I personally found the "easier" mouth calls more difficult to get the tone I wanted. I only within the last 2 months have reached the point that I feel confident in the woods with a mouth call. Once I could yelp and cluck (kinda) on a double reed I started practicing on some more "advanced" mouth calls. It really helped me. I learned to match my tones by sitting with my pot call and trying to mimic it. I'm most confident with a pot call so I used it as my tone check.
Are some people just not supposed to use a mouth call ? ? I think I am one of them - - - but bet not the first. I blame it on dentures as there is not near the room in the roof of the mouth with dentures in place. Going to try with the topplate out once and see what happens. If that don't work they will end up in the fireplace and chalk it up to a bad investment.
It must of came naturally for me because I can cluck, yelp, cut, and purr with a mouth call. I use a raspy old hen by hunters specialties h.s. strut. Which has gotta be one of the cheapest calls you can get.
When the 7 yo granddaughter did better on a slate call the first time she held it then I could with a mouth call sure made the decision easy.
I've tried and tried and I'm just not consistent with a mouth call. So I've made my slate and glass pots my bread and butter. Have a seasoned person show you the tips of using a slate. You can get really good really quick on a slate. Mouth calls are great...if you can make them work. And I've tried a dozen without consistent results. Use what works...you don't have to be the "cool mouth call guy".
I have a buddy who is a very good caller who has worked with me many times. On my own I start to think I am doing OK and then I listen to him or watch a Youtube video and man do I sound pitiful. I have however called in some birds.....must be the tone deaf ones in a wider population. LOL
Picked up the 3 pack of strikers at BP the other day. Can make a variety of tones and all seem to work and sound good when compared to the DVD. Between those and my box call, going to have to make it work. I usually don't give up on anything I set out to do. At the same time I can recognize when something is not going to work. The mouth calls history.
It's about the cadence of the call, not so much about the tone. Listen to the turkeys around you and on YouTube for the cadence of it.. I'm not the greatest mouth caller, but I can usually call them in. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums