Waterfowl - mastering the art

skein · 08-05-2003, 05:37 PM

This is just sort of an extension of the "107 Day" thread, but different enough to warrant its own space.

I just picked up my new Eliminator blind, and been talking shotguns and loads with my brother, but no matter what, the talk always comes back around to calls.

I look through the catalogs and take a trip to Sportsman's or Joes, and I still can't bring myself to buy one of those $180 calls that I may or may not be able to blow.

I buy a tape or video, and so often it's some guy who says, "Here, this is what you want to do," then takes a breath and proceeds to run a chorus that would qualify him for Stuttgart, if not win the whole show. Then he tells me to go out to my local refuge and listen to the ducks and geese and just do what they do. Sure.

How did you learn to play the song? Did you simply shell out the $$$ for a Saunders or Grounds and then huff and puff until you made it talk the talk? Did you sneak out to the refuge and listen and learn?

How did you make it happen?

Skein

Bait Bucket · 08-05-2003, 06:47 PM

I started around fifty years ago with a cheap call. I scared every bird in the swamps for the first five years. I had no one around to show me the ropes. No one hunted geese where I grew up. Very few people hunted ducks. Video players weren't invented. Five decades later I still don't claim any titles in goose calling. I struggle and struggle and sometimes I find a limit of dumb birds.

But I keep trying. Every year I buy more calls and watch the experts. I have almost come to the conclusion that I will never be a good goose caller. Ducks, on the other hand, is a tad easier.

duck-boy · 08-05-2003, 07:02 PM

Skein,
my dad was a really good duck caller and he wouldn't teach me how to do it the right way so when i was 12 he sat me in the blind 2 hours before shoot time and made me listen. our lake was by the house so everyday after school i would go and sit till after dark and thats how i learned what to say to the birds but the calling part is all about blowing the call and getting to know it. then the other stuff comes easy but you can't take a 7 month layoff and expect every sound you make to be perfect. and the saunders calls are well worth the coin..... my 2 -cents worth...
duck-boy

Rauly · 08-05-2003, 07:15 PM

Skein
First go mud your blind up good. One 5 gallon bucket is just about right. The easyest way is to mix the mud in the bucket, set the blind up and work the mud into the fabric. You can do this by picking Lured In up by the heels and dipping his head into the mud and swabing it onto the blind.

I am sure while he is helping you mud the blind he would be happy to blow that new high dollar call of his for you. :grin: If that doesn't work you can come spend a couple days hunting with Get Bit and me and learn how to blow duck and goose calls poorly. :shocked:

In the mean time some good learning tools.
Duck Audio - Keith Allens Duck Call operation (pureduck.com)
Duck Video - Buck Gardner
Goose Audio - Dave Smith Breakthrough II
Goose Video - Shawn Stahl Honker Talk

If you don't want to spend a lot on calls to get started there are a few good reasonably priced calls.
Duck - Haydels, DR85, Primos Wench
Goose - Grounds, Halfbreed

None of this is cast in stone but it worked for me. Of course you will become an addict and have to buy the 100 to 200 dollar calls like the rest of us addicts. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

Rauly

Capin' Dan · 08-05-2003, 08:49 PM

Slien, I have three of four video's that I will LOAN you. I really like them and they have worked good for me. Other thing is ask this same question on the refuge there are a lot of callers over there and they may be able to help.
Refuge is www.refugeforms.com
Dan!

Lured In · 08-05-2003, 10:29 PM

Rauly...when Skein is talking about "mastering the art" he is not talking about those stick figures you draw with your crayons. :tongue: :grin: Now put down your sippy cup and pay attention to the subject at hand.

And I will have you know that not only is my head good for mud application, it also serves as a pot scrubber during elk camp. :shocked:

[img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] :grin:

Steeliehunter · 08-05-2003, 11:10 PM

Lots of good information. Skien I have learned a great deal in the past two years as my son has gotten more involved with comp calling. I two was not to sure about shelling out the big dollars for a call. I picked up my first halfbreed four years ago at the sportsman show just because it had a better sound then the flute I was blowing at the time. Neadless to say over the next four years I talked with as many people as I could and yes I purchased several tapes and CD's to help improve my calling. Shawn Stahls Honker talk is very good along with Dave Smiths new CD. As for the calls Both Tim Grounds and Bill Saunders make some calls for under $100.00. Grounds: Half breed, Poly super mag and clearly goose talk. Saunders has the reload and I had a chance to blow this call and it was very easy for me and my son. What I like most about Tim and Bill is that if you have any questions you can give them a call and are more then happy to help you out and they will tune your call to your liking. Most of all practice practice practice. My son and I chase my wife out of the house and then I run him around to calling contests when I can. I know Spotsman Warehouse has both Saunders and Grounds calls so you can try before you buy. Just remeber we have all those little birds and the I 5 killer has a good sound. If you would like to use some of my CD's and videos let me know. The early goose season will be here before you know it so don't wait to long.
Sean

nitrobass · 08-06-2003, 06:09 AM

Good topic.

I think there's a natural progression up the dollar scale when it comes to calls. At some point its not for a better sound, instead for a look or just for kicks. I do know that if you go too cheap you're hurting your chances of calling ducks or becoming a better caller.
I burned through a bunch of Haydels DR-85's which are great calls in sound and for the money. From there it was to a Rich n Tone single reed. From there it was to a Carlson Volopac, which was a huge step up in quality. Now I'm back to a Rich n Tone single reed in acrylic. For geese the half breed is awesome - it makes great sounds and its small!
Calling ducks is like calling other game. You need to think like a duck and put that sort of emotion into your calling.

Crashin' Bait · 08-06-2003, 07:32 AM

Skein, Capin' Dan has a good point about the Refuge Forums. There is a lot of great info that can be had from that website. In fact, there is a forum that is devoted only to calls and calling. A few of the call makers post there and are very helpful in answering questions about types of calls and calling techniques.

[ 08-09-2003, 12:03 AM: Message edited by: Crashin' Bait ]

Flatfish · 08-06-2003, 07:52 AM

All of the above.

To sound like a duck, you need to know what a duck sounds like. Simple, but an often overlooked aspect.

I like the high pitched calls. They are ducky. The Haydels cajun squeal is a great meat call. So is the old Buck Gardner double nasty( not the ported one.Last time I saw one was about 3 years ago. Should have bought the whole rack).

Single reeds give you a lot of range, but I have killed a few ducks with a double reed.They did not complain.

Practice in the car. You will get a few good looks, but there is nothing better than a screaming highball at a red light. With your windows down. And the fella next to you has his window down.Good fun whtching thep hop like a ham on a hook.

I would try to add on the goose thing, but I can't call geese. I can flag em though.

Mark and the hoot and grunt dog.

Rauly · 08-06-2003, 08:07 AM

Skein

Flatfish brings up a good point. FLAGS. Sometimes all you need to do is flag them. I always bring a couple of flags.

Lured In I have heard rumors that the Portland police and fire departments are also looking for you. They think your head may make a pretty good battering ram. :grin: I hope you have been training all summer to pull the decoy carts for the IFISH hunt. We will be adding another 5 dozen decoys. :shocked: MUSH...MUSH...MUSH

Rauly

Drakeblake · 08-06-2003, 05:52 PM

Becoming a good caller shouldn't be a strugle it should be a fun experience. For me it took a full year of blowing my duck and goose calls for about 30 min. every day before I concidered myself a good caller. Now I wouldnt win any competitions but I can make all of the sounds needed to kill birds. The best tool I had to help me learn was a tape recorder. Every day I would blow a little routine and record it, and play it back over and over untill I found the sounds I liked and figured out how I was making them. But practice is the only way to get better and oh yes once you start sounding decent on the chepo calls you think to yourself "hmm now imagine how good ill be with the expensive calls" :grin: For the price you pay you think the goose/duck would be included. The fuge is a great resource to use and will further your calling skills. But be carefull the family might not like listening to you "practice" all the time so find a nice place the the garage to practice in and in no time you'll be addicted to calls and calling. Keep at it.

-Blake
RNT
HAYDELS
GROUNDS
WINGLOCK

suckerfish · 08-07-2003, 07:44 PM

Skien, We don't know each other but I will give you the Ace. When you see someone killing a bunch of birds just sneak close enough to the spread were you can kill the birds on the last swing to the blocks. No worries, just lets the other group do the calling and you do the hauling. Works every time!

suckerfish

FrogPond · 08-08-2003, 11:23 PM

I got a cassette tape with one of my calls I bought several years ago and it has been in the tape player in my pickup ever since. I used to drive from Corvallis to Springfield every day for work and lived 30+ miles from school while going to college and I practiced every day while on my drives. It sure made the trips go by!
I must look like an idiot (or people must think I am smoking dope) when I practice my calls when driving down I-5. I do not recommend practicing in such a close space with your better half along for the ride though...
This seemed to work for me, it got me comfortable with calling and confident that I could produce the notes I wanted when I wanted them. I only started hunting waterfowl 5 years ago, but now I never want to stop.

Good luck with your calls, but also remember there are times when being quiet works best.