To me, the push-pull call is the one Rodney Dangerfield would have used. They seem to get the least respect of all. This is the one that seems to be considered a "beginner" call to many. Not true. I have hunted with two different high-profile, nationally known turkey hunters who use that call as their first choice with incredible results.

On several occasions, earlier in my hunting career, I used this call as a last-resort call on hung-up gobblers twice one season and twice nearly got trampled they ran in so fast. It played the right music for the gobblers on that day. Now, I use it much more readily and have tons of confidence in it. It is a simple and almost foolproof tool for making yelps and does a decent job on other sounds as well. But often the gobblers just love that push-pull yelp. If you think it's too simplistic for many top hunters, think again. If you're new to the sport, it will surprise you how many hunters tote one around.

The other style I want to mention is the small front shirt pocket-sized wooden box call with a separate striker. You can get a lot of sound from this smallish call, and again, create different music with this style of call. Chalk up the striker and you can either run it over the lip of the box or vice versa; I've seen it worked effectively both ways.

The downside to most all box calls is that since the key components of wood and chalk are used for the sound-producing friction process, wet weather can hamper your efforts. I've known hunters to carry large plastic bags and put the calls in them when calling. Although the sound is muffled in the bag in wet weather, it can still work. Again, it's not the most effective approach. Why not learn to use an air-operated call for these occasions?

Which brings me back to the focal point of turkey call considerations. To be consistently effective under varying terrain and weather situations, early and late season, you need to be versatile in your call selection and calling ability.

You do not need to learn them all. But you do need to have at hand different types that excel in different situations. I strongly suggest you learn to use a mouth call. Even if you don't prefer it for long-distance calling or calling from a stationary place such as a food plot, it can be the only call that will enable you to finish off a gobbler at times. In my opinion, an air-type call, any of them, is needed for wet-weather long-range calling. If you can learn to use the mouth calls, then carry two or three of these small calls in your case.

I believe in diversity in calling sounds and I think at least two friction calls should be in your bag in addition to whatever air calls you carry. A pot and striker and a paddle box make a good team. Or your selections may be an aluminum pot and a slate with a half-dozen different type strikers. A push-pull and a glass pot with a waterproof striker as well as wooden strikers is a good combination.

The final key is to master these calls you've selected. Practice each until it's second nature to produce quality sounds. All experienced hunters have "go-to" calls that are their favored ones when it's crunch time. But they have others on the first team, too. It is far better to be efficient with three or four different calls than fair to middling with a dozen. Play it just right and your hunts will often end with a bang.