Top 11 Best Friction Box Calls for Turkey Hunters

Calling Longbeards with the Best Box Calls

Turkeys are getting fat and hens are getting ready to breed. The days are getting longer and that means turkey hunting season will be here before we know it. As the season approaches, it’s time to evaluate your gear. Start checking your gear and list out the items you need to pick up before the season. What every turkey hunter needs is a good turkey call or multiple turkey calls to drive those birds crazy. The gear list needs to start with the oldest known turkey call recognized in the hunting industry, the box call. 

Having a variety of calls ready to go gives you an advantage when calling. Not every call will be an attractor for the gobblers. It’s turkey preseason, so now is the time to pick up a box call and get practicing.

The Shaggy Outdoors Team has scoured the deep web of information, spoken with several turkey hunters, and even worked out a few boxes of our own. We’ve found several good-quality box calls that won’t break the bank and will provide some excellent sounds. Check out our top box call choices and a few extras to add to your turkey call lineup.

• Best Overall Box Call - Lynch World Champion Turkey Box Call
• Best Box Call Under $50 - Lynch Fool Proof Turkey Box Call
• Best Box Call Over $50 - Zink Wicked Series Turkey Hunting Box Game Call
• Best Box Call Combination Package –  ESH Combo – Box Call, Mouth Call, and Slate Call w/Striker

Are you looking for more turkey hunting gear? Check out our comprehensive blog on The Ultimate Gear Guide for Turkey Hunters. We provide you with the necessary and a few fun gear ideas for turkey hunts. Be ready for the season and pick up a new friction box call today!

Friction Box Call 101

Box calls are under the turkey call label of a friction call. A friction call is when two items rub together to make a sound. For pot calls, it’s the striker against the slate or glass, in the case of a box call it’s the box and the paddle rubbing together. All quality calls should produce the sounds of turkeys in the woods including, a raspy yelp, clucks, cutts, and cackles. Don’t forget with the right call you can even get those kee kee sounds that bring in all the birds.

Traditional box calls are constructed with wood, like cherry wood, cedar, walnut, and mahogany, but today you can find box calls made for all weather conditions out of metal, plastic, slate, and even aluminum.

Box calls are constructed in a two-piece configuration. The bottom or box is a hollowed-out piece of wood and over that is a lid or paddle. The two are connected on one end with a fastener (screw) and typically with a spring to get the recoil and quick response of the paddle against the box.

Box calls come in different configurations. Some calls are dual sided and you can call from both box lips. Some calls are constructed to only use one lip of the box to make the sounds. The hollowed-out center, the thickness of the walls, the grains of the wood, and the wood material itself all influence how a call sounds. 

When the box and the paddle are rubbed together the caller will get the sound or sounds they desire to attract a gobbler. One significant benefit of the box calls over others on the market is their ability to get the sound to travel. Professional turkey hunters are keenly aware they can call turkeys at a great distance using a box call.

The Shaggy Outdoor Team has compiled a list of the 11 best Box Calls you can purchase today. Below we've outlined each giving special attention to our favorite or Best Box Call Overall the Lynch World Champion Turkey Box Call. A favorite among hunters of all skill levels. 

Best Overall Box Call - Lynch World Champion 

Lynch World Champion Turkey Box Call is our #1 Best Overall Box Call choice for both experienced and beginner turkey hunters looking for a quality call for years of hunting enjoyment. The quality of the Lynch lineup of box calls is unmatched and the unique design and rubber band tensioner is a popular choice for those experienced turkey hunters. 

The World Champion is constructed to sound like a hen on one side and a gobbler on the other. 

Click Here to Buy Now at Sportsman's Warehouse!

Woodhaven Calls The Cherry Real Hen Turkey Box Call

The Cherry Real Hen is an excellent box call with great high-pitched sound coming from the cherry wood box and the Brazilian cherry lid. The box works best when tuned and adding some chalk to the lid. Excellent sounds of hens in the woods. 

Call Features:

• Cherry Wood Box Construction
• Brazilian Cherry Lid
• Produces a Crisp Higher Pitch Sound
• Top-of-the-line box call - comes chalked 

Woodhaven calls are some of the best in the industry. The box calls are no exception. This call produces some of the best sounds for turkeys in my Michigan woods. 

Strut Commander Lil' Shorty Turkey Box Call 

The Lil' Shorty is shortened down box call that is a little smaller than standard 6" boxes. An excellent box call for both a beginner and a seasoned pro. This box is a 5 piece that comes pre-chalked and tuned right out of the box. This Lil' Shorty call is dual-sided for great rollover and produces excellent 2-tone yelps. Made in the USA by the team under the Duck Commander line-up of calls. 

Call Features:

• Blended wood materials
• Dimensions L x W x H is 9.88 x 4.53 x 2.56 inches

Strut Commander is a subsidiary of Duck Commander. The Strut Commander team produces excellent slate calls, mouth calls, button calls, and box calls. Check out their lineup of calls here on amazon. 

Woodhaven Calls the Ninja Hen Box Turkey Call 

The Ninja Hen was originally constructed and offered to the public in 2018. One of Woodhaven's newest box calls at the time featured a walnut bottom and yellowheart lid. An excellent box call for both a beginner and a seasoned pro. This box is a one-piece fully customized, chalked, and tuned prior to shipping. One of the most unique lids the Yellowheart is a Brazilian wood that comes from pale yellow to bright yellow in color. The exotic wood makes for an excellent visual site when you pull it from the box, but the sounds the yellowheart and walnut make together will be in the mature toms. 

Call Features:

• Walnut wood box - one piece construction
• Yellowheart Lid
• Dimensions L x W x H is 12.32 x 4.76 x 2.64 inches

Woodhaven calls are some of the best in the industry. The box calls are no exception. This call produces some of the best sounds for turkeys in my Michigan woods. 

Bone Collector Soggy Bottom Box Turkey Call 

The Soggy Bottom Box is constructed for those who may be turkey hunting in soggy weather. The Soggy Bottom Box is made with a waterproof paddle and a striking surface. A multi-wood constructed box, this call can produce good sounds in all weather conditions. 

Call Features:

• Multi-wood Construction
• Waterproof Paddle and striking surface
• Dimensions L x W x H is 13.2 x 7.25 x 5.25 inches

A made-in-the-USA brand, the Bone Collector team produces some of the best turkey calls for all seasons. Known for the TV Shows and videos, the friction and mouth calls they make are top quality and have great sound. This 5 piece design produces a different sounding yelp, but rain or shine this call will be ready to work.  

H.S. Strut Hunter Specialties Long Distance Paul Butshi Signature Long Stroker Long Beard 

The Long Stroker Paul Butshi Box Call is a "long boat paddle style box call", constructed to reach out with high pitch yelps to locate those longbeards from a distance. Designed in partnership with H.S. Strut, custom call maker and Champion Turkey caller Paul Butshi produced and tested these calls for sound and performance. The box is a one-piece design and the lid comes in American and exotic hardwoods. This call produces some of the best high pitch raspy turkey sounds in the industry. 

Call Features:

• Multi-wood Construction
• Designed by NWTF Hall of Fame Legend Paul Butski
• Produces softer, close-in calls
• Delivers screaming excited yelps and cutts for locating
• Dimensions L x W x H is 14.92 x 6.14 x 1.73 inches

A made-in-the-USA brand, the H.S. Strut group produces some excellent turkey calls backed by greats like Champion Turkey Callers Paul Butski. The vast variety of call collection from slate pot calls, to locator calls, to mouth calls shows the detail and engagement they have for turkey hunters. Made by turkey hunters for turkey hunters.   

Primos Hunting Waterboard Wood Grain Turkey Box Call 

The Waterboard Box Call is a waterproof box call for both rainy and dry conditions. Box comes with a waterproof coating on the paddle and box. This double-sided call has excellent sounds including yelps, cutts, clucks, and purrs. Constructed of a mahogany one-piece box and canary paddle this combination works for sharp hen calls. 

Call Features:

• Mahogany Box - one-piece construction
• Canary Paddle
• Good for Rain or Shine
• Excellent Call for Beginners or Advanced Callers
• Dimensions L x W x H is 5 x 4 x 2

A made-in-the-USA brand, the Primos team produces some excellent turkey calls backed by original owner Will Primos. Will started making turkey calls in the early 1970s and after getting some great reviews calls started coming in for his turkey and duck calls. Starting selling regionally only lasted a few months before sporting goods stores across the United States started hearing about the Primos brands and their excellent calls. Growing up in the business and growing the business, the Primos brand has calls and other hunting gear for all occasions.    

Phelps Game Calls MeatEater X Turkey Box Call 

The MEATEATER X Box Call is a beautifully designed box call with engraved turkey feathers in the paddle and the Phelps MeatEater Logo on the lid. The box is a one-piece solid walnut box with a purple heart lid. Box comes tuned and ready to go out of the box. This turkey call produces raspy old hen sounds that can bring that mature tom right into shooting range. Produce some of the best-sounding turkey yelps, cutts, clucks, and purrs. 

Call Features:

• Walnut one-piece construction Box
• Purple Heat Paddle
• Excellent Call for Beginners or Advanced Callers

A made-in-the-USA brand, the Phelps Game Calls is based out of the Pacific Northwest. Recently purchased by the MeatEater Brand in 2021, the game calls are still being overseen by original owners Jason Phelps. Since 2009, Jason has been making premium calls and that's evident by the recent purchase from Steve Rinella's MeatEater Group. With the acquisition of the Phelps Game Calls the intent is to work with other custom call builders and improve and increase the quality of the game call line-up.    

ESH Wooden Gobbler Turkey Caller  

The ESH Wooden Gobbler Box Call is a basic design turkey call box in a MINI size. It is constructed of all wood as is made of poplar. ESH has a lifetime warranty on their box calls and all boxes are made in the USA. This all-weather box is good for both wet and dry conditions. This is a well-rounded turkey call box for both beginners and intermediate callers. Pick one up and check out the quality and sound coming from this little box. 

Call Features:

• Mimics Vocalization Precisely
• Get high pitch Clucks or purrs
• Built in the USA
• Poplar Box
• Cherry Lid
• Sound is High Pitch
• Works when wet
• No Chalk Necessary with this Box Call

A made-in-the-USA brand, the ESH Custom Box Call comes with a lifetime warranty. Every call produced by ESH gets approval from Pat Strawser a winner of 14 Major Championships over the past 30 years. All turkey calls are completely handmade from real wood and ESH takes pride in calling itself a "premium" call manufacturer.     

Best Turkey Call Combo Package - ESH Combo Wood Gobbler

The ESH Combo Wood Gobbler Box Call is an excellent beginner or intermediate turkey hunter's best package. Pick up a Box Call, Slate Pot Call, and a Mouth Call. All calls have the industry's best 100% satisfaction warranty and are made in the USA. These calls are not for the expert caller but no matter the level of the caller you are you will be able to get turkeys in close to kill using these calls.  

Combo Call Features:

• Mimics Vocalization Precisely
• Get high pitch Clucks or purrs
• Built in the USA
• Poplar Box
• Cherry Lid
• Sound is High Pitch
• Works when wet
• Slate Pot Call
• 3-Reed Latex Call
• No Chalk Necessary with this Box Call

A made-in-the-USA brand, the ESH Custom Box Call comes with a lifetime warranty. Every call produced by ESH gets approval from Pat Strawser a winner of 14 Major Championships over the past 30 years. All turkey calls are completely handmade from real wood and ESH takes pride in calling itself a "premium" call manufacturer.     

What Sounds Can I Get from a Box Call

The key to using a turkey call is to understand the sounds that each call style can give you. With the box call, you are looking at the hens making the sounds you will mimic. Here are the sounds you can duplicate using your box call. You may need two or three good box calls to get those sounds you are looking for. 

Cluck - using the box call make a quick upward motion on one side of the box lip. Quick motion upwards gets you clean clucking sounds.

Yelp - to get the sound of the yelp you will again use the paddle in an upwards motion across one of the lips of the box. A longer stroke against the lip gets you the yelp sounds of a hen.

Purring - the purring sound that infant turkeys or content turkeys make is made using a box call by slowly dragging the paddle across one edge of the box. This slow motion will get you the soft tones and imitate the calm nature of a single hen. 

Kee Kee or Kee Kee run (or yelp) - this sound is best made using a long paddle box call. The motion is typically away from you on the box and is a quick movement on the lip of the box closest to you two - three times and then hitting the opposite lip to get the yelping sound. This sound is used for juvenile birds in the fall for best results when a flock has separated and the young birds are looking for their flock.

Do I need Chalk for my Box Call?

Box turkey calls are no different than pot calls, when you get a new one you need to condition a pot call and tune a box call.

With the box call you tune your call by turning the screw and either tightening or loosening the hinge area between the paddle and the box. 

Once you have the tone of the call making good sounds, you will want to rub chalk on the underside of the paddle. This chalk will help with the friction between the lip of the box and the paddle. The dry conditions made using the chalk will help give your call all the crisp yelps any turkey can handle.

Most box calls come "pre-tuned" and "chalked" but our experience is we've had to tune our boxes for the turkeys in our woods. We always have chalk on hand to help keep those yelps sounding crisp.  

Pick up some chalk and be ready when it's time to coat the underside of the paddle. Make sure there is no moisture in the chalk and on the paddle, otherwise the chalk will get gummy and not produce the sounds you are looking for. 

You can pick up some chalk on Amazon by clicking here.