Ive tried a few over the years and cant seem to make consistent sounds. I seem to gag on them after using them for a bit. Anyone have the same problem and found any that are really easy to use?

I'm a big guy... with a small palate. I buy ladies/youth models or cut them down... still not very good but this helped a lot.

Practice...... It can take a bit of time.. As said, trimming the tape down to fit your mouth is needed, first. before trying to produce any sound. If it doesn't fit right or lay on your roof of your mouth, it won't work well. I've tried many types, and only find a few that I like and use all the time.. the money I wasted trying calls is unreal.... Find one that works and stick with it, until you improve and then look to expand into other cuts and number of latex reeds.
In my opinion, if you are gagging, the call is located too deep into your mouth, maybe its cut down too much.

Not a fan of mouth diagrams for many reasons for any game and also for the reason you asked about. For me I have harvested all kinds of game that require calls and have been very successful without needing a mouth call. I sure for a lot of folks the mouth reed works great for them and better than any other call that is available. The shoe doesn't always fit for everyone.

Good Luck!

Trimming can help.

Some of the easiest for me to run are the Primos double stack series. Seems counterintuitive that a stacked frame would be better but the height tends to "flatten" things out for a better seal on the sides without the tongue needing to rise that high. Matter of fact the true double ii is my all time favorite.

There are some with a plastic top, dome series iirc, that might be worth a try.

You just gotta find one that works for you. Took me 20 years to find "the one". My buddy is a competition caller and introduced me to it. May not work for you but give it a shot: https://www.canecreekcalls.com/products/product-1

Im with you. I use a box call, slate and a crystal. The ONLY reason I want to find a diaphragm is I wanna try to kill one with a bow and want to be hands free when the bird gets close. Never felt like it was needed with a shotgun.

I bow hunt them 95% of the time. I still use all the hand calls for turkey hunting and still get the job done. If they are talking back I than play the game and pretty much don't do any calling. Yes, if they hang up than that is where the mouth call would be handy. I just take that risk and plan for a new attack.

Good Luck this spring.

With a bow a pop up blind will be your friend

First practice when your in driving around or working in the fur shed alone preferably so you don’t drive others crazy. If it makes you feel queasy trim it to fit your mouth better. Moving your lower jaw helps with making different sounds, listen to some calling samples to get a better idea of the calls you want to make.

If you need a smaller call they make youth sized calls if I can’t find them I just trim down the calls I find to fit me better.

Been using them for 35 years it takes practice but it takes a call that fits your palate for instance I use a wider narrow call like a woodhaven but a narrow deeper call like a quaker boy just doesn’t work for me… just my two cents… Jon

If they don’t work for you just blow as hard as you can for a predator call then.

Hooks in Arkansas

Hooks in Arkansas

Like others said trim around the outside with scissors until the call fits in the roof of your mouth without the edges being on your teeth.
Most but not all have metal frames. Bend those slightly upward to make it fit the curve of your upper palate better.
Also if you are gagging it is likely you are placing the call too far to the rear.
I’ve been using them for over 35 years and adjust all mine that way.
When I first started using them I drove about 35 minutes each way for work. I practiced while driving.
Once you make sounds it becomes very easy to duplicate turkey sounds.
I am times have 30 diaphragm calls.

Some folks, including myself, sounded terrible on a mouth call. Still a lot of other folks THINK they sound wonderful. Thank goodness a turkey is a lot easier to call than a judge at a calling contest. Having said all that, unless your heart is set on using a mouth call, I for sure would suggest a friction call. A box is easy to learn, and the slate is more realistic and more versatile, but is a little harder to learn to run than the box. A problem always for me was keeping up with the "peg" for the slate. So carry extra's made of different woods as they give a slightly different sound and you just never know which one will trip an old gobbler's trigger.

I'm gonna second WV Danimal. Cane creek makes some of the best calls I've used. I may be partial to them because I was raised about a half mile from Doug. He is a great guy to deal with. I got a lot of free lessons from him.

Some of the worst sounding turkey yelps I ever heard came from an actual hen turkey.

True statement for sure.

The truth for sure