10 year old wants to learn to call Turkeys.

[Little Joe]

My granddaughter wants to learn how to hunt and call turkeys. The problem is she lives on the other side of the country from me. I would like to purchase for her an instructional set, on a low gradient appropriate for her age, on how to call. Any recommendations?

Thanks

 

[mike.adams.467]

Start her with a box call. Many quality calls out there; I started and use a Lynch. I suspect there are many Youtube tutorial videos around on how to make the various sounds.

 

[Scoot]

How much do you want to spend on calls? I agree with the above in a box call. You could also get her a slate call and a diagram call, depending on how much you want to spend (diaghram calls are cheap). Get her started on YouTube searching for calling info and she can spend a ton of time watching, listening, and learning. Good luck!

 

[sambo3006]

Push button calls are also very easy to use and more easily make putts and purrs than a box call.

 

[180ls1]

Is there a NWTF chapter in her area?

Some of the members surely have calls sitting around (free) and would LOVE to help out a youngster.

I mentored a couple kids on their first bird this year and we do monthly educational meetings + youth shooting day and all sorts of stuff.

 

[huntineveryday]

My 10 year old started working on his mouth call this spring. He picked it up a lot faster than my oldest did at that age. Just a basic double reed call and some basic instruction got him going, then we pulled up a lot of videos on YouTube watching hen turkeys call and he kept working trying to mimic them. There are a lot of beginner videos going through calling techniques online. Watch a few and send the best ones to him.

There are some kits that have a combo of calls, all set for beginner level. Below are a couple of examples:

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

You could probably reach out to a customer call builder and put together a set for beginners with better quality calls if you wanted.

 

[Little Joe]

Thank you all for your responses and time you took in responding. Very helpful.

There is a lot of stuff on You Tube. A lot of people giving advice and using calls. I was kind of looking for something more structured. A lesson by lesson type of thing. Then I can turn her loose watching and mimicking hens calling on You Tube. I didn’t think about a local NWTF chapter. I like that idea.

Good recommendations on calls. As far as cost I am not worried about it. I want something that is going to be easy for her to use that is not going to frustrate her. Her being successful making sounds on the call is the most important thing when starting out. She is a kid so she has to have some interest in the type of call. If she doesn’t like the call type she will be less likely to practice with it. Probably going to be a little bit of a trade off there.

I never saw those beginner kits before on Amazon. I think they are a great idea. Thanks for the links. I will inquire about higher quality calls for ease of use. May buy them separately. What she doesn’t like I will use.

 

[Rich M]

Box call is fun.

 

[Davyalabama]

Lot's of good information from others ----- Do you know how to call? You could use Zoom meetings with her, that would make it even more enjoyable.

 

[insanelupus]

Get a GOOD push button call. What do I mean by GOOD, one you get to try out and listen to first. Then find an instructional video on turkey sounds her parents will play for her to practice. Once she's had some practice, do a video call with her on occasion and re-emphasize when you have in person visits. Ask her to do a yelp, cut, sound, etc., then coach her. Speed up, slow down, softer, etc. Bonus time on video with you and she gets to learn how to make calls at her own pace.

 

[dtrkyman]

Search for Mike Batty(Battey). He has real high quality recordings of wild turkeys, learn from the real thing!

Spittin feathers maybe?

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[Marble]

Is there a NWTF chapter in her area?

Some of the members surely have calls sitting around (free) and would LOVE to help out a youngster.

I mentored a couple kids on their first bird this year and we do monthly educational meetings + youth shooting day and all sorts of stuff.

The NWTF has a program where they take 12-15 year olds and teach all things turkey hunting. They also take them on a guided hunt on private ranches and get them on their first bird. The OP would need to contact the local chapter and see if it is available.

My chapter started the program in 2011. Others have adopted it as well.

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[brancher147]

Box call, pot call, YouTube. NWTF Jakes Day

 

[Alpine4x4]

I started my 4yr old with a push pin call so he could get the sound down right. I bought him one of those Primos all in one kits for the box call and slate and the box call is garbage, not worth it at all. The slate is good, but being 4 he wants to touch the surface all the time or accidentaly does which isnt good for slates so I got him this slate with the cover and instructions. Its a good sounding call actually and hes been practicing on it along with this 3yr old sister.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N441BLN?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

 

[LongWayAround]

When I was a kid, I got an NWTF slate from Wood Haven that came with a template for how to make various sounds. The template was a plastic cover with little cutouts and drawings for cluck, yelps, purrs, etc.

I used the same call along with a diaphragm to kill birds the last two seasons. I have probably had that old slate for thirty years now...

 

[Boarmaster]

A slate call and striker is pretty much bulletproof proof. Some come with a lanyard with everything needed to run and maintain the call. Nothing to lose. Plenty of instruction can be found on the internet/ You Tube. I would start with one type call. Once proficient then move on to another.

 

[fatlander]

Get her a box and a pot call. They’re the easiest to make turkey sounds on.

When I was a bit younger than her, I wanted to be like my mentors and use a diaphragm. I was too young to figure it out at the time. I’ve since learned to be proficient with a diaphragm. With that said, I learned to call with my natural voice at a young age, and never stopped practicing. I had a buddy tell me last year that he doesn’t know why I even bring calls in the woods. As young as she is, I’d suggest her trying the natural voice route. The vast majority of turkeys I’ve killed over the last 20 years were finished with soft talk from my natural voice that’s incredibly difficult to get out of a diaphragm.


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[gobblinglawyer]

Box call. Then graduate up to a slate. There are a number of good tutorials online showing proper box call usage. I’m self taught by watching Ben Lee and Primos VHS videos but I also started turkey hunting in the mid 1980’s.

Also, I’d say call her every so often and listen in. Bad habits learned in running turkey calls are had to unlearn once muscle memory learns them. Start her with a decent sounding call that you vet first. There’s a lot of junk out there that makes sounds that barely mimic a turkey.

 

[Fred@Exterra]

Kids diaphragm starter pack:

Just kidding, I give my youth hunters a box call. They can usually make a convincing yelp after an hour or so. Kids are better a mimicking sound and cadence than adults.


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