I said that he was right and that was fine with me. ;D
On turkeys, it's pretty darned good. That's all I care about. I grew up with turkeys and had wild turkeys as pets 30some years ago. Been using a diaphragm call for about as long.
That being said..... I'd NEVER even come close to making it on stage. In a pone conversation with MVC, he had me call for him (diaphragm call). He said I am what they call a "mouth caller" as opposed to the style of calling the stage guys do from the belly/diaphragm. He said, "You'll probably kill the crap outta turkeys in the woods. But you'd never call on stage". I said that he was right and that was fine with me. ;D
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100% in agreement with this Statement. LIKE, LIKE, LIKE!!!!
My calling abilities...above average with a mouth call being best
Contest calling ... I'm not even close...but several turkeys have been dupped. Although this year the turkeys don't like me very well.
I stink at callin but my neighbors have a good flock and I can't read that well
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Pro tip... one way to humble yourself or get some confidence if you need some- record yourself on your phone and then play it back and listen. You might be surprised either way!!
I struggle with a diaphragm call and only use it when I can see a bird.
Pot calls or boxes I'm good enough to get them close enough to use the mouth call.
But I think I could be better if I put more effort in to practicing.
Great question!!
I feel, I am very proficient with any call, I use..I spend a ton of time listening to real hens calling using a very expensive pair of Bose headphones, then I try to replicate that call & record myself doing it in the woods...
Believe me, the recording does not lie !!
I feel, it's the hen turkey talk that is very soft & not heard very often by the average hunter is the difference maker in allot of hunts.
Denny Gulvas taught me this tip years ago..
In my mind, your turkey calling has to have realism..You have to understand, what that turkey is saying..Then the conversation can get started..
1. Where your calling from in your set up in the woods.
2. How loud are you calling?
3. How you adjust your next calling sequence from the turkeys response from your previous calls & calling. What say & when to say it.
4. When to stop calling...
A good caller understands the turkeys language, & habits, first & for most...
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Quote from: boatpaddle on April 29, 2025, 05:56:56 PMGreat question!!
I feel, I am very proficient with any call, I use..I spend a ton of time listening to real hens calling using a very expensive pair of Bose headphones, then I try to replicate that call & record myself doing it in the woods...
Believe me, the recording does not lie !!
I feel, it's the hen turkey talk that is very soft & not heard very often by the average hunter is the difference maker in allot of hunts.
Denny Gulvas taught me this tip years ago..
In my mind, your turkey calling has to have realism..You have to understand, what that turkey is saying..Then the conversation can get started..
1. Where your calling from in your set up in the woods.
2. How loud are you calling?
3. How you adjust your next calling sequence from the turkeys response from your previous calls & calling. What say & when to say it.
4. When to stop calling...
A good caller understands the turkeys language, & habits, first & for most...
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I agree 100% with this. The difference between calling to a turkey and calling a turkey in is knowing what you're saying, and why you're saying it!.
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I will be honest, I rate myself a "C" in calling ability. My strong point in my opinion is my woodsman-ship in knowing my hunting grounds. I spend tremendous time scouting and walking my Deer/Turkey spots year round. I pay attention to every detail, even the small stuff. I am still light-years from being an expert, and knowing that makes me a better hunter. Be safe...
Based on turkey reactions, better than average on a mouth call and average on a pot call with occasional bouts of brilliance. :toothy9:
I personally feel like a little above average on pot calls and box calls as well as soft calling on a diaphragm. I struggle a little with the more aggressive calling on a mouth call. But there is room for improvement all the way around and probably always will be but complacency is never a good thing. Like previous mentioned, confidence, calling from the Right places, and knowing when to move and when to sit still is superior
This seasons grade is a strong F- so far. That's on all calls. I'm a lifetime C student, so why change it now? :funnyturkey:
I've had Herb Hornstra complement my yelper calling and Marlin Watkins compliment my box call play.
Having said that, yesterday I rated myself a 0 out of 10 according to the hens and the gobblers. 🤣
I feel that I am very proficient with a trumpet as I practice year round and feel confident with them. I also am proficient with a scratch box, and again practice year round. But so many things play into being successful as in knowing when to call and when not to, woodsmanship, what the turkeys want etc. But above all you need turkeys because if there aren't any you can be the best caller in the world and it won't do you any good.
Diaphragm call; c plus
Pot call; c-
Box call; B-
Someone has to be it so might as well be me..I am not good at all. Every class has a failure and I'm it here.
Quote from: cgarner1 on April 29, 2025, 07:12:33 PMI personally feel like a little above average on pot calls and box calls as well as soft calling on a diaphragm. I struggle a little with the more aggressive calling on a mouth call. But there is room for improvement all the way around and probably always will be but complacency is never a good thing. Like previous mentioned, confidence, calling from the Right places, and knowing when to move and when to sit still is superior
Cole, you're above average on a pot caller, a box caller, and the diaphragm!.
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When I am on the right gobbler, I am an A+ caller...no matter what I sound like. When I am on the wrong gobbler, I always seem to be an F...no matter how good I think I sound. If only I could tell the A+ turkeys in the woods from the F turkeys before I started calling to them. I would just move on from the F's to try to find the ones that think I am an A+. ;D
As for humans, others I hunt with seem to think I am pretty good...but there are times that the turkeys don't much agree with them. When all is said and done, I just go huntin' and see if I can find a gobbler that has the same attitude about my calling that my friends do. Every once in a while, I find one of them. :D
3 out of 10, still trying to understand the language so I can speak it fluently.
GobbleNut, I knew you would say sonething like that and I am right there with you ;)
Depends on the bird you have in front of you.
Personnaly I would assume that everybody on this site is at least a very good caller. Come on, if your passionate enough about turkey hunting to follow this site... You must enjoy calling a little, isn it??
That being said, the bird in front of you makes the difference... Take a hot one, on a good day... and he will come on a string to any of you... I have no doubts...
And take a hard one who's not cooperating well and he will not come to any of us ;D
Woodsmanship is where it's at... because they don't always cooperate to calling.
Quote from: YoungGobbler on April 29, 2025, 11:11:32 PMGobbleNut, I knew you would say sonething like that and I am right there with you ;)
Depends on the bird you have in front of you.
Personnaly I would assume that everybody on this site is at least a very good caller. Come on, if your passionate enough about turkey hunting to follow this site... You must enjoy calling a little, isn it??
That being said, the bird in front of you makes the difference... Take a hot one, on a good day... and he will come on a string to any of you... I have no doubts...
And take a hard one who's not cooperating well and he will not come to any of us ;D
Woodsmanship is where it's at... because they don't always cooperate to calling.
I think as Gobblenut and YoungGobbler have said, when we, as hunters, can't strike a bird or can't get a bird to come that last 50 yards or can't pull a bird from his hens, we blame our calling or it's something we did! Most of the time, we don't have the confidence to say, he doesn't want to PLAY today. Everything plays into this game. Having CONFIDENCE in YOUR abilities with Woodsmanship, Setup, Calling, Being Still and so on is the keys to success. But if he doesn't want to PLAY today, then we need to move on to another bird or get back after him tomorrow.
I'm probably just average, but good enough
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Having been at this a long time and running the gambit of calls, I feel like I've developed pretty decent skills. I agree with many here that on a stage I wouldn't even place, but in the woods I am in the game and a major player. I entered one state contest probably 40 years ago and while we were waiting for results many people told me they thought I was one of the very best and should place if not win. Heck, I never even got mentioned. THe same people won who always win. Right there and then I decided competitions were only a social game and I never even considered another one. Rob Keck told me I had a good hunting quality to my calls but I needed to work on the finesse and finish of my sequences, right then I knew it was not a hunting competition but a stage show. Since I have totally disregarded pure sound quality and focused on timing, tone, volume and cadence. Our wise old owl (gobblenut} is right, just hunt A+ birds and your world class. The greatest compliment I was ever given was during a fall hunt and a buddy was sitting a good distance from me and listening to me work a bird. After I shot it he said, "that was incredible, listening to that conversation. I couldn't tell which was the turkey and which was you". During a hunt I am usually guilty of two offenses, calling too loud and too often, but I am out there to call to turkeys and if I couldn't call to them I would probably not even hunt them.
Now for specific calls:
Mouth/diaphragm calls. I used my first one way back in the mid 1970s and have owned hundreds. I find a lot of variance in commercial calls. If I sit down to find a call I will find one prime call in 5. It's usually a several hour process of trimming and bending. I have thrown away more then I ever used. I have a couple of brands I find more consistent, but I am not going to plug them. Like most of us I have certain sequences I am better at. I do well at cuts, yelps and soft tones. I can't purr worth a crap on a mouth call nor gobble well. When I'm in my wheelhouse I have been told I am a high quality caller. Once I engage a spring gobbler the conversation becomes lower toned and intimate real quick.
Trumpets and wingbones; my buddy said it best....someone kill that chicken and put it out of it's misery. I'm moving on.
Friction calls; I can run a decent slate and pot call and get some of the finer tones out of them. If I need a purr I pull out a slate. Box calls I just don't like carrying and seldom use. So I am less proficient on box calls, but here is where quality craftsmanship is paramount. You will seldom get consistent quality out of cheap box calls.
summary of my BS
mouth calls - A+
Trumpets and wingbones - Banned from use and threatened with physical harm for even carrying one
Friction calls - B
Day in and day out I am a mouth call guy, no doubt about it. However, I am a stout proponent of the friction calls once we get late into season. There's something inherently unrealistic about most mouth calls that birds pick up on and become shy too very quickly. I think they are too musically tuned.
Now take all this useless banter and just go look for Gobblenuts A+ gobbler.
Knowing what to say and when to say goes along way in turkey calling..that way in life too. That being said, I would consider a pot call my strongest. Trumpet probably second. Box comes in 3rd..My weak point would probably be a mouth call. I can get it done, but probably wouldn't win any Grand Nationals in Nashville....lol
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Terrible caller. No good on a mouth call. Wish I was- but I'm not. Can call by voice. Slate, box, trumpet pretty much my repertoire.....
Lotta hunters I hear "think" they are good callers
The way my season is going apparently I need to practice more...
As an example I worked a bird for 3 hours first Illinois season, he would not come out of a ravine, just go from one end to other or come up to the edge near me and go back down, I hit a $11 pushpin call and he broke into the field behind me where I first called early morning.
Was just thinking this morning I need to listen to my live Turkey sounds CD and practice more often.
D+
I have called in the most birds with my box call and then a wingbone call I made.
Beginning of season, Trash! Middle of season ok, end of season decent!
I do not practice prior to season for whatever reason, got my mouth calls out in drive to first hunt!
Not much practice needed on a pot, rarely carry a box but can call well with it when I get it out!
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I stink and glad there are 2-yr old birds that like to play!!
I admittedly don't practice enough. Every year I say I'm going to, but never do.
Wingbones and trumpets I can't play to save my life.
Diaphragms I'm okay with, but I'm not winning any contests, that's for sure!!
Pot and box calls I'm fairly decent at.
Thanks for the reminder that I need to practice more!! :lol:
I think a lot of calling a bird in is reading his mood and knowing when to put up or shut up. I would say I'm an average caller but woodsmanship has tagged many of my birds. Use to be big on the mouth and box calls but the last few years I've enjoyed pot calls more but use all three. Stay safe,good luck and good day.
Not good but I fill tags
The turkeys say I am better with a slate (more answers, more birds killed) and while I have my mouth call in, I am probably at best redirecting them from where I called them to me with the slate.
I rarely strike and finish with a mouth call, although it has happened.
Still stink with a trumpet, but just not enough confidence yet. I can sound decent and then I sound like doodoo. Frank Cox found my youtube video asking the members how I sounded and said "You don't sound like a turkey, but you can kill a gobbler like that" LOL I think I have improved since then. More rasp for sure.
Was told by a couple of duck call makers that I am a "meat caller" and they would let me call anytime for them hunting (I grunt which they said is old school). My high ball is just so so but finish and feed chuckle is excellent.
I think a lot of playing any of these calls is about 3 things:
1) Knowing what and when you are saying (B- for turkey A for ducks)
2) Seeing how birds react and adapting (much harder to do with turkeys - you get hundreds of reactions per year with ducks, but in a good year maybe 20-30 with turkeys) (C for turkey A+ for ducks)
3) Cadence and volume is probably more important than sounding just like the hen you just heard. (B for turkeys A for ducks) Hens have a lot of different voices. I think the best exception to this is sounding like the boss hen to a fall flock.
Mediocre at best. I try to practice as much as I can before the season and it sounds pretty decent. Then I get to the woods and it's like I've never called at times. Must be the nerves or pressure I put on myself.
I admittingly struggle with calling too much or too little. Still haven't learned that aspect of the game.
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I've always thought reproducing the sounds of a wild turkey is a small part of calling turkeys, Like maybe 15% to 20%. Don't get me wrong I do strive to sound realistic and strive to be able to make wide range of calls. Just think there is WAY more to calling than making realistic turkey sounds.
Like;
-Putting emotion in your calling (you hear a lot about cadence, but turkeys vary their cadence with excitement)
-Knowing the breeding phase the turkeys are in
-Flock dynamics (or flock structure)...not sure what to call it
-Knowing the recent history of the gobbler or turkeys you are calling to
-Hunting/calling pressure
-Timing or when to answer a turkey that has called to you
-Knowing where to call from (a good place to set up)
-Empathy...the ability to see another's perspective. In this case, the turkey's perspective
Those things help me know what to say, how to say it, when to say it, and where to say it from. Also who to say it to...hen or gobbler. And when to just shut up. I never know all those things all the time. I may know some and just guess at some others. But that to me is a lot of what calling turkeys is about.
Then there is the woodsmanship versus calling thing. No. For me calling and woodsmanship are so intertwined (like a braided lanyard) I don't separate them. Why would I, they compliment each other and make me a better turkey hunter.
Examples;
Knowing how to hide...ok thats pretty much woodmanship. Be kind of futile to call up a turkey for it just to see you tho.
Knowing where to call from. Yeah that may be more woodsmanship than calling. Setting up in an area turkeys generally like to be is going to make me a better caller.
But here is one. Know the breeding phase the turkeys are in will probably dictate HOW I call. That isn't calling??? It doesn't matter...I'll use both.
Quote from: Treerooster on Today at 09:27:22 AMI've always thought reproducing the sounds of a wild turkey is a small part of calling turkeys, Like maybe 15% to 20%. Don't get me wrong I do strive to sound realistic and strive to be able to make wide range of calls. Just think there is WAY more to calling than making realistic turkey sounds.
Like;
Putting emotion in your calling (you hear a lot about cadence, but turkeys vary their cadence with excitement)
Knowing the breeding phase the turkeys are in
Flock dynamics (or flock structure)...not sure what to call it
Knowing the recent history of the gobbler or turkeys you are calling to
Hunting/calling pressure
Timing or when to answer a turkey that has called to you
Knowing where to call from (a good place to set up)
Empathy...the ability to see another's perspective. In this case, the turkey's perspective
Those things help me know what to say, how to say it, when to say it, and where to say it from. Also who to say it to...hen or gobbler. And when to just shut up. I never know all those things all the time. I may know some and just guess at some others. But that to me is a lot of what calling turkeys is about.
Then there is the woodsmanship versus calling thing. No. For me calling and woodsmanship are so intertwined (like a braided lanyard) I don't separate them. Why would I, they compliment each other and make me a better turkey hunter.
Examples;
Knowing how to hide...ok thats pretty much woodmanship. Be kind of futile to call up a turkey for it just to see you tho.
Knowing where to call from. Yeah that may be more woodsmanship than calling. Setting up in an area turkeys generally like to be is going to make me a better caller.
But here is one. Know the breeding phase the turkeys are in will probably dictate HOW I call. That isn't calling??? It doesn't matter...I'll use both.
Great post...
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