Mastering the Art of Turkey Hunting: How Wood Species Affect Turkey Strikers

Turkey hunting is a cherished tradition for many, requiring skill, patience, and the right equipment. Among the most critical tools in a turkey hunter’s arsenal are game calls and turkey strikers, instruments designed to mimic the sounds of turkeys to attract them closer. However, not all game calls and strikers are created equal; the wood species from which they are crafted plays a significant role in their performance. 

At Cincinnati Dowel & Wood Products, we understand the nuanced requirements of hunting equipment and provide a variety of high-quality wood products perfect for making top-notch game calls and turkey strikers.  

This article delves into how different wood species affect the performance of these essential hunting tools, helping you make an informed decision for your next hunting adventure. 

The Importance of Wood Selection 

The wood used in crafting game calls and turkey strikers influences the range, pitch, and tone of the sounds produced. Different species of wood have unique densities, grains, and resonant qualities, which contribute to the distinct sounds they produce when struck or blown into.  

Selecting the right wood species is essential for achieving the desired call, whether it's the sharp cuts, soft purrs, or resonant gobbles of a turkey. 

Hardwoods: Density and Resonance 

Hardwoods are a popular choice for game calls and turkey strikers due to their dense nature and ability to produce clear, resonant sounds.  

Woods like cherry, walnut, and oak offer a balanced tone, capable of producing a wide range of turkey sounds with clarity and volume. Their density also contributes to durability, ensuring your call withstands the rigors of frequent use in the field. 

Cherry: Known for its fine grain and smooth finish, cherry wood produces a rich, clear tone, making it ideal for mouth calls and pot calls. The wood’s natural beauty also adds an aesthetic appeal to the call, making it a favorite among hunters who appreciate craftsmanship and performance.

Walnut: Walnut is revered for its deep, resonant qualities, producing calls that carry well through the woods. Its density ensures durability, while the dark, attractive grain adds a touch of elegance to your hunting gear.

Oak: Oak is another excellent option, offering a balanced tone perfect for a variety of turkey sounds. Its strength and resilience ensure that your game call or striker holds up to frequent use, providing reliable performance season after season. 

Softwoods: Subtle and Soft Tones 

While hardwoods are praised for their volume and resonance, softwoods like pine and cedar have their place in the turkey hunter’s toolkit, especially for those pursuing subtle, softer calls. 

Pine: Lightweight and softer than most hardwoods, pine is great for producing subtle purrs and clucks. Its lower density allows for a quieter, more nuanced call, perfect for close encounters with wary toms. 

Cedar: Cedar’s unique aromatic qualities are not its only benefit; its soft, mellow tones make it an excellent choice for subtle calls. Additionally, cedar’s natural resistance to weather and insects allows that your call remains in top condition, even in the most challenging hunting environments. 

Exotic Woods: Unique Tones and Aesthetics 

Exotic woods offer unique grain patterns and tonal qualities, providing an additional level of customization for the discerning hunter. 

Cocobolo: A dense, tropical hardwood, cocobolo is renowned for its striking grain patterns and vibrant colors. Its density translates to a powerful, resonant call, capable of reaching distant turkeys. 

Zebrawood: Known for its bold, striped grain, zebrawood not only adds a striking visual element to your hunting gear but also provides a bright, clear tone perfect for cutting through dense woods. 

Rosewood: Valued for its rich colors and fine grain, rosewood offers a warm, resonant tone, making sure that your calls are heard clearly, even in challenging acoustics. 

Achieving the Perfect Strike: Turkey Strikers 

Turkey strikers, used in conjunction with pot calls, are just as critical in producing the perfect turkey call. The wood species used for the striker affects the friction and sound produced when dragged across the call’s surface.  

Hickory: Hickory strikers are a popular choice, providing a robust, loud sound, ensuring your calls carry far and wide. 

Maple: Maple strikers offer a smooth, consistent sound, perfect for a variety of calls and versatile enough for different hunting scenarios. 

Purpleheart: Purple Heart striker tips typically produce sharp, high-pitched, and clear turkey calls, ideal for mimicking yelps, clucks, and cuts. 

The Cut Matters: Straight Cut vs. Rounded End 

Once a striker specie is selected, you can then choose the type of tip (straight cut vs. rounded end). 

Straight cut strikers tend to produce sharper, more high-pitched sounds. This can be beneficial when trying to mimic certain turkey calls like yelps, clucks, or cuts. They are often preferred in conditions where louder, more penetrating sounds are needed, like in windy conditions or open areas. 

Rounded cut strikers generally produce softer, more mellow tones. These sounds are often more subtle and can be ideal for close-range calling or when turkeys are call-shy. They are often used in situations where a more subtle, natural sound is desired, such as in heavily wooded areas or when birds are nearby. 

Don’t Forget About the Handle 

Once you have selected the striker, you pair it with a handle, which is sometimes referred to as the head. The handle specie is selected more by preference rather than functionality. We offer a variety of different heads including ash, cherry, maple, and walnut.  

Premium Wood Products with Cincinnati Dowel  

Selecting the right wood species for your game calls and turkey strikers is an important step in mastering the art of turkey hunting.  

At Cincinnati Dowel & Wood Products, we pride ourselves on providing a vast selection of high-quality wood products, ensuring you have the right material to craft the perfect hunting tools. Understanding the unique characteristics of different wood species enables you to tailor your equipment to your hunting style and the specific calls needed to attract turkeys.  

Whether you prefer the resonance and durability of hardwoods, the subtle tones of softwoods, or the unique qualities of exotic woods, we have the materials you need to elevate your turkey hunting experience.  

Choose Cincinnati Dowel & Wood Products for your next hunting adventure and experience the difference that our premium wood products can make.

For more information on premium wood products, follow Cincinnati Dowel on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.  

Also, if you are satisfied with your Cincinnati Dowel experience, leave us a five-star review here!