# I want to expand my hand calls collection.



## rotty (Oct 20, 2015)

This is what i have. ..
green nasty and LSB by tony tebbe, like them both
lil woodsman and skyote by FoxPro. I like the lil woodsman but the Skyote , not so much.
dog down call. ..love it
and diaphragm calls by MFK and mountain lodge outdoors. 
What calls would you recommend for me. ..and why?


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

I would suggest calls from any of the callmakers on this site.

Do you want open reeds or enclosed reeds ?

You can click on the blue web address just below this post or go to the forums page and click on the adverisers link than on my offical thread "EWGAMECALLS" to see some of my calls and on the website you can hear some of them. But of course most callmakers here can install whatever sound you want.

There you should find others also.


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

at least one of everything....OH wait that's me. As PW stated, any of the call makers on this site will be a top call. I would recommend at least a high pitch and some thing in a more raspy sound in an enclosed reed and then an open reed call which with practice you will be able to make many different sounds.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I've got a few calls made and ready to go, from plain to fancy woods. straight grain, to burl, open or enclosed reeds, raspy or cottontail. I could recommend several, but you know what you like and what works where you are better than we do. There weren't any coyotes around when i lived back there. Send me a PM if you want to see pics of what I have or woods available. If you want a certain wood and I don't have it, I'll see if I can get some to make a call in the style you want.

I have ;

sycamore

ash

sassafras burl

cherry

maple/ spalted, burl, ambrosia or plain

red cedar

redwood burl

oak burl

amboyna burl

african sumac burl

eucalyptus

honduran mahogany

spalted beech

curly walnut

olive

hackberry

poplar

black walnut

acacia

sissoo burl

mesquite

Prices vary a bit by the type of wood you choose, but if you're not happy send it back.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

And desert ironwood
















These three are a set


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## Yotehntr (Nov 17, 2010)

Those are sharp Don! Love the desert ironwood!


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## rotty (Oct 20, 2015)

IM fine using open reeed or closed reed.

what should i expect to pay for calls like these?


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Mine start at $15 or sets around $25 plus shipping usually around $3


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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

The only calls I have from the call makers on here is rare earth so I don't want to step on any toes but I've got 45 custom calls from 11 diffrent call makers the best tips I can give you is to buy from a call maker that calls predators him self that way you know he uses the calls he makes and has done the r&d on them and also get the call made out of a hard dense wood so all the sound comes out of the call if you look on line for hardest woods in the world you can get a list of hard woods I use open reed and enclosed reed calls if you want to pm me and I can give you some more tips


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

The three call ironwood I'm asking $110 for. Ironwood is pretty pricey stuff. Individual enclosed reeds in DI are about $35. I have some really cool burls in different woods ( listed) that i can provide 1 or a set for about $20 each. The wood I have that isn't burl I can start at $14 plus shipping.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Yotehntr said:


> Those are sharp Don! Love the desert ironwood!


Thank you Brad. Ironwood is aptly named, but I love the grain patterns and coloration.


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## Rick Howard (Feb 25, 2012)

I am not aiming to make argument. I am just passing along what I have learned though lots of experimenting.

Harder wood does not always translate into better sound. For example soft rubber barrels can make great sound. Some of my favorite commercial calls have soft fibber barrels. Here's a bit of explanation.

The dimensions used for the barrel impact its sound just as densities and hardeness values play their part. Longer barrels produce deeper sounds but if they do not have the right size opening and a good taper they will lack volume. With the proper taper and opening they will be loud! A shorter barrel is going is going to be at maximum volume unless you have done something out of the ordinary with the opening.

A few years back I experimented with hardness values. By using Janka rating as my standard. I found thresholds or ranges for different hardness. On average I like wood that falls into the medium hardness on the Janka scale. If I am trying to make a call as loud as possible I favor something on the higher end of the scale. Conversely I focus on the lower end of the scale if I am trying to reduce volume.

Density is almost like a filter. The less dense the more forving the call will be for achieving life like sound. The more dense the better the user need be to achieve life like sound.

The reed is still the biggest factor in why a call sounds as it does. Which is why it's the last step for me when tuning a call. In the end you can make just about any material sound pretty darn good by tuning the reed and/or Toneboard.


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## Rick Howard (Feb 25, 2012)

Don, those DIW calls look great!


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Thanks Rick for the report, input from members ( no matter what the topic is ) and experimenting with projects is what makes life so interesting.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

I agree with Rick, it takes a lot more than just using a hard wood especially in an open reed call. A good callmaker can use just about any material to make a good sounding call. The outside body of the call is usually for looks, where it gets interesting is the air channel in the toneboard and the exhaust diameter of the body, this means where the toneboard enters and the final opening. Now with an enclosed reed call the material comes into effect more. Use the part of an elk antler that is porous and it will muffle the sound a lot. And like Rick said, most of the time the shorter the barrel the louder the call. If a person wants a good call he needs to just tell the callmaker what he has in mind as for pitch and smooth or raspy. If a person wants a high pitch only for an open reed most likely the callmaker will use a shorter toneboard and thicker reed. Vice versa if you want a more raspy sound, longer toneboard and thinner reed. Of course with a longer toneboard you can achieve both by placement of your lips or teeth. Which this brings up another point, using your teeth instead of your lips will bring smoother sounds from the call. And of course the person using the call has a lot to do with certain sounds, lol here are 2 sound clips first is what I think most experienced callers call a howler that is hard to beat, the E.L.K. Power Howler second is my plain ole pocket call, very small and simple.

View attachment Howl-4.mp3


View attachment Howl-6.mp3


So to sum it up, all of the callmakers on this site make a quality call. I have some from every one of them. Each callmaker will however blow calls differently and so they will tune them for how they position their own lips or teeth. But I still feel safe in saying , if you tell them what you want out of a call they will give it to you.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Another great explanation.


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## Rick Howard (Feb 25, 2012)

Lol there go all the trade secrets!


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Nice looking calls Don... Good information guys.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Thank you sir !

All their information is spot on.......like you would expect anything else from them.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Trade Secrets, lol guess I got a big mouth, but remember this big mouth has helped a few get started in callmaking and am willing to help any others if they want to. And also the hard work starts when you try to start figuring out all the crap, like back pressure, hole sizes and reed thicknesses.


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## Rick Howard (Feb 25, 2012)

Ed, I meant no offense if any was taken anyway.

I am always willing to help people make calls as well. I have helped several people by inviting them into my shop, done videos, and help people via a web forum devoted to call making. The way I see it... People have helped me because they saw me making the effort. I think it's the right thing to do and a tradition that should be passed on. I won't give out dimensions or some of the small things that make my calls mine but I will certainly help folks find their way to make their own calls.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Rick, I didnt think you did. I was more or less poking fun about trade secrets. I feel as you do about passing on the tradition of call making. Sorry if I came on the wrong way.


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## rotty (Oct 20, 2015)

Links to sites to buy?


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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

Go to the "Advertisers Corner" on this site, that'd be a good place to start.


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## Rick Howard (Feb 25, 2012)

Rotty, I'm sorry about high jacking your post. My info is in the advertisers corner forum "Red Hat Calls". I do not have a website. I am still going through a move and remodeling a cottage into our year round home. My shop is nearly done but not complete. My point is that I'm running a bit of a wait time until I can make calls again.

Ed, we are on the same page.


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

same page but is it the same book............... :smile:


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

rotty, I would suggest just sending a PM to whatever callmaker you would like a call from. Just click on their icon pic by each of their posts. Then look for send message. Same for me or you can contact me at.

[email protected] or

www.ewgamecalls.webs.com

For all you callmakers, get a website free at webs.com and if you need any help setting it up I will help and then once done you can delete me off it.


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