Turkey wing bone call (pics) part 1

[G.R. Weeks]

Turkey Wing Bone Caller

 

#1 Obtain at least one, preferably two turkey wings.  Cut them right where they meet the body, being careful not to break any of the bones in the process.  You will also need a sharp knife, some scissors, waterproof glue, band saw (hack saw will work), and a small pot for boiling wing bones.


 

(Foot note): Never turn down any help that may be offered, during the process (wink)


 

#2 This is the underside of the wing, where the bones that we will be extracting are.  I have plucked the downy under feathers, to show you what they look like, before any cutting takes place.  My thumb is pointing towards the largest of the 3 bones, this will be the end piece, or bell.  The other two bones are running perpendicular to the top one, and end right where my wrist is.  If you look closely, these two bones are connected by the knuckle, which looks like an upside down keyhole in the photo, directly to the right of my wrist.


 

#3 Here I have cut the flesh away from the large “bell” bone. The far end of it ties into the smaller two bones at a cartilage joint, or knuckle. Just follow it down to where they all meet, and begin skinning down to the smaller wing bones.


 

#4 It helped to use the blade as a scraper, to get some of the meat off.


 

#5 Here you can see all three bones have been removed from the flesh and feathers.  Once you get it started, you can work your knife down the back of outside (on the right) and separate the feathers all the way down.  The flesh should just peel away, leaving the three bones, which will make up the call.


 

#6 Here I have cut away any cartilage and tissue that was still connected, and done some preliminary boning of meat from the three wing bones.


 

#7 Here, the bones have been separated from each other.  Simply use a sharp knife, to cut between the joints.

[G.R. Weeks]

#8 Again, I use the knife as a scraper, and get as much flesh off, as possible.


 

#9 Now we move to the band saw, and make some cuts to remove the end pieces.  On the two smaller bones, we want to take off about an inch on each end.  The larger or “bell” bone should be cut as close to the end as possible, but still enough to remove the knuckle.


 

#10 The “bell” end of the larger bone will have a “honeycomb” appearance at one end.  I believe this is some sort of tissue, or bone growth.  We will remove it later in the process.  Now it’s into the kitchen for a hot bath.


 

#11 Place the bones into a sauce pan of boiling water for about 5 to 8 minutes.


 

#12  Once they are good and hot, remove from the water, and allow to cool, until they are warm to the touch.


 

#13 If your wife is not home, mine wasn’t this day, you can clean the marrow out into the sink.  If you have company, it might be a better idea, to take it outside.  Now for the fun part.  Take any bone, put one end in your mouth and blow hard.  Make sure you blow, and don’t suck; you will only make that mistake once.  You should see some real nasty, green/brownish, snot like stuff shoot out the other end of the wing bone.  This is the marrow, and should come out fairly easily. Use a pokey thing, stick, straw; whatever you may have lying around, to get any material out, which did not come out with the air pressure from blowing.

[G.R. Weeks]

 

#14 All bones should now be hollow, with the exception of the “honeycomb” hard tissue at the end of the “bell” bone.


 

#15 Now you have three piece of turkey wing bone, clean, dry, and ready to be put together to make a turkey call.  Depending on where you cut the ends on the saw, they may all fit together at this point, but more than likely, you will need to do some trail fits with minor adjustments, on the band saw.
Once you get all three pieces to fit well together, and like the sound that you are getting, it is time to start the finishing stage.


 

 


#16 Bones are fairly smooth by nature, but they can be cleaned up with a little sand paper and steel wool.  I touch up the joints, where they interlock, as well as the tip, and the bell end.


 

#17  To remove the “honeycomb” I used a Dremmel, with a small sanding drum.  This ground away the stiff fibers, and left a hollow flared end, for the sound to emit from.

[G.R. Weeks]

 

 

#18 The joints where the bones attach to each other will probably need some filler, to make them flush, and secure the pieces together.  I have tried cotton balls jammed into the holes, the soft down feathers from the underside of the turkey, but have decided to go with good old Elmer’s wood glue.  It not only acts as space filler, but as a bonding agent as well.
Simply squeeze enough glue down into the gaps in the joints, so that there are no spaces between the two pieces, where air or sound could escape.  Leave for a couple hours to dry, and you have got yourself a turkey call, made from an actual turkey.


 

#19  Final decoration is up to you.  I wrapped some yarn and a small feather from the bird, with a leather thong.  I believe one could decorate the call with scrimshaw designs if desired, or paint, or leave it in its natural form.

#20  Using the wing bone call is not to difficult.  It really isn’t so much a call, but a small megaphone.  I place the narrow end to the side of my mouth, with my lips pursed, tightly together.  The end of the call does not go into my mouth, but rests tightly up against my lips.  I make small kissing noises, with the side of my lips, where the tip of the call is.  With a little adjustment, I can generally get something, which resembles a yelp of a turkey.  Now I have to admit, that I have never actually called in a turkey with one of these calls, but have read folklore, and historical accounts, that it has been done.  Even if one uses modern technology to get a big old tom turkey to come their way, these home made calls are great conversational pieces, and fun to show your friends and family.

[sleepyhollow]

Let me be the first to say great tutorial, me thinks there will be a few of those made this year with this build along.
I have a wooden yelper that i can get real clear(almost bell like) pretty yelps from, so if i'm lucky enough to shoot a turkey this year or the wings from one of the guys in my club i will definately build one!!!!

[sleepyhollow]

Have also heard that a hens wing bones will produce a better sound, anyone else ever heard this?, if so may have to wait until the fall season for a hen

[JC]

Excellent pictorial and descriptions G.R., thanks!

[B.O.D.]

AWESOME, I have 2 wings, i'm gonna make 2 of them! thank you! Ash          

[adkmountainken]

excellent, excellent job with pic's and details!!! i am not a craftsman by no means but i feel confident i can do this now!!! this post should be moved and kept in the how to after it runs its course here. thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!
 Ken

[Osagetree]

Thanks for posting that. I know it takes some time to orginize, upload and describe whats up.

Great job Thanks again!

[nick_the_tinkerer]

Great Job...Thanks

Now If I can kill a Turkey with my bow then I'll
have the main ingridient.

[SteveD]

great job. Can't wait too try one

[benzy]

GR. great tutorial!!!
thank you.

[adkmountainken]

thought people might want to see this one again. many thanks Greg for such a great build along!!!!

[frankb]

THAT IS FRIGGIN AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

Never got to the Wingbone tonight... Buddy and I ordered a bunch of junk from 3R... gonna get at it first thing tomorrow.

GREAT PICTORIAL!

Thank you.

Frank

[ber643]

Frank I see you found this so I won't e-mail it to you as I said I would.

[frankb]

:D  

Gonna crack the whip on it... first thing in the am.  

Got some really good ideas from these few threads.  

Frank B

[frankb]

G.R. Weeks

"Now for the fun part. Take any bone, put one end in your mouth and blow hard. Make sure you blow, and don’t suck; you will only make that mistake once."

You know... if boiling the turkey bones in plain water... the bones smelled a little like grama's kitchen on the day after Thanksgiving.  Not a lot... but there was a distinct memory that flashed while I caught a whiff coming from the simmer.

However, you are 100% correct... I will never make that mistake again.

Grama's soup never tasted anything like the "glop of funk" I gagged on yesterday. I bet she was up there getting a good laugh, though.  

Thanks again for the post.

Frank B

[ber643]

Frank! What did you not understand about the warning - LOL (m busy here trying to convince folks "Hunters Are People Too" but also that all former Marines are good at following directions - especially written ones - ha-ha. I'd love to have seen your face. I know, you just figgured anything that smelled that good just had to taste good, and couldn't resist it, huh? Dog goned chow-hound!

[Walkingstick]

Great tutorial for the how to section  GR..Great job....Mac~