Learning how to use Duck/Goose calls

[Deerhunter]

Anyone know of some good tools to use? I have a couple duck and goose calls I bought. Guy at Bass Pro Shops set me up pretty good. I have been out duck hunting with a friend of mine a couple times. I really want to learn how to call in ducks and geese. I really enjoy it and want to get into it a lot more. My buddy isn't a great caller (he says that), so what is the best way to get started? Is there a good video or something that will help? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I actually have 3 different goose calls, a mallard call, wood duck call, and a peeper (what the guy at Bass Pro called it).

Oh and if anyone in Virginia needs help hauling decoys or setting up a spread let me know I would love to get out more.

Anyway thanks for the help.

[Ludarue]

Whenever I buy a new call for something I haven't used before I just get on youtube, type in the model of the call, and study how they use the call until I get it right.

[woodguru]

My friend and I were ripping off an array of calls at the back of Wildsports in Sacramento. I was trying out a squirrel call when a blonde came running back to see what the noise was. (see where this is going? )

She asks what's that, I said that's a squirrel call, and my friend popped in with "and it looks like it works too".

We were laughing so hard we had to leave the call section of the store.

[.284]

Okay, I'm not well versed in goose calling but, I have about 25+ years of duck calling experience. In fact, I have taken lessons from Art Beauchamp (a former world champion caller). I can tell you that you must first master breath control. In other words a duck call must be blown by breath generated from your diaphram and not your lungs. Calling starts with the basic quack. You want to have a definite start and finish to the note. Using the words "quit" or "hut" will help. That single quack is the lonesome hen call. To make a hailing call, you will string four to five quacks togehter with an emphasis on the first note. It would be a long, loud first note with the following 3-4 notes being shorter and slower than the proceeding note. Then there is the feed chuckle. You use less air and say tucka tucka tuck in the call as fast as possible which would be the male Mallard feeding and soft single tuck pause pause pasuse tuck would be the hen Mallard.

When you hit the marsh, ducks are like turkeys in the respect that they have great eyesite and over calling can be the kiss of death. If they are coming, shut up and let them come. If they are along way off and a hail call gets their attention....great let your decoys do their thing. If they start to flare off, a single quack may be all it takes to turn them back to you.

I hope this helps. I will warn you duck hunting gets in your blood and causes you spend money like a drunken sailor. Good Luck.

[James H]

I was brought up playing instruments...piano, saxophone, guitar, etc., but I never got any coaching with a call even though I duck and goose hunted so much in high school.

I'd suggest recording yourself on tape or digital or whatever you have so you can play it back to yourself and hear what you really sound like. I learned while playing instruments that my brain somehow makes me sound better in the moment than when I hear myself after the fact on a recording. It's as if my brain wants to fill in the deficiencies so I don't notice them. Once you step outside hearing yourself in your own head in the moment, to listening to yourself on tape, you can really start evaluating yourself critically and start learning from yourself. Again, I never got any teaching with this regarding waterfowl calling, but with musical instruments, this has helped me immensely.

[Deerhunter]

Thanks for the info. If anyone else has any please pass it along

@.284
It is already like that. I was lucky and hooked up with a couple guys in PA a few years ago. I got out of the Army and moved back home until I found a job and moved to Virginia so I can't get out with them any more. I still have the bug to go. I met a guy that I went with twice last year. Just not enough. I need to find some places that I can go and not need a dog or a boat. I have the itch to buy more decoys and be able to set up my own spread just need to find a place to go.

[woodguru]

I figure more than half the guys using calls are clueless as to what they should really be sounding like. That's probably worse to use a call poorly than not to use one at all.

[Deerhunter]

Well the duck hunting today wasn't all that good. Had one dump in just a shooting light. It was legal shooting time but that doesn't mean it was actually safe to shoot. It splashed into the decoys and then left and I couldn't see it good enough to shoot. We had 2 circle but dumped in up the creek. I wasn't blowing the duck call when they came in, didn't want to send them high tailing off.

We had 2 geese fly about 300 yards or more away. I figured what the heck see if I can turn them (geese aren't in season so I wasn't going to shoot just wanted to see what would happen). So I start hitting the goose call and they turned on a dime and came straight back at us. My buddy looked at me and couldn't believe it. They came dumping in legs out.....until they realized that they were hearing other geese but didn't see any. My buddy didn't have an goose decoys in the spread today. Made me feel good that I turned them and got them to come in.

Now if I can get the ducks to do that I will be set.

[Deerhunter]

Ok I have to bring this up......Why is it that when you ask a question about something you get all kinds of NONE answers? I just thought I would bring it up since it happened on a question I had. I have seen it on a lot of threads. Thought I would use my own thread as an example. All I wanted was nothing more than to know if there were any good videos, tapes, or other teaching matterial out there that would help me.

Why do people post stuff like......

I figure more than half the guys using calls are clueless as to what they should really be sounding like. That's probably worse to use a call poorly than not to use one at all.

AND

My friend and I were ripping off an array of calls at the back of Wildsports in Sacramento. I was trying out a squirrel call when a blonde came running back to see what the noise was. (see where this is going? )

She asks what's that, I said that's a squirrel call, and my friend popped in with "and it looks like it works too".

We were laughing so hard we had to leave the call section of the store.

Fisrt off I am not trying to attach woodguru actually the story is kind of funny. It is just an example of something I see alot.

Back to the actually question....Anyone else have any input?

I guess I am good to go on the goose call at least for 2 of them.