I mentioned in another post that my 9 year old son and I are going duck hunting for the first together this year. It has been a LONG time since I have hunted waterfowl and the gear, guns, ammo, and calls have changed ALOT! I'm good on gear, decoys, guns, locations, and ammo, but looking for help on calls. Looking for simple and reliable (strong emphasis on reliable). I'd like to stay in the $25-$50 price range. However, if there's a call that a waterfowl hunter MUST have, let me know.

Thanks in advance!

I'm a big fan of the duck commander calls. you will get A LOT of responses to this post and they will all have a different preference. If you want to get picky, (which many people on here will, unsolicited) and wonder which is best for timber, open water, etc then there will be several different answers. A good all-around reliable call that works well for both timber and open water is the duck commander "ol sarge". i use mine all the time and haven't had it lock up on me yet. we hunt in some pretty nasty stuff and it has been wet several, if not all, of my hunts. It is very good, and can be had at wal-mart for around 25-30 bucks. good luck, and most of all, have fun with your son!!

Thanks for the input! I'll make sure to take a look at that particular call.

I'm also a fan of duck commander calls, though I haven't had any experience with with the sarge. Check out their Duck Picker, runs about $30. Easy to blow and has good range. In my opinion, the one call that all waterfowlers should carry with them on every hunt, even if they don't plan on using it, is Haydels DR-85. It's cheap, very easy to blow, and absolutely one of the most reliable (if not the most reliable) calls on the market.

Also, pick ya up a whistle. This call is about $10 and produces the call of a mallard drake, pintail, green wing teal, widgeon, and a wood duck squeal.

RNT

For inexpensive calls, I like Haydel's and duck commander calls. Both are good makers and the calls are reliable for being inexpensive. I agree that a whistle is a must, and is sometimes more useful than the mallard call (IMO).


Also, if the store allows you too, blow the calls before you purchase them. It gives you a better idea as to what call you like better based on how you blow them (they dont all sound the same, and we all blow certain calls better than others). If you don't already know how to call, I would recommend buying a kit that has a call/dvd combo that teaches you how to call. They can be really helpful for beginners, especially if you dont have an experienced caller willing to sit down with you to help you learn/practice.

Good luck!

in my experience I put Duck commander calls near the bottom on cheap calls.

I've had an original, brown sugar, green mile, and a duck picker and they sounded great in the truck but as soon as I hunted with them they were really bad to stick.

I think the best value is either a Haydel DR 85 or a Buck Gardner Double Nasty if you want double reed.

If you want a cheap single reed the RNT quackhead.

I like the Buck Gardner Double Nasty and the Pintail Whistle

http://www.mackspw.com/ItemList--Buck-Gardner-Duck-Calls--m-1695

RNT Original.

Quackhead. Sounds good and dirt cheap. Primos yo sista was a good cheap call too.

I don't think that call is in his price range, but it is a good choice

The haydel dr-85 like said above is one of the best all around cheap calls there is. I know many experienced duck hunters who still carry them. I also agree that the duck commander calls are not that great.

They have doubles too.

yes, but there are better cheap doubles

Negative, ghostrider.

Deuces
I manufacture the Wingstopper "Lock-n-Knock" 5-n-1 Guide Series Whistle Duck Call. Since you are a THF member and you are taking time to introduce waterfowl hunting to your son, I will donate 2 Wingstopper Duck Calls for you and your son if you pay the shipping cost of $7.00 This is a great call for a young hunter to start with. It has 4 whistle calls and a mallard hen call. Whistle calls don't get the recognition that the hen calls get but are very effective hunting tools and are easier for youth hunters to master. If your interested PM me your shipping info.

Very good man HUNT365

Hunt365,

That's a very generous offer. PM sent.

Deuces

Not a problem! I was introduced to waterfowl hunting by my Dad around 8 or 9 as well, the memories of those hunts last forever. Calls are on the way! PM sent.

wow,i dont hunt ducks much,but im going to buy a call from this guy for his generosity,the world need more people like you

I, too, am a fan of DC but plan on acquiring and testing a Wingstopper call this season, just based on this man's way of conducting his business. Have had some luck with Haydel's and Primose, better with Primose than Haydel's due to sticking. A reasonably good (target now between shoulder blades squarely), especially for the money is the Ol Raspy by DC. If you are out of practice, it can make you sound more ducky the fastest, if that makes sense. These observations I have posted are of my own, personal experience, so before any lead flies, let's just agree one one thing: I am the foremost expert on MY OWN personal experience. Meant with deep and abiding affection...

Hunt 365. I looked at the web site. is the 5-in-1 the only call?
I need a good wood duck call that doesn't stick.

The way he conducts his business is exactly the reason why I will be hunting with the Wingstopper 5-n-1 Lock-n-Knock this season. I know there's lots of calls out there, but I don't have any experience with those calls or the companies, just word of mouth from fellow hunters. I see companies spending LOTS of money on advertising and paying people to market their product... That doesn't do anything for me. Mark from Wingstopper sent me and my son 2 of his calls for FREE. He stands behind his product and if he didn't, he wouldn't have done that. How many companies would do something like that?

Take a look at Wingstopper's product. It's a heck of a product, compared to others out there.

Liftedpowerstroke

I am working on 3 new calls a wood duck call, gadwall call and bluewing teal call versions of the Lock-n-Knock as we speak. The new calls will still be 5-n-1 Hybrid Calls but will offer a wood duck or gadwall or bluewing teal instead of the mallard hen like the Lock-n-Knock. PM me your contact info and I will let you know availability

The new combo calls will be setup as follows:

1) Wood Duck - Pintail, Widgeon, Mallard Drake and Greenwing Teal

2) Gadwall - Pintail, Widgeon, Mallard Drake and Greenwing Teal

3) Bluewing Teal - Pintail, Widgeon, Mallard Drake and Greenwing Teal