Duck and Goose Calls

mosinmaster

mosinmaster

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Hi,

I was wondering how effective these are if one is concealed but is not using decoys.

Also, is each call specific to each duck species? So a Mallard call will not work for other ducks even if you try to play the other species' call on the Mallard call?

What brands and types of calls do you recommend?

Please share your tips and suggestions
 
I have always hunted ducks & geese over decoys, never without. I think the calls work hand in hand with decoys. You see the birds, start to call to them, they see your dekes & come to check them out. IMO just calling to them might get them to fly over to take a look, but if they don't see any other ducks or geese they will not land or come close. Just get some decoys, they are not that expensive, & will last you a lifetime if you take care of them.

George
 
Interesting question thats for sure. There are some days when ducks dont respond well to calling and need more of a visual attractant, so that would definitely be a waste of time. However one could argue that if there is low light conditions you could bring some ducks in close to you overhead and get them to land, BUT you wont be able to get them to land infront of you in a good spot majority of the time unless you're hunting in a tight area.

If you're just starting out set a budget and make sure you get 1-2dz decoys (more or less depending on the size of water you're hunting) and get a baby mojo. You can be the worst caller in the world and even forego the call so long as the ducks can see your spread. But its always nice to blow on a call when you're bored.

With different calls, if you see a different species, either keep calling like a mallard, do a couple quacks, or just stop calling all together. Buy different calls when you start targeting species of ducks instead of any ducks and when you can ID them in the air.

To start off with buy yourself a $20 walmart call until you think you can effectively call them, not just make duck noises at them. Or if you want something better what I'll usually do is just look around until I find a sale on something then just google the name of the product with "reviews" at the end and you'll find a plethora of information.
For decoys stay away from the Canadian Tire Flambeau ones, they're junk. I use the final approach standard mallards which I payed $40/dz new plus the ACE 4oz decoy weights so it worked out to be about $70/dz plus tax. Since its pretty much end of season keep your eyes open and you'll probably find some really good deals on waterfowl gear.

Really if you're starting out, heres a quick list:

1dz decoys: $45
1dz weights(dont cheap out): $30
1 string of decoy rope: $5
1 decoy bag (flambeau canadian tire one works): $20
Baby mojo (find one on sale): $50-60
Call: $20
So about $200 for the perfect beginners kit.
 
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First off, about the only success you will have calling in ducks or geese into shooting range without decoys is on days when fog is so thick you can't see more than 25 yards and it works on geese but not ducks or in Spring when breeding season is in full swing and them old Drake Mallards are horny. Then I have had them just about land on top of my head looking for the lonely hen making all that fuss. In fall, forget it.
Next you cann call other species of ducks with a standard mallard duck call but you won't imitate any other duck species with it as far as they're sound goes. Mallard calls sound like hen mallards and thats all they will ever sound like. If they sound like anything else you aren't using them correctly. Same with Goose calls. Canada's sound like Canada's, Snows like Snows, Specks like Specks, etc. etc......
Third....a mojo is a motorised spinning wing decoy. They come in a few different species and styles and can be very effective on young birds at times. However they are not the be-all end-all some make them out to be. When they first arrived on the scene they were highly effective and deadly. The birds however have gotten used to them and don't respond to them nearly as well as they did a decade or so ago IMO.
Last....don't go to Canadian Tire for your calls. Go to a reputable sporting goods store that will let you remove them from the package and test them out. If they won't let you and they don't have a bottle of rubbing alcohol to clean them with before and after you test them.......shop elsewhere!
 
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