The traditional box-style turkey call has been around since at least the turn of the century. It is so easy to use with reasonable proficiency that many dismiss it as a beginner's call. That's a mistake. The box call is an excellent all-around turkey call and works well for all skill levels. It is one of the loudest of turkey calls and its sound also carries well. This makes it an excellent "searching" call on windy days or when you want to reach out some distance. Wooden boxes are vulnerable to moisture. Try carrying a bread-loaf bag and use your box inside it on damp days. Box calls need to be chalked at regular intervals with chalk containing no wax (no blackboard chalk). Occasionally rough-up the lid with medium grit sandpaper but do not sand the lips of the box. An accomplished box caller can not only yelp and cluck but also purr, cut and cackle right along with callers using any other type of call.

At the peak of the turkey breeding season, a dominant gobbler is frequently "henned up" with all the hens he wants. The henned-up gobbler acts much like a call-shy bird, but you need to use different tactics. Dealing with a harem boss can be difficult. If he and the hens do not roost together, a tip off is when he goes in the same direction every morning to meet them. Give up on the roost and set up in the area he goes to instead. Another strategy is trying to call the hens. Usually the hens, not wanting competition, will lead the gobbler away from the calls. However, if the hen flock contains a super-dominant hen, aggressive calling may cause her to come looking for the challenger. The gobbler will be behind this sharp-eyed old hen, so you must be still and well camouflaged. Finally, you can just give up to the real hens early on and hunt this gobbler later in the morning after the hens have left him.

A gobbler will often "tell" you what he wants to hear. Try responding in kind to the turkey. For instance, if he is really roaring, Come back at him just as aggressively. However, if he is less than hot, Subdue your calling in both style and volume. If he continues to play hard to get, you might throw in some aggressive calling like cutting or the fighting purr to crank him up. If that doesn't do it, drop back to very conservative calling. Hens are much the same. To call hens, which is always a good idea in case there is a silent gobbler with them, simply imitate them. If they are calling softly, you do the same using the same calls. If there is a real loud mouth among them, chances are she's a dominant hen. Give her some raucous cutting and cackling to challenge her. The main thing is to try different calls until you find what works.

Turkeys have simple brains and their "language" is, likewise, pretty simple. The "yelp" and the "cluck" are the basic building blocks of most advanced calls. The two-syllable yelp sounds like "kee-awk" and the cluck is a single note sounding like "pock" or "puck." It often helps to mouth these sounds when learning a diaphragm type call. The "lost/assembly call" is a fairly long and rhythmic series of yelps given to assemble the flock or by a lonesome adult turkey. The "kee-kee" is the lost whistle of a young poult. The dreaded "alarm putt" is just a loud cluck, the actual warning is communicated by the alert posture of the turkey making it. "Cutting," which indicates excitement, is a series of loud, sharp clucks with an irregular rhythm. "Cackling" is a short series of rapid yelps given when the turkey flies. The "purr" is a low, quavering call that keeps the flock in touch. However, a loud purr is a threat.

The slate and glass friction calls are perhaps the most highly engineered of modern turkey calls. Evolving from a simple piece of slate cupped in the hand and struck with a resonating peg, the modern versions involve acoustical engineering that rivals a fine musical instrument. For all their sophistication, slate or acrylic glass calls are still easy to use. Start by holding the "pot" (which is also the sound chamber) lightly in one hand. With the other hand, hold the striker like a pencil, again not too tightly. Place the "back edge" of the striker point on the calling surface and tilt it away from you at about 45 degrees. To make a yelp, "draw" a loop or an oval. Cluck with a short, straight, aggressive stroke. To purr, pull the striker slowly across the surface. With practice you will learn exactly the right angle for the striker and how much pressure to apply. The slate/glass call is easy to use both loud and low.