Mouth Call Care

By: Rob Keck

Whether you’re an aspiring competition caller or an avid hunter, it ’s a good bet your turkey vest holds a few latex mouth calls. As call makers have worked to create diaphragms that can deliver a wider range of turkey sounds, multiple reed calls —some with as many as three or four reeds —have become the norm. To get the most life out of these calls, special care should be taken.

Saliva gathers between the layers of latex. When they dry, the reeds tend to stick together, preventing them from functioning independently and reducing the call’s performance.

To prevent this situation when putting a call away — whether for the day or between seasons—first, rinse it with cool water. Second, carefully separate the reeds by inserting two flat toothpicks between the layers. This process both cleans the call and allows air to dry the reeds separately.

Store mouth calls out of direct sunlight, and when possible, place them in a refrigerator to keep them cool. Cases specially designed to hold multiple calls separate from one another are also useful in keeping mouth calls in top shape and ready for use during the hunt and off-season storage.

*Content courtesy of The National Wild Turkey Federation.