Best Friction Turkey Calls

[pickardjw]

Looking for some opinions on everyone's favorite friction/pot calls. Kinda tough to google since most of the results include other types of calls. Woodhaven seems to be popping up on my screen the most though. What's everyone's favorite?

[TheStovePipeKid]

How much do you want to spend?

[pickardjw]

Preferably less than $100.

[brokentrail]

My favorite is the one they answer that day... and while that may sound like I'm being a smartie pants, I'm really not.  Every pot call has a different tone and some days a bird/birds seem to favor some over others, at least from my experience.  The same is true with box and diaphragm calls too.  I carry a couple different pot calls with different surfaces and use them for different things.  I carry a Woodhaven cherry classic crystal as it is more high pitched and louder than some of my other pot calls.  I use it when it is windy, I'm trying to strike birds a long ways off, or if by chance I get one that just likes the tone of that call.  I also carry a Knight and Hale Yella Hammer slate call that I use for softer tones without the sharp bite of crystal.  Those are the two that I carry currently but I have had others. These two just seem to cover what I need a pot call to do, so they are the two I carry, in addition to my box and diaphragm calls.

I am no turkey hunting expert fwiw, so ymmv, but I would think through what you want to use the friction call for.  Is it going to be the only call that you use?  Are you planning to carry more than one pot call?  Some of those answers may shape which call will be best suited to what you want to use it for.

[Russ McDonald]

Also carry different strickers.  I carry 2 custom calls thay I don't know who made them.   Also have a Primos Sonic Mini and about 5 different strikers.

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[WSU]

If I were going to buy a couple calls for my first real attempt at turkey hunting, what should I buy?

[Russ McDonald]

Buy a combo pack.  HS Strut has a great little pack.  It comes with a Little Strut slate call, diaphram call, owl call and crow call.  It was my very first calls.  I still have everthing except the diaphragm call.  That slate  got me my first every bird and started the addiction.

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[TheStovePipeKid]

I've got a Primos freak with a "frictionite" surface that is a really friendly surface for someone starting on a pot call. I bought a glass surface call last year and have really enjoyed the sound. My next purchase will most likely be a custom pot from one of the members on here that make them. If I buy another commercial call I'll be grabbing an aluminium surface.

[brokentrail]

If I were going to buy a couple calls for my first real attempt at turkey hunting, what should I buy?

IMO, both a pot call and a box call are pretty easy to use and get turkey sounds out of and relatively quickly.  I'm still not very good with a diaphragm but I just keep practicing and driving people crazy with it 

[pickardjw]

Can anyone speak to quality differences between something like a $30 call vs a $150? Is there a substantial quality difference? Don't like buying cheap hunting gear that will end up needing replacement.

[JKEEN33]

You don’t need the most expensive, but I do recommend several different calls and strikers. You will accumulate a lot after a few years. You will get birds that will not respond to your favorite go to call, and then go nuts when you change up to your least favorite call. I prefer diaphragm calls. My hands are free and I’m good with them. I do have several box calls, but go to my Lynch world champion first. Lots of pot calls and strikers. 100Road on here makes some beautiful pot calls. I think I have 4 or 5 of them. Practice with all of them.

[The100Road]

I make a ton of pot calls and have had good success. Let me know if you’re interested.

[gaddy]

I got a Primos Power crystal as my first with a Primos box cutter call. A few different strikers and some Primos mini sonic dome mouth calls. The power crystal has been the most productive for me and is pretty inexpensive. Different strykers on the same call or turning your call a different direction can make a big difference.

[packmule]

There is a huge difference between sound quality produced by a custom call vs what you will buy at one of the “marts”. Also you’d be surprised how reasonable some customs are. $40-60 will buy a great custom pot call. A first class custom box call can often be found for less than $100 if you buy used.

[The100Road]

This one is for @pickardjw hope you like it! Can’t wait to hear about the birds it calls in!