Mouth Call Madness

Follow this approach to be making turkey sounds on a diaphragm call in a few hours.

• Start with a two-reed call with no cuts in the top reed
• Reeds should face forward, toward the front of your mouth
• The small bump or tab on one side indicates the bottom side, facing down in your mouth
• Moisten the reeds with saliva and make sure they are separated
• Place the call in your mouth
• Use the center of your tongue to press it against the roof of our mouth
• The call’s curved back end should fit tightly in the natural curve of your mouth

• Don’t “blow,” forcefully “huff” air from your lungs through your throat using your diaphragm
• Keep constant tongue pressure on the call
• Don’t puff your cheeks
• Use your diaphragm to force a slow steady stream of air across the top of your tongue
• Air over the tip of your tongue creates an “s” sound, air over the back creates an “h” sound, try to be somewhere in between
• As you huff, the call’s reeds will vibrate and produce sound
• Try to achieve a clear, high-pitched whistle (don’t try to sound like turkey yet
• Move your tongue around to find the spot on the call that lets you whistle
• Make sure the call is sealed properly against the top of your mouth
• Be patient. Practice huffing  until producing a whistle is second nature

1. Yelp (a two-note call)
   • Note one is the whistle, to achieve the second note, whistle and slowly drop your jaw and/or tongue pressure, this will produce a lower, sometimes raspier note
   • At first the call will sound like a “kee” (whistle) “ock” (second note)
   • Practice breaking the sound into two notes, speed up the process and the yelp will become recognizable
2. Kee-kee run
   • Whistle training will allow you to produce a series of three or four ascending whistle
   • Add a yelp or two on the end of the kee-kees and you’ll sound like a young turkey
3. Cluck
   • Use your diaphragm to huff a quick, forceful blast of air across the reeds
4. Cutting (an excited, uneven series of clucks)
   • Cackling is a more rhythmic series of clucks turkeys often utter when flying
5. Purring (the most difficult to master)
   • Produce a gargling sound in the back of your mouth as you huff air across the call
   • Let you cheeks puff out when making this call
   • If you can’t gargle, purr by fluttering you tongue or lips

Never get frustrated, mouth calling takes a lot of practice and work. Once you’ve mastered the two-reed call, progress to other types of diaphragms. Don’t forget the basics. Good luck!