It’s amazing what variety of turkey calls have been used throughout history. They have included chock & slate, mouth reed, hand reed, turkey wing bone (see “Wing Bone Turkey Call“) and also by simple vocal sounds. Most likely there are others of which I am unaware and I would love to hear from readers who can share about other turkey calls that are not mentioned here.

Recently at one of my demos a gentleman introduced yet another call from a most unexpected source: a coffee stir straw. These straws are very thin, measuring approximately 1/16 inch in diameter and about 7 inches in length. Without any modifications you can place the end of the straw to your tightly closed lips and begin to suck at the tip, similar to the squeaking sounds that you might make to call squirrels or small game. I do give it a small pinch at the tip before I make a call. With a little practice you can make some remarkable sounds with surprising volume. If you like, you can also cut the straw shorter to make a higher pitch sound.

So if you find yourself without a commercial turkey call and need one, stop by a fast-food stand and grab a coffee stir straw and give it a try. Alternatively the straws included with children’s juice boxes work well too. Check out the video to see the technique and hear the sound.