22 Mississippi Sportsman^ | April 2015
There are simply
too many choices
of turkey calls,
Beginner’sluck
Friction calls >
PAGE 21: Veteran turkey hunters know it could
take every trick up their sleeves and every call in
their bags to kill wily ol’ gobblers. That’s why they
often use several calls to take a big bird.
RIGHT: Turkey-calling legend Preston Pittman
makes all types of turkey calls for a living, but he
prefers a mouth call for their hands-free use.including all the types, materials, configurations, and
styles, not to mention brand names, models, and all the
marketing hype that goes with it.
How does a turkey hunter settle on which type of tur-
key call is best to use when, in what situations or under
what conditions?
Perhaps, the best answer is to have several “favorite”
calls on hand.
All of the variables to a turkey hunt — and they are
myriad — can make for the use of multiple types of
calls as conditions change or as the mood of a gobbler
shifts. It can be perplexing at best.
Most turkey hunters have their favorite call, or two, or
three. You probably do too. Your No. 1 call may be one
that has simply worked time after time, consistently
bringing toms into close range for a clean head shot.
Every turkey hunter has at least one of those calls
secured in their turkey call bag (or they think they do).
But, I have never seen just one call work well every
time all the time. I sure would love to have it, if anyone
can find it. Meanwhile, the search continues raising a
few questions.
How often do you venture off your standard course of
calls to try something new?
Are you willing to consider using a type of call you
have never used before?
I wonder if a gobbler understands the concept that
variety is the spice of life. Sometimes, it sure seems like
they do.
Consider the following information as basic instruc-
tion — Turkey Calls 101. It will be dull for veteran hunt-
ers, but important information for the novice hunter
just getting into the game.