The Fat Lady rests now in Howard L. Harlan’s collection, the largest collection in the land. Harlan, of Memphis, also is the author of “Turkey Calls, An Enduring American Folk Art.”

Plunger calls are small wooden boxes with a spring-operated plunger that can be held and operated with one hand. Plungers are effective, easy to use, and a good choice for beginners.

Wing bone yelpers are not as popular today as they were in the 1930’s, when Tom Turpin was setting the standard with calls made of ivory mouthpieces and cocobolo wood trumpets. Turpin yelpers are highly collectable.

According to Harlan, yelpers have been around for centuries, and were used by Native Americans. Turkey sounds are produced by sucking short bursts of air through a slender tubular mouthpiece. Early mouthpieces were made of the hollow wing bone of a turkey.

The most popular mouth calls today are the diaphragm calls. Harlan says that diaphragm game calls have been around since man figured out that blowing on the edge of a leaf produces a range of sounds. The earliest appearance of a commercial diaphragm call is the H.P. Bridges Wild Turkey Call that appeared in Field and Stream in 1923.

Diaphragm calls are U-shaped discs about the size of half-dollar with a membrane stretched across the open end of the U. The call fits in the roof of the mouth where it is held in place with the tongue. Modern call makers use one or more layers of latex to get the desired sounds.

Experienced hunters may carry several types of calls, but most prefer the diaphragm call for its accuracy of tone and its versatility, and because it leaves both hands free. Some hunters claim that becoming proficient with a diaphragm call is like having a second set of vocal cords just for talking turkey.