Merriam’s hens don’t have as sharp of a cut as other subspecies of turkey hens. It’s more of a popping or pit sound. Listening to real Merriam’s hen calls helps identify the difference in their calls versus other subspecies. To produce the pit sound, Grossenbacher blows the air through the side of the call and smacks his lips together to get the popping sound. It’s definitely a call that needs practicing before heading out to hunt Merriam’s.
Once you’re able to produce consistent sound with a mouth call, begin working on the variations of calls that wild turkeys make, clucks, cuts and yelps, for example. You want to be able to mimic the sounds a hen makes, which are varied in style and volume. Slight variations in your calling can ma...
