Calling sequence

Germ · 04-09-2007, 09:33 AM

Give me your best calling sequence

What "pattern" seems to work the best?

Antler Addict · 04-09-2007, 09:53 AM

I think there are a lot of variables in what is the best sequence, depending on the individual tom and how many toms you are working. I hunt unpressured private land so in my opinion this is the best scenerio. When I locate where they are roosting I put out 2 or 3 decoys and give a tree yelp about 15 minutes before flydown. After they are on the ground I will give a series of yelps (6-8 notes), and see how the bird(s) react. The past 2 years I 've had toms come running to my decoys gobbling all the way. If a bird comes in so far and then hangs up just out of range I will use a few purrs and maybe a cluck and see what he does. I believe it is best to undercall then to overcall. When a tom hangs up on you just out of range I think he wants that hen to come to him the rest of the way. I will wait him out and hope he gets impatient. Either way is heart pounding action and its priceless watching a tom strut and gobble from 15 to 75 yards. Good luck this season Germ.

Dr Andy · 04-09-2007, 12:09 PM

I'm definately going to try a jake and hen with the jake sporting a jake fan. Hopefully that will upset oldTom enough to get him to come all the way in!

kenman · 04-09-2007, 12:10 PM

I like to cuttfrantically and end it with 4 or 5 yelpsto get the initial gobble. Once I have him coming I'll toss out a cluck behind my hand every now and then to get his sense of direction off balance. Once I have a clear 25 yard shot, I'll purr to get his head up.

YooperMike · 04-09-2007, 12:37 PM

This is my first year turkeyhunting and this weekend was my first calling experience. I was yelping about every 3 minutes or so and the toms would gobble every time, but I couldn't see them yet, although they were getting closer. I then switched to a light purr, and they came much closer, gobbling every coupleminutes. Well, a couple jakes slipped in on me, about 10 feet away, and they blew the whole thing for me. Either way, the yelp and purr combo worked well.

Arrowmaster · 04-09-2007, 06:52 PM

I usually start out with 6 or 7 yelps. Cluck some then yelp a few more times. Sometimes I throw in a KEE KEE then go right into some yelps, followed by some clucks and purrs. If you have every listened to a hen you can hear them cluck followed by a purr. I try to duplicate that as well. Or sometimes they purr followed by a cluck. I have studied my hens here at home and have learned a lot. Also I will throw in a lost hen yelp, and sometimes this works really well...

Oneshot7 · 04-09-2007, 07:07 PM

i find the roost and set up near it then i get him to gobble in the roost then i shut up until he lands then i yelp until he gobbles give him a kee kee and a short cut on the box and shut up and wait for a while and call accordingly after that

Dubbya · 04-09-2007, 08:05 PM

I hunt highly pressured land quite a bit, but I use the same sequence regardless of where I'm at. I guess it's less of a sequence and more of a "theory." I don't cut or yelp unless I have to. I'm the puttingest, purringest guy in the woods. I killed a big tom this evening... I never once yelped or cut, it was all clucks or puts and purrs. I called about 3 times in 5 minutes, no decoy and I killed him at 19 steps. The yelp definitely gets WAY abused by people in my opinion... Good luck buddy.

Branson · 04-09-2007, 08:17 PM

Dwd,
I never thought about how much the yelp gets used by hunters. On pressured birds, I could see how they'd get call shy real quick. Maybe I'll try to use the yelp a bit less this year, and rely on other calls. I guess yelps dont come out of a hen's mouth every other call...

Antler Addict · 04-09-2007, 10:10 PM

Of my 25 plus years of hunting turkeys and watching many,many hens I have to say that I have heard hens yelp 6 to 8 times very softly the most with a few soft clucks being the second most vocalization. I would agree that pressured birds can and will become call and decoy shy over a period of time. If setting up on roosted birds, a yelp is going to get their attention quicker and then if a tom has closed the distance then purrs are certainly a good sound to make. I also agree that many hunters make the mistake of yelping way to much and too loud when birds are just out of range. I will error on the side of caution by calling less than calling too much but if a person can yelp and cluck well on any call he should be sucessful more times than not.