My First Try at Turkey Pot Calls

[Dale Bright]

I decided to try my hand at some Turkey Calls, after reading Jack Mincey's article in Woodturning Design.

The maple call is slate over glass with a cocobolo / spalted hard maple striker. The cherry call is glass over glass with a hard maple striker.

Not being a hunter myself, I am not sure if they sound all that good but I was able to call in some turkey with one.

Dale

[Roger Chandler]

looks good! I am going to have to try my hand at some of those one day!

[Richard Jones]

Good looking calls! Only thing wrong is that I can't see where you signed them...........

Remember, it doesn't have to sound good to you, only to the turkey.......

Rich

[David E Keller]

Those look good! I really like the combo wood on the strikers. Nicely done, sir!

[Jake Helmboldt]

Well, if the turkeys showed up, then either they sound good, or sound so bad they came to tell you. Either way, they work!

I've been wanting to try my hand at those. I ought to look for the article.

[Harvey M. Taylor]

Jake, it is in Feb. 2011 issue # 29 page 68.hth, Max.

[Tim Thiebaut]

These look great Dale, I really like the multi wood strikers. I have a couple of kits I bought a while ago and having gotten to yet, I think this is something I am going to try and get to in the next couple of weeks.

[John Keeton]

Not being a hunter myself, I am not sure if they sound all that good but I was able to call in some turkey with one.

DaleDale, they certainly look nice, particularly the cherry one. But, looks aside, I think you have found the real test of whether you did a good job!

[Jack Mincey]

The calls look great and I bet they sound good to. As John said if they talked the real thing in, they meet the sound requirement.
Jack

[John Hart]

Very nice Dale. I gotta do some of these too. I live in the middle of the most avid turkey hunters on the planet.

[Aaron Wingert]

They look pretty good to me Dale, and I make a lot of them! Getting them to make turkey-ish sounds is not terribly difficult. The fine tuning is where its at though...Getting the notes to roll over properly, cut properly and purr properly can only be done with experience in use of the call, a good ear for calling and of course with a good call that is dimensioned properly. The best test of your calls is to get them in the hands of accomplished turkey callers that know what they should sound like. Turkeys themselves tend to be the worst turkey callers in the world.

For you guys that want to make these I offer two tips. Glue your surfaces in with plumbers Goop. Nothing works better and nearly all custom callmakers use it. Second, don't use conventional finishes such as poly or spray laquer. The elements are hard on them, but bug spray will destroy them in a heartbeat. There are a couple online callmaking forums where you can get all the help you ever wanted.

[John Hart]

Thanks Aaron. Nice information. I would have assumed regular glue and lacquer. Then I would have failed. Then I would have asked, "how come.......?" Then I would have said, "Sheesh" :)

[Russell Eaton]

Looks good from here. I made one for a friend this year for his birthday, he put up his old calls and that is all he uses now. I like the strikers with the different woods as well.

[Lee Chadwick]

Very nice. Jack makes some very nice calls, you learned well from a good guy