Mastering the Turkey Trumpet Call: A Complete Guide to Crafting This Unique Instrument

The turkey trumpet call is an essential tool for any serious turkey hunter This ingenious device mimics the sounds of a hen turkey to draw in lovesick gobblers during spring hunting season But mastering the art of making a highly effective turkey trumpet call requires patience, practice, and the right techniques.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know to craft your own custom turkey trumpet call from scratch and have it producing expert-level sounds in no time.

What Is a Turkey Trumpet Call?

A turkey trumpet call is a hollow tube with one end flared out to form a bell Inside the tube is a vibrating reed that produces sound when air is blown across it through a mouthpiece The reed vibrates against the walls of the tube to amplify the sound out through the flared bell.

Turkey calls come in many styles, but the trumpet design is known for achieving an extremely realistic hen turkey vocalization. From yelps and clucks to purrs and cutting, a well-built trumpet call can mimic the full range of turkey talk.

Turkey Trumpet Call Materials

To make your own turkey trumpet, you’ll need:

• Mouthpiece: Plastic or wooden tube for the mouthpiece. A used ballpoint pen shell works perfectly.

• Barrel: Hollow wooden dowel, tube, or other cylindrical object for the main barrel.

• Reed: Thin piece of springy material like brass, aluminum, copper, or bamboo to act as the vibrating reed.

• Adhesives: Epoxy, superglue, or other strong bonding agent.

• Decorations: Paint, thread, stickers, etc. for customizing the look.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps to assemble your own custom turkey trumpet call:

1. Cut the Barrel

Cut your barrel material (dowel, tube, etc.) to the desired length. 5-8 inches is ideal. The longer the barrel, the lower the pitch of the call.

2. Bore the Barrel

Using a drill and incrementally larger drill bits, bore out the interior of the barrel. Allow the bore to taper and widen toward the bell end.

3. Add the Reed

Cut a reed to roughly 2 inches long. Glue or epoxy this reed into the barrel about 1-2 inches from the mouthpiece end.

4. Flare the Bell End

Use sandpaper to taper and flare out the bell end of the barrel. This will help amplify and project the sound.

5. Attach the Mouthpiece

Glue the mouthpiece tube securely to the unfinished end of the barrel. Make sure it lines up with the reed inside.

6. Troubleshoot the Sound

Test blow the call and make adjustments. Sand the reed thinner if needed to achieve clearer turkey sounds.

7. Decorate and Seal

Customize with paint, thread, or other decor. Apply sealant if desired. Let fully dry before use.

Advanced Trumpet Call Construction

Once you’ve gotten the basics down, try stepping up your trumpet call build with these advanced techniques:

• Use a hollow tube like brass or aluminum for the barrel rather than a solid dowel. This further amplifies sound.

• Experiment with two reeds instead of one to produce even more realistic turkey chatter.

• Add a sliding sleeve to the barrel. This allows adjusting the barrel length while calling to hit different pitches.

• Use specialized reed material like purpleheart or bamboo flooring for durability and resonance.

• Incorporate a duck call-style insert to hold the reed to make changing reeds easier.

Troubleshooting Your Homemade Call

It takes trial and error to perfect a hand-crafted turkey trumpet. Here are some common issues and solutions:

Problem: Reed gets stuck and doesn’t vibrate properly.

Fix: Sand the reed thinner and test again.

Problem: Sound is weak, muffled, or airy.

Fix: Open up the bore, thin the reed, or deburr the barrel interior.

Problem: No sound at all.

Fix: Check adhesives around the reed and mouthpiece joints. Make sure air flows through barrel.

Putting Your Custom Call to Work

Once you’ve built and tweaked your homemade turkey trumpet call, it’s time to put it into action! Here are some tips for effective use:

• Practice your yelps, clucks, purrs and other turkey talk before hitting the field.

• Use a slate or box call to locate birds first, then switch to the trumpet to draw them in close.

• Mimic the cadence and rhythm of actual turkey vocalizations. Don’t just blow constantly.

• Adjust volume from loud cutting to soft subtle yelps depending on the bird’s response.

• Be patient! It can take a long time to call in smart old gobblers. Stick with it.

With some practice and patience, your homemade turkey trumpet call will be fooling lusty longbeards into thinking a eager hen is nearby. Follow this guide to craft your own custom caller and you’ll be a turkey-talking expert in no time!