Wade, I know someone that can’t ever find the meeting place when we meet up with a couple sponsors. I’m not going to name any names…but I’m thinking his better half Cheryl, should get him one for…oh, make up a holiday.
The trick is to contact her without letting HIM know. 
PS He never looks in this forum anyway…so we’re safe.
I was lucky enough to be drawn in Minnesota for zone 246 C. Now for the hard part. learning to call. There are so many different types of calls to choose from. What type of call is the easiest one to learn to use? I think I can rule out a Diaphragm call ( Bad Gag reflex ) I was leaning twards a Friction type of call. Did not realize there were so many type of surfaces ( Aluminum, Glass, Slate, Ect. ) with only about 2 months to get decent at it I need to get started as soon as possible. Was interested in what types and brands of calls that others started out using? the Birds in the area that I’m planning on hunting have not been hunted much if any so that should help me some. Just looking for all the advice and Info. that I can get. Thanks in advance for all of your thoughts and responses.
Welcome to the turkey world 
For a rookie I love my Primos power crystal (slate) easy to use and sounds great 
Dont give up on a mouth call took me 3 days to just have it in my mouth 
i use hs strut calls for the most part they have great sound as well i would say the easiest call to learn is the box call the new water proof ones are great but then you will need something that you can tone it down a bit when the birds get closer not a must but helps alot in my eyes slate calls are good for making purrs witch in my eyes is the best sound help that old tom close the gap needed to close the deal as for your problem with mouth calls try trimming the tape to make the call smaller i have a friend that with every mouth call he owns he has to do that to but for to most part if you can get a call you can yelp with and a call you can make soft purrs with think you will have no problems good luck to you and hope you get to lay the smack down
I love the sound of box calls and they are pretty easy to use. Lynch is my absolute favorite for a box, H.S. Strut for diaphram. Many turkeys have fallen to the cheap push button calls also. That’s all my grandpa ever used. Good Luck!
Personally I think cadence, volume, and using the right call (yelp,purr,ect..) kills a lot more turkeys than a certain type of call. Practice is the key to all these things. Get a call and practice, listen to recordings of real turkeys, grab your call and practice trying to mimic what you hear the them doing.
As for diaphram calls, the little guy just got a set of the Mini’s from Quracker Boy. He’s doing well with them. I run a youth size HS and a few hand stretched customs that I like. I am a little bias on pots, boxes, trumpets, and wingbones.
One thing to keep in mind about the Lynchs is the earlier the better. Find a 102 made in Alabama or even Missisipi and you got yourself a winner, they are 10x the call the newer GA calls are. Of course you could find a great custom longbox for what an original ALA 102 goes for…
CW
hey, buck, congrats on entering the turkey world.
just my opinion, but … i think glass is the most versatile and all-around call. you can make all the turkey sounds you need – loud or soft. and its relatively easy to learn.
one of my first calls was a primos power crystal and it is still the one (actually i have 2) i use the most. you can crank out the volume on yelps and cutts or go soft on clucks and purrs. i always have some type a glass/crystal call (theres a ton of good ones out there) available when a tom is closing in, with a soft purr bringing one the final few steps on many occasions.
that said, i also always have a mouth call at the ready every time i set up. sometimes you just cant risk movement and many times all it takes is a cluck or soft yelp to bring him in.
dont be intimidated by diaphragms. it doesnt take much practice to be able to make a simple cluck that could mean a successful hunt. once you get that down, then work up to yelps and cutts. and i think diaphragms make by far the best cutts, which will strike a gobble and/or get a tom headed in your direction.
all of the top brand names make good diaphragms. i favor MAD and HS strut, especially MAD’s highball and struts raspy old hen.
so … get yourself a couple calls and practice, practice, practice. and like cw said, either buy a tape/cd of turkey sounds or go online. you can listen to all the turkey vocalizations on the nwtf site.
good luck … wont take long and you will be hooked.
Push Pin is probably the easiest to use, but most just take a little practice to get used to. Like most I use a variety of calls.
Don’t worry about sounding perfect either. I have heard some of the nastiest sounds come from real live hens! Thought for sure it was another hunter choking on their diaphragm
The hard part will actually be sifting through all of this great advice! 
In all seriousness, as you’ve probably ascertained by now, much of our own successes in the turkey woods come from varied calls, calling surfaces, styles, experiences, and ultimately…..opinions. It’s important to note then that the opinions formed by one or many of us, may or may not work well for you.
In that light, it’s important to develop your own personal preferences based on a few sound pointers that have already been thrown out there. First and foremost, real turkeys are the true experts. Learn to mimic rhythm/cadence and tone, while paying particular attention to inflection in real hen talk. When and how the notes “break” seems to me the missing piece of the puzzle when trying to put emotion into your calling. Find real turkeys that you won’t be hunting. Call to them and/or sneak to within listening position as early as now, and as late as you can into the season.
Now, learn to effectively mimic these sounds. Find a retailer that has a wide selection of turkey calls available for you to play on. Get some help from a knowledgeable source either in-store or from a friend you bring. There are calls for any budget, and stick to what sounds most like what you hear in the woods. Keep in mind that push-pin style calls, then box calls, then slates, then diaphragm calls, typically in that order, are what are most available and what most first-time callers can play on from easiest to hardest.
Also, remember that calling is only a facet of turkey hunting. Being where that bird already wants to be makes the worst caller into a genius turkey hunter.
Good luck out there. There’s alot of turkey hunters on here with tons of experience. I learn from them all the time. Thanks for using this as a resource, and don’t forget to share the details of your preparation and hunt with us. It makes all of us better hunters!
Joel
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