MGH_PA

Alright, I'm entering my second season hunting turkeys. I'm learning a lot, but I'm still pretty new to the mouth call scene. I know the rule of thumb is the more reeds and more cuts, the more realistic the sound (with the trade off of difficulty in use). However, I hear terms like V-cut, batwing cut, etc. What are the difference between these cuts?

turkeyhunter85

try out the "spit n' image" series by knight and hale. they are very easy to use and sound excellent. chris parrish hand streches the latex, which will makes them sound great and last forever.

SwampCollie

Bull butter! Turkeys make all sorts of different noises in all different pitches. I've heard them squeek and I've heard them rasp. Personally, I think a lot of the 4+ reed calls that have a lot of cuts and notches sound too much like gobblers. Honestly, the turkeys tend not to care unless they are extremely pressured and have heard that number before. So don't think that a 2 reed call doesn't sound like a turkey, because I have still killed more birds using the Quaker Boy old boss hen than any other call, and I won't even catch up this season if I tag out. The old boss hen is a two reed, twin end notched call. I'm sure you've heard of it.

I like two and three reed calls because you can run the whole spectrum with them. You can get high pitched like a younger bird, or drop your jaw and use less pressure to make it more raspy.

The cuts themselves are what catch the wind. On the top reed, they also allow a different part of the under reeds to vibrate more freely as well as parts of the upper reed. The cuts you named are just different styles of the same. Some of them work exceptionally well... some are just made to look cool and accomplish basically the same thing as another call, but if they can get you to buy two instead of one... good for them right?

Cutter style calls have cuts out of the side. Sometimes the top reed will be cut as much as half way across. I prefer ghost or notch cuts, which have a horseshoe shape cut in the center of the top reed.

MGH_PA

Swamp, thanks for the information! I have a simple call from RVGC that I'm learning on, and I think it sounds great, and it has very few cuts and reeds. I think I will experiment a bit here with a few different calls out on the market and try them myself.

SwampCollie

All mouth calls or wind driven calls of any hunting discipline will have a fit, so to speak. This is especially true with waterfowl calls, but no less true here with turkey calls. Not everyone is built exactly the same. People all have different pallet shapes and depths, different air capacities and chest sizes and different diaphram and stomach muscle strengths. There is a call that suits just about every calling style and every individual.... you just have to find it.

MKMGOBL

Now that's bull$#!^! If you think that Chris hand stretches all of Knight & Hales calls you're smoking way too much of that funny stuff. I spoke with Chris on that a few years back when I was starting up my call shop and he doesn't not personally make all of their mouth calls. He might stretch them for Harold, David and for himself but not for you.

Because of the all the mom & pop shops,Bass Pro, Cabelasand plus several other catalogs that carrys Knight & Hales calls, there's not way in hell he can stretch them all. He would have no family life, no seminarappearencse, no time to do calling contest or let alone....time to hunt.

What people don't relize is that Primos, Knight & Hale, Wood Wise and Quaker Boy buy equipment and material for people that punch out these calls in their home. They get paid .25 cents per call!

So I hate to bust your bubble there turkeyhunter85 but your favorite Knight & Hales mouth call is probablymade by someone grand-mother looking to work from home.

wholelottagobble

mandon't listen to whoever told you that the more reeds, the better sound. Thats baloney. a 2 reed is easier to call soft on. 90% of your contest callers are yelping on a 3 reed.

Find a cut that you enjoy and that works in the woods and go from there. A V-Cut, Batwing, Inverted V, and Ghost cut are good places to start.

Asa beginner I am going to recommend a couple calls you will love and that I still use.

Lady's Night and Wild Hunter by Legacy Game Calls. Do yourself a favor and pick them up. Try the link below, and by the way, I don't work for them, I just know they are quality calls.

www.gameacc.net

doall hunter

I think that is bull too. a machine probably streches it out. They prodice those calls by the thousounds. Because you and I both know that just about every sporting goods storein Americasells knight & Hale calls. But tjust because they aren't hand streched by ANYONE dosen't mean they aren't good.

Pat_Ely

I have found that a 3 reed call works best for me. Like some one else said you have to find one that will your mouth the best. Most frames are the same size it's the tape that can mess you up. What I do is take a mouth call ptu it n my mouth and get the tape wet. Once you have it in your mouth for awhile the tape will start to curl down towards your tongue. you will see a definite fold. Take the call and trim the tape along the fold. Place it back in your mouth and try some calling. you will notice that it will seal much much better to the roof of your mouth and you won't have to blow as hard to make it work. you will be able to control the air flow much better. Hop ethis helps you some.

MGH_PA

Thanks, guys. I have a few calls on the way I'm going to try out. Getting pumped for spring!