You’re sitting against a gnarly white oak. It’s 5:30 AM. The woods are starting to wake up, that gray-blue light filtering through the canopy, and you’ve got a longbeard firing off every thirty seconds from a limb about eighty yards away. Your heart is thumping against your ribs like a trapped bird. You reach for your slate call, but your hands are shaking so bad you’re worried about "bird-walking" the striker across the surface and making a sound like a dying cat. We’ve all been there. This is exactly where the push pull turkey call becomes the most underrated piece of plastic or wood in your vest.
Most guys look at these things and think they’re for kids. They see that little wooden box with a plunger sticking out and assume it’s a "training wheels" call. Honestly? That’s a massive mistake. While the friction call world is dominated by high-end custom pots and mouth-shredding diaphragm reeds, the humble push-button call has been quietly filling tags for decades because it does one thing better than almost anything else: it operates with one hand.
🔗 Read more: What Does Cleanest Mean: Why Your Definition of Pure is Probably Wrong
The Mechanical Magic of the Push Pull Turkey Call
Let’s get into the guts of why this thing actually works. It’s basically a friction call in a box. You have a spring-loaded plunger that moves a piece of wood—usually cedar or walnut—across a piece of slate or another piece of wood. It’s physics. But unlike a pot call where you have to balance a striker at a specific 45-degree angle while maintaining the perfect pressure, the push pull turkey call has the "sweet spot" built right into the tension of the spring.
You push the button. It yelps.
It’s almost impossible to mess up a basic hen yelp on one of these. Because the striker is held in place by a guide, the skip-and-drag motion is consistent every single time. Companies like Lynch’s or Quaker Boy have been making these for forever. The Lynch’s "Fool Proof" or the "Jet" calls are legendary for a reason. They don't sound like a plastic toy; they sound like a hen. A real, raspy, annoyed hen.
Think about the physics here. When a turkey yelps, it’s a two-note sound. High to low. Pee-auk. The push-button mechanism mimics this perfectly because the wood striker hits the high-frequency vibration at the start of the stroke and finishes on the lower, deeper resonance of the box as the plunger bottoms out.
When Stealth Trumps Skill
Here is the real-world scenario where this call saves your hunt. You’re pinned down. That tom is at forty-five yards, but he’s hung up behind a screen of brush. He wants to see the hen before he commits. If you reach for a box call, you’re moving both hands. If you use a slate, you’re moving both hands. If you’re not a master with a mouth call—and let’s be real, a lot of us choke up and get "dry mouth" when a big bird is staring a hole through the timber—you’re stuck.
You can strap a push pull turkey call to the barrel of your shotgun.
I’ve seen hunters like Ray Eye, a literal legend in the turkey hunting world, talk about the necessity of minimal movement. You can literally just nudge that plunger with one finger while your gun is already up and pointed in the direction of the bird. That’s a game-changer. It allows you to make that final "where are you" purr or a soft, subtle cluck without the turkey spotting the motion of your elbows or hands.
It’s about economy of motion. In the spring woods, motion is the enemy. Turkeys have eyesight that can see a flea sneeze at a hundred yards. Being able to run a call with your thumb while your finger is on the safety is an advantage you can't overstate.
The Realistic Sound Profile
Don't let the simplicity fool you. You can get incredible nuance out of these.
- The Yelp: A steady, rhythmic push.
- The Cluck: A sharp, fast tap on the plunger.
- The Purr: A slow, dragging pressure that lets the spring do the vibrating.
The purr on a well-tuned push-pull is often better than what most hunters can produce on a slate. It’s consistent. It’s soft. It doesn't have that "scratchy" artificial edge that happens when your striker is too dry or your slate isn't conditioned right.
📖 Related: Why the Reverse Amazon Sex Position Is the Power Move You Aren't Using Yet
Common Myths That Keep This Call Out of Vests
People say they aren't "versatile." They say you can't cut on them.
Wrong.
If you take the lid off a standard push-pull or just learn the tension of the plunger, you can "cut" just as aggressively as you can on a diaphragm. You just have to be more aggressive with the finger taps. Another big myth? That they all sound the same. Just like box calls, the wood matters. A push-pull made with a purpleheart striker or a mahogany box is going to have a totally different pitch than a cheap plastic one you bought at a big-box store for ten bucks.
Actually, some of the best-sounding calls I’ve ever heard were custom-made push-pulls. Small-batch makers often use high-grade springs that don't "squeak." That’s the one downside of the cheap ones—the spring can sometimes make a metallic tink sound if it’s not lubricated or seated correctly. If you're serious, look for a call where the spring is dampened or the internal wood is hand-tuned.
Maintenance Is Actually a Thing
You can't just throw a push pull turkey call in your bag and expect it to work for five years without help. The "chalk" is the lifeblood here. Just like a box call, the underside of that striker needs a light coating of box call chalk. Not chalkboard chalk. Not sidewalk chalk. Real, oil-free hunter's chalk.
If the call starts sounding "slick" or high-pitched, it's usually because the wood has absorbed some humidity or lost its friction. A quick scuff with some fine-grit sandpaper—we’re talking 220 grit or higher—on the contact points, followed by a light chalking, will bring it back to life.
The Beginner vs. Pro Debate
Is it a beginner call? Yes. It’s the best way to get a kid or a first-timer into the woods and let them feel like they are actually contributing to the hunt. There’s nothing worse than telling a new hunter "don't move and don't make a sound" for four hours. Giving them a push-button call gives them a role.
But it’s also a pro tool.
Think about the late-season birds. Those pressured 3-year-old toms that have heard every "cutting-edge" mouth call in the state. They’ve been called to by guys trying to sound like a world-champion caller. Sometimes, the simple, flat, realistic tone of a push pull turkey call is exactly what sounds "right" to a bird that’s been educated by high-intensity calling. It sounds like a real hen just scratching in the leaves, not a competition stage performance.
Mounting Options
One thing people overlook is where you put the call.
- Barrel Mounting: Using a rubber band or a dedicated bracket to put the call on the forend of your shotgun. This is the ultimate "close-quarters" setup.
- Knee Mounting: Strapping it to your thigh. This allows you to call by just bumping your hand down while sitting.
- The Traditional Hand-Hold: Just holding it. Even then, the movement is localized to your palm.
Making the Choice: Wood vs. Plastic
If you’re hunting in the Pacific Northwest or somewhere with a lot of rain, the plastic-housed calls are actually superior. Wood swells. If your cedar box gets soaked, the hunt is over for that call. Plastic push-pulls with synthetic strikers can run wet.
However, if you’re in the dry hardwoods of the Midwest or the South, wood is king. The resonance of a wooden box call is just deeper. It carries further. It has that "hollow" wood sound that perfectly mimics the throat of a wild turkey. H.S. Strut and Primos make some decent plastic ones that are bulletproof, but if you want to pull a bird from 300 yards away across a field, the volume of a wooden box push-pull is hard to beat.
Strategic Next Steps for Your Season
If you’ve ignored this tool because you thought you were "too good" for it, it’s time to get over the ego. Go find a vintage Lynch’s Jet or even a modern Woodhaven push-button. Spend an afternoon in the backyard practicing the "slow purr."
Learn how to manipulate the plunger with the side of your thumb while holding your shotgun in a ready position. This isn't just about making noise; it’s about making the right noise at the right time without getting busted.
Next time you’re in a standoff with a gobbler who refuses to budge that last twenty yards, reach for the push-button. It might just be the thing that finally tips the scales. Focus on light, erratic rhythms rather than long, perfect sequences. Real hens are messy. They get interrupted. They pause. Use the mechanical consistency of the push pull turkey call to create that realistic, "lazy" hen vibe that toms find irresistible in the mid-morning heat.
Keep your chalk dry, your movement minimal, and your gun pointed toward the drumming.
Practical Checklist for Push-Button Success:
- Scuff the contact points: Use a high-grit sandpaper to remove any "glaze" from the wood striker or friction surface.
- Chalk the underside: Apply specialized box call chalk to ensure the friction is "gritty" enough to create a true yelp.
- Check the spring: If it’s squeaking, a tiny drop of dry graphite lubricant (not oil!) on the spring seat can silence the mechanical noise.
- Practice "one-finger" operation: Don't use your whole hand. Learn to trigger the call with just a thumb or index finger to minimize arm movement in the woods.
- Weatherproof your gear: If you have a wooden call, keep it in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag in your vest until you’re ready to use it. Humidity is the enemy of friction.
By mastering the subtleties of the push-pull, you’re adding a layer of tactical silence and precision to your hunting strategy that most "advanced" callers completely ignore.