# which turkey box call is BEST???



## GoHogging

Can yall please help me with this one....?  last year i bought a Primos and i didin't like the sound, and this year i bought a K&H Wet Willy and i dont like the sound of it either. even the simple "yelp" just doesn't sound natural. Now i'm ready to spend the money...  which one is the best? cost is not important... i am looking for the most natural sounding box call out there.... please advise name of box call and a website where it can be purchased... THX!


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## Nitro

Go to the top of the page and look under the stickied Custom Callmakers thread.

Good Luck!


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## Randy

If you are looking for a production box, I would look at the Woodhaven Real Hen.


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## CallMaker

All of the call makers listed in the "Custom Call makers" sticky make great calls. look around an make your choice. I think you will be happy with whomever you choose.

Ed


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## Carp

If you're buying from a custom callmaker, it helps to be able to play them first to get the one with the sound you're looking for. If you're buying production, I'd go with a Lynch Fool Proof or World Champion.


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## Nitro

Randy said:


> If you are looking for a production box, I would look at the Woodhaven Real Hen.



No you didn't!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Randy

Nitro said:


> No you didn't!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I have to honestly say that I ran a few Real Hen boxes while at the convention this weekend and I did not run a one that sounded bad.  Yes there are some custom boxes that are better and I certainly have not run evey production manufacturer's box.  But I was impressed by the Real Hen Box as a production call.  That being said I do not personally own one.  All my boxes are custom boxes.


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## longbearded1

Gohogging-email sent.


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## Cane_Creek

Hustlin' Hen by Billy White


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## MAPSTRE

The first two boxes that I bought were production calls from Lohmans and Quaker Boy.  I know have 6 custom made boxes that sound far better than production calls.  E-bay is a great place!


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## gblrklr

Carp said:


> If you're buying from a custom callmaker, it helps to be able to play them first to get the one with the sound you're looking for. If you're buying production, I'd go with a Lynch Fool Proof or World Champion.



Great advice, just because they are custom doesn't mean they sound good.  I have run a lot of box calls by a lot of makers, including some in the post at the top of the page, that had no business in the turkey woods.  There are very few makers that I would buy from without running them first.


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## BOB_HARWELL

Being a call maker, I think I can answer your question. There is no best sounding box call, you will hear a lot of them that sound awful. The best sounding call is the one that sounds best to you.
 When someone orders a call from me I like to play 4 or 5 calls over the phone for them to pick the one that they like best. Any call maker should be willing to do this for you. Then there is always the question, can he play the call like I do & get the same sound?

          BOB


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## greenhead84

I would pick up a call from the man that posted above me.  He is a flat call maker!  Great fella and knows some turkey


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## Jody Hawk

*Best Box Call*

GobblingDawg has a little box that they were giving away to the kids as a door prize at the turkey banquet some years ago and it puts em in the dirt every year. I don't know if it's custom or not.


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## Dudley Do-Wrong

BOB_HARWELL said:


> Being a call maker, I think I can answer your question. There is no best sounding box call, you will hear a lot of them that sound awful. The best sounding call is the one that sounds best to you.
> When someone orders a call from me I like to play 4 or 5 calls over the phone for them to pick the one that they like best. Any call maker should be willing to do this for you. Then there is always the question, can he play the call like I do & get the same sound?
> 
> BOB



I'll second Bob on this; in fact, you will see many threads where someone asks what is the best of whatever kind of call and Bob's response is probably the best answer to all of them.


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## gobble157

Randy said:


> If you are looking for a production box, I would look at the Woodhaven Real Hen.



I'm with you on this one Randy. By far the best production box call on the market.


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## Big Country

I bought my son his first call in 2004. It is a little box call made by Chris Hestin of Pine Ridge Game Calls.
 It is my favorite short box now.  I would like to have another one or two, but I cannot find any info on them.


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## TK1

Either Wendell Lancaster or Bob Harwell...both are on this forum


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## Dudley Do-Wrong

TK1 said:


> Either Wendell Lancaster or Bob Harwell...both are on this forum



Wendell's not making calls right now.  How bout everyone saying a prayer for Wendell and his wife tonight.  Without getting into details, it's health related.


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## boparks

I'm probably not the one to answer this question because I've got about 25 stinkin box calls that I bought and don't use. 

(They do look good sitting on the shelf)

One thing I learned is to never buy a call I can't take out of the package to try out first. Even the same brand box can sound differentfrom one to the other. I always look around the store and sneak it out and call. Mostly no one says anything. Must be used to it.  

The only exception to this is a few calls Mr Albert Paul has made for me. I had one of his in my hand at the NWTF in Atlanta a year or two ago that I still regret not buying it. It sounded great running from both sides. 

I used to suggest to a few of the guys starting out to buy a Lynch Foolproof because thats what I used at first along with a HS Strut box.  I had a another Lynch box that sounded okay and one morning while running after a bird in the river swamp on the roost I fell , got it wet, almost cracked my ribs . clogged my gun barrel and optical sight with mud and never heard the bird again. For some reason  the call dried out and sounded even better.  

Some of my boxes sound good at first and then wear down.

I have a Redhead call that I save just for Montana and Texas because it's high pitched and very loud. 

I've mostly bought the less expensive calls and I know there are some pros in this group that use better calls than I do and know more about reccomending higher quality stuff. I do kill em with a lot of cheap stuff though.

Bobby Parks


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## DaddyPaul

As others have stated unless you can play the caller ahead of time it is a crap shoot at best, if you are only looking at production calls it most definitely a crap shoot.


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## howl

http://www.turkeyhuntingsecrets.com has sound files of one of each model being played.

This fella will play the call for you over the phone:
http://www.turkeycallers.com/products/harmful_box/index.htm
Don't overlook his scratchbox.

I listed these because it gets you a useful box without having to pay custom prices.

If you want a long box made specifically for you at a reasonable price, try longbeardcalls.com.  Takes a little practice with his, but the birds are in there.


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## ddawg

I purchased a Helderman Custom Box call off ebay at a good price last year, took a nice Tom my first time out with it.   
There are so many nice box calls to choose from, but you should really be able to find a good one for under $30.00


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## Carp

A good box call plays with ease. You shouldn't have to work at it to get a good sound out of it.


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## celticfisherman

Carp said:


> A good box call plays with ease. You shouldn't have to work at it to get a good sound out of it.



Yep.


I like my new one from Mr. Olin. Short box. Man does it sound good!!! Love it!

I also have a 30+ yr old Lynch Fool Proof that gets lots of use. I love it and it sounds awesome and has taken lots of birds over the years for 2 generations of my family.


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## Gadget

gobble157 said:


> I'm with you on this one Randy. By far the best production box call on the market.






Even though there are some here who are personally biased against Woodhaven, you just can't deny the results that this box call has had in all the friction calling competitions, and even more impressively the open calling contests the last two years, definitely one of the best commercially available box calls on the market............. But like Bob Harwell says, there is no "Best" box call, YOU have to decide which you like and can run the best.


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## howl

Regardless of how much you pay for it, there will still be more to getting the best sound out of it than just opening and closing the lid. Finding the extra turkeys in a long box requires experimentation and practice.


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## gobble157

Gadget said:


> Even though there are some here who are personally biased against Woodhaven, you just can't deny the results that this box call has had in all the friction calling competitions, and even more impressively the open calling contests the last two years, definitely one of the best commercially available box calls on the market............. But like Bob Harwell says, there is no "Best" box call, YOU have to decide which you like and can run the best.



Yup, no doubt. As far as production...best box call. I have an ear for turkeys and this box call surpasses all the production calls out there. I'm not hating on any one company just tell it how it is. I have over 10 different box calls and never though of using woodhaven, but after hearing a buddy call on one a couple years back I almost immediately fell in love. I do have an old 10 year old quaker boy box call that is also my go to call when I want a more crisp yelp. Though I never carry it, it is still a great production call that Chris and Dick signed.


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## nhancedsvt

I personally prefer custom made calls. I have picked up several this year for all around the same cost (about $100 give or take). I have bought a Bob Harwell and Jerry "Dad" White call for myself. If he still has some available, David Mills makes a great call. I picked one up for my dad and it is a great sounding call!


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## bull0ne

BOB_HARWELL said:


> Being a call maker, I think I can answer your question. There is no best sounding box call, you will hear a lot of them that sound awful. The best sounding call is the one that sounds best to you.
> When someone orders a call from me I like to play 4 or 5 calls over the phone for them to pick the one that they like best. Any call maker should be willing to do this for you. Then there is always the question, can he play the call like I do & get the same sound?
> 
> BOB



Very good point.

A custom box is much like a musical instrument. Rarely does one pick up a custom box and be able to make it sing like the call maker who handles them every day.

As with any call you want to be good at running, prepare  yourself to practice with a box call before you're ready to hit the spring woods.


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## oatsj

*best box*

This one the one I made


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## Omega

Although ever bird is different,  I like the sounds of the box David Mills made for me last year! Killed my first bird of the season using it 

Purple Heart lid with cedar box


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