I first wrote to John, inquiring about his calls and was told he only made a few for friends. I replied that we would just become friends then, so we have and will remain so.

. He describes his call as a Gator Gobbling Stribling that he has been making since 1988, and it is an old style call right along with Turpin, Gibson, Stribling, written about in East of the Slash, Bird of Courage by Wade Wineman.
The walnut came from the Burris antebellum home in Benoit, MS which is currently being restored, one of the only such in the State of MS. The 1956 movie Baby Doll was filmed on this location, and it is named in the National Register of Historic Homes, at one point this home had fallen into a state of disrepair but is now being restored and John obtained the wood from leftovers from the grand staircase, some neat history!
I have been so busy working construction, remodeling job and trying to get in the shop, I haven't really had much time to myself,(suffering from the heat and getting too old and stiff to do this kind of work,)

but this morning I took some pictures of the call.
It has a distinctive sound, somewhat deeper pitch than other calls I have run but definitely turkey with plenty of rasp. It has taken a little getting used to playing it, but I like the sound.
Thanks again for making the call for me John, it has been a pleasure getting to know you.

