Sitka Spruce and Turkey Calls

Did you know you can use Sitka spruce wood to make turkey calls?

Turkey hunters use turkey calls to attract turkeys to them so they can hunt, shoot and kill them. By imitating the sounds of turkeys, which include gobbles, clucks, purrs and yelps, hunters can be very successful. In general, turkey calls are done with the aid of a wooden device or two designed to imitate turkey sounds.

There are a variety of turkey calls available to simulate different sounds. Friction calls typically involve a round surface where the hunter creates sound by moving a peg across the surface. Push-pull turkey calls usually involve pushing or pulling a button on the end of the call which forces a surface across a peg. Tube calls are kind of like kazoos. They utilize a small barrel filled with latex across half the top. Box calls– which look like boxes– are considered the most versatile call.

Hunters who are serious about turkey calls can tell you specifics about each one they own. They can classify them for different needs, such as “high-pitched, mid-range locator” and “the finisher call.” Just like people respond differently to different sounds from other people, turkeys can be picky about what gets their attention.

Did you know that turkey locator calls are specifically used to find mature males? When they hear that particular sound, they’ll “shock gobble” and give away their location. Hunters love that, as you’d imagine.

Using turkey calls, including ones made from Sitka spruce wood from Alaska Specialty Woods, is kind of like learning to play a musical instrument. Interestingly, though, sometimes it’s when a hunter uses off-tone noises and a particular cadence that turkeys appear. Just like people practice their instruments to get better over time, hunters work on their turkey calls in order to figure out the right feel and rhythm to locate big birds.