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Predator Alarm |
When a predator is flying over or nearby the
nest, the hen will utter a guttural, segmented call to warn the
poults who will then duck under the hens body. |
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Plain Yelp
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The yelp is a multi-purpose, rhythmic, 3 to
15 note series used to locate other turkeys during the day. The turkey yelp
does follow a certain cadence but if you listen to wild turkeys call, they
often have skips and half-beats in their series of calls and the number of
yelps varies tremendously. Yelping also varies in volume and intensity. Some
series of yelps stay about the same volume throughout while others start
low, rise in volume and then tail off towards the end. Try and vary your
yelping and you'll have much more success calling turkeys.
The yelp is sometimes referred to as the "love call' of
the hen and is the one call every hunter should master. This call is used by
both hens and gobblers. The gobbler yelp is slower and more deep throated
than the hen.
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Plain Hen Yelp
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Excited Hen Yelp
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Gobbler Yelp
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Lost Yelp |
A long series of yelps (10 to 20+) used by
turkeys when they are lost and trying to call other turkeys to them. This
can be used at random in the spring to attract long distance gobblers |
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Tree Yelp |
The tree yelp is a softer, shorter version of
the standard yelp. Turkeys of both sexes tree yelp each morning. This call
lets the other birds know that all is well after they wake up in the morning
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Tree Yelp
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Cluck |
A soft to loud staccato call used to locate
and communicate with other turkeys. It basically is saying "I am here, where
are you?". This call is used by both hens and gobblers. Turkeys cluck all of
the time and it is by far their most used call.
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Cluck
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Cutt |
Cutting is a fast irregular series of clucks
used by lost or lonely hens who are searching for other turkeys. It is an
especially effective call for the hunter in the spring because hens use
cutting to announce to gobblers they are ready to mate. They are usually
loud and aggressive and last anywhere from 5 to 15 seconds in duration.
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Cutting
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Cackle |
This is a call most often used by hens when
flying up or down from their roosts. It is a 5 to 20+ note call that is also
used when flying over clear openings, water ,etc. A cackle is comprised of
fast, irregular clucks and yelps. It is followed up with more subtle clucks
when the turkey hits the ground. This call varies quite a bit and I've
included several samples of flydown cackles.
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Fly Down Cackle
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Fly Down Cackle 2
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Fly Down Cackle 3
- Fly Down
Cackle 4
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Fly Up Cackle
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Purr |
A purr is a soft, fluttering or trilling call
that is used by both hens and gobblers. It has several meanings and is most
commonly thought of as a call used to communicate contentment and relaxation
when the flock is together. It is also used by birds while they are feeding
and in this case it is more of a "spacing" call where the birds purr to tell
the other birds "I'm feeding here, give me some room." This is a very good
call to coax the gobbler in the last few yards. There is often a cluck
before and sometimes after a purr.
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Cluck & Purr
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Aggravated or Fighting Purr |
This is the loud aggressive purr emitted by
gobblers and jakes as they posture to fight for dominance and the right to
breed. Hens will also purr aggressively when they are upset and looking for
a fight.
Get a couple of push-pull turkey calls and give the fighting purrs a try
this spring. Turkeys love a good fight and you'll sometimes be stampeded by
a group running up to get in on the fun. It is also a great call for the
fall since turkeys are very actively fighting and establishing pecking
orders during this season. -
Fighting Purrs
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Gobble |
The gobble is the most wonderful sound that a turkey hunter can hear in the
field.
Toms gobble for two
main reasons - 1) To attract hens and 2) to proclaim their dominance over
subordinate males. They will, however, shock gobble to just about any loud
noise. The typical gobble lasts about 2-3 seconds. Most gobblers can control
the intensity of their gobbling and generally older toms will have much
deeper, full-throated gobbles. But don't let the gobbling fool you. Hens
have been known to gobble and have a try at strutting also.
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Gobbles |
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Spitting and Drumming |
A two note pffffft, duuuuuuuummmmmm
vocalization forced from a gobblers chest. He drums for the same reason he
gobbles---to attract hens. He can drum softly or loudly depending on the
location of the hens. On clear, calm days, drumming can be heard as far away
as 100 yards. Simulating spitting and drumming is a very effective way to
call in turkeys. Since it is such a low-pitched
sound it is very difficult to hear and/or record this sound. Once you've
heard it though, you'll never forget it and I've often located turkeys but
stopping and listening very carefully for the Spit 'n Drum.
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Putt |
The putt is a loud, sharp alarm call used
when a turkey senses danger or when they see something that seems out of
place. Essentially, it is a very loud cluck but with a different meaning.
This is one you don't want to hear since it usually means you've been
spotted and that the turkey is getting out of there in a hurry.
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Alarm Putt
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Kee-Kee |
This is the 3-note whistle made by young
turkeys when they are lost. It's a very good call for the fall to call in
scattered turkeys. I've always found it interesting they call it a kee-kee
when a more appropriate name would be kee-kee-kee.
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Kee - Kee
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Kee-Kee Run |
This is the lost call of the young consisting
of several whistles followed by 2 or three yelps like this
kee-kee-kee-yelp-yelp. Use this in the spring sporadically with your
other yelping. Occasionally, a jake will respond to the call with yelping of
his own.
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Kee - Kee Run
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Owl |
This call to
be a great call to use to locate toms on the roost just before sunup
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Owl |