Many box calls are treasured for their beauty, craftsmanship and reliability. Here is a look at call maintenance with tips to ensure your box call lasts for generations to come.

A good box call is one of the most costly turkey calls to buy, but proper care in the field and maintenance will turn that crafted piece of wood into a loyal companion in the turkey woods for many years.

When maintaining your call, the first thing to remember is to keep the call’s surfaces clean and do not ever use sandpaper on it. Sandpaper can change the tone of your call.

It’s also important to handle your box call carefully. Keep your fingers off the striking surfaces: the edges of the box and the underside of the lid. Skin contains natural oils, which can affect the sound and life of your call. Make sure to use only chalks, such as box call, teacher’s or carpenter’s chalk. Stay away from chalks with an oil or sugar base.

Only use chalk on the underside of the lid. The beveled edges of the call are important in its design, and use of chalk on the edges can wear them down.

Make sure you blow out the sound chamber of your box call from time to time. This will get rid of any chalk dust that might have settled.

Storing your box call is simple. If you don’t have a holster, store your box call in a large, plastic bag. This will keep moisture from getting to the call.

By following these simple tips, your box call may become a collector’s item some day.

Perhaps you'd be interested in checking out the NWTF's collector's edition box call, available in the online Turkey Shoppe by clicking here.

The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) is a great resource for turkey hunting tips and other wild turkey information. Visit the NWTF’s website at www.nwtf.org for information or call (800) THE-NWTF to become a NWTF member and receive one of our great magazines filled with turkey hunting tips and stories. 

About the NWTF: In 1973 when the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded, there were an estimated 1.3 million wild turkeys and 1.5 million turkey hunters. Thanks to the work of state wildlife agencies and the NWTF's many volunteers and partners, today there are an estimated 5.4 million wild turkeys and approximately 2.6 million turkey hunters. Since 1985, more than
$135 million NWTF and cooperator dollars have been spent on over 15,000 projects benefiting wild turkeys throughout North America.

The NWTF is a 390,000-member grassroots, nonprofit organization with members in 50 states, Canada and 11 foreign countries. It supports scientific wildlife management on public, private and corporate lands as well as wild turkey hunting as a traditional North American sport.