Looking for First Duck Call

riffer · #1 10-31-2007, 06:44 PM

Im just getting into hunting waterfowl, I went out last night I hit one duck but didnt hit him with enough to bring him down, then after the shots started nothing came in, Im looking to buy my first duck call, I dont have a whole lot of money to spend right now (i can spend 20-30 tops), so what one should I buy?

winged1 · #2 10-31-2007, 06:56 PM

the three boxes of shells you can buy with that will be a lot more fun than blowing on a duck call.

Outdoor_Ed · #3 10-31-2007, 08:55 PM

Primos duck calls are in your price range. But buying a dozen duck decoys will probably work better than having a call. A goose call is well worth buying. I get a way better response from geese versus ducks any day.

Ed S.

Versatile · #4 10-31-2007, 09:02 PM

Dont buy duck decoys buy goose decoys. Buy a half dozen or dozen goose decoys (Shells on long stakes work awsome even in the water the geese dont know the difference). I say this because ducks will commit to geese but geese wont commit to ducks so with the geese you will have the best of both worlds.

As for a call I really like my Primo's wench but I like my RNT Quackhead J-Frame better. Its louder and raspier than my wench. I like having them both though just incase one isnt what the ducks want I can switch. Ducks will also come to goose calls I have found this year even better than duck calls. When the ducks come by I cluck very fast and they swoop right in.

For a goose call I really love my RNT Quackhead Goozilla. Its a very easy call to blow requiring very little air and I learned very fast on it.

ABDUKNUT · #5 10-31-2007, 09:04 PM

Maybe it's just luck, but I generally get a good response from both ducks and geese. Can't even count how many flocks of 50 or more I called into 10 yards in the past 2 days, but enough to bag a limit or two anyways

I could suggest any of the cheap double-reed calls (especially the Primos Wench and Haydels DR85)

Not sure how serious you are planning to get with your duck calling, but calling ducks is an art and the best tool is a single-reed Arkansas (J-frame) call. You'll need a decent call as well as an instructional CD, or DVD, to get started. RNT's Quackhead works very, very well.

ABDUKNUT · #6 10-31-2007, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winged1

the three boxes of shells you can buy with that will be a lot more fun than blowing on a duck call.

I wish SRD sold tags for skybusters

riffer · #7 11-01-2007, 12:48 AM

Haventmost of the geese migrated already? I wouldmuch ratherbe hunting geese, than ducks anyways.

the diver hunter · #8 11-08-2007, 10:36 PM

Primos are one of the best bangs for your dollar. For your first duck call, buy a double-reed. You'll pick up proper calling techniques with a dr call, then when your competent enough a few years down the road, move into a single reed call (the difference between a dr and sr call being that the sr can hammer out more volume). The main difference in price from a $20 duck call and a $200 call, is that the majority of top dollar calls today are turned from acrylic, whereas the cheaper calls are made from molded injection. And while the acrylic calls do tend to punch out a more throaty duck sound, the mi calls on the market today (especially Primos) sound great, and they basically have the same guts (reed and air tunnel design). The "Original Wench" from Primos is where I'd invest my money for now.

M70 · #9 11-09-2007, 12:43 PM

Cabela's had the RNT Quack Stacker on sale at $19.99 a while back. I picked one up as an add on to my order and it is a heck of a call for the price.

riffer · #10 11-13-2007, 09:16 PM

Well I'm looking for a goose call now, any of you have any suggestions?

Versatile · #11 11-14-2007, 07:52 AM

Quackhead Goozilla. Very easy call to blow and I have made leaps and bounds with a short reed with this call. I tried the Primos Honky Tonk and it SUCKS!!!! its tough to call and needs alot of air compared to my Quackhead. I would also look into a flute call.

BUD · #12 11-14-2007, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riffer

Haventmost of the geese migrated already? I wouldmuch ratherbe hunting geese, than ducks anyways.

Bcause of the warm weather the migration has just started , there are millions of birds in the peace river area yet , we need a snow storm with a high north cold wind to get them moving , hell l.ve seen sea gulls still here and they usually head for the west coast a month ago.
next month will be good.

Rook · #13 11-14-2007, 10:46 AM

Calling ducks in Alberta is a real hit and miss. I've guided for the last 6 years and I get some Americans who can really blow a good call. But most ducks don't respond. I have found the best is a pintail or widgeon whistle. If you must have duck call also look at the Knight & Hale. Their kit offers both a single and double reed and a video.

The best bet for success on ducks is of course to be where they want to go. Some encouragement includes both duck and goose decoys and use a mechanical duck. I have also found that most hunters think ducks are somewhat stupid and don't use the same care and attention to their blinds like they would if hunting geese.

What you will find between acrylic and plastic calls is that plastic will not hold their tune and tone over time where as acrylic will. You should start with a cheap call and learn to blow it well. Expensive acrylic calls come in all sorts. Some blow soft some hard, etc. Don't spend your money on an expensive one until you understand your style of blowing. Best bets for any acylic are Foilles, Tim Grounds, Zink and I use one called the Fast Talker by Chris Holtz. I have many different ones and some custom done for me but I always return to the Fast Talker because it is easy to blow and it has the lowest tone of any of the calls I own.

However I do know one fellow who uses a Knight & Hale Magnum Clucker and his calling outdoes most everyone I know.

ABDUKNUT · #14 11-14-2007, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rook

Calling ducks in Alberta is a real hit and miss. I've guided for the last 6 years and I get some Americans who can really blow a good call. But most ducks don't respond..

I couldn't disagree with your statement more... I've never had a problem getting ducks to respond to a call, and the average hunt for me I see a few thousand ducks turn themselfs inside out to try to land in my kill hole.

Early in the year, (first half of September) mallards are not very vocal, but this changes quickly. Pintails, and even more so wigeons are generally immune to the 5-6 note greeting call that will make a wad of mallards bust their necks to turn and set their wings, but who wants to shoot trash ducks anyways??? A pintail whistle is deadly on sprigs, but you should easily be able to snipe a few that are glued to a wad of mallards, so focus on the green and they hangers-on WILL come.

As far as not being stupid- C'mon I think you're giving ducks a little too much credit here... Ducks are fairly stupid, hence the pistachio-sized brain. They are by 'samplers' by nature, and this curiosity and need to find food can be played against them. The will instinctively avoid situations that have burned them in the past- those situations that they have associated with gunshots and death. By creating a situation for them that for all intents and purposes appears to be safe, you will have success time and time again. This means realistic calling, invisible hides, and decoys that look like real birds.

Another tip- If you have a field with 2,000 mallards feeding in it, DONT hunt it!!! Hunt another, similar, field, downwind towards one of the roosts... Ducks will come to check you out, and are easy to entice down to 10 yards with the right strategy... By hunting the feeding field, you are just shooting out your ducks and hastening their migration to parts elsewhere.

Versatile · #15 11-14-2007, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABDUKNUT

Another tip- If you have a field with 2,000 mallards feeding in it, DONT hunt it!!! Hunt another, similar, field, downwind towards one of the roosts... Ducks will come to check you out, and are easy to entice down to 10 yards with the right strategy... By hunting the feeding field, you are just shooting out your ducks and hastening their migration to parts elsewhere.

Now why did you have to go and tell them that. I was hoping to have 2000 mallards heading my way by the end of the weekend

riffer · #16 11-14-2007, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanGSP

Quackhead Goozilla. Very easy call to blow and I have made leaps and bounds with a short reed with this call. I tried the Primos Honky Tonk and it SUCKS!!!! its tough to call and needs alot of air compared to my Quackhead. I would also look into a flute call.

Where do you buy Quackhead products? wholesale doesnt sell them.

Versatile · #17 11-14-2007, 06:16 PM

Buy them off of cabelas. I think its like 20 bucks a call. Canadian Waterfowl Pro Shop has them but I am not sure if they are instock.