About Strut & Slate

What this site is

Strut & Slate decodes the first spring turkey season for someone who has never called a bird in. Which call to learn first, and how to actually run a box, slate or mouth call. Whether you need a decoy or a blind. Which choke and load suit the shotgun you already own. What to carry in the vest, and what you can leave at home.

Every page tries to answer three questions in plain words: what to buy first, how to use it, and what you can skip. The name covers both ends of that: the strut, a gobbler's full-fan display, and the slate, the classic pot-call surface.

Right now the site carries 82 pages of rankings, comparisons and how-to guides, with 145 scored picks from 48 brands. Every pick is scored the same way, with the same published rules.

Who it's for

The hunter adding turkey to the calendar. Maybe you just bought the license, maybe you already own a shotgun, and you're buried in pro-staff videos, pocket-heavy vests and mouth calls in more cuts than you can name. You want the calls-and-setup path explained without the ego. That's who every page here is written for.

Who publishes and writes it

Strut & Slate is published by Iron Mako Media. Every page is written under one byline: Mike M., the hands-on owner behind Iron Mako Media. Iron Mako Media is the publisher and the entity behind the site's affiliate account.

What makes it different

• Beginner-first. Pages lead with what a first-season hunter needs, not with the gear a veteran would argue about. Every pick carries a “Skip this if” line naming who shouldn't buy it.
• A published method. Each category has a First-Season Score with fixed weights and exact scoring bands, all public on how we pick. Anyone can check the math.
• Every spec has a source. Specs come from the maker's own pages and instructions, and each one links to where it came from. When a figure isn't published, the page says “not published.”
• Honest prices. Buy buttons read “Check price on Amazon” because prices come from Amazon and change often. We never print a price we can't verify.

What we refuse to claim

• Gear we claim to have field-tested: none. Scores come from published specs, materials, maker instructions and published standards, scored with fixed bands. No page implies otherwise.
• We don't describe how a call sounds as if we heard it. Sound descriptions are the maker's, and say so.
• We don't quote Amazon star ratings or review counts, and we don't mark our scores up as product ratings.
• We don't list credentials, awards or testimonials, because there aren't any to list.

Guns, loads and state rules

Shotguns and ammunition aren't sold through this site (Amazon doesn't sell them). We discuss guns and turkey loads editorially, to help you choose a choke and pattern what you already own. Turkey hunting rules vary by state: seasons, bag limits, shooting hours, legal shot and gauges, electronic calls, decoys and hunter orange. Always check your state wildlife agency. Nothing on this site is legal advice.

How the site is funded

Affiliate commissions. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through a link on this site, Amazon may pay a commission, at no extra cost to you. Commissions never set a score or decide a pick, no brand pays for placement, and every buy button carries an “#ad” note. Full detail is in the affiliate disclosure and the editorial policy.

Where to start

New to all of it? Start with the First Season section and the turkey hunting gear list. If you're ready to buy a call, read the best turkey calls for beginners, then how to call a turkey. Quick answers to common questions are on the FAQ.

Corrections and contact

If a spec, a claim or a link on this site is wrong, tell us or email contact@strutandslate.com. We check it against the source, fix it, and log the change on the page.