The 5 Best Turkey Calls for Beginners

Are you new to the sport of turkey hunting and looking for the best turkey call for beginners? If so, then you've found the right place! At first glance, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which turkey call is not only the best but also which one is the easiest to use. When turkey hunting you will be faced with a lot of different scenarios, having a reliable, easy-to-use turkey call to use in each of those situations will go a long way towards making your next hunt a successful one. There are a lot of different types of calls that can be used by hunters of all skill levels, but we are going to focus on the ones that are best for new turkey hunters.

At MidwayUSA, we have several different types of turkey calls for sale. Some of the most popular types are slate calls, box calls, diaphragm calls, and push button calls. We've listed each of them out below and a few reasons why they might be the right for you.

Types of Turkey Calls

  • Slate Calls -

    Slate calls and Pot calls consist of a pot and a striker. The pot is a circle that is often made from wood or plastic and has a flat piece on top that is either slate, glass, or aluminum depending on which type you prefer. The striker is the same size and shape as a pen or pencil, and it can also be made of wood or aluminum. The different materials for the striker and the surface of the call allow for a wide variety of rasp and pitch in your calling.

  • Box Calls -

    Box calls or "long box calls" are another great option for the beginning turkey hunter. This type of friction call requires you to slide the lid of the box across one of the two side pieces. As you slide the lid across the walls, focus on the rhythm and speed to create the sound of the turkey. Even though the box call is one of the best calls for beginners, it is also used a lot by many experienced hunters. It can make very loud calls, which is very helpful on those windy days.

  • Diaphragm Calls -

    Oftentimes referred to as a mouth call, the diaphragm call is generally one of the more difficult calls to master. However, once you have figured it out, it can produce more realistic turkey sounds than any other type of call. One of the other most important benefits of a mouth call is that you can use it without making any movement. This is particularly helpful when you've got turkeys that are very close.

  • Push Button Calls -

    Push/Pull turkey calls are another option that are great for beginners. As you'd expect from the name of the call, all that you need to do to operate it is push or sometimes pull a button or knob on the call. Push button calls work by pushing or pulling a knob back and forth and the friction is what creates the sound. Don't let the simplicity of these calls fool you. With the correct rhythm and speed, you can make just as many turkey sounds with these types of calls as you can any of the others.

Based on feedback from Customers just like you, here are the five best turkey calls for beginners.
1

H.S. Strut Push Button Yelper Turkey Call

The Push Button Yelper from H.S. Strut is the ideal choice for the beginning or the advanced turkey hunter. Made from select walnut, this call is easy to use and offers fingertip control. It creates soft clucks, purrs and yelps. Great call for all skill levels, beginner to seasoned veteran.
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2

H.S. Strut Suzie Snood Slate Pot Turkey Call

The H.S. Strut Suzie Snood Slate Call is a combination of the Famous Suzie Snood pot with a slate striking surface over a glass sounding board. Mined from the Pennsylvania mountains, this small 3” piece of pure slate has a big sound. Coupled with the HS carbon striker it creates high pitched yelping and  cutting to soft relaxed clucks and purrs. Hand assembled and produced in the good old USA, this call is a must have.

Features

  • Pennsylvania Slate
  • Hand Assembled
  • HS Strut Carbon Striker
  • High Pitched

 

What Customers Are Saying

Good Turkey Call

This is a good inexpensive turkey call. Works fine and is well made. Decent sound easy to use. Good value for the money
- Sandy Low Lead, 5/7/2022 Shop Now
3

Woodhaven Scott Ellis Energy Signature Series Diaphragm Turkey Call

Florida State Champion Scott Ellis has built this call for Woodhaven to bring some excitement to their new energy series. This 3.0 reed "V" or Vyper cut is high pitched and has a very sharp bite to it for super raspy yelps and cuts. This call produces the raspy yelps and cuts of an old lady hen and is great for cutting, cackles, and cluck'n purrs! Put some energy into your calling and bring more call shy gobblers into range with the new Scott Ellis Signature Series call from Woodhaven Custom Calls.

What Customers Are Saying

An outstanding call

Easy to run, great tone and sound. Versatile call. I highly recommend it.
- Dave the hunter, 11/23/2022

About Woodhaven

At WoodHaven Custom Calls, we know hunting. All of our deer and turkey calls are designed to help you succeed every time you’re in the woods. We offer the easiest to use, most realistic calls on the market. American-made products, quality craftsmanship, superior customer service and sharing God's creation with family and friends...it's the Woodhaven Way!

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4

Primos Early Bird Box Turkey Call

The Primos Early Bird Box Turkey Call is a double-sided box, creating tones only Purple Heart can offer, that looks and feels as good as it sounds. Purple Heart is one of the most durable and sturdiest woods in the world. Not only is it exotic and rare due to its beautiful color, but is also water resistant. For easy yelps, no extra pressure is needed with its paddle, just drag it over the hardwood box and get combination of thick lows, and sharp high notes every time. This box call, sanded by hand, turns into two different hens, so it's like getting two calls in one.

Features

  • Purple Heart Paddle / Hardwood Box
  • Sanded by Hand
  • Double-sided box hand tuned for two different sounds

About Primos

Primos Hunting is the leader in the design and manufacturing of game calls for elk, deer, turkey, predator and waterfowl. Our commitment in game calls also extends to our blinds, shooting accessories, game cameras, attractants & supplements, clothes and other hunting accessories. You may also know us through our television show Primos’ TRUTH About Hunting, DVD’s and Mastering the Art video series.

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5

Flextone Thunder Cut'N Turkey Call

Features

  • Patent Pending design for mid to long range calling
  • Loud, raspy Yelps & Cutts perfect for locating gobblers
  • Ergonomic mouth piece for loud calling
  • Easier than using diaphragm calls

Tom Wiley continues to be the inspiration for the new and innovative designs in the flextone line of game calls but the benefits of collaborative efforts of this team are what has made flextone technology truly revolutionary. Tom’s newest designs are the Thunder Series of turkey calls and are sure to take the term revolutionary to a whole new level. These hybrid, hand held/diaphragm calls make it simple to make all turkey vocalizations.

 

About Flextone

There are people who talk about getting things done. And then there are people who see opportunity, roll up their sleeves and do it. The Flextone brand developed and improved under the guidance a long line of doers who put performance-driven game calls into the hands (and mouths) of hunters. The first of those doers was Tom Wiley. A cash-strapped hospital employee, Tom wasn’t happy with the game calls he could find or the toll they took on his bank account. So he used his keen understanding of anatomy and a cabinet full of surgical tubing to make his own. This ultimately led to Flextone’s patented Flex-It™ Technology. Flextone’s soft-bodied design mimics an animal's throat tissue surrounded by a rigid vocal box " in this case, a reed assembly. The result is truly lifelike sounds that callers can adjust in pitch, volume and inflection. Other call designers have tried to recreate this structure, but Flextone remains the first. And the best.

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