Arizona’s spring turkey season opens April 24th and if you are heading into the ponderosa pine country of the Kaibab Plateau, the White Mountains, or the Coconino National Forest after Merriam’s turkeys, the calls in your vest can make or break your hunt. Merriam’s are vocal, responsive birds that react well to calling, but they have their own personality and hunting them in Arizona’s open mountain terrain requires a slightly different approach than hunting Eastern turkeys in tight timber back East.
This guide covers the best turkey calls for Merriam’s hunting specifically, why each one earns its place in your vest, and how to use them effectively in Arizona country.
Why Merriam’s Turkey Calling Is Different
Merriam’s turkeys live in open ponderosa pine forests, mountain meadows, and the kind of wide open country where sound carries far and birds can see a long distance before committing to a call. This means a few things for your calling strategy.
First, volume matters more in open country. A call that sounds great in tight Eastern hardwoods may not carry across an Arizona meadow to a gobbler 300 yards away on the far tree line. You need calls that can reach out when the situation demands it.
Second, Merriam’s gobblers can be aggressive callers during the peak of the rut in late April and early May. When you hit a fired up Merriam’s tom with the right sequence he can close 200 yards in what feels like seconds. Having calls you can operate smoothly under pressure matters enormously.
Third, the open terrain means gobblers can hang up just out of range more easily than in tight cover. A combination of loud locating calls and subtle finishing calls gives you the flexibility to handle both ends of that scenario.
The Lynch World Champion is the starting point for any serious Merriam’s turkey hunter. This is one of the most iconic box calls ever made and the sound it produces is rich, resonant, and carries exceptionally well across the open pine country that Merriam’s call home. When you need to reach out and locate a gobbler at distance on a big mountain meadow or call across a wide canyon drainage, the Lynch World Champion has the volume and tone to get the job done. The craftsmanship is exceptional and this is a call that will outlast every season you hunt.
Best for: locating birds at distance across open country, firing up aggressive Merriam’s gobblers, hunters who want a premium box call that will last a lifetime
The mouth call is the most critical call for close range Merriam’s work and the Primos Hook Hunter is one of the best diaphragm calls available for this type of hunting. The hands free design means your shotgun or bow is up and ready while you are still calling, which in the fast moving open country situations Merriam’s hunting produces can be the difference between killing a bird and watching him walk. The Hook Hunter is designed to produce a wide range of realistic hen sounds from soft purrs and clucks to aggressive cuts and cackles, giving you everything you need in a single call once you have put in the practice time. The realistic tone cuts through wind which matters on exposed ridges and open pine flats where a breeze is almost always present.
Best for: hands free close range calling, windy open country conditions, hunters who are comfortable with mouth calls and want a premium option
WoodHaven is one of the most respected names in turkey call making and their slate call delivers a tone that is hard to match at any price point. For Merriam’s hunting in Arizona the WoodHaven slate shines in the situations where a gobbler is close and you need to drop the volume and get subtle. Soft purrs, delicate clucks, and quiet yelps on this call are absolutely deadly for finishing a bird that has committed and is closing the distance. The surface produces a rich realistic tone that carries the warmth and texture of natural hen sounds better than most pot calls you will find. This is the call you reach for when a tom is at 80 yards and you need one more soft sequence to walk him the rest of the way in.
Best for: close range finishing work, subtle calling when a gobbler is already committed, experienced callers who want a premium pot call tone
The Flextone combo is the smart choice for hunters who want to cover multiple calling situations without filling their vest with individual calls. The combination of box and slate in one package gives you both the volume and reach of a box call and the subtle tones of a pot call without the bulk of carrying two separate calls. For a beginner heading into their first Merriam’s hunt this is an excellent starting point because it covers the two most important call types in a single affordable package. For experienced hunters it makes a great backup or a call to leave in a pack pocket for the days when you want to travel light.
Best for: beginners who want to cover multiple call types, hunters who want a lightweight all in one option, backup call for experienced hunters
The Hunter’s Specialties Strut Raspy Combo has earned its place in countless turkey vests across the country and it is a reliable workhorse for Merriam’s hunting in Arizona. The raspy tone this call produces is highly realistic and the combo design gives you multiple sound options without needing to switch calls mid-sequence. It is forgiving enough for beginners to sound good quickly and consistent enough for experienced hunters to trust in high pressure situations. When a Merriam’s gobbler fires up at first light on a meadow edge and you need to hit him with aggressive excited hen sounds this call delivers every time.
Best for: beginners learning their first box call, hunters who want a reliable everyday workhorse call, aggressive calling sequences on fired up gobblers
The Nationwide Scents Walnut Slate produces a rich warm tone that is perfect for the subtle work that kills Merriam’s gobblers in the final yards of a stalk. The walnut pot resonates the sound in a way that adds depth and realism to every sequence and the slate surface gives you excellent control over volume and cadence. Use this call when a bird is working in and you want to reassure him without pushing him off with too much volume. A few soft purrs and a single cluck on this call when a tom is at 60 yards is often all it takes to bring him the rest of the way.
Best for: subtle close range work, reassuring committed birds in the final yards, hunters who want a traditional slate tone at a great price
Having multiple mouth calls in your kit matters because diaphragm calls fit differently for different hunters and having options means you can find one that produces good sound comfortably from your mouth. The ESH Combo set gives you multiple reeds so you can experiment and find the fit that works best for you without buying multiple individual calls. It is also insurance. A diaphragm call can fold or wear out at the worst possible moment in the field and having backups ready means you are never caught without a hands free option when a Merriam’s gobbler is closing fast through the pines.
Best for: hunters building their mouth call skills, anyone who wants backup diaphragm calls, beginners exploring which reed style works best for them
The Primos Full House is a step up in complexity from a basic mouth call and produces the layered multi-reed tone that experienced callers use to create truly convincing hen sounds. The raspy quality of the Full House is particularly effective on Merriam’s gobblers which respond strongly to aggressive excited hen calling during peak rut in late April and early May. If you are already comfortable with basic mouth calls and want to elevate the realism of your sequences the Full House gives you more range and depth than most single or double reed options.
Best for: experienced mouth callers, aggressive rut period calling, hunters who want to add realism and range to their diaphragm work
No Merriam’s turkey vest is complete without a locator call and the Primos Hoot Flute is the standard by which all owl locator calls are measured. Use it before first light to locate roosted birds on the Kaibab or in the White Mountains without triggering them to come looking for a hen. A well timed hoot in the dark that produces a thundering gobble from 200 yards across a meadow tells you exactly where to set up without giving away your position. It is also invaluable during the day for finding silent gobblers who have stopped responding to hen calls. A shock gobble from a locator call is often the only way to pinpoint a quiet midday bird.
Best for: pre-dawn roost location, finding silent daytime gobblers, scouting new areas without burning your calling position
The gobbler shaker is a specialty call that most beginner Merriam’s hunters overlook and experienced hunters keep quietly in their vest for the right moment. The Primos Gobbler Shaker reproduces the sound of a gobbling turkey which triggers a dominant tom’s territorial instincts when used correctly. On Merriam’s gobblers during the peak of the rut when birds are aggressively competing for hens a gobbler sound can break a stalemate and pull a hung up bird the last hundred yards when hen calls alone are not working. Use it sparingly and read the bird before you commit to it. In the right situation it is one of the most deadly calls in the bag.
Best for: breaking stalemates with hung up dominant gobblers, peak rut situations, experienced hunters who understand when to use gobbler sounds
How to Build Your Merriam’s Calling Kit
You do not need all ten of these calls to kill a Merriam’s turkey. A well rounded beginner kit for Arizona needs three things. A quality box call for locating birds and reaching out across open country, a pot or slate call for close range subtle work, and a locator call for finding birds without burning your position. That combination covers the vast majority of Merriam’s hunting situations you will encounter in Arizona’s open mountain country.
As you gain experience add a mouth call so you have a completely hands free option for close encounters in the pines. Then layer in specialty calls like the gobbler shaker as you develop a feel for when each tool fits the situation.
The most important thing you can do before April 24th is practice with your calls until you are comfortable and consistent. A call that sounds terrible in the truck will sound terrible in the woods. Put in the time now and you will be ready when a Merriam’s gobbler fires off his first gobble at first light from the ponderosa pine above you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best turkey call for beginners hunting Merriam’s in Arizona?
The Lynch World Champion box call or the Hunter’s Specialties Strut Raspy Combo are the best starting points for beginners. Both are easy to learn, produce realistic sound immediately, and have enough volume to reach birds across the open country Merriam’s turkeys live in.
Are Merriam’s turkeys harder to call in than Eastern turkeys?
Merriam’s gobblers are generally considered more aggressive callers than Eastern turkeys during the rut and will often commit fully to a calling sequence when fired up. The challenge in Arizona is the open terrain which allows birds to hang up at distance and visually inspect an area before committing. Using decoys in combination with calls solves this problem in most situations.
What calls work best for Arizona’s open ponderosa pine country?
Volume and reach matter in open country. Lead with a box call to locate and fire up birds at distance, then transition to a slate or pot call for subtle finishing work as the bird closes in. A mouth call gives you the hands free option you need when a bird is in close and moving fast.
When is the best time to call Merriam’s turkeys in Arizona?
The first two hours of daylight are the most productive calling period. Birds are coming off the roost and actively seeking hens. The last hour before dark is a secondary window. During peak rut in late April and early May midday calling can also produce aggressive responses from gobblers covering ground looking for does.
Do I need a mouth call for Merriam’s turkey hunting?
Not necessarily for beginners but it is strongly recommended as you develop as a caller. The hands free advantage of a mouth call is significant when a fast moving Merriam’s gobbler closes the distance in open country and you need your hands on your gun while still calling.
Ready to hunt? Check out our complete beginner’s guide to Arizona spring turkey hunting for everything you need to know about where to go, what gear to bring, and how to put a Merriam’s tom on the ground this season.
Already have your turkey call kit sorted and need help drawing a tag for next year? Check out our guide to understanding the Arizona turkey draw.
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