Irresistible Calls to Touch a Tom’s Hot Button
Spring gobblers like what they like. Some will shock gobble an owl hoot, crow call, even a car horn while a similar tom roosting just down the ridge won’t make a peep.
My dad and I used to hunt a small farm that held lots of turkeys. Since he was in his early 90’s, dad mostly drove around while I hunted on foot. A particular gobbler loved (or hated) the sound of his old Dodge diesel truck and gobbled voraciously every time dad drove near. Some locator call huh?
When trying to convince a spring gobbler to go against its nature and approach a hen, you have to find its hot button and make a sound that the mating bird cannot resist. Since “The Dodge Truck” call works in very limited circumstances, savvy hunters carry a variety of callers and use them singularly or as a duet to light a tom’s fire. Your turkey vest needs to have at least three kinds of calls: box, pot, and diaphragm, because each has unique characteristics that apply in special situations. Hunters Specialties (H.S.) makes a wide variety of callers and here’s a good roundup of what’s sure to suck in a gobbler like a Star Trek tractor beam.
Boxes
Box callers are easy to operate and the sound carries well. At times in late season, their unique tone will lure gobblers that have become used to other callers. The new B-Line and Final Roost box calls from H.S. Strut® give hunters two great options for calling in a spring gobbler.
The B-Line Call is constructed with a walnut paddle and poplar box for creating great high-pitched hen sounds. The call is lightweight and compact. Finger grooves on the box provide a secure grip while calling. The Final Roost Call has a walnut paddle with a medium-sized Poplar box to reproduce raspy hen vocals. The box is contoured for a comfortable, secure grip while calling. Both the B-Line and Final Roost Calls feature a waterproof paddle and box edge for calling in all weather conditions
Pot Calls
Whether glass or slate, pot callers are perfect for making precise, soft, hen sounds. When you sneak close to a roost, the tom is thundering above you, holding a striker in your hand (like a pencil when you were a kid) gives the extra confidence to make the call sound exactly as intended. Pot calls have great tone variation and you can use them to locate by loudly cutting or to entice those final steps with soft purrs.
The new Sweet Suzie Snood call from Hunters Specialties™ produces the high pitched hen sounds that drive gobblers crazy with plenty of volume to bring them in from long distances. The Sweet Suzie Snood is a compact call with a frosted glass over glass surface. The call is ready to run right out of the package and comes with a carbon striker which works great in wet weather conditions.
Diaphragm Callers
A skilled caller may get by using a diaphragm caller exclusively, yet this takes a lot of practice and you can literally overtax your oral muscles by calling so frequently. The diaphragm is the most difficult of the three main categories to run and some hunters just can’t master its use. Personally, I love the Tone Trough diaphragms because they operate effortlessly and I can produce quality sounds with little practice.
Unlike box and pot callers, one size does not fit all in the diaphragm world. Since our mouths and palates differ, you may need to try a variety of callers to find one that makes a good fit. Even my mother agrees that I have a big mouth, yet I find the smaller, more flexible callers work best for me. HS offers a variety of diaphragms with the following a few examples:
The Pro 2 Pack includes the Cutt’n 2.5 and Split “V” II for more experienced callers. Beginning turkey hunters can benefit from the Tone Trough Turkey Tutor package, which includes an instructional DVD, along with the Cutt’n 2.5, Raspy Old Hen and Split “V” II calls.
The new Undertaker diaphragm calls have an aluminum frame which can be easily adjusted for a custom fit to a hunter’s palate. The calls feature Infinity Latex® for the most consistent tone available. Three and four-reed models are available with selected cuts to create a wide range of realistic hen sounds. Each call also comes with the new HS Strut Diaphragm Call Clip, which attaches to the bill of a hunter’s cap and holds the diaphragm call in place for quick and easy access.
Remember, gobblers like what they like. If one call doesn’t work, switch to another call. If all else fails, try using two callers at once such as the box and a diaphragm.
When two honeys are hailing at the same time, few toms can resist.
Sound Variation, Turkey Call Options, Cost
For the full line of Hunter Specialties callers, visit www.hunterspec.com. The H.S. Strut® Premium Flex™ Calls come in a variety of cuts and reed configurations to help both beginning and experienced callers be successful.
The H.S. Strut Premium Flex™ frame uses Infinity Latex® for consistency and durability. Each call is precision built and stretched to create all of the sounds of a wild turkey. Two, three and four-reed versions are available as well as a line of small frame calls for junior callers, women, or anyone with a small palate.
Premium Flex Calls are packaged individually as well as in three and four packs. New for 2016 is the Legends 4-pack with an instructional DVD featuring tips and tricks for being successful this spring. It includes the Power Cutter, Power V, Deep Cut and Fang calls.
Premium Flex Calls sell individually for $5.99, three packs for $10.99 and the Legends Four Pack sells for $16.99.
The new Sweet Suzie Snood call from Hunters Specialties™ produces the high pitched hen sounds that drive gobblers crazy with plenty of volume to bring them in from long distances.
The Sweet Suzie Snood is a compact call with a frosted glass over glass surface. The call is ready to run right out of the package and come with a carbon striker which works great in wet weather conditions. The Sweet Suzie Snood call also comes with a rougher pad and sells for a suggested retail price of $9.99.
Designed with high quality components and backed by years of hunting experience, the new Undertaker line of premium calls from H.S. Strut® will help hunters put their tag on a gobbler this spring. The Undertaker series includes a box call, pan call and four new aluminum frame diaphragm calls.
The Undertaker box call is constructed of engineered laminate wood for increased stability and durability. The call features waterproof chalk on friction surfaces for hunting in any weather conditions and the call is hand tuned to produce perfect high volume hen tones on either side.
The Undertaker glass friction call features engineered wood in both the pan and striker for increased stability. It has a ready to play frosted glass surface over the new patent pending Aluma-Tune™ sound board with hand tuned cuts for the most realistic hen sounds possible.
The new Undertaker diaphragm calls have an aluminum frame which can be easily adjusted for a custom fit to a hunter’s palate. The calls feature Infinity Latex® for the most consistent tone available. Three and four-reed models are available with selected cuts to create a wide range of realistic hen sounds. Each call also comes with the new HS Strut Diaphragm Call Clip, which attaches to the bill of a hunter’s cap and holds the diaphragm call in place for quick and easy access. The new Undertaker Box Call sells for a suggested retail of $39.99. The Undertaker Pan Call for $39.99 and the diaphragm calls for $12.99 each.
Hunters Specialties’ new line of H.S. Strut® Tone Trough diaphragm calls are great for beginners as well as experienced callers. The calls feature a raised dome that forms a tight seal in the roof of the caller’s mouth. The Tone Trough™ creates perfect pressures for realistic hen sounds. The calls are built with a Premium Flex™ frame and Infinity Latex® for consistent tones.
H.S. Strut® Tone Trough calls come in a variety of cuts including the Split “V” II, Split “V” III, Double “D”, Cutt’n 2.5 and Raspy Old Hen. Packaging options include the Starter 2 Pack with the Raspy Old Hen and Double ”D” calls , which is great for beginning callers. The Pro 2 Pack includes the Cutt’n 2.5 and Split “V” II for more experienced callers. Beginning turkey hunters can benefit from the Tone Trough Turkey Tutor package, which includes an instructional DVD, along with the Cutt’n 2.5, Raspy Old Hen and Split “V” II calls.
Individual calls sell for a suggested retail price of $6.99. The Tone Trough 2 Packs for $10.99 and the Turkey Tutor 3-Pack with DVD for $15.99.
The new B-Line and Final Roost box calls from H.S. Strut® give hunters two great options for calling in a spring gobbler. The B-Line Call is constructed with a walnut paddle and poplar box for creating great high-pitched hen sounds. The call is lightweight and compact. Finger grooves on the box provide a secure grip while calling.
The Final Roost Call has a walnut paddle with a medium-sized Poplar box to reproduce raspy hen vocals. The box is contoured for a comfortable, secure grip while calling.
Both the B-Line and Final Roost Calls feature a waterproof paddle and box edge for calling in all weather conditions.
The B-Line Call sells for a suggested retail of $14.99 and the Final Roost for $19.99.
For more information about other Hunters Specialties products, log onto the Hunters Specialties website at www.hunterspec.com, or call a Consumer Service Specialist at 319-395-0321.
