Fly down cackle
 

Who of you know how to do a fly-down cackle? What is the easiest way to learn this advanced method of calling? I would sure like to learn but not sure which call would make it the easiest to execute. Mouth? Box? Friction? Any tips? Thanks in advance.

RE: Fly down cackle
 

A good way to to do it is to take your hat and beat it against your leg in a back and forth motion,This is done rapidly.While you are doing that you do a series of excite putt' s.You can use a mouth call wich is easier because your one hand is busy with the hat motion,With some practice you can do it with a push button call,But you have to be able to hold the call and operate it with one hand.
It kinda sounds like--Start with hat And call-putt putt putt putt--putt putt-putt-Stop with hat, Silence for a few seconds,Then start with a few putt' s, Then go into a yelp sequence.
During the few seconds pause after fly down you should put your hat back on so you can set up quickly.
I hope this help' s you
It' s hard to explain by typing it out.
Good Luck To You

RE: Fly down cackle
 

Well, I don' t know how " easy" it is to learn. For me, it was sure a lot easier to learn than gobbling. I prefer to use a mouth call as it leaves my hands free to use the hat-trick mentioned above. The fly down cackle can also be done easily enough on a box call.

Let' s start with the call itself... I begin by making a couple soft clucks. Then I go into the cackle. A fly down cackle will " burst out" and " step down" as it reaches the end. In other words, you will want to start the call out rapidly and gradually slow in pace to simulate a hen approaching the ground.

With the mouth call... Use your jaw! Don' t try to burst out all of those fast clucks while concentrating on your tongue. Your jaw can usually move more rapidly than your tongue and you will have less chance of " tripping up" when using your jaw. Just focus on dropping your jaw rapidly. This will take your tongue where it needs to be automatically.
Here' s a recording from one of my sites... Fly-Down-Cackle

With a box call... I find it is best to use the back side rail (left rail if you are right handed). Just rotate the box call around and hold it similar to the way you hold a boat paddle call. Another method (my prefered method) is to hold the call with the pivot screw pointing toward you and the handle facing away from you. Again, start out making a few clucks and then " pop" the paddle of the call against the rail rapidly. Remember to step the call down in volume and pace as you go.
Here' s a video clip from another one of my sites... Fly-Down-Cackle Video

RE: Fly down cackle
 

thanks guys.

RE: Fly down cackle
 

Don' t bother...I' ve rarely heard hens vocalize an actual cackle, especially in the Spring. I do hear cackles often in the fall, most times by the brood hens who are hammering out the cackle to let their poults know that mama' s on the ground.

More often than not, a hen will soft tree call (maybe a few soft clucks, a soft yelp or two and a few purrs), to let the gobbler/gobblers know where she is located.

The toms then sound off. The hens, more times than not, will simply pitch down to the base of the tom' s tree, quietly.

Once on the ground, the hens then either yelp or cluck. If they think there is strong competition (hence, YOU calling 75 yards away) they most times will start cutting.

This fires up the old tom, who rather quickly pitches out and (1) runs away from his harem to you, or more likely (2) joins his harem and follows them.

I' ve killed more Spring gobblers by (1) getting close in the early season, (2) by setting up on a bird and his harem' s travel routes or (3) calling in the boss hens, who drag old Tommy boy with them.

The only success I' ve had with the cackle is in calling in jake troops, who come in to most anything...

Of course I hunt in the NorthEast, other guys may have different success in different regions...

S&R

RE: Fly down cackle
 

I generally use my lohman mouth yelper and a turkey wing to simulate a fly down.
Just start out with two slow yelps followed by faster yelps then slow.