Getting Started Design Considerations What makes a good hunting box...? The one rule I try to follow when designing and making calls is simply to construct a reliable and consistent box call that produces five authentic turkey sounds and is both sturdy and durable for use in the field. This applies to the size and shape of the calls as well as the finish. The five calls I concern myself with are also the most commonly used in spring hunting: the cluck (and cutt), purr, yelp, and cackle. I don't gobble much as a rule, and kee-kees are made better on a diaphragm, slate, or just whistling. Problems... A few problems associated with using box calls in the field: they are easily broken; they are extremely sensitive to even a tiny amount of moisture; if the sounding surfaces accidentally rub together while the call is in your pocket, vest, or belt pack, it will make noise at the wrong time. Other than being careful, there's no way to solve the first problem. Using some varnish to finish the call will help a little bit, but if it's rainy, or while hunting swampy areas, it's best to leave them home. As for the third problem--it can, to some degree, be solved, and it's not a bad idea to give it some thought before starting on a call. Silencing Devices One approach that hunters and callmakers have used is to secure the lid to the box with a rubber or elastic band, or a velcro strap, and some callmakers include these when they build their calls. This works to a degree, but often it simply increases the tension between the lid and the box so that if the box is jostled in such a way that the sounding surfaces scrape against each other, the call will sound. This can be a problem, particularly if you're trying to get set up on some birds you've located. So, a strap alone is better than nothing, but the best way to keep a box call silent is to keep the sounding surfaces from contacting each other. One way to make the "rubber band" method more effective is to slip a piece of cloth or other material between the lid and the box. Some hunters slip an old brown or dark green/olive drab sock (never red, white, or blue-think safety!!) over the lid. I've even seen box call holsters with a belt loop and a sleeve that slips between the lid and the box, thereby preventing contact. Callmaker Steve Turpin includes a small wood chalk holder with his box calls that is designed to fit in the sound chamber to keep the lid secure and the call quiet. Another method is used by callmaker Tony Reynolds, who uses a cleverly designed rawhide loop that prevents contact between the sounding surfaces while holding the lid tightly against the box to prevent movement. I solved this problem by making a few calls so that the sides flared out just a little wider than the lid so that the lid fits down between them and is secured to the end block with a strap or band, thereby eliminating any possibility of contact between the sounding surfaces. Yes, it looks a little goofy, but it's quiet when I want it to be.