Good duck calls?

[fishnhuntnboy]

I am gonna start looking for a good quality duck call. I think its time to upgrade. Right now I have some of the cheaper duck commander ones and they are good calls. Only problem I have is when they are a little wet from water or spit, they start to stick and i really notice it when it is colder out and they just dont want to work. This has hurt me in trying to call some ducks in and got fed up with them.

Is there an easy fix for this also what are some good duck calls?

Thanks

[carpshooterdeluxe]

call sticking has more to do with the air presentation than it does the call itself. you will see some calls marketed supposedly stick proof or "blows when wet" but i can stick a buck gardner spittech in about 30 seconds.

[Fins-n-feathers]

The Primos calls work pretty well but I don't know if they are prone to sticking or not.

[LandDr]

Very uncommon call but feel one of the best if not the best on the market...Kum Duck calls out of Oregon. Just do a search and you will find their site.

I was working on a waterfowl project and met the owner Jim May...it is a 3 person family operation and all of them are made and tuned right in their work shed.

What is really unique about the call is the shape of the reed holder...it is actually curved like a ducks tongue and throat...not straight like I have seen other calls. Also, you get an "accessory" pack with the call which includes spare parts and a set of various reeds. These reeds have different shapes as well as various cuts. Pretty cool!

But do they work? I am not a caller by any means...I am one of those who will not call around people for example. But Jim set me up with the Neo Classic and I could not believe how I could call ducks! I was bringing ducks from a long ways off right in...I was amazed!

The call is so clean and clear and does not crack. I can blow a real hard and heavy hail call and it will not crack on me...I find that pretty amazing. Jim has been a caller all of his life and in his work shop he has a collection of old calls as well as new calls, most of what other people have already mentioned in this and other threads. He let me blow all the calls and compare them with the Neo Classic that I was using. Hands down there was not one that matched up to the Neo Classic. They either did not have the the tone or they would occassionally crack on the Hail Call or something.

Jim blows the Legend, and it sounds really good too, but I really like the sould of the Neo Classic. When I listen to mallards on the pond and in the air, the Neo Classic sounds just like it and the ducks respond VERY well. Might be the shape of that reed holder or the reeds themselves but these are calls definately worth checking out!

[CANOPY SAM]

If I might dovetail off this same subject just a bit...

What suggestions do you have for a good goose call? My Tim Grounds is about 10 yrs. old now, and it's getting a little squeaky. I think the reed has frozen a few too many times, and it's seen way too much mud go thru it!

I like a low, growling call. Something that sounds like a 100 lb. honker on steroids.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

If I might dovetail off this same subject just a bit...

What suggestions do you have for a good goose call? My Tim Grounds is about 10 yrs. old now, and it's getting a little squeaky. I think the reed has frozen a few too many times, and it's seen way too much mud go thru it!

I like a low, growling call. Something that sounds like a 100 lb. honker on steroids.

i would just throw a new reed in your grounds. other than that, there are a gazillion different calls nowdays that will get the job done. if you can tune a goose call, most calls can be tuned to however you want them to sound. some are inherently higher pitched though due to design, but still give nice bottom end. IMO, its the higher pitched sounds that birds work to better anyways.

[fishnhuntnboy]

Landdr..thanks for the suggestion. I will have to take a look at them.

[fishnhuntnboy]

Im looking at a couple wood calls and was wondering do these get out there and get loud? Or do they normally stay a soft rich tone?

[luckycrank]

echo diamond wood poly is a decent call for 59.99 still one of my favorites

[WollMan]

RNT all the way. Loud Original or daisy cutter. Medium a short barrel. Soft and really ducky timbre or NOS. Have the original and timbre, getting a short barrel soon. You can get them in wood but the acrylic will not stick as much as the wood, will hold up better when it is really cold.

[WollMan]

Im looking at a couple wood calls and was wondering do these get out there and get loud? Or do they normally stay a soft rich tone?

Depends on the call and the type of wood. Acrylic will get louder and have a more sharpness to it.

[squeeb27]

Primos, which makes mostly single reed calls will of course not stick. Go get a haydels 7 dollar call doesnt stick at all. From what I have seen in Mn., ducks don't decoy anyways (except bluebills) . Primos single reeds are maybe to raspy for non timber areas. Its not the call its whether the ducks want to hang in your dekes or not. Dont waste your money on a 80 dollar duck call.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Primos, which makes mostly single reed calls will of course not stick. Go get a haydels 7 dollar call doesnt stick at all. From what I have seen in Mn., ducks don't decoy anyways (except bluebills) . Primos single reeds are maybe to raspy for non timber areas. Its not the call its whether the ducks want to hang in your dekes or not. Dont waste your money on a 80 dollar duck call.

...interesting...

[fishnhuntnboy]

I second that ^^^

A couple calls that i have been looking at was the kumduck calls that was mentioned earlier, also looking at the burnt hedge from duck commander, and the ph1 and ph2. I know i want something that i can call and get out to the ducks on open water and also get real soft for timber or when the ducks get in real close.

[Quackaddict9]

From what I have seen in Mn., ducks don't decoy anyways (except bluebills) .

ever tried the feedin' chatter? This is what we get the ducks to eat up our spread.

Lots of good calls out there, My favorite is the DRC sudden stop with the Hedge BGB Orginial insert, it is one sick call and can get loud to soft sound. Timber Rattler from Foiles is a second for me.

[WollMan]

Primos, which makes mostly single reed calls will of course not stick. Go get a haydels 7 dollar call doesnt stick at all. From what I have seen in Mn., ducks don't decoy anyways (except bluebills) . Primos single reeds are maybe to raspy for non timber areas. Its not the call its whether the ducks want to hang in your dekes or not. Dont waste your money on a 80 dollar duck call.

Sorry bud, but that whole post is wrong on so many levels...

[luckycrank]

bough A ph 2 late last fall sounded great at cabelas where I bought it , couple series of qaucks and its time to retune. ITS garbage IMO.

[squeeb27]

Having just read what I wrote, I will no longer be posting after coming home from the bar. WOW!!!

[Quackaddict9]

Having just read what I wrote, I will no longer be posting after coming home from the bar. WOW!!!

Eh? That was pretty good grammar in what you wrote to have when coming home from the bar...unless it was just a beer or two?

[zeeLandy]

haydels DR-85. nuff said.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

bough A ph 2 late last fall sounded great at cabelas where I bought it , couple series of qaucks and its time to retune. ITS garbage IMO.

whats wrong with it?

[bemidjibasser]

I really like the Tim Grounds Sweet Meet that I have. It can get loud to reach out and get their attention, but also get soft and a little squeak to it on the feeder chuckle. I also have a couple Hadels (single and double reed versions) that I use often. Some days they respond better to one call than the other, which is a great excuse to buy more than one. On a side note, a drake whistle can be even more effective than they typical hen call in my experience, especially to finish them off and get them in close.

[duckhuntr21]

Out of all of my calls, my all time favorite is my Faulk's WA-33 for around 8 bucks.

[Finlander]

I just picked up a Buck Gardner "Buck Nasty" duck call. It has the spit tech technology so it won't stick when it gets wet. That happened to me last weekend with my old calls as they were sticking alot and that is when I decided to get that call. It has an acrylic barrel and an engraved band by Buck Gardner. Just under 40 bucks which is a deal for an acrylic call! GM store!

[BrdHunter01]

The most EXPENSIVE one you can find! NOT, never spent over 15 bucks on a call and they all sound great. I've heard some of those 150 dollar calls before and I cant tell what kinda of duck it is

Try it before you buy it