Passport to Texas

TPW TV: Turkey Calls Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Making sounds like a hen turkey can mean the difference between bagging a bird this spring and going home empty handed.

06—Now you want the call of a hen turkey to try and attract the Tom, or male turkey, over to your position.

Steve Hall, Executive Director of the International Hunter Education Association, says a box calls can make enticing sounds.

53—One is called the basic cluck [clucks]. Now, a cluck is a call that says: ‘Hi. I’m here.’ And if you put the cluck in a series of calls, it would be a yelp [yelps]. Now a yelp call says: ‘Come over here; I’m having fun.’ Now, a slate call is much the same as a box call and you can make that basic ‘cut’ sound [cut sound]. And, you can also make a purr, which says ‘I’m on my daily rounds.’ Now, I like to use a diaphragm call; it’s a little more complicated
call. But it allows me, if I’m hunting, to move my arms and hands with my bow or my gun. It fits in the top of your mouth, and you can do it quite easily [cackle]. That was a cackle or a yelp. If you hear a ‘put’ though, that’ll scare a bird away – and that’s the alarm call [put call]. Put them all together and you can have fun imitating a flock of turkeys. [07-of turkey calls…fade]

More tips for talking turkey this week on the Texas Parks and Wildlife PBS TV Series. Check local listings.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.