SouthernStrut56

Like RPD, I too like to move the call back a little bit and roll the tongue for purring. I feel I'm able to put the perfect amount of pressure on the call and have better control over it when it's a little further back. If you can roll your tongue and change the amount of pressure on the call throughout that purr, it adds a lot to the realism. Don't worry too much on what kind of call you have or the types of cuts in the latex. I've made a ton of different mouth calls with countless combinations of material, cuts, number of reeds, and spacing of reeds. If I only had enough supplies to make one single mouth call for myself, it would be a simple 3 reed V cut with offset spacing of reeds. Mouth calls can be frustrating, but the only way to improve is by keeping one with you all the time and practicing. You'll get on everybody's nerves but you'll also get a lot better at all the different vocalizations. Don't listen to those dumb tapes that tell you say a stupid made up word like "choulk" or something like that. Listen to turkey sound recordings and use that call til you can mimic every sound you hear. The good thing about turkey calling in the woods is that you can actually mess up on purpose sometimes and still sound like a real hen. I actually think it adds a lot to the realism. Perfect calling like what you hear at the calling contests is suspicious to wise toms in the woods. That's just my experience. For example, if you've ever heard a fired up boss hen yelping her butt off, you know how surprisingly good it sounds when she hits a high or low note that's way off from her other notes. Practice yelping and throwing in a higher note than the rest. Also, you need to really listen to the very beginning of a hen's yelp and know that the "front end" of that call is important. You can't just blast off into some loud yelps. It sort of builds up with a lighter and often higher pitched starting it off. It's a very very quick transition from that front end into the yelps however. One call combo that is super deadly on a mouth call is the tree cluck/yelp with fly down cackle (and a hat flap on the leg). Sometimes that's all you need, and it sure is fun when you call one up straight off the roost. Just don't expect it to work like that every time, because it certainly will not. Time spent in the woods listening to real wild hens and toms talk to each other is the absolute most valuable teacher. Join in and try to sound just a little better than the other hens......that would be the object. Good luck and wear them mouth calls out between now and opening day.

bornagain64

What should you look for?
Quality and great customer service. I have used HS Strut and Primos calls, they work fine. But they are machine made and mass produced.
Since I started using HOOKS calls, which are hand made, I love them and have improved as a caller.
I have only been learning the mouth call for 3 years now and try to add a new call each year. I can purr pretty good, but can not Cackle to save my life.

Practice, practice, practice.


John

longbowlee

Also with purring leave the call loose in your mouth. I use the gargle method and can do fighting purrs as well.

Mojotex

First of all you want a mouth call with a frame that fits your palate well and is comfortable to use.

Keep it simple works for me. I carry only 2 simple easy to use mouth calls. I have friends that could fill a small display rack with all the mouth calls they tote. I just happen to like the mouth calls made by Woodhaven ... one that has a "ghost cut' and the other that is the long standing "v cut" type. These fit my mouth great and with these two, I can do a decent job of recreating realistic sounds of about every type of sound that I have ever heard a hen make.

In my opinion, no matter what type or brand of call one is using, if one can recreate the yelp, the soft clucks and purring of contented feeding of a cruising hen and maybe a cut of an excited hen, then that's plenty enough.

tankdogg60

Get you some mouth calls from deadendgamecalls.com. Especially the Shipwreck. The best feeling and most versatile mouthcall on the market. No others compare as far as I've ever seen.

bangflopp

I agree with most of what has been shared here and would emphasize that a beginner needs only a couple mouth calls to get started and I recommend a simple double reed with no cuts and a v or straight cut double or light reeded triple reed. Mastering the two tone yelp is the first order of business and the rest will come with practice. Purring is a nice skill but not crucial to success if you can't do it yet. If you can flutter your toungue, you will pick it up. Know what you are saying and when to say it. I recommend getting a CD or visiting a website with sound bytes of real turkeys or good reproduced calls. there are some good sound bytes for turkey calls and the calls they make at www.ozarkridgecalls.com