Buyer’s Guide: Best Diaphragm Turkey Calls

There are two ways you can get a turkey, you can go to the store and buy one or you can try and catch one yourself.

If you opt for the latter partially because you like the thrill that comes with hunting, you will need a good diaphragm turkey call.

Now, then one thing you should know about turkey calling is that it’s not so easy.

Even with diaphragm turkey calls to help you catch a turkey, you need to master how to use them correctly and properly. But this should not deter you from your mission. With good practice, you can be an expert turkey caller in no time.

However, this article is not about turkey calling in general, instead, it discusses the best diaphragm turkey calls. After reviewing many diaphragm turkey calls and reading numerous customer review, here is our top pick.

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[wpsm_highlight color=”blue”]Primos Hunting 1214

We picked the Primos cutter call as our top pick because it’s made out of durable that can withstand the harshest environments. Many turkey calls especially diaphragm calls are not effective in windy conditions.

But this call does a great job regardless of the weather conditions. It also easy to use, affordable, and durable. And it has great calls.

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• Made out of durable materials
• Designed to withstand harsh weather conditions
• It is suitable for beginners and expert hunters
• It has three calls, each of which can produce different sounds and pitches

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We’ve tested 5 diaphragm turkey calls and the winner is above!
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Diaphragm Turkey Calls Comparison Chart

5 Best Diaphragm Turkey Calls (as of April, 2024):

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1. Primos Hunting 1214 Diaphragm Turkey Call Review

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• Sonic Dome Triple with BAT Cut
• A-Frame Double with Double Cut
• A-Frame Triple with BAT Cut
• See Thru™ Mouth Call Case
• For the Toughest Situations & Environments
• For All Types of People

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The Primos Hunting 1214 cutter call pack comes with three calls: A-Frame Triple with BAT Cut, A-Frame Double with Double Cut and Sonic Dome Triple with Bat Cut.

The calls feature latex reeds and they are designed to fit any mouth size and to produce consistent quality sound.

The Sonic dome has a sound chamber to help produce clear and loud sounds.

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So if you are looking to make a super loud sound, this is the call to use as the other two don’t have domes.
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Main Features

• Sonic Dome Triple with BAT Cut
• A-Frame Double with Double Cut
• A-Frame Triple with BAT Cut
• See Thru™ Mouth Call Case
• Quality materials used for all primos products
• 100 percent designed and tested for the toughest situations and environments
• Whether you are a professional, recreational user, or even casual, primos will fit the mold for all types of people

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• It can produce several quality bird sounds
• It is easy to use
• They come with a sleek looking carrying case

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• The reeds have a short life span

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Primos 4 pack mouth calls, review:

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2. H.S. Strut Legends 4 Diaphragm Turkey Call Review

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• Power Cutter & Power V
• Deep Cut & the Fang
• Calls Feature 3 or 4 Ultra-Thin Reeds
• Legends 4 DVD Featuring 12 Hunts
• Premium Flex Frame with Infinity Latex

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This H.S. Strut Legends 4 turkey legend comes with 4 calls which include deep cut, power cutter, the fang, and power V.

It’s a great combo pack for hunters who have little to no experience in turkey hunting.

Each call has two or more thin reeds to ensure that the quality of sound is supreme, consistent, and clear.

Each call produces a unique sound and this makes turkey hunting easy especially for newbies.

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Each diaphragm has a flexible frame made out of latex called an infinity latex and a yellow tape that is waterproof. These materials ensure durability, consistency, and comfort.
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The Strut Legends calls are easy to use and the combo pack comes with a DVD that features hunting techniques.

Main Features

• Calls include: power cutter, power V, deep cut & the fang
• Calls feature 3 or 4 Ultra-thin reeds for a variety of Authentic turkey sounds
• Includes legends 4 DVD featuring 12 hunts
• Premium flex frame with Infinity latex for comfort, consistency and durability
• Easiest to blow diaphragms on the market

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• They are easy to use
• They are affordable
• It is a great combo pack for novices
• Each call has more than two reeds for sound quality
• It has a good selection of sounds

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• The design does not work well for all mouth sizes

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3.  Woodhaven WH197 Diaphragm Turkey Call Review

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• Easy kee-kee Runs & Great Hen Sounds
• 2.5 Reed Call with Ghost Cut in Top Reed
• Premium Tape
• Adhesive Lined Locking Frame
• Set by Hand

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The Woodhaven WH197 diaphragm call is small in size and only weighs about 0.60 ounces.

It has three 2.5 reeds that are ghost cut for sound and pitch quality.

The call produces several sounds including a variation of purrs and yelps.

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You can also produce good quality gobble and kee kee sounds using this call.
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Main Features

• Easy kee-kee runs and great hen sounds from a mouth call
• 2.5 reed call with ghost cut in top reed for easier kee-kee sound
• Made with premium tape and an adhesive lined locking frame
• Set by hand

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• It produces good quality sounds
• It is easy to use
• It is affordable

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• It’s not durable
• If you have a small mouth, you might fight difficult to create sounds

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4. Woodhaven WH075 Review

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• 3-reed “V” or “Vyper” Cut
• Yellow Latex as Top Reed
• Black Latex as 2 Bottom Reeds
• Super-Raspy Yelps
• For Yelping, Cutting, Cackles & Cluck ‘n Purrs

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The Woodhaven WH075 Scott Ellis Energy Signature call has a 3 reed vyper cut and it produces clear clucks and raspy yelps.

You can also go from soft to very loud with ease.

Although you need some practice to use this call, very little time and effort is needed to master it.

Main Features

• 3-reed “V” or “Vyper” cut – yellow latex as top reed, black latex as 2 bottom reeds
• High-strung and full of life, with a sharp bite to it with super-raspy yelps
• Good overall for yelping, cutting, cackles, and cluck ‘n purrs

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• It produces great quality raspy yelps
• It is versatile
• It produces clear sounds
• You can adjust the volume from high to low and vice versa effortlessly

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• With this call, some practice is needed particularly if you have never used a turkey mouth call before

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WoodHaven’s “New Energy” Scott Ellis Signature Series Mouth Call:

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5. H.S. Strut Premium Review

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• Deuce Cutter & Sickle Cutter
• Smokin’ gun & Li’l Strut
• Each Call Features Either 2 or 3 Ultra-Thin Reeds
• Green Reed Accents
• Premium Flex Frame with Infinity Latex
• No Break-in Period Required

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The H.S Strut Premium Turkey combo pack comes with 4 calls.

The smokin’ gun, sickle cutter, li’l strut, and deuce cutter.

Each call has more two or three thin reeds and it also features a latex frame for consistency and comfort.

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It is small in size and weighs about 1.2 ounces making it super easy to carry around.
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This call is great for novices because you can manipulate the sound easily. Also, compared to many other turkey diaphragm calls, it is cheaper.

Main Features

• 4-pack includes: deuce cutter, sickle cutter, smokin’ gun & li’l strut
• Each call features either 2 or 3 Ultra-thin reeds
• Green reed accents
• Premium flex frame with Infinity latex for comfort, consistency and durability
• Easiest to blow diaphragms on the market
• Requires less air pressure and less effort for sound
• No break-in period required

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• It produces great quality sounds
• It is easy to use
• You can manipulate sounds without difficulty
• It’s great for both expert and novice hunters

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• Some practice is required in order to produce clear, consistent, and quality sounds

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Buyer’s Guide

If you plan to get into turkey hunting, it helps to know something about turkey calls and turkey calling.

There is a huge selection of turkey calls in the market and each brand call claims that their calls are better for one reason or the other. But the proof is in the pudding.

Not all turkey calls do what they claim to do, which is why you need to do your due diligence before buying one. It not always about the reputation of a brand. It pretty much boils down to the design and materials of the call.

Diaphragm Turkey Calls

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Diaphragm turkey calls commonly referred to as turkey mouth calls can produce many varying sounds and pitches. One big advantage they have is their ease of use.
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They don’t need extra components like a remote control or batteries to function. Your mouth does all the work. Of course, if you are a beginner, you will need to practice how to produce clear raspy yelps, clucks and other calls.

But you don’t need much practice to learn how to use a turkey diaphragm call properly. And again, there is a good selection of turkey mouth calls in the market to choose from.

If one doesn’t work for you, you can buy another one and this should not be a problem since turkey mouth calls are generally very cheap.

Each call is unique in the way it is designed. The number of reeds is different and also the reeds are cut different. You can find some turkey mouth calls that have more reeds and cuts compared to others.

Reeds with many reeds and cuts are designed this way to produce louder and raspier calls. So they are ideal when hunting during windy conditions.

How to Use a Mouth Call:

What to consider when buying a diaphragm turkey call

As a beginner, it may be hard to figure out what to look for when buying a diaphragm turkey call. Finding a turkey mouth call that can produce varying quality bird sounds is all well and good.

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But bear in mind that to manipulate sounds and produce the sound that you want requires practice.
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Therefore, as a novice, the first thing you should consider when buying a turkey mouth call is ease of use. If you buy a mouth call that you are struggling to use, then it will become useless to you.

Some mouth calls have large frames for people with large mouths and others have small frames for small-mouthed people.

Some have adjustable tapes for custom fits. So as a novice, it is better to buy a mouth call that has an adjustable tape because you can adjust it to fit your mouth.

However, you may find that they are slightly more expensive than those that don’t have adjustable tapes. Having said that, what should you look for when buying a diaphragm turkey call?

Usability

The last thing you want is to buy a diaphragm call that you might find hard to use. These small devices may be cheap, but you don’t want to keep buying one after another until you get one that suits you.

A good turkey mouth call should be easy to use. You shouldn’t have to overwork your lungs to produce quality sounds. You should be able to produce great calls without needing too much air.

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The call size also matters. If you have a small mouth, you need a call that fits comfortably in your mouth.
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Sound quality

With a turkey mouth call, you use your tongue and your breath to create sounds. Each mouth call has a reed, most of which are made of latex for comfort and consistency.

Every mouth call has a different number of reeds and the reeds have different cuts as well.

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The cut and the number of reeds play an important role when it comes to producing different sounds. But what’s most important is knowing how to manipulate the sounds using your mouth.
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Even if you buy the best or the most expensive turkey mouth call, mastering the technique required to produce varying sounds is important.

Naturalism

If you want to catch a turkey using a mouth call, get a call that can produce realistic turkey sounds. All calls are dissimilar in one way or another.

Getting a call that can produce realistic sounds can make your turkey hunting expedition go a lot easier.

But this depends on the number of calls the call has. You are likely to have more success with a call that has more than one or two calls.

Number of reeds

Some expert hunters claim that calls with more reeds are better than those with fewer reeds because they can produce many sounds. This is true, but keep in mind that the more reeds a call has the more difficult it is to produce a sound.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are diaphragm turkey calls easy to use?

This depends on the mouth call. Diaphragm turkey calls that have more than three reeds are harder to use because there are certain techniques you need to learn to produce certain sounds.

Are diaphragm turkey calls durable?

Generally, the durability of a turkey mouth call depends on the quality of the reeds. A call that has more than two reeds is more durable than one that has just two reeds.

How affordable are turkey mouth calls?

Turkey calls are generally not expensive, but they vary in price. Some calls cost more than others but this entirely depends on the type and design of the mouth call. Also, the material the call is made of could be a factor.

Do turkey mouth calls produce quality sounds?

Diaphragm turkey calls produce good quality sounds. However, you need to learn how to produce the sounds. This means learning and practicing a lot.

But not everyone has the time or is willing to learn how to use a turkey mouth call. This is why you can opt for an electronic turkey call which comes with preinstalled sounds that you can play and manipulate with the help of a remote control.

Should I buy a turkey mouth call?

Yes and no. If you are willing to learn how to use a mouth call, then there is no reason not to buy it. However, electronic turkey calls are much easier to use and most beginners including expert hunters prefer them to mouth calls.

Verdict

Your success at catching a turkey depends on the quality and design of your diaphragm turkey call.

So when before you go turkey hunting, make sure you have armed yourself with a call that has more than two calls, multiple reeds and is made out of durable materials.

The Primos cutter call is a cut above the rest because not many callers can survive in harsh weather conditions. But the Primos call can and moreover, you can produce clear quality sounds with this call without difficulty even in tough environments.