Cuts close up
The basics of finding the right mouth call is found in a series of snips.
The sound, pitch and tone of a diaphragm mouth call changes with a simple stroke of a scissor.
Many different elements affect the sound of a mouth call — three reeds versus two reeds, thin latex versus thick latex, and tension placed on reeds when they are pressed into the frame. However, slices in the reeds and gaps removed at the end of a latex reed affect the call’s turkey sound the most.
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Illustration by Jeff Hughes
The sound, pitch and tone of a diaphragm mouth call changes with a simple stroke of a scissor. |
Common Cuts
Most names for cuts in the top reed of a mouth call come from the shape caused by scissor slices. For example, the split V cut refers to two V-shaped slices offset from the center of the reed. When chunks of latex are removed to make a bat cut, it loosely looks like the outline of a head and wings of a flying bat. Many call makers have their own nicknames for similar-looking cuts.
No matter what the call maker names the design, there are several common cuts that the majority of call makers use:
[1] Bat — Two quarter-circle notches removed, leaving a V-tip shape in the center of the latex.
[2] Combo — One quarter-circle notch removed for one edge of the latex and one slanted slice in the center. Think of it as a half cutter and half split V.
[3] Modified V — Two wide-angled V-shaped cuts in the center of the reed, with small pieces of latex removed.
[4] Cutter — One quarter-circle notch removed from one edge of the latex.
[5] Split V — Two angled V-shaped slices in the center of the stretched reed, but no latex is removed.
[6] Ghost — An upside-down U-shaped section removed from the center of the latex.
Callers and Cuts
When the reeds are cut, the call is raspy. Generally speaking, more latex sliced or removed equals more rasp. For example, a simple split V cut will create a less raspy yelp than a modified V-style call because less latex was removed. The combo cut provides the most rasp due to both the deep notch and slanted slice in the latex.
The location and size of the cuts also are important; offset or deep cuts impact the sound too. Additionally, all call makers slice and dice differently based on their own designs. So, calls that look similar could sound very different.
Cuts in latex also impact the call’s intended function. Typically, the cutter cut creates fast yelps, but the ghost cut will kee-kee easier. How a caller uses the call — meaning how you control tongue pressure and amount of air blown — directly impacts the sound of a call. But every caller is different, and one person may be raspy on a cutter call while someone else calls more clearly using the same call.
Cuts Many Ways
Why all the different styles of cuts? More cuts mean more options. Experiment with various cuts to find a perfect fit, or the specific turkey sounds (yelps, kee-kees, purrs, cutts or cackles) that you want to produce. There’s a pile of styles to choose from — it’s up to you which scissor stroke to select. — J.J. Reich
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Custom Cuts
Cuts in the latex of mouth calls often can be complex. Many call makers offer calls with different patterns and cuts in the latex that go beyond the norm. These designs might also include cutting a bottom reed too. Here are some examples:
[1] Hunter’s Specialties Tech III combines a bat-style cut with a short slit through the center.
[2] Knight & Hale Game Calls’ Peacemaker features a combo-style cut with a small notch on the V-slit side.
[3] Woodhaven Custom Calls’ Copperhead has two straight slits down the center with a small triangle-shaped chunk cut out on the top edge. The design looks like a snake’s tongue.
[4] Zink Calls’ Wicked Lady has the reeds set farther back in the frame than normal. The top reed features a bat-style cut and the bottom reed has a tiny slit on one side. — J.R.