Photo courtesy of Mossy Oak
October 18, 2018
By P.J. Reilly
Materials, designs and the functionality of calls have improved tremendously over the years, and callmakers today are churning out some of the best, most realistic calls we’ve ever seen. But that doesn’t mean the classics are in the dust. Some of them can still make piles. It has been incredible to see the wide range of calls that have come to fruition, and the number of folks out there making singles, doubles and short-reeds—seems every duck hunter wants to try their hand at call-making. But these are the best of the best.
SURE-SHOT YENTZEN ONE2
Louder and more durable, the ONE2 is a redesigned version of the ONE with a new reed system that’s fast and responsive. The ingenious screw-lock system minimizes air loss, plus the call is nearly indestructible.
$165 | SURESHOTGAMECALLS.com
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BIG LAKE PREMIER PINTAIL
Big Lake went the extra mile to produce a call that is actually designed to talk to sprigs with trills and peeps. Holes on both wings change the pitch as you’re working the birds.
$40 | biglakeoutdoorproducts.com
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LYNCH MOB D.O.D.
Precision-turned acrylic, the double-reed has a stick-free soundboard. The ergonomic design enables the call to sit perfectly in your hand, so you can call with confidence.
$130 | lynchmobcalls.com
RNT MONDO LTS
This version of the Mondo features a barrel that’s ¾” shorter than the full-length version, pushing air to the reed faster, making the call more responsive and agile. This makes moving from greeters to feed chuckles to call backs easier.
$140 | RNTCALLS.COM
FIELD PROVEN SINGLE SHOT
Here’s a single-reed polycarbonate with a larger bore on the mouth piece to inject air in a variety of ways, adding different voices to your calls. Crisp chatter and smooth cadences are no problem from this versatile call.
$30 | FIELDPROVENCALLS.COM
ZINK CALLS GREENHEAD ROCKER
Here’s a double-reed that’s easy on the lungs, yet capable of playing all the greenhead’s favorite songs. The acrylic is hand-built and hand-tuned, comes with extra reeds and an instructional DVD.
$140 | ZINKCALLS.com
WING NUTZ DEUCE
Short and fast, this double-reed is available in Open Water and Timber. Put one of each on your lanyard and you can call birds at any volume with calls that feel and work identically.
$40-$130 | SEANMANN..com
HAYDEL’S DR-85BL
Sold over 1 million times since it was introduced in 1984, the DR-85BL is now available in an acrylic. A strictly meat call, you can count on being able to make the full range of calls with good volume.
$120 | HAYDELS.com
ELITE EDGE
Three-time champ Brad Allen had “easy operation” in mind when he built this double-reed. He hand-tunes every call, so you know it’s right out of the box. He gave it a little deeper tone to make it stand out in a crowd.
$140 | ELITECALLS.net
FLEXTONE GREEN THUNDER
Single-reeds are the way to go for getting loud and proud, and the Green Thunder can belt out clean, long notes. This call also excels at the low end too. Available in Burnt Orange or Mossy Oak Blades.
$20-$25 | flextonegamecalls.com
LOHMAN BOTTOM DOLLAR
Put the oversized, cob barrel to your lips and belt out chuckles and feed calls at a lightning-fast clip. The calls will be high-pitched and loud, so you can reach out on migration days.
$40 | FLAMBEAUOUTDOORS.com
GOEY SUPER SWAMP
Goey’s loudest call, you can generate volume without having to maintain strict control of the call, because it’s easy to blow. Once you turn those ducks, this call produces a nice finishing feeding chatter.
$129 | GOEYCALLS.com
SEAN MANN LI’L BIG DUCK
The reed is inside the frame of this call, thanks to a super-short barrel. So it reacts quickly to your air, and detects all the subtle changes in pressure as you transition from note to note.
$40-$130 | SEANMANN.com
PRIMOS MEAN MALLARD DOUBLE
Rasp is the goal of every caller trying to mimic bossy old hens. This double-reed has “ridges and ditches” on the sound board which deflect air and create rasp. They also keep the call from sticking, critical on those nasty, duckiest of days.
$43 | PRIMOS.com
CONQUER THE CALL
Four-time world meat duck calling champ, Kelley Powers teaches you how to work a call. In the interactive feature, you will call along with Powers, and a sound graph will show you the similarities and differences.
$60 | CONQUERTHECALL.com
PRIMOS SHOCK CALLER
Hit all the killer honker notes with minimal air flow and back pressure. Ditches are cut into the sound board to keep the call from sticking when conditions get goosey.
$43 | PRIMOS.com
ZINK CALLS LONG NECK ROCKER
Made for the stage or field, it’s fast and responsive. And it’s able to high ball just as easily as it growls, producing the full spectrum of crisp, clear honker notes. The ergonomic barrel and insert are easy to maneuver with one hand or two.
$160 | ZINKCALLS.com
SURE-SHOT 1150 SPECK
Simple to blow, the clear composite construction reproduces laughing cackles of white-fronts. It’s a great call for a novice to break in on, so when the specks are flying, you don’t have to worry about air pressure—just blow.
$30 | SURESHOTGAMECALLS.com
GOEY GRUDGE
Goey took its popular Judge and combined it with the lauded Gunner to create the Grudge, a loud, crisp call that can go low too. Fast, the Grudge has a threaded insert so you will never lose the business end of your call.
$139 | GOEYCALLS.com
FOX PRO SNOW PRO
Powered by a lithium battery pack (charger included), the Snow Pro has two 10-watt external speakers, and the base accepts up to four speakers, so you can really spread the sound throughout your rig.
$600 | GOFOXPRO.com
BIG RIVER BARREL ROLL
Made of African mahogany, it has that deep singing voice wary Canadas will love. Honks, clucks, feeding calls—this call does it all with style and elegance. Grab the BR when birds are close and need final convincing.
$80 | FLAMBEAUOUTDOORS.com
HAYDEL’S RIBEYE IN THE SKY
Killing sandhill cranes is more about being where they want to be than calling, but if you’re on the X this is an awesome finishing tool. It will make those rolling, high-pitched sounds. Just don’t overdo it.
$50 | HAYDELS.com
FIELD PROVEN RAPTOR MAX
Tuned to perfection by two-time world goose-calling champ Field Hudnall, the Max is powered by the Mark 3 gut system. Proven on the stage and in the field, you can get deep and dirty on this call to finish small flocks of big geese.
$160 | FIELDPROVENCALLS.com
WING NUTZ WING MANN
One hand of two, you get the same realism and tonal variations working the Wing Man. This call will make greenhorns sound better than they are, and it’s a much easier call to blow off your back when you can’t muster as much air.
$50-$130 | SEANMANN.com
SEAN MANN EASTERN SHOREMAN EXPRESS
Short-reeds are the craze, but the Express is a simple call that requires far less air than most modern calls. And at a time when most short-reeds sound alike, here’s one for your lanyard the geese will find distinctive.
$160-$230 | SEANMANN.com
FLEXTONE SPECK & SNOW
Soft, flexible barrels that can be manipulated for maximum inflection and realism are the calling cards of these two calls. Instant back pressure and fast response will allow you to make all those unique barking and trilling calls.
$13 (EACH) | FLEXTONEGAMECALLS.com
BIG LAKE PERFECT HONKER
Hand-shaved reeds inside an acrylic housing produce crisp sounds that can be generated without busting your lungs. Get loud or soft and subtle to pull in big flocks or singles and pairs.
$90 | BIGLAKEOUTDOORPRODUCTS.com
HAYES CALLS RICE BURNER
Suck specks into the meat grinder with this call, which has an acrylic barrel and aluminum insert. The guts system is made of machined aluminum with an acrylic wedge. Produces realistic sounds big wads of bar-bellies can’t resist.
$150 | HAYESCALLS.com
ELITE SPECK
You’d think goose hunting is goose hunting, regardless of the species. But each bird has its die-hard followers, and specks are no exception. So here’s a call built specifically to mimic the white-front’s yodels, moans and murmurs. The ease with which you can blow this call to sing to the specks will make you glad you’ve got it on your lanyard in the flooded rice.
$150 | ELITECALLS.net
LYNCH MOB LIL’ MOBSTER
Get those migrators in the hole with the explosive, rapid clucks from the Lil’ Mobster. Semi-broken-in Blood Guts make it lightning fast for big spins of lesser Canadas. Just bring plenty of air pressure when you blow this shorty.
$120 | LYNCHMOBCALLS.com
KNUTSON’S SPORTING GOODS
Knutson’s Sporting Goods has been outfitting waterfowlers at its Michigan store and through its catalog and website for decades. If you hunt ducks and geese, Knutson’s needs to be on your radar. They carry many of the calls featured here, and more.
KNUTSONDECOYS.com
