I know a few successful turkey hunters who never use a mouth call. They bring their gobblers in with slate calls and have no problem killing them close. But, all of the truly expert turkey hunters I know use a mouth call, at least on occasion. A mouth call, or diaphragm call, allows you to make turkey sounds hands-free (so you can keep them on your gun), and it also allows you to make a diverse array of turkey noises without fumbling through your vest pockets.
The downside is that learning how to use a turkey mouth call can be pretty challenging. It certainly requires more practice to master compared to other turkey calls. It’s taken me years to become a decent caller with a diaphragm. But along the way, I’ve killed a whole mess of longbeards. Below is a beginner’s guide on how to use a mouth call, along with some tips for effectively hunting with one.
For many turkey hunters the mouth or diaphragm call is the go-to tool for bringing in wary spring gobblers. A properly executed series of yelps clucks, and purrs from a mouth call can convince even the most hesitant tom to abandon caution and strut into range. However, learning to use a diaphragm call takes time and practice. Follow this beginner’s guide to master the fundamentals of blowing air through a mouth call to mimic turkey sounds.
How a Mouth Call Works
A turkey mouth call consists of a U-shaped plastic frame with a latex reed centered inside. The reed vibrates when air passes over it, creating sound. Most mouth calls have multiple reeds to produce different turkey vocalizations. The reeds are secured to the frame with flexible tape that allows the call to fit comfortably in the roof of your mouth.
When you blow air over the reed, it causes the latex to vibrate rapidly and emit sound. You shape the sound by controlling air flow and using your tongue to direct the air over the reed. With practice, you can learn to make realistic yelps, clucks, purrs and more to convince gobblers you are a hen.
Placing the Call in Your Mouth
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Position the call in the roof of your mouth with the reeds facing your lips, The tape should fit snugly
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Ensure the call is right-side up. Most have a tab facing down toward your tongue.
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Angle the call slightly downward with the front end tilted toward your lips,
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Create a seal by pressing the top of your tongue against the tape to prevent air leakage.
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Keep your jaw open and relaxed. Avoid biting down on the call.
Making Basic Turkey Sounds
The Yelp
The yelp is the most common turkey vocalization to start with. Practice making a 2-note yelp:
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Gently blow air over the reed, using your tongue to direct air through the call. This creates the first note.
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Relax your tongue slightly to open the air channel and make the second note.
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Open and close your mouth while yelping to mimic a real hen.
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Start softly, then increase volume once you get the basic notes down.
Clucks & Purrs
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Clucks are short, sharp individual notes made by forcefully blowing air through the call.
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Purrs are rapid, rolling clucks that sound like a cat’s purr. Makes these by quickly fluttering your tongue while blowing.
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Use clucks and purrs when birds are close to avoid sounding unnatural with repetitive yelping.
Cuts
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Cuts are loud, excited yap-like notes made by abruptly stopping then starting airflow.
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Make these attention-grabbing sounds to shock a distant gobbler into responding.
Cackles & Whines
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Cackles are loud, choppy notes made by rapidly opening and closing your jaw while blowing air.
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Whines use wavering, trembling notes to mimic a lost hen.
Helpful Tips for Realistic Calling
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Match the intensity of your calling to the turkey’s attitude. Call aggressively to rile up a fired-up gobbler. Use soft, subtle calls for shy birds.
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Vary the number of notes you use. Hens don’t always make the exact same number of yelps every time.
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Change up calls. Switch from yelping to cutting to clucks to hold a gobbler’s interest.
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Add emotion like excitement, anger, contentment, or panic to portray different scenarios.
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Mimic the cadence and rhythm of real hens learned from videos and in-person encounters.
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Be confident in your calling. Even imperfect sounding calls can still convince turkeys!
Advanced Mouth Call Techniques
With practice, you can learn specialized techniques to increase your vocal repertoire.
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Learn to make gobble sounds, kee-kees, and other turkey noises.
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Manipulate your jaw position to change call tone and pitch.
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Alter the shape of your tongue and mouth to direct airflow in different ways.
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Adjust the pressure of your tongue on the call to change the vibration of the reed.
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Learn to make sounds on both inhales and exhales for more options.
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Mimic the calls of jakes and juvenile hens which can be effective when birds are pressured.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Issue | Solution
Find the Right Call for You
There are two main considerations when considering how to choose the right mouth call: the size of the call and the style of cut.
Some diaphragm calls are a little larger with a wider tape area—the wider flexible material around the frame. If you’ve got a small mouth these won’t fit you well and will feel uncomfortable. You can trim the tape to size with scissors, but it’s better to just find a call that fits you out of the box. Experiment with a few different call sizes until you find one that fits well in the roof of your mouth (more on this below). Some callers like to slightly bend the frame of their call for a better fit.
When you blow air through the call, your tongue naturally forms a channel of air. This channel can be formed down the middle of your mouth, to the left, or to the right. To effectively use a mouth call, you must figure out which kind of air channel you create and then match it to an appropriate cut style. Experiment with this by starting with an uncut call. Put the call in your mouth and make a hissing sound (somewhere between a snake and a cat) as Simpson suggests in his video. Pay attention to where your air channel is created. That will determine the cut style that you need to start with. You want the air channel to pass over the cut area of the call.
Read Next: The Best Turkey Mouth Calls
Make the Front-End Note
Start by making the front note of the yelp by blowing air over the call and channeling it upward with your tongue, like the cat hiss in Simpson’s video. Practice making this note consistently.
How to use a TURKEY Mouth call – THE BASICS –
FAQ
How to use turkey mouth call for beginners?
How do you use a turkey mouth call without gagging?
How do you make a turkey call?
With most calls, you damp down the front part of the reed with your tongue and run air over the back center to get the high note. Then, once you’ve got a good consistent sound, you just drop your jaw for that raspy end-note, elp. Then put them together: yeee-elp, yee-elp, ye-elp, yelp, yelp.” Related: The Best Turkey Calls of 2024
Why do turkeys make mouth calls?
Mouth calls are very simple to store in your pocket or vest. As a result, they are never far away when birds make an unexpected noise. Mouth sounds are perfect for the dense western woodlands where turkey hunters forage because of their natural sound and stealthy appearance.
Do turkey hunters use a mouth call?
But, all of the truly expert turkey hunters I know use a mouth call, at least on occasion. A mouth call, or diaphragm call, allows you to make turkey sounds hands-free (so you can keep them on your gun), and it also allows you to make a diverse array of turkey noises without fumbling through your vest pockets.
Why does a turkey call sound like a saxophone?
Happily, this is pretty simple. Blowing air over reeds of the call, causes them to vibrate which makes sound, similar to the way a saxophone or clarinet works, except the reeds in a turkey call are made of latex, and this all happens inside your mouth. Most turkey calls have two or three reeds.