AN AWARD WINNING WINGBONE TURKEY CALL MAKER AT THE MIDWEST AND NATIONAL N.W.T.F. COMPETITION

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1 By JIM GROENIER AN AWARD WINNING WINGBONE TURKEY CALL MAKER AT THE MIDWEST AND NATIONAL N.W.T.F. COMPETITION TURKEY BONE PREPARATION FOR WINGBONE CALLS IF YOU ARE GOING TO SELL WINGBONE CALLS, IN SOME STATES THEY CAN NOT BE MADE FROM WILD TURKEYS 1. Disjoint wings from the turkey and remove all feathers, meat and sinew that can be done using a small sharp knife. 1

2 2 2. Cut the ends off the three bones using a fine toothed saw (see figure) 3. Remove the marrow from the radius and ulna bones using a pipe cleaner or an air hose to blow it out. 4. Place bones in boiling water, to which you've added a small amount of dish detergent and bleach. Boil until you can remove the meat and sinew and boil them again to get the grease out of the bones. 6. After the bones are dry, the humerus bone has a considerable amount of webbing inside, so be sure to get this out with a knife, file, drill or some other mechanical means. I use a dry wall cutting bit in my Dremel Tool 7. Bone should dry an even white color. If not, be sure that all traces of marrow has been removed and reboil the bones for about an hour and add a small amount of detergent and bleach to the water. * Another way to get the bones an even white color is to immerse them in hydrogen peroxide after boiling them. Rinse thoroughly with water and let dry. 40% peroxide can be gotten at a hair dressers beauty salon. I soak the bones over night in the peroxide. (be careful with 40% peroxide, as it can burn your skin.)7. Bone should dry a even white color. If not, be sure that all traces of marrow has been removed and reboil the bones for about an hour

3 and add a small amount of detergent and bleach to the water. 8 Glue the bones together using epoxy. (I use 5 minute epoxy for gluing the bones together.) I use cotton mixed with Epoxy do fill in the void between the bones as I put in the epoxy. * Instead of using the Humerus bone for a third bone, you can use a cow horn.11. After I sand the call I buff it with a 6" buffing wheel and white buffing compound. The bone will get a high gloss Ivory shine to it, and like ivory will turn yellow after a few years. 9. Glue the large end of the Radius bone into the small end of the Ulna bone and the large end of the Ulna bone into the small end of the Humerus bone. You can use masking tape to temporarily hold the wingbones together while you tune them to the tone you want. Slide the bones back and forth until you get the tone you want and then mark it, so you know where to glue them. Different length and size bones will give you different tones. (you might have to cut some of the ends of the bones off or sand them on the inside or outside to get them to fit together.) 10. After I sand the call I buff it with a 6" buffing wheel and white buffing compound. The bone will get a high gloss Ivory shine to it, and like ivory will turn yellow after a few years. Instead of using the Humerus bone for a third bone, you can use a cow horn. 3

4 12. I wrap the bone joints with Rod thread. Before I put on the thread, I use Apoxie Sculp to make a taper in the joint for wrapping the thread I then let the Epoxy cure. I sand the joint to get a smooth taper for wrapping the thread. Apoxie Sculp is made by Aves Studio P.O Box 344 River Falls, WI Orders Only: Web Site: aves@avesstudio.com 13. Before I start to wrap the thread I drill a small hole in the taper of the first joint and using a wire with a loop on it I bend the end to fit in the hole. I have cut a grove in the taper for the wire to fit into. I also use a ring in which to attach the lanyard. Prior to starting to wrap the call I mark the starting of the wrap and the point that I start to wrap the lanyard holder. Starting the wrap. wire. Putting in the lanyard Put in the thread to end the wrap. End the wrap by threading the thread through the loop and pulling it under the wrapped thread. 4

5 14. After I have wrapped the thread I put color preserver on the thread and let it dry. I sign and number every call that I make. I use a tech pen using waterproof India ink. And then use Flex Coat over the entire call except for the mouth piece. ( When you use Flex Coat you have to turn the call while the Flex Coat is drying or it will sag.] Wingbone yelpers have been used for thousands of years by the Native Americans The way to use the call is to cradle the large between your thumb and index finger. Width the other hand cup the end of the call to help control the volume and pitch. Place the small end against you lips with the tip barely in. Suck in air like you are kissing. It takes me about 3 hours of hands on to make a wingbone call. Total time with drying is about 4 days. You can copy these instructions, but please give me the credit for it. If you would rather have me make a call for you, please contact me. If you use these instructions let me know how you turned out. JGroenier@aol.com Copyright

6 Jig for wrapping wingbones. 6 Motor for turning calls while drying

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