How to Become a Professional Turkey Caller
Wild turkey hunting is a spring sport that involves using calls to lure a turkey to your sights. Calling turkeys is a challenge that can be improved through listening to live turkeys and practice. Most professional turkey hunters got their start in turkey calling contests. Gradually moving up the turkey calling ranks, these hunters spent numerous years studying and practicing the art of calling turkeys. If you wish to become a professional turkey caller, grab that turkey call and start resembling the sound of the wild turkey.
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Instructions
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Learn the turkey vocabulary. The turkey language consists of several sounds, including yelps, gobbles, clucks, purrs and cackles. Turkey calling contests will have different divisions and sections featuring each sound. Watch and listen to wild turkeys and pay close attention to the rhythm and cadence of each call. Scott Wilhelm, a professional turkey caller from Wisconsin, says there are "lots of ways to learn, but nothing can beat listening to the real thing." If you don't have the ability to listen to live turkeys, the National Wild Turkey Federation website has a page dedicated to turkey sounds (see Resources).
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Practice with different brands and styles of calls. Certain calls will produce better sounding yelps, while others will sound better with clucks and purrs. Calls may also fit your calling style. For example, a Primos diaphragm call might fit your mouth better than a diaphragm from Hunter's Specialties. Spend time experimenting with different brands. If you find one that fits your style, contact the manufacturer about a potential sponsorship.
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Enter local and state calling contests. Starting with small local contests will give you experience with calling in front of a crowd and panel of judges. The contests give you constructive feedback, as well as the opportunity to listen to and learn from other top callers. Wilhelm suggests entering local contests and improving as a caller by working on your weaknesses. "I think you always learn more from your mistakes," he says. "I made a bunch (of mistakes) my first few years, largely because I was impatient." To find calling contests in your area, contact a local chapter of the NWTF or visit the website.
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Enter the Grand National Turkey Calling Contest at the annual NWTF convention. Every year, the NWTF crowns the world champion turkey caller. Making the finals in this competition is a big achievement that can result from years of practice.
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Tips & Warnings
Practice every day and learn the entire turkey vocabulary.
Spend as much time outside listening to real turkeys.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit turkey image by Bobi from Fotolia.com
