Hey all, I'm planning on going out for my first spring turkey (any turkey actually...) season this year. I've been browsing the LOADS of available calls that are out there for turkey, and was about to drop 30 bucks on a box call for my first attempt at replicating wild turkey calls.

Then I found tons of info on these DIY tube calls (old news, I know) and made one out of a half of a water bottle, cap, rubber band and latex glove. I had all of this on hand, so my investment was marginal.

I started practicing on my way to and from work in the truck and after I got it tuned, I'm yelping like a pretty convincing hen! Modesty aside, I don't know if it's beginner's luck or if I just have a knack for it... but I am stoked up!

So, outside of improving the yelp... what are the main sounds I should work on? Clucking is pretty easy on this, but purring is a little tougher.

Can I get away with just yelping & clucking? Or am I going to need to figure out a few more tricks before I head out?

If I get drawn, I've got a month and some change to prep, so I've got plenty of time to practice.

Ninety percent of my calling is cutting and purring. In my experience, the hens may yelp a bit in the tree but once they hit the ground it's mostly cuts and purrs. If you can cutt and purr, and know when to be quiet, you can kill birds. Just my two cents worth.

Hey, thanks for the reply.

I expect to learn more this year than I expect to take a bird... I need to hear them in the wild and actually experience it for myself. I've watched a ton of videos and read even more articles, but I just need to go DO.

I will focus on the cuts and purrs as well, thanks again.

I believe in South Dakota you are hunting the Merriam's sub-species. I hunted Merriam's last year and they were in love with my yelping and cutting. It seemed the more I called the more excited they got and came right in. I would say if you can yelp, cluck and cut you are good to go. I wouldn't worry too much about the purrs.

I used to make the same DIY turkey calls just for the heck out of it. It's been a long time since I made one though. I used to use old film canisters instead of water bottles if that tells you anything lol. The did work fairly decent, but for all around calling I'd recommend a box or slate call.

We've actually got Merriam's, Rios and Easterns (and hybrids).

Looks like the cutting advice is pretty consistent, I'm working on that, thanks.

wanta see a turkey run, learn how to putt. except for the trained ear, also try a cluck. if you are a beginner, avoid both of them, learn a some yelps, and cutts and a few other simple but common calls. all calls work sometimes and just as often, none of them do. turkey are really pretty studid but do know how to see and hear. sit still

cheers

I used to think if I heard them putt I was done because that is what everyone told me. But experience has shown me that they putt a lot. If one putts near me as long as I know for sure it didn't actually see me I don't get all upset. I have had turkey hens putt at a decoy and then settle down after calling to them lots of times. However if a bird busts me and is boogying away putting you are right you are usually screwed. However I have actually shot a bird and had the one with it start to putt and move away. I started to cutt and it actually settled down and just walked off. I could have easily shot it. So it seems with turkeys you never no.

For me I use mostly yelping and cutting although in a day of calling I may use all the calls of a turkey just depends on the situation, if your at the roost in the am you will need different calls to start. If I had to pick one I'd say the yelp is most useful to use then cutting.

Eddie Salter wrote a good article on putting. He uses it all the time. Birds do putt a lot. As long as you don't get crazy with it you will do fine with putts,clucks and very little if any yelping. It's nice to be able to purr but if your not good at it yet don't use it till you do get good at it.