The Best Turkey Calls

Our Top Pick for 2019: Primos Hook-Up Magnetic Box Call
Amazon

The wild turkey is the only type of poultry that’s native to North America. Over 675 million pounds of turkey are eaten during the holiday season, and all year round, and millions of people go on escapades into the wilderness to scoop up a turkey of their own. Despite their appearance and fabled simple-mindedness, turkeys have very sharp senses that can make them a very challenging quarry for novices to hunt; their necks given them a 360-degree panorama of view, and they can hear small sounds from nearly a mile away. To stand the best chance at successfully hunting down your prize turkey, you’ll need to stack the odds in your favor by coaxing it with a high-quality turkey call. The following products have been popularly reviewed as being among the most reliable turkey calls on the hunting market.

Let’s Have a Quick Look of Our Top 4 Picks:

Amazon

The Primos Hook-Up Magnetic box call has been specifically designed for a level of durability that makes it properly suited for defense against harsh environments. The magnetic hinge design is intended to create an optimal level of tension to create a diverse spread of yelps, cuts, and purrs. The call comes with a small piece of chalk, just about the size of a pinky finger from the knuckle to the tip, that can be applied to the contact points.

Customers have testified that the sounds produced by the Hook-Up box call are authentic enough to be indistinguishable from the real thing. In addition to the authenticity of the sound, the aesthetics of the box have received praise for the slick finish. Even if the user doesn’t have a huge amount of experience with turkey calls, the device comes with a set of instructions that any beginner can use to quickly get acclimated to the mechanics of the device without much hassle.

One user testified that they were particularly satisfied by how much the box resonated when they made their calls, as it practically ensured that the sound would easily reach anything in the surrounding area. The customer found that the magnetic lid was strong enough to be consistently reliable, and they suggested that it would be wise for users to roll the lid over the edge of the box in order to ensure that thatch that the sound effect from attaching it on-site can be avoided.

In another testimony, the customer recalled that they had initially felt a little bit of skepticism about whether or not the call could really match its hype, but after getting to try it firsthand, their skepticism was very quickly put to rest. The user had been using many different types of box calls for a number of years, and until trying out the Hook-Up box call, they didn’t believe that it was possible for the convenience to really be enhanced beyond what they had already become intimately familiar with.

The veteran hunter found that the magnets created the perfect angle and an optimal amount of friction to easily eliminate all of the usual guesswork that a user would normally have to go through in order to get familiar with a new call. The user’s final verdict was that the box call could both serve as perfect call for beginners and a worthy addition to the repertoire of seasoned professionals.

Another user testified that they had initially purchased the turkey call for their son, after having to return an earlier call that wasn’t quite able to meet their specifications. The user found that the Hook-Up box call was a perfect device for making all their favorite sounds, and they found that the reason that this was possible was due to the perfect level of pressure.

Before using the Hook-Up box call for the first time, the user had tried (in vain) to draw turkey flocks with a glass and slate. They tried using a diaphragm after the glass and slate had failed them, but unfortunately, the diaphragm wasn’t any better. On the eighth day of their hunt, they discovered that the Hook-Up box call was just exactly what the flock wanted to hear. After just a single call, the hens and the toms came to the user in droves.

Customers should be advised that the product will not function properly if the edges of the box aren’t kept sufficiently dry. The contact points at the lid and the opening of the box should be kept properly chalked at all times in order to keep the call’s tone as clear and loud as it needs to be. The design of the turkey call makes it perfectly suitable for both right-handed and left-handed users alike. The call has been designed for use by customers of all skill levels, from recreational users to the hardcore professionals.

Another customer, also a highly experienced turkey hunter, found that the turkey call was exactly what had been looking for after years of settling for calls that were only just barely satisfactory. The user wasn’t sure about what to expect from the “magnetic hinge”, but like other customers, they eventually fell in love with the lid’s smooth operation and ability to make flawless calls at long range.

Thanks to the strength of the magnet itself, the paddle is kept securely in
place at all times. The paddle itself is removable, which allows the hunter to carry the call around quietly without accidentally giving themselves away. There’s very little need for the user to go out of their way for the purpose of adjustments or tuning, and the call comes with a Gobble Strap included.

The Cass Creek Ergo Call is made to provide the user with the convenience of 5 calls that are each contained in a single device. This turkey call is specially made with override technology and authentically recorded sounds in order to assure that hens and toms around the owner will be completely convinced that hunters using the call are birds of a feather.

The Ergo call features convenient implements meant to make it more ergonomic and transportable for users who will constantly be on the go. The convenient features include a handy belt clip, an external speaker input jack, and the ability to be ergonomically operated with just one hand.

One owner reported that, at the time of their purchase, they actually weren’t allowed to use their device to hunt with during the season. To make up for the fact that their local laws didn’t allow them to use the Ergo call during the hunting season, the owner decided to make use of it for scouting purposes to select their potential future hunting areas.

After briefly using the call for just a small amount of scouting, the reported that they were immediately able to draw in waves of turkeys and hens in the spaces that they could designate as their future sweet spots in the coming hunting season.

Another user reported that they used the call for less than an hour before they were able to bag a turkey to eat for dinner. Like other users before them, the user was just as impressed by the authenticity of the call as they were by the speed at which they were able to track the actual turkeys.

All in all, the reception to the call has been immensely positive. Just about all users are impressed by the sheer volume and convincing tone of the call. Prospective users should aware, however, that certain state regulations may or may not prohibit the use of the call for hunting in their area.

Before committing to the purchase, be certain to ascertain if you can legally use the Ergo call for hunting at your location; if not, then the call has still been proven as particularly effective for scouting out optimal hunting spots where the flocks are most likely to gather.

The Quaker Boy Turkey Thugs Gauntlet Gobble Call is specially-designed to be operable either with a single hand or with two hands. The inner mechanisms of have been optimized so that the tune has a high pitch and exceptionally loud volume.

One veteran hunter who tried the product out testified that this turkey call is their ultimate solution for all of the toms who prove to be just a bit too stubborn for the standard methods of baiting. The hunter started their testimony by specifying their hunting experience made them exceptionally picky about the different turkey calls that they felt comfortable investing in.

The hunter owns over 600 acres of land of undeveloped Northern Alabama property, and while they stated that their land is rich with all kinds of wildlife, they were constantly frustrated at the fact that the turkey hens kept pulling disappearing acts in the early morning before he could get to them.

The hunter started that they had just about resigned to always coming out of the 6-week turkey hunting season empty-handed and frustrated, but after years without any results, the Quaker Boy Turkey Thugs Gauntlet Gobble Call finally gave them the peace of mind that they had been searching for. The turkey call was delivered on opening morning of the hunting season, and after just 10 minutes of calling, they were able to lure the first tom in months into their field.

The hunter was incredibly pleased at their luck, because they stated that it’s generally quite uncommon to get a tom to appear before the hens. Three toms later, the hunter was convinced that they had finally stumbled upon the best hunting solution they’d ever had. Since investing in the Gauntlet Gobble call. the hunter no longer has to see the turkey season as a discouraging stretch of time to wait for deer season to arrive.

Overall, this call is exceptionally useful for locator purposes. Prospective customers may like to know that a portion of every Quaker Boy Turkey Thugs Gauntlet Gobble call is donated to the Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund (ORHF) which is dedicated to the continued support of all injured/incapacitated American military servicemen and their relatives. The ORHF also dedicates a portion of its funds towards the preservation of sports programs of the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

The general consensus among other reviewers is that the Gauntlet Gobble Call is one of the most reliable and convincing turkey calls out there for its overall value. Some customers did state that they might have liked for the volume to be slightly louder, but there were no customers who found the volume so low that it seriously hurt the functionality of the turkey call overall. For the best projection of the call’s gobbles, some customers suggest always using the call with both hands.

The Gobbler Shaker call from Primos Hunting Calls is made from materials that have been rigorously tested to confirm that they’re capable of withstanding exposure to all of the harsh elements that any seasoned turkey hunting expert can expect to come in contact with when they’re out in the unpredictable field.

One of the special features built into this turkey call in particular is a silencer cap that’s been made to eliminate all of the untimely sounds that could potentially give away even the most cautious turkey hunters among us. While the silencer cap keeps the voice of the turkey call completely silent until the moment that it’s needed, when the it’s time for the call to gobble, there won’t be a tom or hen around that doesn’t hear it.

The shaker inside of the call has been optimized for loudness, and it’s simple enough for even complete beginners to sound it off easily. Depending on the preferences of the user, the turkey call can either be used in a one-handed fashion or in a two-handed fashion. The one-handed operation is what the owners can employ for jake gobbling, while the two-handed operation is what owners can use for adult gobbling.

Customers have widely testified that this gobbler call completely satisfies and possibly even exceeds that standards that the manufacturer has set for it. One owner was so impressed by the quality of the call that they confidently recommended it to people who don’t even regularly go turkey hunting.

One hunter testified that they found the gobbler call to be highly effective on the warier gobblers in the field that would normally take a little bit more persuasion to bring out into the open. The hunter specifically recommended the gobbler call to any hunters who typically favor scheduling their hunts during the later periods of the season.

Another hunter testified that their 3 and 6 years old children had become very good at using the call on their own. The hunter frequently took his children out on the hunt with them, and the gobbler call was so intuitive and effective that their kids could immediately assume and competently fulfill the role of locators.

In another testimony, a hunter stated that they had owned the gobbler call for a number of years before deciding to write a long-overdue review for it. The hunter was sure of the fact that all of their successful hunts over the years had been greatly contributed to by the authenticity of the gobbler call and its reliability in high-pressure hunting areas.

Because the areas the owner made their hunts in had so much pressure, he reported that the gobblers would oftentimes retreat and go silent due to the tension before he could have a proper chance to get a full view of them. It wasn’t uncommon for the hunter to have to wait until mid-morning, after the other hunters had left, just to try making them talkative again.

After using the gobbler call to make clucks, purrs, and yelps, the birds were fired back up and the successful hunts started to roll in successively. The hunter testified that the gobbler call helped his wife catch her very first bird.

Pre-purchase considerations

Calling style

Many of the different turkey call devices that you can choose between will be designed to be used in uniquely different ways. While some turkey calls are meant to be used with the user pressing their lips directly upon it, other calls may be operable simply by pressing a button.

In addition to differences in operating style, different types of turkey calls may serve different tactical purposes as well. While some turkey calls will be meant mainly to agitate turkeys into approaching you, other calls might be better-suited to making turkeys go to sleep or simply revealing their location by responding with a call of their own. Be sure that the intended purpose of the call matches your primary objective on the hunt.

Sound emission mechanics

Turkey calls can be differentiated even down to ways that the sound within them is emitted. Some calls function via the swift collision of two small pieces within the device, some calls operate by lightly pressuring a narrower piece of wood or plastic against a broader piece, and other calls make sound simply by rattling. The mechanics of the sound emission will directly play into its functionality in the field, so knowing this in advance is valuable.

Water resistance

The environments that turkey hunter has to trek through can get treacherous very quickly, and there’s no telling when the elements might make the turkey call get wet. Depending on where it is that you intend to do the bulk of your turkey calling, you may or may not find that it’s in your best interest to invest in a turkey caller that has been designed with some level of water resistance.

Even if you don’t think that you’ll have any need for the water resistance precaution, you just might wind up finding that it helps you out when you expect it the least.

Tonal Pitch

One of the biggest definitive differences between different models will be the specific pitch that their calls are made in. Different pitches will adhere to uniquely different kinds of turkeys, from their gender, to their age, to even their mood. Some turkey hunters have found that higher pitched calls might be more effective for cutting through the noise created by heavy wind on blustery days.

Maintenance

Depending on the call that you decide on, you may or may not need to invest a certain amount of time into maintaining it so that it constantly operates at the optimum level. Turkey calls that emit sound with two pieces striking together, for example, may need to have the striking site periodically chalked up into order to maintain the clarity of the sound. Knowing the maintenance requirements will give you enough insight to buy whatever it is that you need to keep the call dependable when you need it the most.

Conclusion (Wrapping it up)

Turkey hunting a hobby to some and a livelihood to others, but no matter what it is to you, it’s an art. The best hunters are those who have managed to get the art of hunting down to a science, and successful science is all about optimizing the right variables; in this context, the authenticity of the turkey call is the most vital variable of all. When shopping for turkey calls, be sure to size it up for its sound emission mechanics, maintenance needs, durability against the elements, tonal pitch, and calling style. Chances are that you may even find that you need more than one turkey call for multiple jobs.