First and foremost, I'd like to say that I am in no way an expert waterfowl caller. However, over the past 12 years I've practiced enough to be able to hold my own in a duck blind. Without instruction or mentoring, learning to call ducks can be a frustrating task for a beginner. In my opinion, one of the best resources for a beginning caller is the internet. There are thousands of sound bytes and video clips of instructional calling out there... this is just one more to add to the library. I'm going to apologize right off the bat for the relatively poor sound quality. The sound clips were recorded with a cell phone.
Let's start by going over the proper way to operate a duck call. All too often I see/hear people incorrectly operating a call. The correct way is to force air through the call with your diaphram, almost like you're huffing hot air onto a mirror to fog it up. What you don't want to do is blow into the call like you're blowing a whistle. Doing so will make it impossible to sound like a real duck, with the right inflection and air control. If you see someone blowing a duck call and their cheeks puff out, they're most likely doing it incorrectly. We could go into how one makes the "quack" sound, and if you'd like to know feel free to ask, but there are many many many videos around the internet that already cover this.
I'm going to go over some basic call types in this thread... explaining a bit about each one and how it's used, followed by a brief sound clip to help hammer things home. Again, I am far from an expert caller... and I'm sure there are plenty of guys on this forum that can call better than I... So if anyone would like to add anything to this thread, by all means please do.
Ok, let's get started. The most basic of all calls, and what you'll hear 90% of the time you're sitting in a public marsh, is the "Hail Call." This call is actually one that is impossible for a live mallard hen to make. It's loud, it's long, and it's main purpose is to get the attention of ducks that are off in the distance. Usually the hail call is a sequence of 7 to 14 notes, or quacks, with the first few notes being long and getting progressively shorter as the call goes on. Although it's a common call, it is most often misused, in my opinion. The hail call should only be used when the birds are far off and paying no attention. You have to understand that the ducks far away are not hearing this call the way that you're hearing it. They will only hear bits and pieces of the sequence, but the shear volume and length will increase your odds at getting their attention. Blow this call while the ducks are inside 100 yds and it's an almost guarantee that you'll make them flare away from you. Use the hail call to get their attention, and once they notice you, back off.
The hail call...
[video=youtube;vasAjho_Vys]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vasAjho_Vys[/video]
Once you have the attention of a flock and they turn your direction, you need to tone things down a bit. When calling ducks, you need to remember that the closer they get, the softer your calling should be... usually. There are of course certain exceptions, but those are rare occurences. The "Greeting Call" is similar to a hail call, except the notes aren't as long and the notes are fewer. A greeting call is typically only 3 to 7 quacks. With this call, you're trying to imitate a hen mallard, just sitting on the water, greeting new ducks as they fly over. It's a fairly relaxed call, with no real urgency to it.
The greeting call...
[video=youtube;rNpJ_RDyVtk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNpJ_RDyVtk[/video]
Alright so the ducks are now digging your spread... you see those wing tips slowing down... their looking hard, checking things out and such. Now's a good time for the "Lonesome Hen." This call is simply a series of short, spread-out, single quacks. You hear this a lot if you sit near a park or anywhere else you find a concentration of live birds. Again, this is another relaxed call... imitating a hen mallard that is content, yet looking for Ol' Mister Greenhead. As the ducks get closer, this is a good one to give them that extra spur of reassurance that things are nice and "safe" down there in your decoys.
The lonesome hen...
[video=youtube;PfcruCyH1ec]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfcruCyH1ec[/video]
So far, the ducks are working your spread pretty well. Maybe they came right in and you whacked a couple down... Maybe they flew over and circled the spread a time or two... But what do you do when they decide they're not interested? What if they come out of that last swing and start heading away from you, like they didn't like something? This is when you hit 'em with the "Comeback Call." Think of a comeback call like a hail call, but in reverse. Instead of the notes starting long and progressively getting shorter, a comeback call starts fast and slows down. As soon as you seem them flying away, hit them with a couple comeback calls. You can also add in a "Pleading Hen," which is very similar to a greeting call, but with much more urgency and emotion in the call sequence. That's the big thing about making comeback calls effective... you have to put an inflection of urgency in the call. You have to sound like a hen mallard that's just begging for some company. "No, please don't go! Come back here... it's safe I promise!"
The comeback call...
[video=youtube;H5Cebz02Yvw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5Cebz02Yvw[/video]
The pleading hen...
[video=youtube;5aCebg20IRA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aCebg20IRA[/video]
This next one is a little bit tougher to pull off. It isn't totally necessary for getting birds to commit, but it adds a bit of extra realism to your calling that on occasion can make all the difference in the world. After all, realism is the name of the game in calling in waterfowl. I call this call the "Bouncing Hen," but it's sometimes referred to as a "hiccup," for obvious reasons. The great thing about this call is that it's simply another variation, and can be applied to any of the above-mentioned calls.
The bouncing hen...
[video=youtube;vcgQTH-vZZQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcgQTH-vZZQ[/video]
Alright, so we've gotten that flock of ducks to swing back around and give us another look... now what? It's simple, don't move, and start hitting them with the soft stuff again. Try a soft greeting call or two, maybe some more lonesome hens... you can also mix in some "Feeding Chatter." This is a call that's typically used on birds that are working close to your spread... mainly because it's not a loud call, and they won't hear it from far away. Live ducks make this sound when they're feeding around in groups and/or loafing. It's another contentment-type of call that just adds realism to the spread. Feeding chatter is what the ducks are used to hearing whenever they get close to another group of ducks. You'll even hear ducks making this chatter as they fly through the air in big groups. If you've been around other duck hunters, or watched a competition calling event, you've heard the familiar "Rolling Feed Chuckle." It's like a non-stop tic-a-tic-a-tic-a-tic-a or tuk-a-tuk-a-tuk-a-tuk-a. It sounds cool and everything, but in reality, it doesn't sound like a live duck... and remember, realism is what you're looking for right? In my opinion, the most realistic feeding chatter is a series of sharp, single notes, like tic tic tic tic tic or duh duh duh duh duh duh. Volume and tone can easily be manipulated by opening or closing your hand around the barrel of the call and changing inflection in your voice. The feeding chatter call, along with the lonesome hen and soft greetings, is a finishing call. This is a call you want to make to pull those birds inside that 40 yd mark so you can light 'em up.
Typical feeding chatter...
[video=youtube;pkFOz3JnOQk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkFOz3JnOQk[/video]
So what's it all sound like when strung together? Here's an example of a typical calling sequence at a flock of ducks. Imagine you're sitting there, and a flock appears off in the distance, say 3 or 400 yds away. You wan't to get on 'em and get their attention. Once they see you, bring 'em close with some content greeting and lonesome hen calls. They make one pass then decide they want to move somewhere else... get on 'em with some comeback calls. Luckily you're able to change their mind and they swing back around. Now get soft and real with 'em... finish those birds into the spread and call the shot!
[video=youtube;w4qojROxLfs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4qojROxLfs[/video]
These are some of the basics of calling ducks... But that's only part of the equation. The real difference in success is one's ability to "read the birds." I don't care how good of a caller you are, if you can't read the birds correctly, you're going to have a difficult time bagging waterfowl. We can talk about reading birds here, or we could even make it another thread entirely. Another thing to mention is that sometimes calling to the ducks at all can hurt your chances. There are definitely certain occasions, especially hunting heavily-pressured late season birds, where less calling is better. Again, it's a whole 'nother topic all together.
I know we have quite a few experienced waterfowling members here at TOO, so if anyone would like to add anything, or disagrees with anything I've mentioned, please share your thoughts. This is an educational type of thread so there really are no wrong opinions. I hope that the information shared here will help those that are new to waterfowling, and even those that aren't but are new to calling in general.
Let's start by going over the proper way to operate a duck call. All too often I see/hear people incorrectly operating a call. The correct way is to force air through the call with your diaphram, almost like you're huffing hot air onto a mirror to fog it up. What you don't want to do is blow into the call like you're blowing a whistle. Doing so will make it impossible to sound like a real duck, with the right inflection and air control. If you see someone blowing a duck call and their cheeks puff out, they're most likely doing it incorrectly. We could go into how one makes the "quack" sound, and if you'd like to know feel free to ask, but there are many many many videos around the internet that already cover this.
I'm going to go over some basic call types in this thread... explaining a bit about each one and how it's used, followed by a brief sound clip to help hammer things home. Again, I am far from an expert caller... and I'm sure there are plenty of guys on this forum that can call better than I... So if anyone would like to add anything to this thread, by all means please do.
Ok, let's get started. The most basic of all calls, and what you'll hear 90% of the time you're sitting in a public marsh, is the "Hail Call." This call is actually one that is impossible for a live mallard hen to make. It's loud, it's long, and it's main purpose is to get the attention of ducks that are off in the distance. Usually the hail call is a sequence of 7 to 14 notes, or quacks, with the first few notes being long and getting progressively shorter as the call goes on. Although it's a common call, it is most often misused, in my opinion. The hail call should only be used when the birds are far off and paying no attention. You have to understand that the ducks far away are not hearing this call the way that you're hearing it. They will only hear bits and pieces of the sequence, but the shear volume and length will increase your odds at getting their attention. Blow this call while the ducks are inside 100 yds and it's an almost guarantee that you'll make them flare away from you. Use the hail call to get their attention, and once they notice you, back off.
The hail call...
[video=youtube;vasAjho_Vys]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vasAjho_Vys[/video]
Once you have the attention of a flock and they turn your direction, you need to tone things down a bit. When calling ducks, you need to remember that the closer they get, the softer your calling should be... usually. There are of course certain exceptions, but those are rare occurences. The "Greeting Call" is similar to a hail call, except the notes aren't as long and the notes are fewer. A greeting call is typically only 3 to 7 quacks. With this call, you're trying to imitate a hen mallard, just sitting on the water, greeting new ducks as they fly over. It's a fairly relaxed call, with no real urgency to it.
The greeting call...
[video=youtube;rNpJ_RDyVtk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNpJ_RDyVtk[/video]
Alright so the ducks are now digging your spread... you see those wing tips slowing down... their looking hard, checking things out and such. Now's a good time for the "Lonesome Hen." This call is simply a series of short, spread-out, single quacks. You hear this a lot if you sit near a park or anywhere else you find a concentration of live birds. Again, this is another relaxed call... imitating a hen mallard that is content, yet looking for Ol' Mister Greenhead. As the ducks get closer, this is a good one to give them that extra spur of reassurance that things are nice and "safe" down there in your decoys.
The lonesome hen...
[video=youtube;PfcruCyH1ec]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfcruCyH1ec[/video]
So far, the ducks are working your spread pretty well. Maybe they came right in and you whacked a couple down... Maybe they flew over and circled the spread a time or two... But what do you do when they decide they're not interested? What if they come out of that last swing and start heading away from you, like they didn't like something? This is when you hit 'em with the "Comeback Call." Think of a comeback call like a hail call, but in reverse. Instead of the notes starting long and progressively getting shorter, a comeback call starts fast and slows down. As soon as you seem them flying away, hit them with a couple comeback calls. You can also add in a "Pleading Hen," which is very similar to a greeting call, but with much more urgency and emotion in the call sequence. That's the big thing about making comeback calls effective... you have to put an inflection of urgency in the call. You have to sound like a hen mallard that's just begging for some company. "No, please don't go! Come back here... it's safe I promise!"
The comeback call...
[video=youtube;H5Cebz02Yvw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5Cebz02Yvw[/video]
The pleading hen...
[video=youtube;5aCebg20IRA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aCebg20IRA[/video]
This next one is a little bit tougher to pull off. It isn't totally necessary for getting birds to commit, but it adds a bit of extra realism to your calling that on occasion can make all the difference in the world. After all, realism is the name of the game in calling in waterfowl. I call this call the "Bouncing Hen," but it's sometimes referred to as a "hiccup," for obvious reasons. The great thing about this call is that it's simply another variation, and can be applied to any of the above-mentioned calls.
The bouncing hen...
[video=youtube;vcgQTH-vZZQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcgQTH-vZZQ[/video]
Alright, so we've gotten that flock of ducks to swing back around and give us another look... now what? It's simple, don't move, and start hitting them with the soft stuff again. Try a soft greeting call or two, maybe some more lonesome hens... you can also mix in some "Feeding Chatter." This is a call that's typically used on birds that are working close to your spread... mainly because it's not a loud call, and they won't hear it from far away. Live ducks make this sound when they're feeding around in groups and/or loafing. It's another contentment-type of call that just adds realism to the spread. Feeding chatter is what the ducks are used to hearing whenever they get close to another group of ducks. You'll even hear ducks making this chatter as they fly through the air in big groups. If you've been around other duck hunters, or watched a competition calling event, you've heard the familiar "Rolling Feed Chuckle." It's like a non-stop tic-a-tic-a-tic-a-tic-a or tuk-a-tuk-a-tuk-a-tuk-a. It sounds cool and everything, but in reality, it doesn't sound like a live duck... and remember, realism is what you're looking for right? In my opinion, the most realistic feeding chatter is a series of sharp, single notes, like tic tic tic tic tic or duh duh duh duh duh duh. Volume and tone can easily be manipulated by opening or closing your hand around the barrel of the call and changing inflection in your voice. The feeding chatter call, along with the lonesome hen and soft greetings, is a finishing call. This is a call you want to make to pull those birds inside that 40 yd mark so you can light 'em up.
Typical feeding chatter...
[video=youtube;pkFOz3JnOQk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkFOz3JnOQk[/video]
So what's it all sound like when strung together? Here's an example of a typical calling sequence at a flock of ducks. Imagine you're sitting there, and a flock appears off in the distance, say 3 or 400 yds away. You wan't to get on 'em and get their attention. Once they see you, bring 'em close with some content greeting and lonesome hen calls. They make one pass then decide they want to move somewhere else... get on 'em with some comeback calls. Luckily you're able to change their mind and they swing back around. Now get soft and real with 'em... finish those birds into the spread and call the shot!
[video=youtube;w4qojROxLfs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4qojROxLfs[/video]
These are some of the basics of calling ducks... But that's only part of the equation. The real difference in success is one's ability to "read the birds." I don't care how good of a caller you are, if you can't read the birds correctly, you're going to have a difficult time bagging waterfowl. We can talk about reading birds here, or we could even make it another thread entirely. Another thing to mention is that sometimes calling to the ducks at all can hurt your chances. There are definitely certain occasions, especially hunting heavily-pressured late season birds, where less calling is better. Again, it's a whole 'nother topic all together.
I know we have quite a few experienced waterfowling members here at TOO, so if anyone would like to add anything, or disagrees with anything I've mentioned, please share your thoughts. This is an educational type of thread so there really are no wrong opinions. I hope that the information shared here will help those that are new to waterfowling, and even those that aren't but are new to calling in general.
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