Thinking Outside the "Box Call" - by Brad Biddle

Turkey hunting these days are far different than they were years ago when they were first being pursued. Back then turkey calls were few and far between. A box call or snuff can with some latex, or perhaps a turtle shell slate were the calls of choice. These days we still use box calls but we also have a whole other arsenal of turkey talking tools to take to the woods with us.

Even though box calls are very realistic and work best in windy conditions because of the volume they produce, having these other calls at your disposal is a very large benefit in modern day turkey hunting. One of the biggest advantages is being able to sound like different turkeys and having different pitches to fool a gobbler. Some days one call may work better than others because of a certain tone. Other days being able to call loud or soft can make the difference in tagging a bird or not.

I personally like to carry several different calls so that no matter what situation arises I will be prepared. Perhaps it is windy and I need a box call or a high pitch slate to pierce the wind in order to get that sound out to a lonely gobbler. Maybe on another day I have to deal with rain and need a waterproof glass, box, or diaphragm call to be able to stay in the game and not back at camp because my calls quit working due to moisture. Also, having locator calls like a crow, owl, and woodpecker can be very effective at getting that stubborn longbeard to sound off giving away his location. I have even dealt with turkeys that would only gobble at a coyote howl!

The moral of the story is, don't forget the calls that the men who pioneered turkey hunting used, just add your own to it. Practice with different calls and find the ones that work best for you. Pay attention to weather and how it affects each call. Find which call that gobbler you are chasing gobbles best to on a certain day. Don't forget the "box call", just be able to think outside of it.