The best turkey calls are the ones that convince that longbeard to close the distance. Some days, that call might be a diaphragm; others, the trusty box or slate. Sometimes, it helps to throw something they haven’t heard from every other hunter, like a trumpet, natural voice calls, or a snuff box.
I’ve hunted birds that made me open every pocket in my turkey vest before they responded. For that reason, you should carry an array of calls. Even then, there’s no guarantee, but this list should serve as a starting point.
The MeatEater crew has bagged longbeards all the way from Washington to South Florida, so we’ve seen our share of stubborn gobblers. Whether we’re chasing Merriam’s or Easterns, these are the best turkey calls we’ll use this spring.
You’ll notice that most of our choices here are Phelps, and that’s no coincidence. Phelps is part of the MeatEater Family of brands because we believe they make the best damn game calls, hands-down. You can read more about our partnership here.
When it comes to turkey calls, the options seem endless. To be honest, there are plenty of solid options out there that didn’t make this list. As long as you find one that you can run successfully, stick with it. The ones we prefer feature these qualities:
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Realistic Turkey Sounds
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Ease of Use
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Versatility
You might find a turkey that gobbles at a slammed truck door, but those kinds of willing longbeards don’t strut around every corner. More often than not, you need a call that produces crisp, realistic sounds. No two turkeys sound the same, but they definitely don’t sound like a sick dog. Whether you prefer more rasp, clean notes, or a variety of tones and pitches, just make sure it sounds like a turkey.
It takes little movement to put a turkey on edge. Your call should require minimal effort to produce realistic turkey sounds. If not, you might want to consider finding another one. You can run a mouth call hands-free, while boxes, pots, and others require two-handed operation. Consider these factors before you buy one.
The best turkey calls can produce a variety of realistic turkey sounds. The more turkey vocalizations on a single call, the less you’ll have to dig in your vest to find another one.
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