Call material confusion.

[VTbowman]

Not really confused but rather not sure whats better and why? Or why there are so many different materials to make "slate" or friction calls.
Can someone kinda spell out what the differences are between the materials used on slate calls.
IE: slate vs. glass vs. crystal vs. aluminium. Etc. etc. etc.
Stikers too. Carbon, woods of different kinds.
Help me understand the benifits and minuses of each.
Is it wise to mix and match calls and striker from a mix of calls?


I am planning on buying a few slate calls soon and just not wanting to buy 2 or 3 different makes and manufacturers call and get the same sounds.
Sort to speak.
Maybe even a suggestion of the 3 friction calls you would have in your arsenal and why.
Thanks.

[redbeard]

The differences are sounds. Each material will produce a different tone, some are high pitched, some are deep and raspy. The non-slate types also tend to fair better in rainy/damp conditions. You can buy one slate call and three different strikers and get three different sounds. I personally like slate over them all but carry a glass call as well. Aluminium and copper are tricky to play and can easily throw out that "wrong" call at the "wrong" time. If you haven't used a friction call much, I'd stay with the slate and glass. One of the easiest and best sounding slates for beginners and pros alike is the Primos Super Slate Heritage Series, it's shape controls the way you can strike the surface and is pretty much fool proof. You can see it here:
http://www.primos.com/product_info.php?products_id=39 it used to be made in cedar and I took many many birds with it. In fact if I could only carry one call and it not be a diaphram, it would be a super slate.
Good luck

[snapper]

[ QUOTE ]
I am planning on buying a few slate calls soon and just not wanting to buy 2 or 3 different makes and manufacturers call and get the same sounds.
Sort to speak.
Maybe even a suggestion of the 3 friction calls you would have in your arsenal and why.
Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have many (slate, glass, alum.)...knowing what I know now...I wouldn't waste any money on the alum. with plastic/carbon strikers. They seem to be too high pitched and too easy too make mistakes with them. I prefer a crystal (glass) with a purple heart striker....but any wooded striker will give good sounds. I mix match many strikers and calls to achive (what I believe) sounds the best. I like a slate when I know the bird is closer...I can seem to control the tone better. Soft purrs and clucks are great on a slate, and will always have a mouth call in for when he's really close.

[Strut10]

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..knowing what I know now...I wouldn't waste any money on the alum. with plastic/carbon strikers. They seem to be too high pitched and too easy too make mistakes with them.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep. Pretty much.............yep. If you wanna use a glass or crystal call, start with a slate first. Slate is so much more forgiving and predictable to run. Just say "no" to plastic and carbon strikers. Yuck!!

[ QUOTE ]
I prefer a crystal (glass) with a purple heart striker....but any wooded striker will give good sounds.

[/ QUOTE ]

Close to the same here, except I'll take slate over any variation of glass. Purpleheart is way cool as a striker dowel.

[ QUOTE ]
I mix match many strikers and calls to achive (what I believe) sounds the best.

[/ QUOTE ]

A friction call can take on a whole new sound just by switching strikers. It can pay off to carry a couple strikers with very different densities.

[ QUOTE ]
I like a slate when I know the bird is closer...I can seem to control the tone better. Soft purrs and clucks are great on a slate, and will always have a mouth call in for when he's really close.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep. What he said........yep....unless I ain't the one doing the shooting. If someone else is pulling the trigger, I'll use the slate the whole way in.

[VTbowman]

So far I assumed correctly.
I knew not to go the alum. or copper route until I got real good with the others.
I plan to buy a slate and glass.
Lets fine tune some of the Q&A.
As far as the stikers.
Can you buy just a stiker or is it pretty much a package deal?
What stikers if so?
What about those with horns on the end?
What wooden stikers should I be looking out for?
(I know purple heart, but what else? Oak, Maple?)
Slate sounds higher or lower then glass?
I think thats it for this round of questions.
Thanks guys!

[VtBowhunter]

To get the different sounds you really only need one call, but then get a bunch of different types of strikers. Saves room in your vest and money in your wallet.

My vest goes something like this:
- 2 box calls
- Freak w/power crystal friction call
- 6 different strikers made of various materials
- pouch with about 4 different mouth calls
- Owl and crow locator calls
- Primos shock Gobbler

That's about it and I usually only use a few per sitting.

[VTbowman]

Si its possible to buy just strikers?

[VtBowhunter]

Yes, Quaker Boy sells strikers in packs of 2 or 3, and they're an assortment of different materials.

[Strut10]

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Si its possible to buy just strikers?

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You should be able to pick up strikers at an outdoor expo. Take your call along and give each one a "test drive" to see which runs best on your own call.

[VtBowhunter]

That's a great idea, Strut. I'll have to do that at the BigE show at the end of next month.

[VermontHunter]

Sheesh....this Turkey prep is getting to darn tireing, I'm pooped from running around the WEB reading up on and looking at calls. LOL..is it all really worth it..??? are these birds really that smart ?? or is me and Shawn in for one wild ride of chasing air around the woods..??? Not to say I'm a dumb person but it seems the learning curve is quite high, and do I as a rookie have the ability of teaching myself to Turkey hunt or am I going to have to rely on luck to bag one of these great birds....I don't mean to sound so negative but my head is starting to hurt from all the choices and info that needs to be absorbed....I'm anxious to give this Turkey hunting a whirl and know or knew where some birds are if they stay put....I just hope I can get Shawn on some birds for all what he has done for me...man this seems way too hard....I'll stop rambling on now...

[Strut_Buster]

My calls are mostly Glass. My personal Favorite is the Wood Witch by HS strut. Sweet and mellow. A good slate call is the Alabama Cackler. Very loud when it needs to be and very sweet and easy to use.

[VtBowhunter]

Vermonthunter, don't get frustrated just yet.....you have the whole season to do that, lol.

This should help you relax.

Growing up, my family never hunted turkeys so I had to teach myself. I started practicing a few months before the season started and on the first day of the season, 1 hour into the hunt, I doubled out on 2 gobblers with 1 shot. Since that day, I've called in birds for a few different guys and killed more of them, too. All this in the past 3 years, so I'm still pretty new to this turkey hunting myself. It seems like a lot to wrap your mind around, but when it come right down to it, you just need to set your mind to doing 1 small thing at a time and you'll be on the birds before you know it.

[VTbowman]

Ahhh quit whinning you Bills fan trader...
I am one hunt more seasoned then you and have just as much, if not less knowledge about hunting them as you.
LOL
Wait I just slammed myself.... D-oh!

Anyways, its not like we need to be pro's out of the blocks.
Lets just try and see what happens. I dont expect anything other then to be out in the woods and maybe we can see a few birds and try callin them in. If we get lucky and hit the right sounds then who knows.
Oh and I do not need you to feel like you owe me any special treatment during turkey season since you hunted deer with me on my property last fall.
Thats what its all about.
Hunters helping out hunters.
I mean dang it. Its hard to hunt over bleached apples and food plots. You needed to go somewhere.
Good thing I was there. Thats all. Now we got a new friendship goin and someone else to hunt with in the spring and fall.
Thats all I need in return.

[VermontHunter]

GOOD NEWS.... ,,,,,Just got back from my sisters in Fairfax (SUN. 1:43pm) I had to install a 2nd. phone line for her. So in the process of going in and out of the house I kept checking the fields and woodlines for Turkey and deer and whala there was a nice flock of Turkeys feeding in the field, so I would say they are still there, now if I can keep them there until spring just maybe we have a chance... I smacked the wife for forgetting the digital camera I asked her to bring, darn woman..