Arrowmaster

It all depends on how fired up the birds are that day.

MissionOutdoors.net

I let the turkey and terrain dictate how loud I'll call. One of the farm I hunt, I know for a fact the typically roost only about 100 yards away from where I set up, and they almost always hit the field in front of me. In that situation I call very soft just to let them know I'm in the area, then let my decoys do the job. For whatever reason at that farm they are loud as heck while in the roost, then silent once on the ground.

Another farm I've got a lot of wide open fields to cover, so I am normally pretty loud there till I see a reason to change it up.

To put things into perspective though, listen too how soft and quiet clucks and purrs are, yet they get turkeys fired up. They have great hearing, so in some cases loud isn't always better.

Ridge Runner

I'll chime in, the last 50 yards callas low as possible, loud calling has hung up more gobblers than any other reason other than calling too much, tone it down, you can be assured on one fact, if he's gobbling every breath, he's not moving much, when he's quiet is when he is moving, when he's moving don't give him enough reason to stop and gobble, the more he gobbles, the longer it takes to get it done the more chance of something bad happening (another hunter, coyote, etc.).
I call, low first, then loud till I get a response, the adjust depending on what that turkey wants to hear and the distance. Also I do not call to a turkey on the roost, had too many just sit on the limb till 9:00, then turn around and fly off.
RR

JW

I probably call to loud to begin with.

I am, because of age have gotten deaf so I purposely try to call softer.

But I follow exactly like Ridge.
JW

kellyguinn

Yep loud to get their attention then soft and sexy from there on out.

Ridge Runner

once you have a gobbler responding and getting closer, all it takes is a soft cluck here and there, just enough to keep him moving and gobble a bit so you know which direction to have the gun pointed, when you can hear him snap as he gobbles (when you hear it you'll know what I mean) if your sure he cant see you (this is why I'm behind cover instead of in front of a tree) reach down and rake the leaves with your fingers, do it twice, a hen almost always scratches with one foot, then the other, then steps back to feed. this does 2 things, 1) the gobbler has heard hen calls, so he is 75% sure a hen is waiting for him, he hears the scratching that's further proof a hen is there, 2) it seals the deal and he speeds up coming in. turkey hunting ain't hard once you figure out how that hickory nut sized brain works.
RR

rogerstv

Not quite a direct answer to the OPs question. Most posters have answered as best as possible.

I try to work the hunt without causing the tom to gobble more than is necessary for me to place his location or follow his movement. If I know his location and whether he is moving, I mostly stay quiet. Gobbles attract other hunters. I prefer just enough gobbles to get the job done. A vocal gobbler is an advertisement for other hunters and predators.

Another thought. If the hunter is calling and moving towards a stationary gobbler, he will wait for you (the hen) to come to him.