What is it that fuels your turkey call addiction?
I often play and admire the at least few thousand dollars in turkey calls. But also think that I could probably pick up a couple hundred dollars or less worth of production calls and have the same success rate. Shortly after that thought, I am thinking about what call I would like to acquire next or trying to talk myself out of buying another call that comes up in the classifieds on here....
For me I believe it is just the uniqueness of each call from all the different call makers. The best call makers are the best because of their consistency and ear in tuning calls to sound like what ever turkey they are trying to make it sound like. But, being done by hand, one at a time, every call is just a little bit different. And nobody else on this planet has that same exact call even though many may be close. Not to mention most of the craftsman ship of these calls is surely something to look at and admire.
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Like the wizard, the person behind the callmaking curtain "fuels" it, at least to me.
Knowing the callmaker, better yet having shared a few hunts with that guy, moves a turkey call they crafted, to something exceptional, invaluable, irreplaceable, indispensable.
While I'm not a collector, not even an accumulator, I am a gatherer of that particular callmaker's calls because its testament to unique experience and relationship.
I enjoy my calls all year long. It's a way to extend my season past the regular season. I have a variety of calls from builders and without buying custom calls I wouldn't have met my extended turkey call family. I have made lots of friends including people on this forum who have a lot of the same interest in turkey call collecting and sharing information about chasing gobblers.
Nothing wrong with a few of the production calls, but I do prefer custom calls.
For me, it's the draw of fine, custom craftsmanship. The beat up hands....the careful precision...the trained, tuning ear....the history.
I have production calls. Mostly ones with historical ( to me, at least) and regional significance.
But, the individual work of master craftsmen.... It keeps me coming back.
Basically, they have become a great investment!
The friendships they have brought into my life.
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Quote from: davisd9 on January 31, 2026, 07:31:31 PMThe friendships they have brought into my life.
Yessir !!
I have made MANY wonderful friends for life through custom calls.
For me, my obsession with turkey hunting since I was a kid started with knowing that you're not "hunting" as in the sense of deer hunting. You're communicating with that animal, in its natural "language" and have learned enough about that animal to be able to replicate its language in a way that they understand and you trick them. The turkey call is the means to that end and that's why I've always been fascinated with turkey calls. And waterfowl calls also.
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Quote from: Greg Massey on January 31, 2026, 05:09:42 PMI enjoy my calls all year long. It's a way to extend my season past the regular season. I have a variety of calls from builders and without buying custom calls I wouldn't have met my extended turkey call family. I have made lots of friends including people on this forum who have a lot of the same interest in turkey call collecting and sharing information about chasing gobblers.
Nothing wrong with a few of the production calls, but I do prefer custom calls.
^^couldn't agree more. I've made some great memories and friends because of custom calls.
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I was almost positive in 1991 that my baseball card collection was going to fund my retirement and when that went south I needed something else to spend all my money on :you_rock:
Quote from: ScottTaulbee on January 31, 2026, 07:56:38 PMFor me, my obsession with turkey hunting since I was a kid started with knowing that you're not "hunting" as in the sense of deer hunting. You're communicating with that animal, in its natural "language" and have learned enough about that animal to be able to replicate its language in a way that they understand and you trick them. The turkey call is the means to that end and that's why I've always been fascinated with turkey calls. And waterfowl calls also.
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I agree with what you stated. I started waterfowl hunting years before turkey hunting but only have a handful of duck/goose calls I use and rarely buy new ones. I think it is also something to do with the depth of communication you can have Turkey hunting compared to other game is what has me hooked on Turkey hunting so much and the want to try new calls.
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Quote from: cwhitfield96 on January 31, 2026, 10:20:36 PMQuote from: ScottTaulbee on January 31, 2026, 07:56:38 PMFor me, my obsession with turkey hunting since I was a kid started with knowing that you're not "hunting" as in the sense of deer hunting. You're communicating with that animal, in its natural "language" and have learned enough about that animal to be able to replicate its language in a way that they understand and you trick them. The turkey call is the means to that end and that's why I've always been fascinated with turkey calls. And waterfowl calls also.
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I agree with what you stated. I started waterfowl hunting years before turkey hunting but only have a handful of duck/goose calls I use and rarely buy new ones. I think it is also something to do with the depth of communication you can have Turkey hunting compared to other game is what has me hooked on Turkey hunting so much and the want to try new calls.
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Probably a terrible analogy but I've turkey hunted since I was 5 and I'll be 31 this year so I guess you could look at it as I'm " married to turkey hunting". I've found the calls I like and the call makers that design suit me and I might add a couple a year. Mainly for the kids now. But I started waterfowl hunting 7 years ago, after always wanting to do it since I was a kid but we're off the flyway and don't see many, so it's like that pretty woman that flirted and you know shouldn't flirt back but I did and also touched and now I want to explore all aspects of it lol.
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I feel the same way. I think a production call will work just as good on any hunt. But I want to see as good as I can. The calling part is such an art and such a fun way to interact with the entire flock. It makes the hunt so much more intimate when communicating with them. I think that the amount of variety you can get out of each call also draws me in. Different woods, sound boards and call makers makes each call one of a kind. You could have two walnut glass over glass calls by the same call maker and they often sound different.
Some folks on here would have to hunt from the truck to have all their calls available on a hunt. :TooFunny:
I'm not guilty of that, I could probably pull one of those big metal garden wagons and fit them in it. :toothy12: I am blessed to have an abundance of turkey calls. Every year, I pick out three or four that sound excellent to me and use those. They vary a bit from year to year, with a Pat Strawser slate making the grade every season.
Quote from: Tail Feathers on February 01, 2026, 08:18:01 PMSome folks on here would have to hunt from the truck to have all their calls available on a hunt. :TooFunny:
I'm not guilty of that, I could probably pull one of those big metal garden wagons and fit them in it. :toothy12: I am blessed to have an abundance of turkey calls. Every year, I pick out three or four that sound excellent to me and use those. They vary a bit from year to year, with a Pat Strawser slate making the grade every season.
A big truck ?? Or just a little truck ??
For me it's usually a connection to the person who either built it, or I acquired it from.
Sam hit it, I like the connections. If I play a call and the hair on the back of my neck stands up, that call will probably take a ride in my truck. If I talk to the maker and like the call, probably the same. These tools/keepsakes are for one purpose, give us memories. Killing the bird is just the end of a great memory. Z
Mostly what attracts me to a call is the wood and how it looks.
Quote from: Yoder409 on February 01, 2026, 08:41:35 PMQuote from: Tail Feathers on February 01, 2026, 08:18:01 PMSome folks on here would have to hunt from the truck to have all their calls available on a hunt. :TooFunny:
I'm not guilty of that, I could probably pull one of those big metal garden wagons and fit them in it. :toothy12: I am blessed to have an abundance of turkey calls. Every year, I pick out three or four that sound excellent to me and use those. They vary a bit from year to year, with a Pat Strawser slate making the grade every season.
A big truck ?? Or just a little truck ??
Whatever ya got. An enclosed trailer
Could be useful.
Legendary call makers. The woods and the tradition. The history. Calling a bird with an instrument of war deep in the woods all alone. Any Indian can kill a deer but they send the Chief to kill a turkey. Warpaint after the kill. Sat between Daddy's legs and shivered in the cold and watched him strut to 20 steps and an A5 rolled him. Wasn't 5 years old. Whole world was grey and grainy including us, except for the turkey. Second one I ever killed drummed so close I felt it in my boot soles, he was inside 3 steps. Its no flashlights and on a tree by 5:30, its doing it the old way. Its letting one walk you should have killed, and killing one you never deserved. Its a kid yelping on a break for fun and calling up a stud. Its all of it. Can't wait to get back in the swamp
Quote from: Ranger on February 02, 2026, 06:06:19 PMCalling a bird with an instrument of war deep in the woods all alone.
This is the appeal for me too. I wouldn't hunt turkeys if they weren't inherently responsive to calling. So the calls themselves become very important, and have evolved into a uniquely American art form.
Always in pursuit of the perfect yelper... I only use mouth calls that I build and trumpets (I don't build them) so I have a pretty strong collection of trumpets going and intend to continue growing that. I rotate between 5-7 different ones each spring and enjoy playing the different hen in each of them. I am a sucker for a classic wood call with high quality but subtle details. Throw in a unique mouthpiece and you got me by the short and curlys!
I have a bunch of different calls, production (Old Lynchs's - Joiners - primos - V.O. Johnson) and a few custom. I hunt with all mine, so I can't say I'm a collector. I'm in search of the sound that sets him off and bring him to gun, period.