Acrylic duck calls

[Marc]

Well the last time I was out my old trusted duck call of almost 10 years lost its tune and finally croaked. Not bad I guess for a plastic duck call. I got it when I signed up as a supporter of Delta Waterfowl.

Well I hmmed and hawwwed long and hard and decided that now that I planned on doing a lot more waterfowl hunting over the salt chuck I decided it was time to try an acrylic call from a reputable call maker. Acrylic is denser then wood and sounds closer to wood then plastic, it also doesn't swell when it gets wet. This will be the first of my high price tag calls and we'll see how it performs before I decide I get another.

My wife nearly killed me when she found out what I spent my B-day money on..."Why do you need another call? You already have a bunch?!" Try and explain that to the wife. I compared it to her having to have different types of shoes but we wont go there.:biggrin:

I went to several manufacturer’s websites and listened to the different calls they produced and this is the one that caught my attention. It’s made by RNT or Rich N Tone duck calls. The call I decided on is called the Daisy Cutter. Sweet sounding call and if I can work it half as good as the guy in the sound clip I’ll be laughing all the way to the blind. I searched quite a few other waterfowl and calling websites and it seemed that this call stood out from all the rest for close in work and medium range/loudness. Here is what it looks like but the one I ordered is coming in Mallard Green. I should have it sometime next week I figure.

http://www.rntcalls.com/%21Userfiles/subheadPhotos/store/Daisycuttercatimages.jpg




Does anyone else on the site have any RNT calls and if so how do you like them? Any other makes of Acrylic calls out there from you duckers?

Man it's going to be a long off season... I'm going to drive my wife, not to mention the dogs, bonkers with the new call for the next 6-8 months :biggrin:

[Jimbo]

My old favourite wooden call has gone missing :eek:. I also would like to hear from anyone who uses acrylic calls. Better ?? Best ?

[Gunner]

I use the Foiles Dead Meat Mallard in both single and double reed.I also have a 1/2 dozen acrylic goose calls by Foiles,Zink,Saunders,and Basin calls.I find myself using the Lesser calls more often,as the high pitch carries farther and pulls in Honkers as well as small geese.My spec calls are only used on the prairies.If I was to buy another acrylic duck call it would probably be the Foiles Timber Rattler(double reed) Gunner

[zaconb]

Love the daisy cutter and the original, for that matter I also have a few Quack Heads (non-acrylic) thrown in my bag for friends or for a twist. Right now my go to calls are custom acrylics form David Gaston at Gaston calls. I love the sound of them but it’s his service that keeps me coming back. Tell him how you call, the types of area’s you hunt, what color you want and it’s done. If you don’t like the sound send it back and he’ll retune it. If you still don’t like it he’ll call you have you put the phone on speaker and blow the call and rework it, and if you’re a terrible caller like me he’ll even give you free calling tips :mrgreen:

[Ian F.]

RNT calls rock! I have a couple quackheads, and love them.

For true acrylic I have a Sean Mann that was basically made for me and it's always with me.

One suggestion if are going to spend some $$ on a call, call the manufactuers. Almost all are small shops, even though they may seem big and you can often speak directly with "the name". Last time I called RNT I ended up speaking with Butch Rickenback himself! Anyways, talk to them, tell them what you want and they can suggest a call, or tune one for you if you order direct. I'm lucky to have a decoy customer that is a retired world goose calling champ, but you don't need a connection like that to get the exact call for you!

Very best,

Ian

[rifleman]

I have a primos call. It is called the "NAG". Unfortunately it freezes up and the reed sticks. I have to keep it close to my body to keep it from freezing & that makes it hard to get at when I need it.

[longshot]

I have a RNT Quackhead Timber. Sounds great, single reed, and turns green heads. Have not had the reed stick yet. I love using it.

Longshot jr.

[Dirty]

I don't have an Acrylic, but I plan on trying to build my own acrylic calls on my new wood lathe. That is after the balsa float stash is finished.

[Marc]

One suggestion if are going to spend some $$ on a call, call the manufactuers. Almost all are small shops, even though they may seem big and you can often speak directly with "the name". Last time I called RNT I ended up speaking with Butch Rickenback himself! Anyways, talk to them, tell them what you want and they can suggest a call, or tune one for you if you order direct. I'm lucky to have a decoy customer that is a retired world goose calling champ, but you don't need a connection like that to get the exact call for you!

Very best,

Ian

It's kind of funny that you mention this as it's his name RNT gave me if I had any questions.

I also ordered up a goose call from another call maker, and who calls me from Illinois because we were having troubles with my credit card going through? Hunter Grounds, Tim Grounds son who won the 1999, 2000, 2003 World Junior goose calling championship as well as the 2003, 2005, and 2007 Senior world goose calling championship and is now retired from calling at ripe old age of 20:eek: This young man is amazing. Had a great down to earth conversation with him and he told me he was sorry for not getting back to me earlier as his lab was having puppies as we spoke on the phone.:mrgreen: Same thing he said if I had any questions or needed something fixed not to hesitate to call them.

Can't wait to get the calls and drive the wife bonkers!

Marc.

[Zekeland]

Been using the RNT Microhen in cocabola, great sounding call with lots of volume , needed a single reed for reed freezing reasons...

Tim Grounds....I use his calls for goose and duck, great guy on the phone and will make your call sound the way you want it.....

[Marc]

Well the call was waiting for me in the mailbox when I got home today, I put about a gallon of spit through it already.:mrgreen:

My first impressions so far are quite good. I'll be spending the next few weeks in the front seat of my truck for the ride in to work. Good thing I don't car pool. :mrgreen: Feels great in the hands looks awesome. Makes quacky noises as well.:lol:

Marc.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Daisy_Cutter.jpg

[SHACK]

I have been around the the marsh so to speak with custom calls for some time now, and to put it mildly, you will love your acrylics, provided you learn how to call with them. Single reed J frames are not the easiest call to make great duck sounds with but you will achieve an unreal sound when you have it down pat.
Just remember, your best off to learn in the truck or house, not in the field. Ducks don't mind the volume, but they sure don't like sour notes.

Marc, take that snap swivel off your lanyard and thread your call loop through the braids of the actual lanyard. You will be seriously disappointed if you loose a 100+ call.

As for the freezing, this is a common problem with acrylics, and one you can overcome with a little for thought. The smooth surfaces of your tone board and reed are prone to this, so try to keep your call hanging inside your coat when your not using it, or have a spare ready should you "lock up", wood calls are far less susceptible to this.

Don'T forget to replace your corks periodically, as they will shrink over time and with plenty of use, and a note for those of you that do not know, your reed has a spine. Place the reed end to end between your thumb and for finger and press lightly. It will always bend in one direction, that is the side that goes down!

[Marc]

Marc, take that snap swivel off your lanyard and thread your call loop through the braids of the actual lanyard. You will be seriously disappointed if you loose a 100+ call.



Hmm good point, only problem is the lanyard is so tightly put together I'm not sure I'd be able to thread anything through it.

[SHACK]

Marc

Take a large needle and thread some toughline, fireline, or some other strong thread through the lanyard one way, then through the end of the cord for your call loop and back through the lanyard. Pull hard and you should have it. It also helps if you melt the end of the cord a bit and turn it in your wet fingers to make a smooth end on it(be careful that paracord melts like plastic, and stays hot for some time)
I have had to do this a few times for guys that wanted extra call drops on lanyards I have made them

Sooner or later that snap swivel WILL fail.

At least with paracord you get plenty of warning before you have a failure

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s304/sachaszymczak/calllanyard.jpg

[Marc]

Thanks Shack got it figured out. I used my multi tool, it has like a spike on it and I was able to push the cord through it. Now I have to figure out how to put the Tim grounds goose call on the lanyard as well, it only has one groove in it for a lanyard.

I've been practicing with the duck call back and forth to work ( 1 hour each way) and I'll tell you the Daisy Cutter is one sweet sounding call once you figure out how to get what you want out of it. I'll try and upload a audio clip when I get the chance.

The Tim Grounds goose call, wow, it's going to take me some time to figure out this short reed call. Nothing like the goose flute I've been using for the past 10+ years. I did pick up an instructional DVD and a CD to play in the truck but I don't think I"ll be taking it out this spring unless the switch in my head turns on and I figure out how to work this thing properly. The guy in the video is amazing and makes it look so easy making it that much more frustrating trying to learn.:mrgreen:

[Crazy_Farmer]

Yep, practice is the key with short reeds. The more you blow it everyday, the easier and more sounds you'll be able to make. I still remember after getting my first call, not being able to make the right sounds for probably 1-2 weeks before figuring it out. The videos and cds can help alot though, back pressure using both hands in the correct positions will help alot too.

A step up from a flute to a short reed is a big difference, may take you awhile buts it'll be well worth it once you master it. The things my brother can do on a call, I know I'll never be able to get to that level, but what I can do is good enough to get them on the ground.