As a waterfowl hunter, duck calling is something of a necessity if you’re using decoys. Decoys are valuable tools for luring your prey closer to the blind, but a poorly executed duck call (or complete lack thereof) could have the opposite effect. There’s nothing more suspicious than a flock of ducks sitting absolutely silent on the water, and the real ducks may pick up on your deception.
It can be a little overwhelming when you commit to improving and refining your craft. The market is saturated with duck calls, and there are plenty of experienced hunters with enough age-old wisdom to go around. But if you focus on the basics, you’ll soon find yourself getting better with practice. Read on for a few essential tips on how to become a better duck caller.
- Observe the Ducks. Before you can get better at calling, you have to know your prey like the back of your hand. Pay attention to their behavior and what spurs certain responses. Where do they feed? How do they respond to changes in weather? What does a contented duck look like? These are all questions you can ask yourself to better understand their actions.
- Listen for Patterns. Much like humans communicate through a series of words in varying tones, ducks communicate in quacks and whistles. Once you’ve spent some time observing their behavior, you can use that information to infer the meaning of certain quack pitches and patterns. This is valuable to mimicking a real duck call and creating a space that feels safe.
- Find the Right Call. There are many different calls, each with their own sound and timbre. Make sure that you choose the correct call for your target species. Also, brush up on your knowledge of the various call sounds, including the basic quack, hail call, and comeback call.
- Practice Outside the Blind. The blind itself is not the place to practice your calls. Rather, spend some time alone in your own backyard so you’re prepped and ready for the hunt. Practice makes perfect!
- Let the Silence Speak for Itself. A duck call without a decoy is doomed to fail, but decoys sometimes succeed without the help of a duck call. Become a better duck caller by practicing restraint. Sometimes ducks sit or swim in silence, and you can make your decoy spread more realistic by mimicking that behavior. The duck call is a tool, but overuse can actually do more harm than good.
Here at Mattamuskeet Goose Club, we’re all about the hunt. Follow our blog for more tips and historical tidbits, or support a Southern legacy by becoming a member of The Founder’s Club today!
