Pennsylvania Game News - May 2017 - 31

the soundboard several times. Most righthanders will work the paddle with their
right hand, while holding the call in the
palm of their upturned left hand.
The thumb on the hand holding the call
plays a role in many calls made with a box
call, including the cluck, which might take
a bit longer to learn.
In making a cluck, the thumb on the
hand holding the call is brought up so
it touches the edge of the paddle. The
thumb functions as a spring that allows
the paddle some bounce as it's tapped with
the palm or fingers of the opposite hand.
To cutt, repeat this action in a series
and a little faster, paying attention to
inflection.
Hunters often turn to box calls because
they're loud and able to project to reach
turkeys at long distances, but it can be
tough to control the volume to make softer
calls. Your thumb can help here, too.
A box call is loud, in part, because the
sound generated inside it vibrates off the
sideboard. By applying pressure to the
sideboard with your thumb, it dampens
the vibration and makes softer calls.

FIELD READY
Friction calls must be maintained, and
before taking them into the field, you'll
want to be sure they're ready to perform.
The last thing any turkey hunter wants
is to be out there with an excited gobbler
and a call incapable of making turkey
sounds.
Whether using a slate, glass, box or
pot-style call, it's important that you keep
from touching the calling surface. The oil
from your fingers is enough to make your
striker or paddle slip.
It's OK if the edge of your strikerholding hand touches some of the slate
as you anchor it down to scratch out calls,
but you don't want to call from the edge
MAY 2017

you touch.
Striking surfaces also need to be prepared for use.
Most box calls come along with waterbased chalk that is placed on the back of
the paddle to help create friction. Most
slate calls come with roughing pads that
are rubbed over the slate's surface to prepare it for use. A piece of light sandpaper
also can be used for this purpose.
After repeatedly using a slate call, the
tip of your striker eventually will build up
with slate. This also should be cleaned off
with sandpaper or another rough surface -
just don't touch it with your fingers.
If your friction calls are ready to go,
they're ready to bring turkeys into gun
range.

CALLING TURKEYS
Turkeys sometimes get the credit for
being very smart, but it's not that they're
smart - they're woods-wise. From the
time they break out of their eggs in May
and June, they're taught that everything in
the woods is trying to eat them.
They're taught the language, and they
use that along with their very-good eyesight and hearing to get away from danger
at every opportunity.
That's what makes turkey hunting a
real challenge.
But what makes it so exciting and fun
is the calling. By learning how to call,
you're learning how to communicate
with turkeys.
Good turkey hunters aren't just making
noise with their calls, they know exactly
what to say to a turkey. That type of
know-how only comes with time and
experience.
But the experiences you walk away
with when you put in your time calling
turkeys truly are unforgettable, and always
fun in the making.
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Pennsylvania Game News - May 2017

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