Page 35 - Outdoor Oklahoma Magazine Mar-Apr2023

On a hunt in the Oklahoma Panhandle, a significant
flock of hens with one dominant tom, two other mature COURTESY NEAFWA
birds, and a couple jakes strolled by me. The dominant
tom would answer all my calls, but he wasn’t about to
leave those hens. When I switched to the soft flock talk,
the hens slowly turned in my direction and fed right in.
When I shot the tom, the two mature but lesser birds
beat the poop out of the dead dominant bird.

“If you can hear them, it’s impossible
for them not to hear you .”

I’ve spent time listening, and I noted turkeys are very
soft talkers most of the time, especially when content.
This also tells me not to call loudly unless I am locating
toms. Even then, I’ve only felt they were decoy shy a
few times. When I did, I brought in the decoys. I like
crow calls better. Yes, I do walk through the woods
yelping loudly at times, like in windy conditions. But
once he answers, I talk softly every time.

“Listen to flocks wake up and learn
to mimic .”
I’ve spent many hours listening to flocks wake up
and talk at first light. I don’t gobble when they’re in
the tree, so this is only about the hens. My first call
is usually a very soft purr using a small quiet slate.
Shortly thereafter, I make a very soft yelp or two. Then
I shut up. Normally I get a gobble in response if they
are close, and I picture them saying to each other, “I
didn’t know she was there, did you?” They aren’t very
patient, so they may gobble a few more times. But I
stay quiet.
About 10 minutes before normal fly-down time, I repeat but a bit louder, and now
I stretch the yelps into a short series. At fly-down time, I’ve cackled and beat the
ground with a wing or even my hand to mimic fly down. Then, I start my normal call
sequence. I’m very careful of the fly-down cackle because I’ve had them shut up com- JEREMY BOX/READERS' PHOTO SHOWCASE 2018
pletely at that point and stay in the tree much later. (Yeah, maybe it’s just my cackle.)

“Let the bird tell you how much to call .”
When I started turkey hunting (about the same time Moses came off the moun-
tain), the method was to use the box call and yelp three times to let him know where
you are. If he answers, follow that with one more set of three yelps, then shut up and
wait. I did a lot of waiting and not much harvesting. It was frustrating to have him
gobble several times then not respond.
There are times now when I’m calling frequently and other times when I call very
little, depending on what the bird seems to want. If he gobbles only once or twice
but is moving my way, I play hard to get and stay patient. I think cackling to a bird

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