two tool self bulit turkey calls :) ya can build

[trashwood]

Ya need a 6" Japanese backed fine cut saw. a drill motor....well and some sand paper (we ain't counting that as a tool.  go to woodcrafters and by some 1/8" thick black walnut.  use a square board as a sawing guide and cut these out

1 - 2&1/2x1&3/4"  bottom
2 - 2&1/2x7/8"  long sides
2 - 1&5/8"x7/8" ends
2 - 1&3/4"x15/16" tops pieces so ya get a 5/8" sound hole

just use butt joints and glue the end piece inside the side pieces.  get them square as ya can.  when dry glue the bottom to the sides and end.  at the same time ya can glue the two top pieces on the top so that it leave a 5/8" slot in the middle of the top

i got a piece of slat at the rock shop and cut a 1&3/16"x2".  I found a seam and busted it into thinner pieces.  i took one of the peices to the belt sanders and thinned it to 3/16" thick.  so i got a 1&3/16"x2"x3/16".  now glue it on the top over the sound slot and equal distance from each end getting.......

   

   


   


not near as neat or versital as 4nolz's  but ya have to have few tools.  if ya want to build on ya might check the source that he gave in his excellent build along.

I found that if ya drill a 1/2" hole 2" deep into your stricker and use a 1/4" hickory dowel it gives ya a much better sound.  drill a 1/4" guide hole first in your sticker 2&1/2" deep.  then use tape and mark 2" on your half drill and use the quide hole to drill 2" deep 1/2" hole.  put your dowel in the hole, press it in the 1/4" end of the 1/2" hole.  cut your dowell so an 1" extends out.

[trashwood]

sorry I left out the pic of the botton

 

[trashwood]

so really ya jsut building a non-jointed box with a hole (slot really) in the top.  I made it this size so I could carry it in my pocket.  now really the sound is not bad when compared to our hens in the area.  

rusty

[trashwood]

if ya did want to carry your striker in your pocket ya could make the call with one tool a saw.  ya'd jsut have to make the sticker longer.

rusty

[trashwood]

I found the tone was impovered if I put some sand paper on a board and sand the sides down to 1/16".  since the ends are glued inside ends of the side ya can do this after the box is together.  semms like it gave it a little better volume and a little better pitch.  if ya have a good ear and make a few let me know what wood thickness gave the best sound.  I got a tin ear.  it hasn't bothered the turks any.  they seem to think it sounds fine  

rusty

[MSwickard]

Nice call.

I agree with 4nolz.  

My fathers favorite call is an old Jet Slate....some of the best purrs I've ever heard.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Rusty,


Add a belt clip to the back of the box and you can work it one-handed....

Bow in one hand, striker in the other, turkey music as they come off the roost...life is good.

[trashwood]

good idea Jeff. i hadn't thought of that.  thanks

rusty

[trashwood]

now this call is a no brainer to build (well everthing I build is a no brainer).  ya use the three wing bones in a turkey wing.  the big one that joins to the body adn the two articulated right below that one.  ya leave the smallest b one pretty long.  cut off the two ends,  the next biggest articulated bone ya take the bellow like end and a lenght of about 2&1/2".  the largest single bone is the bell on your call.  cut it off with a good bit of bell (like a tgrumpet bell) for a length of about 2" or 3".  clean the marrow out.  grind the bone network out of your bell.  now fit all three together by grinding or filing the inside and outside to make the fit.  when ya get a good fit, epoxy the 3 bones in place.  ya can sand it nice, decorate it, out a lanyard on it.

to use the call ya getting press it inot your bootm lip with the hole in the wingbone positioned jsut under the air passing into your lip and suck.  when ya start getting a sound, sound like a turkey.      

     

to build it it is easiest to a dremel tool with a various grinding and sanding bits (one tool) and ya need sumpin to saw bone pretty finely (two tools).  ya can just use a cutoff wheel on you dremel tool

[trashwood]

of course to build this one ya got to have shot a turkey....kinda of catche 22 ain't it  

rusty

[trashwood]

no wonder i like spring turk'n so much.  ya go around scratching and sucking.  i been doing that bofore my menory starts   .

if your box don't turn out square, it don't matter.  fiddle box ain't square and it sound pretty good.  just sand off the egdes so it don't grab on stuff.

if you bone to bone fit is not great, don't worry just fill it the cracks with epoxy and bone dust.

rusty

[SteveD]

very nice. Can't wait to get into those woods and call

[trashwood]

OK so we got our 3 wing bones fitted together.  Now degrease the joints with acetone.  mix up some epoxy and mix it with some of bone meal ya saved. now just putty 'em together.

 

 

 

[trashwood]

the wing bone ya suck on    is kinda oval but there is one side flatter than the other sided.  I put the flat side agianst my bottom lip.  seems to work more consistant for me.


 

[trashwood]

I am no expert by a long ways.  I got a tape and listened to 'at turkey caller.  Heck fire I got all confused about what a yap, yelp, perk, a purr was......so i just got my call and went to where turkeys were.  I listened to them and did what they did.  I still don't know a yap from a dust devil but I make da sounds they make  


BUUUTTT the thing ya need to know is it ain't hard at all.  ya can get 'em toms coming and talking to ya.  that in itself is such a hoot.

i can get caught up in chatting with 'em turks and almost forget I'm hunting

get out there and just do it!


rusty

[trashwood]

the turkey is the "charley brown's" bowhunting trophy.  most of us don't have to drive day and night to get to them, they are a real challenge to take with a trad bow.  a nice tom is as good a trad bow trophy as ya can get.

rusty

[trashwood]

oh a recent hunt to south Texas we had Rio Grande turkey every where.  It was season yet but ya could still practice talking 'em up.  now in some states that could be unlawful.  I'm not sure about Texas   .  heck fire I was just have a little talk with 'em.

we were cleaning a pig when 7 or 8 Rio jakes came by.  the two hunters i was with both starting talking to them and getting them turn our way just talking turkey with no calls at all.    how did they do that???

rusty

[kyle]

heck fire rusty, yer handier than a pocket on a shirt.  thanks for sharing!

kyle

[trashwood]

No Kyle not handy much at all.  that is why i pick the no brainer projects  

rusty

[Marvin M.]

Rusty,

With a wing bone call, you said "I put the flat side agianst my bottom lip. seems to work more consistant for me."

Is that the "right" way, or is there a right way.  I've made a couple of them and have learned to make a passable yelp with one, but I use my upper lip.  What I have learned has been trial and error, since I don't know anyone who uses one, or even wants to use one.

Just wondering about technique, since I have heard that you can actually make a gobble with one.  I can yelp and putt reasonably well, at least I got the birds to answer a time or two during deer season and want to get better.

Who is good at this, and is there a video that will teach the technique?

Marvin