New guy here, started chasing these birds last year and got hooked on my first morning out. Didn't get anything but the rush was awesome. I have duck hunted all my life and can work a call pretty good, however when it comes to turkey hunting I am limited to a box call or a slate call. I just can not put a mouth call in without gagging. I have tried all kinds of calls and have tried to cut them down with no luck. My question is what can I use to limit my movement and get the birds to finish? I am open to about anything except a mouth call. Thanks
Hey BQ - welcome to the board! If you absolutely cannot use a mouth call & you want to limit your movement, I'd say try & work on doing really quiet yelps with your natural voice. My brother killed birds for years using only a slate, and a guy at work only uses a box call -- both regularly bag birds. So, it can be done; you might surprise yourself at how good you can yelp with your natural voice!
Good luck - hope you have a great season!
BGD
PS. You *can* scrunch down next to a tree, with your knees up, and run your slate and/or box behind your legs; I've done it before, and when the bird is committed & coming, just slide the call right down beside me, real tight to my body, and just drop it on the ground (next to my butt). Where there's a will, there's a way! :)
A tube call will give you a sound very similar to a diaphragm, no motion other than raising/lowering it. Can try a trumpet or wingbone also. I'll use a trumpet or tube on a lanyard and work it under my face mask. Assuming I'm sitting with my knees up in front of me, I can just let go of the call and have it fall down on the lanyard without the motion being visible. If they are that close you shouldn't be calling anymore anyway.
Welcome to an addiction that you will lose sleep over...I have hunted turkeys since there was a legally-huntable population in Georgia (for a long time..lol)..and yet to become a fan of the mouth call..my brother hunts totally without a call and limits every season using just a God-given "talent" of using his own yelper...me, I am confident in the pot calls and feel that I can sound enough like a love-sick hen ..box calls serve there purpose,too....but if I had to go to the woods with just one call, it would be my slate..
A good push pin type call limits movement. Some folks laugh at them and think they are for beginners but they will kill birds. My neighbor turned me on to them. He has killed over 100 birds over the years.
With your mouth call problem take one and keep it with you.
Put it in your mouth on and off during the day and sooner or later it's a good chance you will loose the gag reflex.
Push-button's are great calls; good suggestion!
This may go a little long, but pls bear with me here; I might actually cut a YouTube video about this, if you think it would help to "visually" illustrate my points. Just let me know.
Here are 2 main tips that I used to reduce gag reflex:
1) Hold the call in the FRONT of your mouth & work the call with the TIP of your tongue.
2) Learn what I call the POWER RAKE to flick the call out of your mouth with your tongue QUICK when you begin to gag.
I've been using mouth calls - this'll be my 15th season - and I *still*, at times, gag. It sucks, I don't like it, but I dang sure don't let it stop me from using one - b/c they're so effective (for me) & they completely eliminate movement. They're also THE ONLY call I take when it's raining; I leave all my high-$$$ slates & boxes at the house. So, you really want to conquer this - which just takes a little time & patience.
Re: 1) Ok, here's what I do; I trim the tape of the mouth call until I can fit it in the roof of my mouth as far FORWARD (towards my 2 front teeth) as I can get it. I then -- KEY: WITH THE TIP OF MY TONGUE -- wedge the call into the roof of my mouth so that it's effectively almost straight up-and-down (with a very slight tilt toward the back of my mouth, but not much). Where the call is wedged is in between my two dracula teeth (incisors?? I'm not a dentist). What this means for me is that MOST mouth calls have WAY too much tape on them (to use this method). So, ample trimming is required. [[Once you get the trim you like that fits, always use this call as your "template" for cutting the tape on future mouth calls.]] It *also* means that the call NEVER NEVER NEVER gets anywhere near the back of my mouth. Calls getting towards the BACK of your mouth (esp in the soft, roof area in the top/back part of your mouth) is what's causing the gag reflex. Look @ my lesson on how to do a cluck, 'cause I describe exactly how to place the call in your mouth like this: http://youtu.be/nV3f6ZA41_I ... Pretty sure this is an unorthodox method of running a mouth call, but watch my other videos on YouTube; I've figured out how to make it sound good over the years.
Re: 2) Ok, now another key -- the POWER RAKE tongue move. Have you ever seen a dog get something in his mouth, and use his tongue to RAKE really hard & fast to get it out of his mouth? THAT'S THE POWER RAKE TONGUE MOVE! We have a little terrier dog that loves to retrieve tennis balls, and he invariably gets grass in his mouth; he uses his tongue -- AT THE BACK OF HIS MOUTH, CURLED UP -- to then RAKE his tongue from back to front & flick the grass out of his mouth. *THIS* exact method/idea is how you can QUICKLY get a mouth call out of your mouth - and LIMIT the gag reflex from going full tilt on you. *ANY* time I'm starting to feel like I might gag, I use the POWER RAKE tongue flick move to get that call out of my mouth quickly, rest a little bit, and get over gagging. :) I also LAUGH about it, and get over myself, and keep at it!! Don't know how many times I've done this in the woods, over the years. Ha!
Hope this all helps; again, if a YouTube video getting into this might help, let me know; I can cut one real quick & upload it to my channel today.
KEEP AT IT! You'll be glad you did!
BGD ;D
I tried for 5 years to get familiar with a mouth call and just can't seem to get it down well enough to suit myself so I turned to tube calls and they came quick to me and with a lot of practice I learned how to make all the different sounds and make them at soft and loud volumes give them a try
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Quote from: alloutdoors on February 27, 2014, 04:12:14 PM
A tube call will give you a sound very similar to a diaphragm, no motion other than raising/lowering it. Can try a trumpet or wingbone also. I'll use a trumpet or tube on a lanyard and work it under my face mask. Assuming I'm sitting with my knees up in front of me, I can just let go of the call and have it fall down on the lanyard without the motion being visible. If they are that close you shouldn't be calling anymore anyway.
Quote from: cahaba on March 01, 2014, 02:26:59 AM
A good push pin type call limits movement. Some folks laugh at them and think they are for beginners but they will kill birds. My neighbor turned me on to them. He has killed over 100 birds over the years.
With your mouth call problem take one and keep it with you.
Put it in your mouth on and off during the day and sooner or later it's a good chance you will loose the gag reflex.
I use both of these methods as well. Also get some straps with Velcro and attach your slate to your leg just above your knee. Allows you to use your slate while keeping you movement concealed.... :welcomeOG:
Quote from: tomstopper on March 01, 2014, 08:18:49 PM
Also get some straps with Velcro and attach your slate to your leg just above your knee. Allows you to use your slate while keeping you movement concealed....
That's a good idea; I've also used my boots as a make-shift "pocket" to slide my slate & striker into, before taking a shot. I'd work the slate with the striker behind my knees, and hold the stock of my gun under my armpit. When he's committed and/or coming to a decoy (if you're using those), you'll have time to get ready & shoot, without much movement.
new guy most turkey hunters get real excited when a gobbler answers him back and the bird is only 50yds away the lesson that my grandfather and father always taught me if the bird answers that close dont call no more the bird has located you now soon he will be in your gun range allot of your big gobblers are killed with very minimum calling so if your calls are getting a reply back dont change a thing just wait him out
If he seems committed, you probably don't have to finish him. If you are decoy-less, just sit still (hopefully in some cover, I like cedar trees) and he should come in looking for the hen. Or with decoys, he might come to them. As others have said, push pins are another good option, some can me attached to your gun and pulled with a string if you do need to give a quick cluck or purr.
I know you said no to mouth calls and you tried several, but did you try a youth framed call? That has helped a lot of guys. Just wondering, good luck!!
Quote from: jblackburn on March 03, 2014, 06:13:20 PM
If he seems committed, you probably don't have to finish him. If you are decoy-less, just sit still (hopefully in some cover, I like cedar trees) and he should come in looking for the hen.
I tend to agree with this. Most of the time, if he's close enough to see me and has been been heading my way anyway, I'm going to be quiet and let him look for me. When they are close enough to see you easily, the last thing I want to do is tell him EXACTLY what tree I'm at by calling.
One thing about a diaphragm call, if you put it between your cheek and gums for a awhile before you try to use it you will be much more less apt to gag. The moist call is a lot less intrusive. I know I've been using a diaphragm call for over twenty years and I hate the dentist and tongue depressors. One thing is the material and the size. Woodhaven makes some small diaphragm calls you can try and Quaker Boy calls are pretty smooth. Good luck
I have spent a small fortune on mouth calls over the last several years. I have tried all sizes down to youth without any luck. going to stick with pot calls and box calls. Wouldn't mind finding an affordable trumpet call to try.
I love mouth call but so does everybody else. Learning to use alternative calls like a tube or wingbone/trumpet could work in your favor especially in heavily hunted areas. They are not a must have to kill turkeys.
I would check out some push button calls. I was looking into one for a closer but the mouth call finally clicked with me.
This is borderline heresy, but another option is an electronic call, where legal. My wife likes to turkey hunt, but she does not like to practice the calling! So, in the event we ever have a need to split during a hunt, or if she ever decides on a solo hunt, she has a $35 electronic call to use. Two yelps (soft and excited), a cluck and purr, and some cutting.
I would rather gag, but she sleeps fine!
Try a push-pin call. I used a mouth call for probably 20 years but just got tired of practicing enough to be good with it. I added a push-pin to my collection because a friend told me they were a good call to use in certain situations and I never looked back. A good push-pin has worked for me when my box and pot calls would not. It also works great for close calling because you can operate it with one hand and because you can call softly with it.
If you can make turkey noises with a slate and a box call, I wouldn't worry a whole lot about using any other call. The only reason I might suggest a tube call, or wing bone is so you could have a call that was still usable in the rain and high humidity mornings.
If a turkey is commited to you, your job is done 90% of the time. On certain occasions you may have a hen start competing with you after the gobbler is heading your way and you may have to pick a fight with her to convince the tom to continue your direction. But this doesn't happen alot.
A turkey can hear your call for a long ways with precision, and over the years I have learned they know exactly where you are. You can call to a turkey that gobbles so far away you can barely hear him and never make another sound and that turkey can walk to your tree and peck you on the nose.
People new to the sport watching TV sees hunters calling to birds that are already there, all they are wanting is gobbling footage, but all that is show.
Best advice I can give to new hunters is learn the game of patience. Less is more when you are first starting out, chances are, if you think about getting up and moving, don't. Give your choices of setup an oppurtunity to work before second guessing yourself.
And as far as calling goes when you are new, to me it's kinda like learning anything new. You have 2 ears and 1 mouth, listen twice as much as you talk, even to turkeys.
I can run a mouth call pretty good but just don't like it that much. I feel like I am more realistic on slate calls. And 99 percent of the time its all I use. I've never been picked off that I know of before using a slate getting those final steps in. I wouldn't worry that much about it. It also helps how you are set up you can hide a lot of movement by setting up different ways.
Sounds like you are putting the gun up and then needing to move to make another call. You can, if you set up with intention, call the bird in sight and then use trees or the cover to raise your gun. Takes some practice. Wait until the birds head is blocked by a tree or cover THAT IS CLOSE TO THE TURKEY. Make a quick move to shoulder and be still. Very small aiming adjustments can be made S L O W L Y, large adjustment require additional cover. detach slings from your gun as they will swing. This is the same way you make adjustments if your gun is not pointed at a bird when he comes up. This is the way most friction callers transition to the gun. fwiw
nothing wrong with a box or slate but if you wanna work a mouth call maybe just trim one down a little and just put it in your mouth don't try touse it just move it around and get familiar with it then work up to some air flow
When I first started turkey hunting I only hunted with a box call and a pot and peg call. I killed a lot of turkeys solely with them before learning many other calls and finally with keeping at it the mouth call. How I limited movement is a cheap h.s.strut mesh ground blind. I think there 12 ft long 27inches or so high. I use a little gobbler lounger chair also so I'm comfortable and that helps to sit still for as long as it takes. The blind helps hide hand movement but your not enclosed like a pop up and there lightweight. I still use one even with being able to run a mouthcall. I hunt mainly open fields bordered with timber. You'll get the mouthcall down just keep at it.
don't give up on the mouth call......try different ones with different types of tape and different sizes and styles. You WILL get it.... :icon_thumright:
I'm not going to try to convince you to use a mouth call if you simply don't want to. There are other calls that require minimal movement. Primos makes friction pot calls that strap to your leg and allow you to call with very little motion. There are also pushpin type calls that strap to your gun barrel and are activated by a string looped onto your finger. As was already stated, tube calls are fairly easy to learn and trumpet/wingbone types can make incredibly realistic calls.
Good luck.
Quote from: bamagtrdude on March 02, 2014, 12:39:33 AM
Quote from: tomstopper on March 01, 2014, 08:18:49 PM
Also get some straps with Velcro and attach your slate to your leg just above your knee. Allows you to use your slate while keeping you movement concealed....
That's a good idea; I've also used my boots as a make-shift "pocket" to slide my slate & striker into, before taking a shot. I'd work the slate with the striker behind my knees, and hold the stock of my gun under my armpit. When he's committed and/or coming to a decoy (if you're using those), you'll have time to get ready & shoot, without much movement.
I use a slate call exclusively...killed too many birds to know how many...my experience has been once a bird commits to the call...I put it down and quit calling make the gobbler come find me...works real well..all a gobbler has to do is hear you and know you're there...these hunting shows kill me when the birds are obviously coming in and they just keep calling and calling hammering the birds...Once they commit throw the call down and get ready to shoot...hasn't failed me yet..most turkey hunters ruin more hunts by overcalling than they ever know. How many live hen's do you hear in the Spring woods calling incessantly like a lot of these TV wanna be hunter do? Hardly ever...pay attention to the natural sounds a turkey makes in the woods, let the turkey's teach you how to call. I never had an issue using a slate call concerning movement.
Don't give up on the mouth caller, but cut down on the other callers when your bird goes silent on you to increase the time you are motionless. Call once every 15-20 minutes and stay motionless between calls.
I have gave up on mouth calls as my gag reflex is too bad. I have worked on my slate calling and hope it works out. Havent got a trumpet call to try yet. This morning it didn't matter as they gobbled 400 miles away across a river and about 5 pieces of property away. Not the opening morning I wanted but the season is long.
Quote from: appalachianstruttstopper on March 13, 2014, 10:43:30 PM
If you can make turkey noises with a slate and a box call, I wouldn't worry a whole lot about using any other call. The only reason I might suggest a tube call, or wing bone is so you could have a call that was still usable in the rain and high humidity mornings.
If a turkey is commited to you, your job is done 90% of the time. On certain occasions you may have a hen start competing with you after the gobbler is heading your way and you may have to pick a fight with her to convince the tom to continue your direction. But this doesn't happen alot.
A turkey can hear your call for a long ways with precision, and over the years I have learned they know exactly where you are. You can call to a turkey that gobbles so far away you can barely hear him and never make another sound and that turkey can walk to your tree and peck you on the nose.
People new to the sport watching TV sees hunters calling to birds that are already there, all they are wanting is gobbling footage, but all that is show.
Best advice I can give to new hunters is learn the game of patience. Less is more when you are first starting out, chances are, if you think about getting up and moving, don't. Give your choices of setup an oppurtunity to work before second guessing yourself.
And as far as calling goes when you are new, to me it's kinda like learning anything new. You have 2 ears and 1 mouth, listen twice as much as you talk, even to turkeys.
X2 couldn't say it any better than this.
I stumbled across these mouth calls. There are several types of reed style, but the concept is the same with the dome. I too gagged a lot when using a mouth call. This type allowed me to push it as far forward as to fit the dome into the roof of my mouth.
Best of luck to you, hope you get this figured out.
http://www.primos.com/products/turkey-calls/sonic-dome-triple-with-bat-cut/