School me on duck and deer calls

[spistols]

Have an opportunity to get some duck and deer calls custom made for a company promo. These would be US made by a lone individual, making them in his personal shop. Maker has placed 1st place in these call competitions:

Norseman Call Makers
Grand Nationals
Midwest Open
Buckeye Challenge

and 2nd in the Southeast Call Makers

What do I need to know before I ask the maker on what is popular....wood or acrylic? What kind of wood is preferred and what colors in acrylic are preferred?

 

[DADI03]

I would think that if he has won that many he would be able to steer you in the right direction. Post up pics of what you get.

I use to work for a guy that made turkey calls. Everyone was a one of a kind. They looked like art when he was done. He's retired now and he makes them for fun now. The story's he would tell were amazing

 

[spistols]

I would think that if he has won that many he would be able to steer you in the right direction. Post up pics of what you get.

I use to work for a guy that made turkey calls. Everyone was a one of a kind. They looked like art when he was done. He's retired now and he makes them for fun now. The story's he would tell were amazing

Thanks. I know he could steer me in the right direction and intend on asking, but wanted the "hunting" consumer (ODTers) to tell me what they preferred before I am told maybe "zombie green" is the new acrylic color of choice or something.

 

[batoncolle]

Wood, especially custom, is just cool. Acrylic is probably going to be cheaper. Colors would be woodsy greens, browns, etc. I certainly wouldn't want any flashy colors, blue, etc.

 

[BeefMaster]

For me cedar, black walnut, and bocote make pretty calls. I've turned fly rod handles out of cedar and black walnut and find that with good finish they are gorgeous and pretty resilient too. However, can't go wrong with polished black or clear acrylic if synthetic is the route you take. Mabye throw some laser etching in there if he has the capacity.

By the by, let us (the Unwashed masses of the ODT) know if you have any extras. Man can never have enough good calls.

 

[musket]

I prefer wood calls, they have a better tone than acrylics. I assume we are talking duck calls? Anyway, I think a single reed is easier to control to get loud hail calls and soft feeding or greeting calls. I have bought so many calls I couldn't count them. The absolute best I ever bought was made by Ken Martin (R.I.P) and is a simple Reelfoot type call, I believe made of walnut. (Pics below to show the style) Luckily, I was able to get several replacement reeds just before Ken passed. If your guy is a good call maker, he'll know Ken Martin's name and be sure to get several reeds. If you plan on hunting with a good call, use a double lanyard, one on the barrel and one on the tone channel. I carried the Ken Martin on a single lanyard and lost the tone channel. I was able to talk to Ken's widow and she sent me a replacement that happened to be lying around on Ken's bench. It doesn't match, exactly but it works.

 

[spistols]

Good to know, thank you.

 

[spistols]

What do you guys think? These are made out of maple.

 

[kingdaddy3247]

Very cool! How do they sound?

 

[spistols]

They sound very convincing to me when I was trying out mine.