Mouth Calls: Reed All About It

Everyone's mouth and tongue are unique and different. Modern call makers offer a variety of signature reed cuts. Here's what you need to know.

• Latex or prophylactic reeds are stretched on a metal or plastic frame and then taped to make a mouth call. Some diaphragms include both types of reed materials, in layers.
• Pitch is the degree of tone, high or low, and is controlled by the rate of the vibrations.
• Thinner reeds require less air to run. As a result, the pitch is higher. Thicker reeds demand more calling air. The tone is lower and deeper. 
• Fewer, thinner reeds offer softer clucks and yelps. Choose calls with more and thicker reeds for louder calling.
• If the top reed's back and side tension are tight, yelp notes will be higher pitched. If there is less reed tension on your diaphragm, your calling will be lower pitched. 

• Good beginner mouth calls have one or two reeds and no cuts. Calling practice will help you with basic yelping fundamentals.
• Diaphragms with multiple reeds and cuts work best for more advanced callers. Raspy cuts also help cover even veteran mistakes.
• Cutters run loud with sharp rasp and cut through wind. Versatile ghost cuts hold sweet, plain yelps and the kee-kees of young fall turkeys. V-cuts, 2 1/2-reed versions, triple-reeds and more will keep you sampling different reed choices.

Call care is crucial to maintaining diaphragm performance. Treat your reeds with care all season — the top one and the reeds stacked under it.

• After use, rinse diaphragms with mouthwash or tap water.
• Dry them carefully with a paper towel.
• Gently insert a flat toothpick tip between the top and reed underneath.
• Let the mouth call sit and air dry for several hours, but out of the sun.
• Remove the toothpick, again with care.
• Put your mouth call inside the original case.
• Refrigerate them until the next hunt.

Try many styles, use them in hunting situations and try to mimic the vocal turkeys, which are the best teachers. 

Offering hands-free calling in hunting situations, mouth calls are perfect finishers when a fired-up gobbler steps into range. Once with fewer, thinner reeds might help you call softer. Running a diaphragm at the same time as a friction call — when turkeys are unseen but vocal — can help you imitate a flock. Stuff your vest with multiple mouth-call options to ensure you're prepared for any hunting situations.