When you think about it, it’s incredible that we can communicate with ducks. Granted, we’re not yet at the point where we can have full conversational exchanges with these birds, but we can use the best duck calls around to mimic the sounds that ducks naturally produce to lure them toward us.
Anyone who has been duck hunting knows just how essential the duck call is to the whole process. But we can’t pretend there is a single, end-all-be-all duck call out there. The modern hunter has myriad options when calling ducks, and it’s for that reason that we put together this guide on the best duck calls on today’s market.
Having a good aim and a steady hand only helps to seal the deal when it comes to duck hunting. So much of the process requires knowing where to find ducks and them luring them in. A duck blind and a decoy will go far to helpyou get the drop on these flying fowl, but the addition and use of one of the best duck calls to your game will greatly increase your hunting success.
How Can You Evaluate The Best Duck Calls Around?
In order to discover which are the best duck calls for you to purchase, you need to know a bit about duck calls and what makes them differ from one another. There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to bagging your limit and bringing home the dinner. For that reason, we have tackled two major issues in this article.First, it is our aim to give you all the facts and factors that will allow you to choose the best duck calls for your hunting style and your pocketbook. Secondly, we have listed a number of duck calls that we have shortlisted as members of the “best duck calls on Amazon today.”
By the end, you will have all the tools you need to make a decision, and we will even provide links to the best duck calls on the market to help streamline your shopping process.To do this, we need to start at the beginning and answer the question: “What are Duck Calls?”
What Are Duck Calls?
A “duck call” is either the animal mimicry process whereby duck hunters lure ducks towards them, or the device itself that the hunter uses to produce the sound of a duck. The best duck calls are quite adept at producing sounds that ducks are attracted to. They share much in common with woodwind instruments, as anyone who has heard an oboe understands.The original duck calls were basically types of simple woodwinds that happened to produce sounds within the range that a duck does. Later developments led to some of the best duck calls being constructed out of plastic and rubber. These often allow the duck hunter to adjust the tone and volume of their specific call.
Types of Duck Calls
Today, the best duck calls usually fall into two categories. They are usually either single or double reed calls. There are triple reed duck calls, but these are rare and few of the best duck calls use this method. Double reed duck calls are considered a bit easier to master, even if less versatile than single reed duck calls. The goal of all three types of duck calls is to imitate a live duck and convince other ducks that a decoy is actually alive.Beyond whether the call has one reed, two reeds, or three, duck calls can be further categorized by their material. Today, the most common types of duck call materials are wood and acrylic. In general, acrylic duck calls tend to produce a louder call that can carry its signal much further than its wooden counterpart. Volume is not everything, however. Many hunters find that their best duck calls end up being wooden, especially if they favor hunting in swampy areas.
Does The Type Of Duck Call Matter?
The type of duck call definitely matters. Among the many considerations one needs to make when picking out a duck call is their own ability to imitate a duck. The calls go far to help lure ducks into your crosshairs, but ultimately the hunter needs to know the “magic words” to speak into the device.These “magic words” vary depending on the style and construction of each duck call, but some general guidelines can be followed. Using air from your diaphragm, you can press air into your duck call while saying either “wuit,” “hut,” or “oak” which produces a sound quite like a duck’s quack. If you wish to imitate the sound of a duck’s feeding call, you can quickly repeat “tiki-tika” or “duga-duga” into your duck call.The more experience you have hunting, the better these calls will get. There are many magic words to learn when it comes to manipulating your anatine prey. Let’s explore what your options are when choosing between the different types of the best duck calls around.
Single Reed vs Double Reed
There is no rule of thumb as simple as “____-type reeds are the best calls you can buy.” Instead, choosing between a single reed or a double reed duck call boils down to a matter of personal preference.Single reeds tend to have more range and more versatility than double reeds. This makes them ideal for calling over long distances. It also means that if the hunter is advanced enough to use a wide variety of calls to manipulate the ducks, the single reed will be more accommodating. That said, for beginners, a single reed can end up making many more un-duck-like noises compared to double reeds.The double reed has a sweet spot that will almost always sound duck-like if you can hit it. It usually takes a bit more lung power to get a double reed sounding right, but we still consider double reeds to be better for the beginner duck hunter.
Acrylic vs Wood
Acrylic duck calls tend to be much louder and produce a much sharper sound than wooden duck calls. That is because acrylic is very dense when compared to wood. This means that some of the best duck calls for open water and long distances are made of acrylic. Remember that you are also part of the equation when it comes to picking the best duck call for your hunting adventures. If you find the call too sharp, you will annoy yourself, and an annoyed hunter is a poor hunter indeed.Other duck hunters opt for wooden duck calls. These produce a softer, more mellow sound than the acrylic versions. Wooden duck calls excel in closer range scenarios, and many duck hunters find that they prefer the quality of the sound. Both acrylic and wooden duck calls can do a great job of imitating birds if you choose among the best duck calls on the internet.Another factor to consider is that acrylic duck calls are much easier to maintain than wooden duck calls. This is because acrylic is dense and wood is porous. Since you constantly blow into a duck call there is always a risk of it retaining moisture from your mouth. The wooden calls will absorb this moisture, which can become a breeding ground for bacteria.As with all parts of your hunting gear, maintenance is a must. Know that you will have a little more maintenance on your docket if you favor wooden duck calls over their acrylic cousins.
Best Duck Calls You Can Purchase On Amazon
Duck Commander Camo Max Duck Call by Duck Commander
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The duck call comes in a real tree camo pattern, designed not to give you away when you are hunting in the New Zealand bush or even in the swamps of Louisiana.With only a little experience, this one duck call can be used to do haling calls, feed calls, quacks, comeback calls, … the sky’s the limit. Ideally, the Camo Max call is used for the finishing call when the ducks are closing in on the blind.
If you buy this duck call, then you will have it for a long time to come. It is made of high impact plastic which takes a long time to degrade even when exposed to weather. Further perks of the call include its low budget.
Buck Gardner The Finisher Duck Call Combo Pack
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The duck call for both casual and experienced hunters, the call combo pack has some serious advantages compared with the competition. For starters, the pack has two calls, comes in at half the budget of most other single pack calls, and is easy to use for anyone, young and old.The Duck Gardner combo pack comes with two calls. One of the calls is a Buck Gardner 6N1 Pintail Whistle made for shy and late season ducks that you do not want to miss. The second call is for a more dynamic and versatile call.
Designed with a new type of reed, which sustains a more dynamic call, the Buck Gardner is a whistle perfect for Mallard Drakes, Pintail and Widgeon Drakes, and Wood Duck Drakes.
Zink ZNK6017 Hunting Game Calls Duck
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While the budget on this duck call may be a bit shocking, there are a few advantages of a more expensive call compared with the competition. The Zink Hunting Game Duck Call is a great buy for a hunter who wants to blow their call really hard and loud. Due to the design of the Zink Duck Call, there is no chance of the reed sticking when you blow.
The other major advantage of this call over the others on our list is the design. Most duck calls are, let’s face it, a bit on the ugly side. If you want a call with pizzazz or flare, then a call from Zink is really the only way to go.
Duck Commander Jase Robertson Pro Series Duck Call
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Another duck call by Duck Commander that made our list, the Jase Robertson Pro Series has a bit more design choice and durability than the other model that we reviewed, however, either is a good choice for a starter duck call.The Jase Robertson is loud enough for open water, but the manufacturer emphasizes its ideal nature for finishing. The versatility of the call is due to the precision cut acrylic cast rod design, making it easy to blow loud or soft.
This call is great for beginners because it has a double-reed system and comes custom tuned from West Monroe.
Conclusion
The best advice when looking for one of the best duck calls on the internet is to know yourself and your duck hunting style. Odds are that you already favor one type of duck call over the other, whether that means single reed over double reed, or acrylic over wood. For that reason, the best deal concerning the best duck calls around has to be awarded to the Buck Gardner The Finisher Duck Call Combo Pack. This pack is not only less expensive than many of the other calls which make a claim to be one of the best duck calls around, it also provides you with options. Both experienced and casual hunters will find something to love with the Buck Gardner The Finisher Duck Call Combo Pack.We were really impressed with its state of the art reed in the more dynamic of the two calls in the pack that allowed for a greater amount of variation on our calls. And while one half of the pack grants you a high degree of customization, the other half makes for a great stand-by. The Buck Gardner 6N1 Pintail Whistle is simply one of the best duck calls around in terms of bagging those late season ducks and it is only one half of this pack that barelyruns more than two Big Mac meals.