What are the best calls?

Just wondered what some of the opinions are out there on calls

Best Short Reed Goose Call?
Best Duck Call? (I see Echo says they’ve won 6 out of the last 8 World Championships)

I have a Carlson Equalizer, Duck Commander Mule, Faulk’s, Olt, and some other $20 duck calls. I had a high-end Woods but gave it to a friend that actually valued it. I blow Faulks’s Short Reed goose calls mainly because I have for almost 30 years and back in the day it was them or Lohmann which I didn’t like.

I’d really like to get a new goose call, been thinking about the Foiles models.

Took a class by Jim James (world champ in ’96) that runs Carlson Calls now. Great guy that lives in Omaha and I’ve learned a lot. Mainly how horrible I am at blowing a duck call! His CD is good, almost like learning an instrument.

ToddNE, Give me a shout if you are looking for a custom acrylic short reed. My dad and I custom make SKS Calls (pretty low key) here in Wisconsin. There are a few IDA members that are customers of SKS so I can give you some references if you’d like. I also have some sound bites and photos.

ToddNE, Give me a shout if you are looking for a custom acrylic short reed. My dad and I custom make SKS Calls (pretty low key) here in Wisconsin. There are a few IDA members that are customers of SKS so I can give you some references if you’d like. I also have some sound bites and photos.

Duckilr,
How about throwing some info up here about your calls, type, price, etc…
For geese:
1. I love my Tim Ground short reed
2. The illusion short reed is simple to blow and sound decent out of the box, regardless of skill level
For ducks:
1. I love the Echo single reed and my ancient Ken Martin
2. Duck Commander calls are simple to blow and sound decent out of the box, regardless of skill level
This is another topic where everyone is going to have a very different opinion
I would like to also see some info/opinions regarding decent diver duck calls
Good luck
cheers

Duckilr,
How about throwing some info up here about your calls, type, price, etc…
For geese:
1. I love my Tim Ground short reed
2. The illusion short reed is simple to blow and sound decent out of the box, regardless of skill level
For ducks:
1. I love the Echo single reed and my ancient Ken Martin
2. Duck Commander calls are simple to blow and sound decent out of the box, regardless of skill level
This is another topic where everyone is going to have a very different opinion
I would like to also see some info/opinions regarding decent diver duck calls
Good luck
cheers

I own 6 foiles calls, they are hands down the best sounding, easiest blowing calls ever made.

To start out get the strait-meat honker. Their first call made, and still one of the best. This call will put the meat on the ground in the morning and win a competition in the afternoon. Not to mention Jeff is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever talk to or meet, i’ve dropped him emails with questions many times and he always responds back.
foilesstraitmeat.com

I own 6 foiles calls, they are hands down the best sounding, easiest blowing calls ever made.

To start out get the strait-meat honker. Their first call made, and still one of the best. This call will put the meat on the ground in the morning and win a competition in the afternoon. Not to mention Jeff is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever talk to or meet, i’ve dropped him emails with questions many times and he always responds back.
foilesstraitmeat.com

Drake,

Here are a couple of photos…and don’t know how/if I can post sound bites. SKS Calls-Steve and Kyle Schauf Calls out of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. We hand turn and tune custom acrylic (single reed) Duck and (short reed)Goose Calls. We charge 100$-125$ for short reed goose calls- 150$ for duck. We take pride in the calls we produce for people-satisfaction gauranteed. At the initial order we find out your calling style and normal use conditions, with that make our best attempt to tune the call to your specs. We want your call to fit!! I don’t want to make this into some commercial sales pitch (although I have). I started out blowing the Grounds half-breed, but I we started making custom calls to seperate ourselves from the other hunters on the marsh blowing CNC grade, mass produced calls.

Drake,

Here are a couple of photos…and don’t know how/if I can post sound bites. SKS Calls-Steve and Kyle Schauf Calls out of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. We hand turn and tune custom acrylic (single reed) Duck and (short reed)Goose Calls. We charge 100$-125$ for short reed goose calls- 150$ for duck. We take pride in the calls we produce for people-satisfaction gauranteed. At the initial order we find out your calling style and normal use conditions, with that make our best attempt to tune the call to your specs. We want your call to fit!! I don’t want to make this into some commercial sales pitch (although I have). I started out blowing the Grounds half-breed, but I we started making custom calls to seperate ourselves from the other hunters on the marsh blowing CNC grade, mass produced calls.

Duck Call…

Duck Call…

I am a Zink call man. I think the sounds are wonderful. I own them and will be a customer for life. Cant go wrong with anyone of the expensive acrylic calls

I am a Zink call man. I think the sounds are wonderful. I own them and will be a customer for life. Cant go wrong with anyone of the expensive acrylic calls

i agree any acrylic call ill give you an advantage if you blow them properally. they will give more variation in tones and notes and will will have a bigger range of volume. i have alot of differnt calls. i have a straight meet honker and i love that, i have two rich n tone calls, an original and a timbre, an echo open water and an echo diamondwood/poly.
the best brand of call, is the call that fits you, your calling style. go to a cabelas if you have no idea what call you like. they will let you sit there for hours,(and i have before) trying all the different calls untill you find the one that you like

i agree any acrylic call ill give you an advantage if you blow them properally. they will give more variation in tones and notes and will will have a bigger range of volume. i have alot of differnt calls. i have a straight meet honker and i love that, i have two rich n tone calls, an original and a timbre, an echo open water and an echo diamondwood/poly.
the best brand of call, is the call that fits you, your calling style. go to a cabelas if you have no idea what call you like. they will let you sit there for hours,(and i have before) trying all the different calls untill you find the one that you like

The only thing you will find on my lanyards are buck gardner acrylics, calef calls, and foiles calls. Hands down the best calls on the market also with the best warrantys.

The only thing you will find on my lanyards are buck gardner acrylics, calef calls, and foiles calls. Hands down the best calls on the market also with the best warrantys.

Sounds like some good info. Those calls are beautiful by the way too.

I thought there might be some RNT/Quackzilla love too. I’ve wondered if their $20 Goozilla is worth a toot.

I’m thinking a Foiles Strait Goose is going to be on my lanyard this year if I can swing it.

It’s been good to go to a duck calling class. I’m not a novice but not good and we have people from never blown a call to guys in contests. Jim and Ryan have helped everyone as have the other callers.

Honestly I feel like I’m worse now than when I started because I’m thinking too much but it would be nice to put some of what they teach you into action at some point. Practice Practice Practice I guess!

Sounds like some good info. Those calls are beautiful by the way too.

I thought there might be some RNT/Quackzilla love too. I’ve wondered if their $20 Goozilla is worth a toot.

I’m thinking a Foiles Strait Goose is going to be on my lanyard this year if I can swing it.

It’s been good to go to a duck calling class. I’m not a novice but not good and we have people from never blown a call to guys in contests. Jim and Ryan have helped everyone as have the other callers.

Honestly I feel like I’m worse now than when I started because I’m thinking too much but it would be nice to put some of what they teach you into action at some point. Practice Practice Practice I guess!

Todd. Everyone has there own calls they like. I have Grounds Super Mags, and Polycarbs. Foiles Migrators and one of the best is the Market Hunter. Zink’s Power Clucker is another really nice call. There are more calls out there than Carter has liver pills. You just have to find out what you like. You can spend any where from $20-$200 on calls depending on what you want.

Todd. Everyone has there own calls they like. I have Grounds Super Mags, and Polycarbs. Foiles Migrators and one of the best is the Market Hunter. Zink’s Power Clucker is another really nice call. There are more calls out there than Carter has liver pills. You just have to find out what you like. You can spend any where from $20-$200 on calls depending on what you want.