Turkey calling is an important skill for any turkey hunter. Being able to accurately mimic the sounds of a hen turkey can draw in lovesick toms during the spring mating season While you can purchase manufactured turkey calls, making your own at home can be rewarding, save money, and allow you to customize features to your preferences Here are some of the most popular options for DIY turkey callers.
PVC Pipe Turkey Call
One of the easiest turkey calls to make is a simple PVC pipe call. All you need is:
- A section of 1-1.5 inch PVC pipe, about 5-8 inches long
- A piece of latex glove
- Rubber bands
First, cut the PVC to your desired length if needed Next, stretch the latex tight over one end of the pipe and secure it with rubber bands The latex will act as the vibrating membrane to produce sound when you blow into the other end of the pipe.
You can customize the sound by experimenting with different lengths of pipe, or using thicker latex from a dishwashing glove rather than a thin surgical glove. Add chalk powder to the latex to crisp up the sound if needed. This call can easily be carried in a pocket on your turkey vest.
Wing Bone Call
Another simple homemade option is a wing bone call made from the wing bones of a turkey You’ll need
- 3 wing bones from a turkey
- Small rubber bands
- Super glue or epoxy
Clean any remaining meat or tissue from the bones. Arrange them with the longest in the middle and the two shorter bones on each side. Orient them so the curved side faces out on each bone. Wrap rubber bands tightly around each end to hold them snugly together. Then seal the joints with glue.
Blow through the gap between the bones while moving your fingers over the holes. It takes practice, but you can mimic clucks, purrs, and yelps. Customize the sound by using shorter or longer wing bones.
Slate Pot Call
For a more durable and weather-resistant homemade turkey call, you can make a slate pot call. You’ll need:
- A chalkboard slate tile, 6×6 inches or larger
- A “striker” – can use a cut piece of cedar 2×4, copper tubing, or similar
- Eye screw and wing nut (optional)
- Chalk
If desired, install the eye screw into the corner of the slate tile and use the wing nut to create an integrated striker holder. Otherwise just use your hand to hold the striker. Coat the surface of the slate lightly with chalk to reduce friction and amplify the sound.
Mimic turkey sounds by dragging the striker across the slate at different speeds and angles. Replace the chalk regularly as needed. Try different materials for the striker until you find the right sound. This call will last for years with proper care.
Box Call
For the more advanced DIY turkey caller, a homemade box call is the ultimate project. It requires careful woodworking but will result in a quality handcrafted call. You’ll need:
- A plank of cedar, cypress, or other wood, 1×4 inches x 12-18 inches long
- Thin wood for the paddle, <1/4 inch thick
- Hinges and screws
- Chalk
Cut the plank into two equal pieces. These will be the box bottom and lid. Rout, chisel, or sand shallow channels into the inside face of each piece to create the sound chamber. Cut the paddle piece to size and shape. Attach with hinges to the lid piece. Lightly chalk all interior surfaces.
Close the lid against the box bottom and scrape the paddle across the side channels to mimic hen calls. The design allows limitless customization in wood choice, paddle style, etc. Follow a step-by-step guide or box call template for best results on your first attempt.
Customizing and Using Your Call
Once you’ve built your homemade turkey call, the fun begins by testing and customizing it. Every call sounds a little different. Try chalking, sanding, or adjusting tension as needed to alter the tone and realism. Mimic online audio clips of real turkey sounds, or actual turkeys if you can observe them firsthand. With practice, you’ll be sounding like a lovesick hen in no time.
When hunting, don’t overcall. Start with some lightTree yelps and clucks as turkeys fly down in the morning. Use a shaker call intermittently to mimic hen wingbeats. If you get a gobbler responding, focus on soft purrs, clucks and an occasional yelp. Avoid aggressive cutting that might scare off an old tom. With the right homemade turkey call and technique, you’ll have birds racing into shotgun range this spring.
Make a Tube Call Out of an Old Snuff Can
Somewhere along the way, Mr. Harris had changed the way snuff cans were transformed into turkey calls compared to the Quaker Boy method. He inverted the can and punched two thin slices in the lid with a pocket knife, forming a “V” in the center of the lid. He then cut the half-moon hole in the top (previously the bottom) with a knife by first scribing a straight cut-line across the halfway mark of the can bottom.
After cutting around the edge of one half of the can to the ends of the scribe, it leaves a jagged half-moon piece. This is removed by placing one thumb inside the can against the underside of the scribe line, and pushing down on the cut piece with a finger from the other hand. By working half-moon piece back and forth to the inside, it will soon break off, leaving a smooth edge on the outside edge where it contacts the lip.
When Duct Tape started being produced with camo patterns, I began covering my cans with it. I also spray-painted the lid (now the bottom of the call) with a flat, grainy, brown spray paint from Walmart. It looks like dirt and totally eliminates glare. When applying the tape, start just below the top lip at the latex end to leave room for the O-ring that holds the latex in place. Trim the excess tape off the bottom with knife or scissors.
To really boost the sound volume, cut the camo tape around the can at the edge of the lid with a razor blade or sharp knife, making the lid removable. Taking the lid off will give the call maximum volume, and it is really loud! For finer adjustments, remove the lid and press the “V” inward to be louder and nearer to closing it for softer tones, and place it back on the call. Low tech at its best! On my calls, I also changed from the “V” cut to a bored ¼” bored hole and I change volume by changing the force of the air going between latex and lip.
Making Tube Calls is A Time Honored Turkey Pastime
My maternal grandmother often reminded me that my first words were, “Do it self!” whenever someone tried to show me how or help me do something. I sadly admit that it carried over to adulthood, sometimes out of necessity, and it probably will not end until I move into a nursing home. From slingshots, small rocket-powered boat (bottle rocket strapped to back), Osage orange bows, atlatls, boomerangs, the list goes on. But I’ll skip ahead and conclude with turkey calls, or more specifically, tube calls, beginning with the original – the half oz. snuff can.
Back in 1973 when I moved from Mobile to Wilcox County in Alabama – known as a turkey hunting heaven – I discovered that my neighbor, Gene Handly, was not only a great turkey hunter, he was also a championship caller – and a practitioner of the snuff can call! He quickly became my mentor. He had picked up the art from William Harris, who owned a country store down the road at Possum Bend. Mr. Harris was well-known for his paintings of turkeys, as well as rustic scenes from “back in the day”, most framed in genuine barn wood.
Making a Turkey Call – Woodturning
FAQ
How do you start calling turkeys?
What is the easiest Turkey call for beginners?
What words to say when using a Turkey mouth call?
How do you make a turkey call?
This friction-based call involves working the paddle (lid) over the sides of the box (trough) to create turkey sounds. Box calls are relatively easy to use and they can run very loudly, which helps with striking far-away toms. Diaphragm (Mouth) Calls: The diaphragm (mouth) call is another excellent option.
How do you make a turkey call from a pill bottle?
Fit the cap over the bottle and stretch the latex square tightly over the hole you just cut, leaving ¼ inch gap on the flat part of the half-circle. Use a rubber band to fix it in place. You now have your very own pill bottle turkey call. To use, hold the cap with the latex to your mouth and blow.
How do you make a turkey wing call?
To build the call you’ll need a turkey wing, epoxy, super glue, saw, and string. To whiten the bones, you’ll need some dish soap and high-powered hydrogen peroxide called 40 Volume Developer. Access the newest seasons of MeatEater, save content, and join in discussions with the Crew and others in the MeatEater community.
What is a turkey call?
Slate Turkey Calls – Another friction call, sometimes called pot calls. These are made from a round disc of slate, ceramic, or glass and paired with a striker of wood, carbon, or aluminum. The hunter scrapes the disc (AKA pot) with the striker at various angles to make different types of sounds.