A Customized "Swamprooter"

[Jake St. John]

I have a callmaker friend here in Ms. that uses my calls.  He is fond of a certain Gator Gobbling Stribling box that I made him several years ago.  He gives me some fine Mississippi River Persimmon from his hunting club near Clarksdale, Ms. - Burke Landing.  It is hard for me to get over the levee and harvest persimmon like I used to.  I am very appreciative of the wood and the calls made from it have found homes in a lot of turkey vest, including mine.  He has a supply that is ready.   I am working on custom box for him now in payment therof..  He gave up the fine piece of mineral stained poplar from his private stash of billets that have been drying on his shop shelf for years.  I cannot blame him for hording them.  I get jealous every time my eyes look to that spot.  ---I wanted to make him a customized Turpin style since he already has the Stribling.   "Swamprooter" loves to cut and cackle on a box.  He sent me a sound file of a Cutting and Cackling session on the Gator that I made him.  I love to hear how he plays a box.  Anyway.... a Turpin Shortbox is short.  It is a finesse call, but hard to hold on to do proper cutting and cackling.  In the pictures you will see how I extended the Turpin and put a Stribling rear end on it to hold on to.  I will put a ebonized black walnut lid and brass top hat to finish it up.  I just wanted to show how features of different style boxes can be incorporated to make a customized weapon.  Sorry if this became a little long winded to explain why we call them Customs Calls.   On the left in the pictures is an original size Turpin onesider that I am making for Bob Smith, on the right is the "Swamprooter" Turpin.  Mr. E

[Silverspur]

Great story Mr E they will turn out in your typical quality call. The one sider will surely see vest time as I heard the one you made for Muzzleman and that is an awesome call. Glad your back in the shop making your kind of magic!

[Jake St. John]

Bob, that piece of mahogany for your box was hand picked by a lumber man that I know in Natchez, Ms.  It came from Belize, Honduras on one of his buying trips.  Some of the Best A Grade mahogany I have worked with.  Just after I got a couple of nice boards, someone bought the whole lot.  I always wish I had gotten more.  It is a little lighter in density to Steve Browns.  I will use Steve's for the paddle.  It is slightly heavier.  That is the combination that Muzzelman got.  Best combinations of woods sound wise that I have come across for that onesider.  Mr. E

[Mmcdonald]

Can't wait to see the finished call Mr. E.!!

[muzzleman]

Nice looking calls Mr E.  I'm sure they will spit feathers !

[firedup]

Well done sir!  What will you call this new version....a Turbling maybe?

[Jake St. John]

 L.T.,  I like that!  I have a Stribling now that is a "Gator" Gobbling Stribling named after a callmaker friend.  This one could be named a "Swamprooter" Turpin.  Both of these handles are names they use on the Msducks forum.  Joey "Swamprooter" Buchanan got that handle by killing a huge swamp hog with his own custom made recurve bow. He has also taken the Royal Slam of gobblers wth his own recurve bows.  His custom bow company is "Swamprooter Bows" so I am liking "Turbling".  Maybe you can play your own Turbling next year in Nashville my friend.

[jmck]

the beginning of two fine calls 

[callmakerman]

Can't wait to see both of these calls finished up John.