Purrs are soft, rolling notes that reassure turkeys they’re safe while simultaneously inviting them closer. Combining purrs with other sounds such as clucks or yelps is another effective strategy for coaxing gobblers into range.
Mouth calls (also referred to as diaphragm calls) utilize a latex rubber reed stretched over a plastic frame, creating turkey calls when air is passed across it.
Tongue-Fluttering Method
Though you might believe mouth calls are difficult to learn, they’re actually much simpler than you might imagine. The key to successful turkey calls lies in maintaining a consistent volume of air flowing through its reed and into your mouth.
For an effective purr, it’s necessary to flutter your tongue while blowing air out through your nostrils. This helps create the soft sound so desirable to turkeys.
Many turkey hunters use this sound to coax gobblers into their shooting lanes, but it can also be an effective tool for keeping birds within range while they prepare their shots. You could create this call by stringing together several short, high-pitched clucks and purrs so as to sound like soft conversation between turkeys and hens.
Clucks and purrs vary in volume and tone based on how hard you blow and apply pressure to your tongue, so make sure that you practice until you get the sound you’re going for. Clucks are short, sudden sounds made up of one, two, or three notes that mimic how turkeys respond when hearing them from hens; by performing several clucks and purrs yourself you may give the impression of having more than one hen around just waiting to be called in.
Cluck and purr can also be done effectively by making long, rapid clucks alternating with soft purrs – this mimicking a turkey calling its hen is often an effective strategy when dealing with fall turkeys.
Your turkey mouth call allows you to yelp by pushing air between the top of your tongue and the reed, but be sure to use a relaxed cadence when doing this. Try not to yelp in quick bursts as this will sound artificial; rather do soft yelps interspersed with gentle purrs for best results.
At first, many turkey callers favor the Tongue-Fluttering Method as their go-to approach for purring on a turkey mouth call. Other methods to produce purring sounds may include gargling or using a box call. Ask other hunters which method or call works best for them; their answers are likely diverse; ultimately what matters is finding one that produces sounds you need and practicing until season starts!
Gargling Method
Under this method, you make a gurgling sound in the back of your throat while inhaling air from a caller. The volume and pitch will depend on tongue pressure and how close or far your mouth is from the reeds – this makes for an unnervingly realistic turkey noise that draws in gobblers for soft calling sessions with soft purrs or clucks.
To create a purr, apply more tongue pressure and tighten your lips more tightly to restrict reeds. Pulsate your uvula as you flutter your tongue to create more realistic noises; both toms and hens use this sound to express contentment or warn nearby birds of their presence, with hens often using this soft purr to deter other hens from interfering in nesting activity. A soft purr adds realism to calling routines; its soft purr adds authenticity without alarming noises which may attract even hung-up gobblers!
Use a mouth diaphragm to produce purrs that simulate fighting between rival hens, prompting toms to get excited and gobble as they pursue them. Combine this sound with other realistic call sequences such as clucking, wing-beating and some dirt or grass rumble for maximum realism in calling sequences that create more realistic calling sequences that sound like two fighting hens vying for dominance in battle!
Mouth calls are often less costly and easier to use than box and pot calls, as well as providing hands-free operation with hands-free operation compared to their counterparts. A ghost cut or w-cut mouth call is ideal for beginners as it requires less huffing and puffing to produce subtle sounds necessary, while more aggressive raspier cuts may provide additional sound options such as cackles.
Most turkey hunters prefer mouth diaphragm calls over box or pot calls because they are less expensive and provide hands-free operation, as well as offering greater control of frequency, tone and intensity of your calling. When learning how to run a mouth call successfully for turkey hunting it’s essential that you listen closely to real birds while experimenting and learning from mistakes made along the way – listening out for real birds listening closely while making notes in sync will enable you to produce all the sounds needed to fool a wild turkey into range.
Slate Call
An essential tool for any serious turkey hunter, pot calls that produce purrs and clucks are easy to use, producing an array of turkey sounds. There are various types of pot calls (also called slate calls) to choose from, including clay, ceramic, glass or aluminum surfaces – with some even portable enough for vest pocket use! To produce purrs simply pin your slate call to the roof of your mouth while flicking your tongue fluttering to mimic a contented hen’s purr; some hunters may need practice before mastering it!
Clucks can create an aggressive sound by producing short notes one, two or three pitches apart; this technique can encourage a gobbler to come closer, while an array of clucks and purrs repeated rapidly can convince him that a hen is present in the area.
Clucking is a soft sound made by birds that doesn’t carry as much intensity than purring, similar to the sound a rooster makes when crowing his feathers. Clucks can be used to kickstart gobbling cycles or fool a tom into thinking he has found an attractive female nearby.
One call you should become acquainted with is the simple crow or peacock call, which can help wake up turkeys on the roost both spring and fall. These calls can elicit a reactionary gobble from dominant toms and quickly bring them within close range.
Other turkey sounds to keep in mind include kee-kee and tree calls. These soft yelps indicate when turkeys are leaving their roosts and may help fool gobblers into thinking they have found an attractive female turkey. A pleading, lost yelp sometimes referred to as tree yelp has higher notes and more urgency; similar to what might be heard coming from young turkeys that have become disoriented on their journey home from roosts.
Box Call
To create the most realistic experience, it is necessary to vary the sounds you make as much as possible – including clucks, purrs and yelps. Hens use yelping as a form of communication with one another as well as calling in gobblers during mating season; when making this noise yourself try soft yelps instead of short loud ones; turkeys tend to respond better to these more gentle calls.
Purrs can be an incredibly soothing sound that is great for soothing down tom turkeys when they start getting loud and agitated. Purrs also work great as a call when turkeys approach your decoys or setup, pairing with some other sounds like clucking and yelping to create a full sequence.
Box calls can be an excellent tool to learn how to purr, as they produce multiple sounds. A box-shaped paddle slides across its conditioning lines to produce sounds. For yelping or soft yelps use shorter strokes with greater pressure applied; when creating clucking sounds apply more pressure while slowly moving your paddle up and down along the line.
Your options for purchasing a box call include sporting goods stores and online. When searching, look for one made from quality wood with soft-touch coating and featuring periodic wiping to keep it clean; too much chalk could alter its sound quality negatively; when handling this call, gloves should always be worn as otherwise any hand oils could rub off onto it and alter its sound quality.
Once you’ve become comfortable using slate or diaphragm calls, it’s time to expand your arsenal with additional calls. A box call is an easy and realistic option. Also try a push-pin call (a barrel with a pin that you press down with your thumb in order to create sound) for yelping or cutts calls.