duck calling

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

+10 for Nemont---sometimes, actually often, shut the fugg up is best call!
Rat Fink, couple of ARK and LA buddies and I have laffed our azz off at someone trying to call ducks with the DR85.....and I have met Eli ! Also met Phil and Willie and Sy......and Butch and his gang next door to Mack's in Stuttgart......don't mean I sound any better with their calls....actually, the ducks think I sound better with an Heirloom call, either double or single reed....but that is just me and my volume and diaphragm....I likely kilt as many ducks years ago with an old wood Olt's or a $5 Commander...never spent more than $40 on a call....but I am a cheap ol bustard!

 

[Flatrock]

I agree, YouTube is great for tips.

 

[Zach]

I agree, YouTube is great for tips.

Yeah, it is to bad the Hunting Sensei took down his website....
http://youtu.be/OxPniAPRcFM

 

[PFUNK]

I would second the idea of getting yourself on some ducks that are sitting contently and just LISTEN. Find water with a pile of ducks on it and you will hear all of the sounds they make.

1. For starters get the CADENCE of the content hen mallard down. I hear a lot of people use way too much gut when making this call. I like to purse my lips so that your force a small amount of powerful air out. This allows you to make the nasally sound of a content hen. Too much gut and it gets too growly. This call should be your foundation. I like to use the word "wick" and I always say to myself "1,2,3,4,5,6" as I blow each note. Each note should be progressively shorter to get the cadence down, and for me I like a 6 note cadence.

2. Build upon the basic content hen when you have it down to a tee. I like to add in some quicker mallard hen sounds but usually shorter... maybe 4 notes only. These have a little more volume and speed to them.

3. Feeding call I say ticket-ticket-ticket-ticket. You can vary how much volume and energy you put into this depending on how the ducks are reacting to it.

4. Once you get these down you can start mixing them together and sounding like a bunch of ducks when you have to.

5. There are a lot of good duck calls out there, and as a beginner I think it's easiest to start with an inexpensive double reed. My dad taught me how to blow on an old haydels and he still sounds better than 95% of duck hunters I hear. He can flat out call ducks with his lanyard full of Haydels. As you get better, you will see why people spend more dollars on higher end calls. You can make so many more sounds with a good single reed call. I prefer the RNT original in acrylic. However, I have an old cheap big river wooden call that I love for ducks that are close in. Just go to a store with a good selection and blow on ALL of them until you find the one that you like. It will be pretty obvious which ones work best for you.

6. Practice, practice, practice... and always compare it to the sound of REAL ducks. Find some audio of a flock of ducks sitting on water and mimic that.

7. Most importantly as others have stated... know when to put that duck call down. Read the body language of the ducks. Watch what they do when you make different sounds and know when to shut up and when to talk to them