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John's Journal... Entry 141, Day 4

MASTERING TURKEY TALK WITH WILBUR PRIMOS

The Cackle

EDITOR'S NOTE: Turkey hunters understand the basic language of turkeys, but perhaps not the subtleties of that language. Often the subtle variations in the volume, rhythm and pitch of a turkey's call mean just as much as the kind of call it is. Sometimes these variations may mean even more. The most skillful turkey hunters -- the masters of the sport -- know how to add these subtleties to their calling. This week, avid deer and turkey hunter, Wilbur Primos of Jackson, Mississippi, the founder of Primos Game Calls, will share some of his secrets to use turkey talk effectively to attract even the most stubborn birds.

The cackle is mistakenly labeled the "fly-down cackle." Hen turkeys do use this call when they fly off the roost, but they also cackle when flying across a creek, when jumping from one small depression in the ground to another or when expressing excitement for any other reason. Turkeys don't have any concrete rules as to when they give a call. Sometimes they give one just because they want to do it.

Cackling is simply excited yelping. A hen turkey shows the degree of her excitement by how she gives her yelps. The cackle most hunters call the fly-down cackle, which a hen gives as she flies off the limb and hits the ground, is just her expression of joy at meeting the new day. She's been awake about an hour, and finally there's enough light for her to fly down and begin to eat, socialize and mate. So naturally she's excited when she gets to jump out of that tree. To express her excitement, she cackles. Another reason a hen cackles is that she knows mating time has arrived and she's excited about finding her gobbler. Actually, a hen will cackle almost anytime she gets excited about anything. When you hear a cackle in the woods, you know that somewhere out there something exciting and intense is happening.

I believe the most-effective time to use the cackle is when a gobbler is in the air. When I go to a gobbler in the morning, I'll establish my presence by giving a few soft yelps and beating a hen wing in the air. Then I'll beat the wing against trees and leaves so he knows I'm on the ground, and I'll listen for that gobbler to fly down. When I hear him start to fly, I'll give a loud, strong cackle, as if to say, "I'm excited to hear you coming and can't wait for you to get here." By cackling when I hear the tom fly down, I establish a strong bond with him. I've discovered that by using this tactic I'll bag more turkeys in the first five minutes of hunting than I will at any other time. The cackle is so strong a gobbler can't resist coming to it. I've actually seen gobblers start to fly down, turn in mid-air when I've cackled and land right in front of me. So I think the most effective time to cackle is when you hear the gobblers leave the trees and they're still in the air.

TOMORROW: CUTTING, THE WAVY CALL AND THE PURR

 

 

Check back each day this week for more about the Mastering Turkey Talk With Wilbur Primos...

Day 1 - The Tree Call, The Hen-Turkey-Wing Call and The Lost Call
Day 2 - The Yelp, The Cluck and The Putt
Day 3 - The Kee-Kee Run, The Gobble and Drumming
Day 4 - The Cackle
Day 5 - Cutting, The Wavy Call and The Purr


John's Journal