So you’re going turkey hunting and you’ve decided to go leave your diaphragm behind because you prefer the more authentic sound of a box call. But if you’ve done your research, or worse, you made a call that sounded more like a creaky door than a hen, you know that not all box calls are created equal. So what kind of wood should you use?
Using different woods can produce a wide range of sounds, and the type of box call you make plays a big role in deciding which wood to go with. In this guide we’re going to look at a few different types of wood that do the trick and tell you which woods to leave alone if you don’t want to scare the turkeys off. By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to make your very own box call and be bagging turkeys. Here are some woods worth considering.
Hinge-Lid Box Call:
Lynch Style Box:
A benefit to making a lynch style box call is that you can use a wider variety of woods together to perfect the sound of your turkey call. The rails should be a slightly softer/less dense wood while the base and striker should be a harder wood. Try using poplar or cedar for the rails and maple or cherry for the base and striker. Keep in mind the joints and glue found in Lynch Style box calls can result in weaker construction and dampen the sound, resulting in a softer, less authentic turkey call.
Gibson Style Box:
You might be attracted to the Gibson Style call because of its solid construction and rich sound, and I don’t blame you. It does, however, mean that you’re only going to have a choice of two woods instead of three like with the Lynch Style. Cedar and poplar are some of the best woods to use for the box of the call, and they pair well with maple and cherry for the striker. Play around with the combination of these woods to get the perfect call.
Scratch Box Call:
Scratch boxes can vary wildly in build, but usually consist of a one or two part box and a striker. Because of the different builds, the best woods for the scratch box calls and hinge-lid calls are the opposite, with maple and cherry making for the best boxes and cedar as the striker. Depending on which type of scratch box you make, your call may have a sound board. Cedar or poplar should result in a true-to-life sounding turkey call.
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Regardless of the wood you use, remember to always keep chalk on hand and apply it to the striker, not the box. Every wooden turkey call uses friction to generate sound, so keep it away from water. To learn more or enter to win, reach out to Big Beard Bounty today.
