Short Reed Goose Calls...

[Lured In]

Question for the pursuer's of fine goose calls...What is a short reed goose call? Is this simply are rename of traditional calls that preceded flutes or is this something new? As I understand they are supposed to be all the rage now. I know that Tim Grounds and many others are touting that this is the future of goose calls and short reeds have supposedly won several calling contests recently. (Don't you know that if it wins calling contests it must be good?)

For those of you outdoor magazine junkies like myself, the latest "fishing and hunting lies" has an article and the "goose expert" suggests one specifically for those that hunt the NW Permit Zone.

Also, why in the hell is it that you can't touch one of these calls for less than $120?

If you feel so inclined, please enlighten me.

[Flathead]

Actually, it's just what it says it is. The reed on these calls is cut shorter giving the call a higher pitched tone. The higher pitch seems to carry longer distances and catches the birds attention. Yet when the birds get in close you can choke down on it and get softer, quieter tones. Actually they're pretty versatile, except for the really deep tones you get from a flute. As far as all the rage I don't know about that. MoJet turned me on to them. He has had his Tim Grounds Half Breed call for several years and I've had mine for three years now. It's basically the only call we use. As far as short reeds and the NW Permit Zone, I definently agree the higher tone is closer to the tone of the Cacks and Tavs. Also, they are easy to blow and I don't get near as worn out during long calling sessions. They do take a little practice to learn. I'm by no means an expert, but they put birds in the blind.

A Tim Grounds Half Breed sells for about $51.00 in the current Herters catalog.

[Lured In]

Flathead, what is the differenc between TG's Half Breed and the SuperMagnum short reeds? Is it just that the half breed is supposed to pull specs and snows too?

Have you seen any of TG's calling video's? Are they any good?

[MoJet Driver]

Lured,

The supermag half breed is still a short reed. It just has a little deeper tone to it. I tried on once and didn't like it as much as the traditional half breed. The half breed is real good for tavs and cacklers since it is fairly easy to sound like a real noisy flock. One other thing the half breed has done for me that no other call has, if you are working a pair, and if you knock down one bird, call like crazy and 50% of the time the other bird will come back close enough for a shot.

If you want deeper sounds, like the big birds, nothing beats a good wood flute.

I've pulled in some specks with the half breed with real short bursts like a snow goose. The specks were shot at Summer Lake and I did have some snow dekes out. Didn't have enough dekes to pull down any snows though. I don't really consider a half breed to be a substitute for a snow call. TG sells a pretty good snow call too.

The half breed can't cackle like a real speck call. The only speck call I've tried is a Haydel's but I never practiced enough or hunted specks enough to try even come close to being good at it. Speck calling is a real art.

Just read Flathead's reply in it's entirety. Sorry about the duplication of information. I guess it's just proof that me and the Flathead can agree on a couple of things now and again. :grin:

[ 12-12-2001: Message edited by: MoJet Driver ]</p>

[Lured In]

Mojet thanks for the additional input and it is good to see that Flathead lets you use the brain you apparently both share. :tongue:

On a different note (pun intended) do you honestly believe that the sound of the half breed alone makes the difference or is it calling ability. I consider myself a compitent goose caller (no expert mind you) but neither my traditional wood goose call nor my flute get a whole lot of attention aside from the usual dumba$$ flocks of dusky's. I guess what I am really getting at, is assume I don't immediately become a championship caller, would the half breed improve the looks I am getting from the birdies? (While on the subject, go ahead and tell me my fortune and read some tea leaves for me. LOL)

[Get Bit]

LI,

A couple of differences in the short reeds from the flutes. They are a shorter call allowing the caller to use the hand more to vary the tones of the call. You can use your hand to extend the tube and make it sound more like a flute as well as opening the hand up or cupping moving etc. to allow the tone to vary or get higher. The second is the reed is shaved to allow more of a varied tone and pitch in the call. You have to use the voice to inflect differences. Kind of like the difference in a double vs. single reed duck call. As far as prices go there are a number of low priced short reeds out there. Primos,Knight& Hale,Haydels all make low cost adequate calls. The Grounds half breed is a middle of the road call as far as cost and is definitely a step up from the others. To go one step further is the handmade acrylics. These ar handturned/tuned etc. and you can tell the difference when calling and just holding and looking at the call. These are more like musical instruments. The call the "Goose Expert"(Dave Smith) is speaking of in F&H News is the calls by Bill Saunders in tri-cities. They are top of the line acrylics. The model he speaks of is a higher pitched short reed named the "traffic". The other is a guide series by Bill. To get a good idea of whats out there in goose calls, check out this site www.flocknocker.com . This site is only geese and gives a good list of the calls out there. I am not an expert but just working at being an adequate caller in hunting situations. I am still horrible but hopefully getting better everyday. The NW permit zone is frustrating at times and theres no substitute for scouting and getting in a location geese are using.Hope this helps. Just my take on a very large subject full of varied opinions. Good Luck !
Get Bit
P.S. Dave Smith also has a CD out on calling.

[Lured In]

GB thanks for the feedback. Just so you know I wasn't trying to knock Dave Smith by quoting him as a "goose expert." F&H has a nasty habit of using some less than useful resources for some of their articles. What's interesting is that since that issue came out I have heard his name and the guide company he works for (Pacific Wings?) more than a half dozen times. I had never heard of him prior. Calling aside I hear his dekes are pretty awesome, too?

BTW just out of curiousity which call do you use?

[Get Bit]

LI,
Didn't think you were knocking him. Dave is a great guy and always willing to share info. I definitely look at him as an expert. He definitely speaks goose fluently and makes some decoys that are works of art. Him and Saunders just got back a while ago from the World Goose Calling Championships. As soon as you think you have the goose calling thing down listen to Dave or Bill and you will definitely be humbled in a hurry. They will leave you shaking your head.
Get Bit

[MoJet Driver]

Well, Get Bit stole most of my thunder there. I am a firm believer in that you get what you pay for. Flathead can attest on some of the cheaper short reeds sounding like an asthmatic goose.

For some reason, when I first picked up TG's Half Breed, it just matched my physique and style. The first season I called geese in from different zip codes, then next season I had a slump. I picked up nice maple flute from Doc Hull. Had to learn how to blow that one. It is totally a different air flow. Now I use the Breed for hail calls and in the NW Permit Zone. It is just so loud compared to others. I use the flute on the big Westerns as a finisher or finesse call when the birds seem to not want so much racket. This is where Flathead and I differ. He likes a lot of racket a lot of the time. It usually starts when he exits his house and the only time he stops is at the check station at the end of the day. (Sorry Jeff, sooner or later I had to take a poke at you) :shocked: :grin:

One other note too, we have been using the plastic Breeds. The magnum short reed I had was wood and it just never worked well for me. I don't know if it was just how the barrel was cut or what. Like GB said, you can manipulate the tones a lot easier on a short reed. Even with or without a glove on can cause a good deal of difference in resonance. I prefer the glove on, it seems to mellow out that rattly sound.

But as in waterfowling, some days, nothing works right. Unfortunately I have experience my fair share of those days. If I could only take one call into the field, I'd take my Half Breed. It is my confidence call.

[Get Bit]

LI,
Don't know if the call question was for me but I'll tell you anyway! Hee, Hee, Was blowing a Primos Shaved Reed for a while until I discovered Saunders Calls and now I blow a "Traffic" by Bill Saunders. Takes some work but boy is it nice.
Check out the flocknocker and go to the Pawn Shop. There are some killer deals as well as guys wanting to trade. I got mine by trading a flyrod/reel combo for it.

Get Bit

[ 12-12-2001: Message edited by: Get Bit ]</p>

[Flathead]

GB, I had one of those Primos calls, I could never make that thing work right and that thing was really hard to blow. Mojet's right, I like alot of noise when hunting the west side, those squeeky birds and Tavs like alot of racket most of the time, but just like anything there are those days where you need to keep it in the pocket and let the deks work. Now, eastside, for those big birds is a finesse deal and I always bow to Mojets better calling abilities. I really am a hack on the call, but I continue to learn.

[Get Bit]

FH,
I was never really satisfied with my shaved reed Primos. Sounded too shrill.Tinny I guess is the best way to describe it. The traffic call is awesome in comparison. Now that I have the goose call, I have a RNT acrylic single reed duck call on my Christmas list. The wife about choked when I showed her the price but I may get lucky.
Looks like the eliminator, some more outlaws and a couple dozen bigfoots are next on my list. Nothing like going for the best. Only my wife and money holding me back now.Let see, what else can I trade. This duck/goose thing has me so twitterpated I may not go Steelhead fishing until the seasons over.

Get Bit

Get Bit

[Flathead]

Might as well waterfowl hunt anyway. The way its going I don't think the rivers will be fishable until June with all this rain

[Tilla]

I used a plastic T Grounds half breed for several years as does 4 of my NW Zone buddies. I did order a wood Short Magnum from T Grounds and the sound was no different. When I pulled it out of the box it blew exactly the same,it was like I had used it for years. I got on the phone and called Tim, apparently the guts are the same. Just a side note, he actually tunes every call before it leaves the building and when you call, his mom answers the phone. ......I was expecting to notice more of a difference between the wood and plastic, but I can not tell.
Those calls just sound like the geese we hunt on the island, the pitch is just right.

[Fishalot]

When Tilla blows one of his Goose calls they all sound the same, yet I can't help but add that the geese do seam to pay attention. When this happens a person can't help but want to hunt with him. He's not bad at finding fish as well. :grin: :grin: :grin:

Fishalot

Team "Sneakin'Out member.