Spend the money on a high dollar acrylic call versus a couple of good sounding molded poly calls?

They all do the same thing and just like the high priced ones you just have to find one that fits your calling style. I have never bought one but yes I have tried them all and found out they all have close to the same volumes and sounds just wondering.

the R.N.T quack head calls are 20.00 and i have everyone they make, in my opinion they are damn good for the price and you can soak them in water and they will work with no problems,Academy carries them and for a while all there calls where 20% off so i cleared them out

I think the concensus is it is a denser material making it louder. Less imperfections making them more uniform from call to call. And then the quality and life of the call being of a stronger material.

RGC, I'm going to disagree. After working with acrylic alot, and blowing hundreds of poly calls, they just aren't in the same ballpark on sound. Not even comparable.

It is a matter of priority. I agree that Quackhead calls are excellent products. Some will even argue that Polycarbonate calls are just as durable as calls machined from acrylic plastic rod stock. It may surprise you that one major call maker is reported to have said this.

One thing to consider is that machined calls may be truer to dimensions call after call than would be molded calls. The main purpose behind getting away from wood in the first was place was as a measure against the distortion that can occur when cold weather sets in. Some wood calls will definitely change tone or they will seize up in cold weather making normal cleaning or reed changing impossible.

Modern molded poly calls are the latest in a series of innovations. As the industry continues to evolve, they will only get better. To some though, there is a special feeling about having a hand turned duck call or even a call made on C-N-C with someone standing over the operation. There is something about know it was fashioned from a stick of raw material.

Still it is always up to what works best for you. I think there is no right answer. I know I prefer to modify and sand the tone boards on the commercially produced calls I use to get exactly what I want out of them. In fact, If I cannot work on my own duck call and tune it myself, then it stays in my vault or is used for decoration.

Speaking of, here is one I just finished this week. In the second link, you will hear a lot of grunting. Yes I know we are not supposed to grunt in a call but I tune them so they are a little hard to blow. I do this so when the adrenalin is flowing wildly, I will not over blow or squeal the call. I do not hail at ducks, I do not high ball at them. I only call at ducks that look like they are headed my way already. These calls sound like crap to most people and have very little range. They are not capable of doing what most calls will do but it works for me just like those Quackhead calls work for you. I am all about putting the ducks on the water. I do not care about pass shots or sky busting. I pass on a lot of shots most will take.


http://www.zshare.net/audio/765446481b2afd6c/

http://www.zshare.net/audio/765476998691a6a8/

One more thing R.G.C. before I forget it, I would never call that much with ducks as you heard on those links----no way would I do that----just a few greeting notes or a quack or a "coupla three" clucks.

Have ya ever just sat and listen to ducks setting comfortably on the water?

At what point was it you noticed that they all sounded the same and had perfect notes in each quack?
For all that matter set and listen to one duck, they can't or will not sound the same everytime. just doesn't happen.

There is a large difference in sound between the wooden and plastic or poly calls for the obvious reason. but when it comes down to it a good duck caller can call just as well with wood or plastic.
remembering we are not trying to please our ears, it is of course to call ducks to the spread.

I think alot of times we find our selves thinking about what sounds good to us, and kind of drifting away from what is real important.
That being what sounds good to the ducks.
Bottom line, there probably is some difference in poly or plastic. But is it enough to warrant either spending 20$ or 120$, to bring in the same ducks.

WHEW, my .02$

Those cheap calls break and sound like crap when you lean on them.

I know everybody has their own opinions, calling styles, etc, but I know what works for me.

I use a high end acrylic by Echo and a wood RNT.

Every wood and acrylic call I have blown has been more versatile in the sound department. My Echo Diamondwood being the exception.

It all comes down to personal satisfaction.

I'm with duckboy on this. Acrylic calls produce a much clearer, louder, crisper sound than a poly call.

I got a bunch of those calls at wally world when they were on clearance for $5. The red double reed is still one of my favorites. In fact I still have quite a few that I've never opened sitting in a box along with several other kinds. I hunted with those calls up until the middle of last season, when my gf got me Daisy Cutter for Christmas. That being said there is no comparison between them.

Anyone that knows how to run a duck call can tell a difference in molded and acrylic.

To me the biggest difference is the volume capabilities.

But, as mentioned above, clarity, range, consitency, durability are all improved with a wellmade acrylic call.

With that being said I would venture to say that more ducks have been killed with poly and wooden calls than acrylic. They both work fine.

Another reason that has not been mentioned yet is that many brand name acrylic calls will retain their value. Your 30 dollar poly call is worth about 5 bucks once you pull it out of the package. My RNT acrylic may have cost 125 bucks but will likely be in my family for years and years and will hopefully be on my grandchilds lanyard one day. Which one do you think is the better value?

The question is why wouldn't you buy an acrylic call: better performance, more durable, better value...why not?

Duckiller is right.

Once you reach the point of being completely consumed by hunting waterfowl, you will want the best stuff that you can buy.

I've got two 870's that work great, but I shoot a Benelli because I want to.

I have a drawer full of poly calls that will work, but I use the expensive ones because I want to.

You get what you pay for.

I have never used a wood call that didn't change tone on me when it got really cold. I like their sound but they just seem to crap out at the worst moments when the mercury drops.

I like something in between wood and acrylic and in between polycarbonate and acrylic. Something that will get loud but still have some muffle to it.

That said, I am still mighty fond of the RNT Original and Old Style. You just have to know a few tricks to keep them from locking up when they get wet with spit. One trick is to have the insert put to your mouth upside down or with the reed facing downward so the spit falls away from the reed and tone board. The other is to turn the thing around ever so often and blow the spit out of it.

I think a solid black acrylic sounds different than a color like clear or Bourbon and Water, etc. I may be wrong. I like the acrylic colors that are not translucent.

I listened to your audio file this morning.

Well said my friend...well said.

I disagree just a little bit.

I hunt pretty hard during the season, and even though it would be "nice" to have the best stuff, I take a little pride in getting it done without blowing a whole lot of dough.

I shoot a decent gun, (Franchi 612 for the past 10 seasons, Browning Gold for this year) but I'm not dropping $1500 for a new Benelli or Beretta.

I call decent, but I'm not dropping $100 on a call when I can get ducks in with a $20 call.

I have a pretty good stockpile of decoys but 2 dozen are flambeaus and a couple dozen are GHG that were on sale.

I would rather spend my money on leasing a good spot that consistently has ducks. I spend $500 a year for that and will shoot 50-100 ducks from one property depending on how many times I hunt it.

very well put.

hey fella's,

i'm personally ole school an like wood call's.alway's did.


alway's liked a poly to,
only when i re-tuned it to my liking,an what i wanted it to do.

as far as acrylic,you can have'em.
not impressed.

give me a cocobolo call,an some other dense wood's.
an i'm happy.

true dat.
lol

see-ya
steve

I prefer wood...

But you already knew that.