Goose Calls although an orthodox topic, but its interesting to those who are avid Goose enthusiasts. These people range from hunters to Goose farmers and they’re willing to spend time, energy and money in order to achieve their goal. Hunters stand soaking wet in swamps and marshlands for hours looking for the perfect shot. Although, they have all the technical gear they need but hunters are always looking to improve their chances and Goose Calls serve exactly that purpose.
It is believed that Geese communicate with each other using a combination of 20 different basic notes. For that purpose, there exist numerous Goose Calls on the market that enable a person to make a variety of goose sounds. Each sound serves a different purpose and each scenario requires a different sound to be made by the hunter. For example, The Train note is a moaning sound which is made to exhibit a large authoritative goose that is asserting dominion over another. Thus, mastering these sounds requires certain technique, knowledge and precision.
This article will serve as a complete guide for you to become a Goose Call connoisseur. You will be walked through the easiest Goose Call sounds to learn as well as the most popular Goose Calls available on the market within a budget.
Best Goose Calls for Beginners:
Typically, it is possible to hit every note on a Flute Call and a lot of people recommend using a Flute to begin with, as it is easy to use or “easy blowing”. It doesn’t require you to put any back pressure on the call which changes the pitch of the note. Easy Blowing refers to the minimum amount of air needed to operate a Short Reed Goose Call which is always mistaken as easy to learn. Beginners often blow large amounts of air into the Call at first and have little control over the air stream, thus Flute suit the novices in the water fowling sport.
However, there also exists a Call called the Short Reed which is famous for its versatility and consistent sounds. It is an obvious pick for someone who hopes to become a proper hunter. But in the end it really comes down to the personal liking or taste.
Best Calls by Goose Species:
Geese are considered to be the chatterboxes of the bird kingdom. They are usually seen in flocks migrating from one place to another. Geese have a wide array of distinct notes and how they use them in combination with one another differs from goose to goose depending upon locality and species. Much like humans, Geese have developed different dialects of their language. Thus, to communicate with each specific species different Calls are used with particular techniques designed for each Call.
Learning Goose Calling takes time, effort and practice which in turn demands discipline. So, we hope to make the work easier by providing the best calls to use for the most popular goose breeds.
Best Snow Goose Calls:
Snow geese although considered to be in the goose family are certainly unique. Primarily, they don’t look like other geese do and when it comes to calling they produce very peculiar sounds that are very different from other goose species. Snow geese are particularly noisy and loud. Also, their voices have a lot of range to them which renders normal Calls futile in calling them. So, it is important to have Calls specifically made for Snow Geese as normal Calls will not work on them.
A good snow goose call is supposed to have versatility, i.e it should be able to produce a variety of sounds. While incorporating technicality one shouldn’t forget about comfort and it should be bore in mind that the Snow Goose call must provide ease as well. A good Snow Goose Call also requires the minimum amount of air to pass to operate. Haydel’s Snow Goose Call is one such example which requires short puffs of air to function properly.
Given below are some of the best Snow Goose Calls.
RNT Quackhead Snow Goose aka Tundra Stomp Goose Call
A product of the Rich N Tone Calls, promises highest quality in sounds and replicates the full range of sounds of the typical Snow Goose. Also, known as the “RNT Quackhead Snow Goose”.
RNT claims that each item of this product line has been tested and tried against each call that the Snow Goose makes, in order to maximize the credibility of this Call. The RNT Quackhead is capable of producing high-pitched sounds as well as low and subtle growls. So, you can use the wide array of sound options that this Call provides, depending upon the distance of the goose.
This call is especially suitable for those people that hunt on a budget.
Quaker Boy Frosty Snow Goose Call
The Quaker Boy Frosty is primarily a short reed call. The Quacker Boy stands out on account of its sleek and slender design. This Call in particular has been designed with consideration towards aesthetics. The overall white shine of the Call signifies that it’s a call made for the Snow Goose.
The Quacker Boy is innovative, it requires a very small of air to operate. Once, the right amount of air pushed through it produces sound with excellent volume and pitch. Although this call is modern and extremely efficient, its price is reasonable for the quality it delivers.
Primos Shaved Reed Snow Call
The Shaved Reed can make calls that require immense volume. It is fairly easy to use, the more air you blow into it, the louder the honk. It can also produce a bleat or an alarm call. The Primos is a highly durable call, it doesn’t get affected by the elements and it doesn’t lose its potential in the cold. It is made of polymers which makes it tough and reliable.
Primos is very versatile in terms of usability. It is equally proficient whether it’s being used by a recreational user or a professional. The girth of the call ranges from 9/1000 to 14/1000 inches. This call has been made to endure the harshest of environments, as its been made with 100% non-organic materials. It can be used to produce the sound of an entire flock as well as a single goose.
Best Canada Goose Calls:
Flextone Team Realtree Canada Goose Call
The Flextone Team Realtree is primarily a polycarbonate based call with a sleek barrel in the limelight. The target audience of this call are mainly the novices as this call is great for learning breath control. The Call absorbs most of the untamed vibrations caused usually by an unexperienced user by blowing too much air into the Call at once, the Call still outputs sound resembling a Canadian Goose.
The Flextone technology used to manufacture this call provides a more natural tone by delivering greater backpressure. This Call also contains a mechanism to replicate the sounds of multiple geese called the Squeeze and Release. This call is an improvement on the previous calls, multiple colors being one of the contributing factors. It is a light weight and efficient Call with realistic sounds.
Faulk’s Canada Goose Call
The Faulk’s Canada Goose Call stands out purely on account of the beautiful workmanship that has been done to give this call its unique look. The call bears resemblance to an antique wooden work. Being a Wooden Call the Faulk’s Canada Goose Call carries a certain class and charisma with it. The call irrelevant of its efficiency is a valuable addition to lanyard.
The Faulk’s Canada Goose Call is a little hard-to-blow, i.e the amount of air it allows to pass is a little greater than the optimum air stream. This call provides very realistic goose sounds by delivering the perfect tone and pitch to match the Canadian Goose.
Flextone Camo Hunter Canada Goose Call
The Flextone Camo Hunter’s highlight is that it uses the flextone to deliver the most realistic goose sounds. The call has a camo pattern etched on its entire body which gives it its name. The call is primarily operated by a long barrel, it is not a Short Reed Call. However, the call comes with a tone board which allows the user to configure it to produce sounds just like any other Short Reed Call.
So, this Call is capable of producing mellow and subtle sounds as well as high-pitched loud sounds after tuning with the tone board. The call is operated by squeezing and releasing the barrel thus it’s been made with soft materials.
Best Specklebelly Goose Calls:
The Specklebelly also known as the White Fronted Goose because of the immediate white part behind their bill are a contrast to the Canadian goose as Canadian goose are large and fly rather slow as compared to the White Fronted Goose. The Specklebelly weigh around 4-6 pounds, they are slender and agile creatures. They’re flight is swift and they’re capable of making sharp turn while flying rather like a butterfly. Their voice is high-pitched, often serene. Their voice bears much resemblance to laughter of a child.
Specklebelly have a signature yodel and thus Goose Commander are deemed efficient when it comes to hunting Specklebelly. These geese are drawn especially towards purrs and short clucks which are made by the back pressure in the Goose Calls.
Primos Shaved Reed Speck Goose Call
The Primos Shaved Reed is a tulip shaped call whose uneven barrel thickness provides maximum sound volume. This call is capable of providing extremely loud sounds with the minimum amount of air. Thus, it is optimum for using in large open fields where projection of the sound is needed.
The Call can produce yodels to piercing hail calls. The reed is ultra slim and the Call has been made from the toughest of materials to provide maximum durability in a variety of environments. This call would be a valuable addition to any lanyard.
Haydel’s Game Calls Speck Call
This particular speck call utilizes a wide bore acrylic gut system to pump out loud piercing sounds. This stylish Call has a body made entirely of carbon to provide durability in a multitude of environments. The design has been reed-centric as the reed has been bored to provide maximum backpressure, allowing for air to flow and thus increasing the volume of the Call as a whole.
The Call is easy-blowing as it can produce yodels and clucks with equal proficiency. The Call has been toned slightly to the higher side so there exists a range of yodel notes. The Call is responds quickly which makes it ideal for rapid yodeling. The Call is usually offered in Oak-Acrylic which gives it finesse and its capable of producing rapid yodels and quick clucking.
RNT Specklebelly Goose Call
An Acrylic call ideal for wet rice fields, marshes and open fields. It has been designed to produce notes on a very wide scale. It can deliver a high shrieking yodel as well as a grave contentment call. This call is light in weight and comes with a stainless-steel band which makes it easy to handle.
The Call is capable of making a variety of sounds from a low-grave call to a high-pitched ear piercing shriek. This call has earned a significant amount of recognition in the water fowling community as it has been the Winner of Louisiana State and Gueydan Specklebelly Goose Calling Championships.
Best Calls by Material
When it comes to buying the appropriate call, the material which makes up the call matters a lot. There are mainly two materials which govern the Bird Call Industry; Acrylics and Polycarbonates. But Wooden calls still maintain a high demand in the market to this day.
Each material provides a certain edge to the Call but each material comes with its weaknesses as well. The decision of choosing a specific material, depends on the species of goose you’re trying to catch, the surrounding, as well as your experience in the field of water fowling. Thus, it is crucial that you make yourself aware of the pros and cons of each material before choosing a call for hunting.
Best Acrylic Goose Calls:
Acrylic Calls are known to produce sharp, shrieking and loud sounds which come in handy when the flock is far away and you need to reach out to them. Acrylics being hard are also prone to chipping when dropped from a height of more than 8 feet.
Acrylic goose calls are pricy since they are much more durable than Polycarbonate or Wooden calls. Acrylic goose calls provide a high-pitched sound, which is better for catching Canadian geese.
Acrylic calls are a relatively new concept since plastics were initially a hard sell as a call. The objective of making such a call was that the call should be non-sticky and the material should remain consistent throughout its lifetime. Thus, acrylic calls were the ones who could fit the aforementioned feats required for an ideal call. So, Acrylic Calls although new and relatively pricy are worth it.
Tim Grounds Goose Talk Acrylic Goose Call
The Tim Grounds Goose Talk Call has an Acrylic reed. This Call does not stick and its known all around the hunting community for its ease of use and incredible volume. The Call can survive the harshest of environments as its Acrylic body makes it impervious to water and extreme heat. The tone and pitch of the call remains same regardless of the condition its used in.
This Call comes in White. The Call has been steeply priced in accordance with its recently garnered fame.
White Acrylic Snow Storm
Zink being one of the pioneers in the Goose Call industry has come up with an innovative new product that puts all other Calls to shame. The Snow Storm has been made by the collaboration of some of the biggest names in the water fowling industry including Reel Wings and Bird Vision Paints. The Snow Storm proves to be a revolutionary Call as it has a ported end-piece that allows the sounds to spread over a large territory. The paradigm shifting Call creates a huge wall of powerful sounds which can imitate the yelps of an adult bird as well as the squeals of the young geese.
The call comes with instructional DVDs, a protective case and a leg band as well.
Sean Mann Eastern Shoreman Canada Goose Call
The Eastern Shoreman Express Call has set a standard in flute calls. It produces one of the loudest and the most rasp sounds in the goose call domain. It is proven to be a favourite with beginners all around and continues to impress people with its sleek and slender design.
This product is deemed as an evolution in game call technology. It delivers extreme performance as it has been precision tuned. Its beautiful wooden surface has been hand-finished and then the call is tuned again to check for any final discrepancies. This call can deliver the full range of sounds produced by the Canadian goose, from full throaty sighs to high pitched snaps. The call has been priced quite high in accordance with its classy wooden finish.
Best Wood Goose Calls:
Wood is the oldest material that has been used to make Calls for Water Fowling. Wooden artifacts have always had a certain sense of elegance and charm to them. So, when Bird Calls were made out of wood, the aesthetic standards were met but the Calls did not deliver the same amount of reliance provided by Polycarbonate and Acrylic calls. The reason being, wooden calls gradually swell up over time as the wooden fibers absorb moisture. This ends up changing the pitch of the Call.
Foreign woods like Ebony, Rosewood and Tulip are preferred for making Wooden Calls.
However, there are work arounds for the short-comings of the Wooden Call. One simple fix is that the inside of the wooden call is lined up with a plastic sheath, which keeps the internal diameter of the Call from changing. Thus, wooden Calls although not as durable; still provide great class to the hunter.
Backwoods Boys Walnut Canadian Goose Honker Call
The Backwoods Boys Walnut is a Call that enjoys limelight due to the fact that this Call is handmade. These Calls are available only on order and each Call is made out of Walnut wood. It is evident that all the calls might not be exactly similar to one another but their wooden reeds and musky color are certainly worth the effort.
Despite being hand-made, these calls sound realistic with no discrepancies as far as the quality of sound is concerned. The Backwoods boys take into account all possibilities of the Call not being up to the standard and if a customer receives the Call defected in some way, then the company replaces the Call with a new one completely free of cost. It is a reasonably priced wooden Call with great attention to detail.
Faulk’s Honker Call
The Faulk’s Honker Call has been made specifically for Canadian Geese. It is made of Walnut Wood; however, it has been polished to give a plain graphite look. The Call is extremely easy to blow as the wooden frame absorbs majority of the vibrations caused by turbulent air flow. Thus, this Call is recommended for beginners and so it is usually a good idea to practice on such a Call before moving to more complex Short Reed Calls. The call has been hand-tuned and individually tested to maximize quality.
Faulk’s Deluxe Goose Call
The Faulk’s Deluxe is known for its easy of blowing. The Faulk’s Deluxe is equally effective for calling all types of geese. This Call has been priced competitively. The call allows great versatility in terms of use as it has a Short Reed barrel.
The Faulk’s Deluxe is made with Cherry and Walnut wood thus it has a decent aroma to it, which turns out to be a signature feat for the Faulk’s Deluxe Goose Call. This call is available on Amazon, Ebay as well as several other online stores.
Best Polycarbonate Goose Calls:
Polycarbonate calls are molded from plastic whereas Acrylic calls are turned. Polycarbonate calls are known to produce soft, mellow and raspy sounds. Polycarbonate calls do not have as much range as the Acrylic calls. Range might be a useful feat when calling out to birds that are far away in a flock but the grave sound comes in handy when there are a lot of trees around and echoing is not needed.
It is usually thought that one should start on polycarbonate calls and move towards Acrylic calls as they require higher skill and control to operate. As beginners usually blow more air into the call than required and polycarbonate calls absorb vibrations which produces a mellower sound, so not a lot of air control is required. Wooden calls have a deeper sound than Polycarbonate Calls thus they don’t produce as much echo as the Poly calls. But one thing they have in common with Wooden Calls is that their pitch, due to thermal expansion.
These calls are especially suited for beginners since they are easy to use. They’re highly durable as they can last for years without any alteration in their tone.
Buck Gardner Grey Ghost Diamond Wood Polycarbonate Goose Call
The Grey Ghost looks more like a decorative ornament rather than a Goose Call. Its unique design and colorful patterns etched on its body certainly make it worthy of placing it on any display case. The Call is made of polycarbonate thus enhancing its durability way beyond its apparent delicate design.
This Call has been made specifically for those hunters who’re constantly looking for the next big challenge, as its diamond shaped wooden barrel proves to be more than a challenge when the Call is operated. Being a Short Reed Call, the Grey Ghost can produce a wide array of sounds. The Call has a very quick response time and bears a very modest price tag.
Buck Gardner Canada Hammer II Goose Call
The Canada Hammer II is considered to be the easiest to use Canadian Goose Call. It is not unusual that people find it difficult to operate Short Reed Calls but The Buck Gardener proves to be an exception as it is a Short Reed Call.
The ease of use doesn’t mean that The Canada Hammer compromises on efficiency. It can produce powerful Clucks, moans and high-pitched hails with extreme clarity of sound. The Call has been made with polycarbonate thus it is long-lasting. The Call comes in Bourbon color with Double O-rings and steel bands.
Rich-N-Tone Calls Goozilla Call
This RNT product is exceptionally imperishable. It has been made with premium quality polycarbonate so as to provide a long life without any compromise on quality. It is an easy to use Call, thus it comes highly recommended for novices in the water fowling sport.
It is a Short Reed design which enables it to produce high quality realistic goose sounds. The Call has been designed to produce maximum back pressure. So, it produces a large volume due to which we can target those far-off flocks that would otherwise be unreachable.
Best Calls by Barrel Length
When it comes to buying a Call, every novice with a question that has perturbed the water fowling novices for decades which is, “long barrel or short barrel” commonly known as “short reed or flute”.
Both short reed and flute have their own particular attributes that make them suited to particular people with particular tastes. The decision between the two types of calls should be made primarily on the experience of the person in Water Fowling and the question whether that person wishes to take up Water Fowling as a professional sport or not.
Flutes may be better for novices while Short Reeds are a pick for those who mean business.
Best Short Reed Calls:
It is recommended that beginners in water fowling start with the Short Reed. Although the Short Reed is considerably more technical and thus harder to learn at first than the Flute but it is easier for a person to transition from a Short Reed to a Flute rather than the other way around. Short Reeds are known for their realistic calls and high versatility.
Short Reed is accustomed to more experience hunters who have well established control over their air streams. The quality of a call is determined by the amount of air it lets into it, a high-quality call will allow only a thin stream of air into it. It is due this fact that short reeds can make dynamic sounds and enable versatility. It is evident that the Short Reed is considered to be the more obvious choice if you want to pursue Water Fowling as a sport of interest.
Buck Gardner Perf Poly Canada Hammer 2 Goose Call
This Call sticks out from the crowd on account of its unique color, the Call comes in a beautiful shade of Mallard Green. This call has been made with top-of-the-line plastic so it provides maximum resistance against the elements. It is easy to operate.
It is a Short Reed Call due to which it can produce extra loud sounds, from the loudest hails to the softest moans. A feature unique to this Call is that its Reed is hand-shaven and the double O-rings which enable the Call to be air tight. Another peculiar trait of this Call is the brass band around the girth of the Call which gives it its signature look. It has been priced modestly.
Primos Final Approach Shock Caller Goose Call
Primos with its years of experience as one of the pioneers in the Water Fowling industry introduces another quality product, The Final Approach Shock Caller. This Call is a Short Reed Call which outputs all the sounds of the Canada Goose. This Caller has ditches on the sounding board which have been put there to minimize the moisture so the Call does not stick. This Call is a patented design with its elegant look and bold efficiency.
Cupped & Committed Short Reed Goose Call CK-1
This Call is primarily a Short Reed Call which is also designed for Ducks. The CK-1 is an Acrylic call that it is long-lasting. This Call has a sleek and elegant design that allows great grip. The Call mainly comes in Navy Blue and Black which adds more aesthetic value to it. The appealing design and shape accounts for the Call’s sharp price.
The Call is known to produce great tone and realistic sounds in accordance with its status as a Short Reed Call. CK-1 produces medium to high pitched tones which are ideal for attracting small geese.
Best Flute Calls:
If Water Fowling is unexplored territory for you, then Flutes are probably the more suitable option for you. Flutes are capable of absorbing a high amount of vibrations thus they enable the person to blow more freely into the Call thus they’re easy to use.
It is generally thought that the Flute is the easiest to begin with, since it allows the person to blow a large amount of air at once and beginners generally don’t have much control over the air stream that they deliver into the Call. As the hunters mature, they learn to control their air flow using their tongue. But, initially if the objective is to make a few goose-like sounds, then the Flute comes highly recommended.
However, there are arguments in favour of Flutes saying that experienced users can make almost all the sounds on a Flute that can be made on a Short Reed.
Flambeau Big River Long Honker Goose Flute
The Big River Long Honker is a Flute and as Flutes are known for their easy blowing, The Long Honker is no exception. It is one of the easiest blowing Calls on the market. The Call comes with two finishes, Walnut and Polycarbonate. The call is capable of producing all the sounds produced by the Canada Goose. The Walnut version outputs mellow sounds like deep murmurs, moans or clucks of an Old goose while the Polycarbonate Long Honker produces sharper sounds.
The Long Honker has a camo pattern etched on its body which has been with the highest quality materials.
Primos Canada Goose Flute Call
The Primos Canada Goose Call is a product of high quality and has been tested in a variety of different of environments. This Call has a patented reed design, which enables the user to disassemble the Call and then place the reed back without any effect on the tuning. The Primos Canada Goose Call can be used by anyone, since its Flex-end hose generates automatic back pressure so the user has to put in minimum effort to operate the Call.
It has been a popular pick among professionals. However, it caters to advanced Goose Calling styles and is a shining beacon for those who consider themselves pros at Canadian Goose Calling.
Best Call Manufacturers and Brands
Like every industry, the water fowling industry has its big shots and pioneers. Mentioned below are the leading names in the Call Manufacturing industry who with their unique and technical designs have improved the quality of water fowling over decades.
Tim Grounds Calls
Tim Grounds is a name that has been making quality Goose Calls for over 40 years. Their goose calls have won more professional competitions than any other in the market. The Mag is a popular product of Tim Grounds which is usually recommended for beginners.
The founder of this company has personally been an avid Water Fowler and has spent years in the field enjoying this sport. He started hunting in the public grounds and developed skill over time. Tim Grounds has poured all his knowledge into the Goose Calls that his company makes today which is one of the reasons his calls are so successful because they’ve been tested and configured to meet the requirements of a master hunter like Tim Grounds himself.
Some of the titles that have been won by Tim Grounds’ Calls are WORLD Juniors, WORLD Seniors, WORLD Live Goose, WORLD Champion of Champions, WORLD Open.
Zink Calls
Zink Calls have been in the industry for quite some time now. They manufacture mainly Acrylic and Polycarbonate calls. Zink is basically dedicated to evolving and their focus seems to be renaissance of the tadeonal calls that were used in the past century. Their mission statement clearly states that they are dedicated to bringing the tradition to the millennials by revamping it in a broad new light.
The designs of the Zink Calls are modern, sleek and slender. Aesthetics has been a key player in the design motivations of the Zink calls. These calls even with their modern designs do not compromise on quality, their sound is just as good as any other Acrylic or Polycarbonate call. The price for Zink calls is also reasonable considering the fact that they work with modern materials.
It has been seen that some Zink Calls can stick, but this con does not weigh significantly against the numerous qualities of the Zink Calls like size, Zink Calls come in a lot of sizes thus they can be personalized easily.
Primos Calls
Primos is a company that provides quality at extremely affordable rates. Primos has also been vigilante towards involving its consumer base, Primos has allowed the general to public to submit their ideas about a Call or any other product relevant to their brand. This idea if picked up by Primos will then be made available to the public as a regular Primos product and a percentage of the revenue goes to the person who submitted the idea originally.
The Primos brand casts a wide net and they manufacture calls for almost every game species there is in Northern America. They make Bird Calls, Predator Calls as well as Instructional Videos about hunting in general. Primos has grown up to be a big name not only in the Water Fowling industry but in the hunting industry as well.
Some of the popular Primos Goose Calls are The Primos Canada Goose Flute Call and The Primos Shaved Reed Snow Goose Call.
Lynch Mob Calls
The people at Lynch Mob are more dedicated towards research and studying the science behind Call making for each species. They don’t consider themselves typical Call manufacturers, they believe they are much more. It is clearly expressed in their mission statement that Lynch Mob studies the geese and the ducks all around the year and make their calls that would be closest to the voice of the target birds.
This feat is expressed in their products as the Lynch Mob Strange Collar Mother of Pearl is a famous call in the Water Fowling community and is often mentioned among the best calls in the business.
Lynch Mob with its unique philosophy for its products has garnered a select consumer base that are loyal and have particular taste for Lynch Mob products like the Reaper.
Sean Mann Calls
Sean Mann is a company that’s been making Goose Calls since 1985. The philosophy of this company is deep rooted in the centuries old customs of water fowling that have existed ever since Maryland’s Eastern Shore has existed (around 200 years ago).
Sean Mann calls are predominantly wooden thus these calls have a lot of class and finesse to them. The calls manufactured by Sean Mann are not for everyone they are an acquired taste. They are more suited to experienced hunters who know their way around a Wood Call. The popular Eastern Shoreman is a product made by Sean Mann.
The calls manufactured by Mann are highly expensive but they are made with utmost respect for tradition and custom. Sean Mann Calls don’t usually experience the difficulties one expects to have with a wooden call because they’ve modernized their processes in their efforts to keep tradition alive. If you have a liking towards vintage but you don’t want to compromise on quality then Sean Mann may be the appropriate choice for you.
RNT calls
Rich N Tone has been in the Call making industry for over 35 years now. Their philosophy circles around the fact that simplicity is better. Their calls although simple also have a lot of versatility to them. One can explore the entire range of goose sounds on a Double J Call.
RNT garners their consumer base around nostalgia and the fact that RNT calls are easy to use by elders and children alike. RNT Quackhead and Daisy Cutters are two such Calls that have uplifted the RNT name.
RNT makes wooden as well as plastic calls.
Knight & Hale Goose Calls
Harold Knight and David Hale are two hunters that followed their passion of hunting and started out making calls in their basement but their passion for the sport propelled them into the fast lane with the other big dogs of the hunting industry. Today, Knight and Hale are over 40 years old and their calls are recognized as precise, reliable and realistic.
The Knight and Hale Dual Threat Turkey call is a popular product that has garnered this brand a decent amount of attention. Knight and Hale products incorporate a fair amount of hunting pragmatism as their innovative products like EZ-Grunter are readily accepted by the market. The Knight Hale product line develops calls for Turkey, Goose, Ducks and as well as Deer.
Useful Goose Call Accessories
Like all sports, water fowling commands certain respect and in order to meet that respect one should go water fowling with all the accessories (Blanks & Lanyards) that are necessary to become a quick hunter. One should always fasten a tight lanyard and keep his/her calls firmly placed in them.
A vigilante hunter usually possesses the following items.
Lanyards for Goose Calls:
Lanyard is a piece of rope that is passed around the neck, waist or the any other part of the body to secure some accessory.
Lanyards can be made personally or they can be bought as well. A good Lanyard not only keeps your calls well organized and tidy but it also assists you in the harsh environments you venture into. The marshlands and swamps where water fowling is usually done are not kind to the hunter’s belongings and one must take precaution when going water fowling. It is not an obscure prospect that hunters lose their focus when their accessories are unsafe and untethered thus increasing risk of injury to themselves in a harsh environment. Thus, Lanyards should always be worn by the water fowler.
Primos 5 Call Lanyard
Primos is a trusted name in the hunting industry for decades. Primos products depict premium quality with a reasonable price tag and the Primos 5 Call Lanyard is no exception. This Lanyard is capable of holding five calls in each of its five hoops. The Lanyard has been made with an elastic material so it can adjust to variable girths. It is extremely easy to use i.e It is comfortable to wear and it fits nicely. It has one split ring and weighs about 3 ounces.
It has been tested for the roughest environments and situations and The Primos 5 Call Lanyard delivers maximum quality in all these situations.
Delta Duck Company 5 Call Lanyard
This Lanyard is more suitable for those who are more accustomed to water fowling. This is a premium grade Lanyard with hand braided 60 feet of military level 550 paracord. The 550 paracord provides brute strength to the Lanyard and makes it near impossible to break. The large size of the Lanyard allows the hunter to wear it even with bulky clothes on.
The Lanyard has been priced relatively at a lower rate than other Lanyards. However, it provides utmost comfort and usability to the hunter as it also has a dog whistle clip along with five loops for Calls.
DuckStruck 5 Call Lanyard
This duck call Lanyard is a product of BuckStruck & DuckStruck Outdoors. A company which has been in the Duck Call business for over a decade. They have designed and tested this Lanyard in a variety of different survival situations and the lanyard turns out to be proficient in every aspect.
This Lanyard is made of a non-stretch 550 paracord so it doesn’t change its length when exposed to moisture. This Lanyard can hold five duck calls and also has a stainless-steel dog clip which is rust proof.
How To Make Your Own Goose Call
You can easily make your own Goose Call by starting out with a few tools. Firstly, you need to pick out a Lathe. While choosing a Lathe, it is necessary that you choose one with a variable speed. A band saw will also be needed to make out your own sound board. The speed of both the drills depends upon the blanks in use. The blanks are usually 12 to 18 inches but they can be cut short according to requirement.
For truly, making your own call it is best if you cut your own reeds and tune them yourselves. Once the blanks are cut into shape, you should find a substance to give the call its final polish. A usual item of polishing is bee’s wax.
So, it is not so difficult to make your own goose call. All one needs are the proper tools.
Best Goose Call Turning Kits:
Turning your own Goose call depends mostly on what you want so there is no need to be follow a certain way of turning your call just because a certain book says so.
Turning goose calls is different than turning duck calls as goose calls rely on many variable factors. Primarily three main factors make or break an excellent goose call which are Barrel Dimensions, Keg Dimensions and Gut/Reed combo. A large percentage of the sound comes from the Barrel/Keg dimensions used in the Goose Call and only a small amount originates from the gut. With the right Barrel/Keg dimensions any gut can be made to work with the Call but with the wrong dimensions no gut can come to the aide of your Call.
It is crucial that one experiments with a large amount of guts. This enables a person to find out which guts work best with which dimensions. Finally, with the right combination of the dimensions and the gut you can make your desired Goose Call with your Goose Turning Kit.
Echo Poly Canada Goose Single Reed Game Call Kit
This polycarbonate game call kit is used by many of the top-notch water fowling professionals today. The kit is highly durable as it can survive extreme conditions when exposed to the elements.
This game call kit can be used to make single closed reed game calls. The kit has dimensions of 1-1/4″ x 3-5/8″ and works with minimum blank size of 1-3/4″ x 1-3/4″ x 3″. The kit has a graceful look with tapered fit. It comes in two classic colors Clear and Black.
Wooden Blanks:
Wooden blanks are not only useful for goose calls but they have a wide array of applications. Wooden blanks due to their finesse and peculiar outlook also serve as decoration pieces. Also, wooden blanks are also a common item of use for many wood workers.
Wooden blanks are generally heavy and their casting process is crude. They don’t require as much care as the Acrylic Blanks when casting and they’re usually cheaper. However, wooden blanks are prone to change as moisture alters their inner diameter gradually. Thus, they’re not very durable.
Goose Call Wood Blanks Spectraply Barrels
This product is a design of MK Unique Designs. Like other products, MK Designs have paid great attention to aesthetics while manufacturing these blanks.
These blanks are wooden but they give off a great look and feel when finished. They highly durable as they can withstand extreme conditions. They are quite easy to turn, so you can make a great looking Call by drilling them at a suitable length.
This product is delivered in five assorted colors, the colors may vary from individual to individual. However, they come at reasonable price and weigh about 8 ounces.
4-Black Walnut Wood Pen Blanks
The Lumber Shack provides extremely high quality Walnut wood for turning long duck calls. These blanks give off a subtle aroma that adds value to the Call as a whole.
Their thickness is about 1 3/8’’ and they are about 1 13/16’’ wide. They are kiln dried and thus serve as quality pen blanks.
Camphor Burl Exotic Wood Call Blank
The Camphor Burl Call Blank is a product of Islewoods. Islewoods are known for their quality wood products like Calls Blanks, Knife Scales and Gavels.
The Camphor Burl is an exotic wood not commonly available. This wood unlike most other burls is highly stable and doesn’t require sensitivity when its being converted to little blanks from large burls.
The Camphor Burl also known as Cinnamon burl is a decent choice for a turning a Call as they would give an exotic look and feel to the Call; also adding their unique aroma to the general mix of feats of the Call.
Acrylic Blanks:
Acrylic blanks are generally more durable and light weight. They may be cast by hand using a polyester resin. This resin is from the acrylic family and it enables the Acrylic blanks to be considerably strong. Acrylic blanks don’t usually break but a high fall may result in them being chipped. Special drills with cooling agents are used to cast the blanks. Barrel Blanks are 3″ +/- 1/8″. The outer diameter is usually 1.610″ and the hole is bored at 5/8″ but due to the casting the inside of the blank may not be perfect so minor alterations may be necessary.
Duck & Goose Call Blank
This blank is another product of MK Unique Designs and it bears all the key features of any MK Design product i.e bright colors and attractive patterns.
This Call blank polishes to a nice luster finish. They are fairly easy to turn using a pointy tool of any sort as they are Acrylic blanks. It is usually advisable to use an effective cooling agent when drilling with Acrylics. Agents like WD-40 and auto transmission coolants are the general picks.
It should be noted that special care must be taken while drilling with Acrylics as they are more sensitive than regular blanks. Once, turned they can be polished to give a neat look.
Duck & Goose Call Acrylic Blank
Another product of the MK Unique Designs. This Acrylic blank weighs about 10.1 ounces and polishes up to give a beautiful finish.
These blanks can be used to make Duck and Goose Calls. These blanks come in varying sizes but this blank commonly come with 1-1/2” x 3” dimensions. The Blank has a soothing white color and It’s been competitively priced.
Acrylic Turning Stock All Hallows
This product is the making of Woodcraft. Woodcraft LLC is one of the nation’s leading names in woodworking and accessories tools. It has been producing quality lumber for over eight decades and has no parallel when it comes to Acrylic Call Blanks.
This Call Blank has an excellent look and feel. It drills and turns with extreme ease. Its large diameter allows the user to turn it with a lot of flexibility. This blank not only produces quality Duck Calls; rather it can also be used to produce durable pizza cutters and bottle openers. It weighs about 9.4 ounces and has 5.8” x 1.5” x 1.5” dimensions.
Goose Calling Instructional DVDs
It is obvious that by simply buying a lot of paint brushes, a person doesn’t become an artist. So, buying Flutes or Reeds and pairing them with the appropriate accessories won’t do you much good if you don’t have the skills to pull off a decent call.
To help you achieve this specific goal and to develop your skills you need some guidance. Goose calling instructional DVDs and CDs serve this purpose exactly. It is known that visual and hearing aids help a person a lot in learning any particular skill. So, there is a wide array of DVDs in a multitude of languages and dialects from which you can choose a course that works best for you. Each studio that produces these DVDs tries to find the best hunters or the leading professionals in the water fowling sports to provide the viewers maximum information and insight about the subject.
So, it’s a good idea to buy a DVD if you’re a novice in water fowling.
Mastering the Art Waterfowl Instructional DVD
Instructional DVDs require a certain degree of experience as well as people who command respect in the water fowling community. Primos took all these factors into account and produced “Mastering the Art Waterfowl”. This video contains professional hunters embarking on various hunts and explaining each critical step along the way. It contains 3 Duck hunts, 2 Duck Call lessons, 5 Goose hunts and 3 Goose Call lessons. It also contains intermediate to advanced level lessons regarding Flute as well as Short Reed style calls.
The Ancient Art of Paralyzing: Goose Calling DVD by Zink
Zink is known for going the distance to make its products achieve a discretionary status. This instructional DVD is no exception as this movie features Fred Zink for over 60 minutes as he explains the nitty gritties of Goose Calling. This Short Reed Call instructional video teaches how and when to use which sounds to specifically call Canadian geese. This DVD also features Canadian Geese in their natural environment making their signature calls.
Conclusion
It is evident that Water Fowling is no child’s play as it requires very high quality tools and accessories. Also, it requires skills which are the perquisites of using any decent Goose Call on the market. The Goose Call industry is a niche industry and one requires a myriad of knowledge before beginning his/her journey as a hunter starting from the basic question of “whether to buy a Short Reed Call or a Flute”.
But these difficulties are eased with the wide array of calls available that cater to beginners as well as professionals. Also, the novices can acquire more information by using the instructional DVDs which contain valuable knowledge from the leading professionals in the field.