THO Game Calls Forums
The Art of Handcrafting Custom Game Calls => Handcrafting Custom Predator Calls => Topic started by: dogcatcher on January 27, 2008, 12:14:26 AM
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I saw where Al posted a question about open reed howlers and distress toneboards on another site, I thought it should be a discussion issue here. Only I am looking at it in a different approach.
(1) If a callmaker buys the toneboard and makes their own reed to fit it, how do they know that the reed is cut tuned correctly?
(2) If a callmaker is not a predator hunter/caller, can they really know how how to tune an open reed howler or distress call?
(3) How much does the exhaust bore contribute to the overall sound of the call?
(4) If the toneboard is a great toneboard will a sorry excuse for a body have a detrimental affect on the toneboard?
(5) What is the optimum size of the exhaust bore of a call in the 3" to 5" range?
Marvin
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Wow Marvin, these are some really great, but difficult questions. I know I don't have the answers, but here goes anyway. ;D
(1) If a callmaker buys the toneboard and makes their own reed to fit it, how do they know that the reed is cut tuned correctly?
I think this is one reason I like to buy tone boards from Al. First off, I have never made a tone board. I would like to, but just haven't worked up enough gumption to try it. So I buy them. Al's comes with reeds attached. Some of the others out there you have to make your own reed. I know that changing the thickness of the reed and the width and length will affect the sound. I guess I have just been too lazy to spend the time, with a notebook, sheet of mylar and scissors, to really determine what those changes will do. Guess your forcing me into trying it. ;D
(2) If a callmaker is not a predator hunter/caller, can they really know how how to tune an open reed howler or distress call?
My personal opinion is yes. First, there are so many different sounds out there for the maker to listen to and try to emulate. In some ways that is much better than to try an emulate a sound they may have heard. They have to rely on the memory if they were to do that, and the memory doesn't always provide an accurate playback. Secondly, and maybe more importantly, in my opinion, is there is no correct sound. By that I mean, if you listen to a group of, say 10, each giving their rendition of a dying jack, you will hear 10 different sounds. Do all these guys fail when hunting, because they are not exactly like a real dying jack? No, of course not. I just don't think the "exact" sound is necessary. Just so the sound is pretty realistic, doesn't break up a lot, I think it is going to work just fine.
(3) How much does the exhaust bore contribute to the overall sound of the call?
(5) What is the optimum size of the exhaust bore of a call in the 3" to 5" range?
I am going to combine questions 3 and 5, because I don't know how to answer one without the other. Again, here is an area I have not experimented with. I have done a lot of reading about this issue however. Some say a stepped bore is the way to go. Others say a belled bore is the way to go. There have been some who have set up elaborate tests to try to prove one way or the other which is better. In my opinion, I am going to go with a finished, belled bore. I, first, like the looks of it better, seems to show more attention to detail. I think if a stepped bore is the way to go, we would see that in instruments such as the clarinet, trumpet, trombone, etc. they all have smooth, belled bores.
As to the actual diameter of the bore itself, you can find calls that have a 1/4' diameter bore, a 1/2' bore a 5/8' and on and on. I think if the bore gets large enough, then it does start to affect the tonal qualities. Again back to the musical instrument. the clarinet is small bore compared to the bass saxophone. And the bores are very different. In predator calls, take an open reed tone board and put it on a call body with a 5/8" bore and put it on a cow horn. Is there a difference, you be there is. Now, for the standard maker, I do believe there is some correlation between the diameter of the bore and the deepness and volume of the sound. But for the most part, you have to go substantially different, like the standard call vs. the cow horn to make that much difference. Can the user tell the difference between a 1/4' and 3/4' bore? Yep, probably so. But can the coyote? Probably not. To test this, have someone blow one then the other, with out you knowing which is which, while you are stand 100 yards away. I don't believe you could tell the difference. Use the cow horn and yep, you probably could. I have not tested this, just my opinion.
(4) If the toneboard is a great toneboard will a sorry excuse for a body have a detrimental affect on the toneboard?
Well, first, go back and read my response to questions 3 and 5 above. That said, I am not sure what is meant by a sorry excuse for a body. If that means the quality of the turning, my answer is a most emphatic no. That only has to do with the pleasing look to the call. There are a lot of the old time calls that were just plain old straight turned calls. Nothing fancy about them, not even fancy woods or colors, or decorations, or .... Yet, these old calls worked great and still do. That is, if you wanted to take that valuable, irreplaceable call out and use it again. :o
If you are talking about the difference in material, yep, there is a difference. Put the same tone board on a soft porous wood and then put it on a piece of turned acrylic. You will notice a difference. But again, and I have not done this, listen to them from 100 yards away and see if you can really tell the difference. And then ask yourself it a coyote or bobcat or fox really cares.
To sum this up, in my opinion, I think most anyone who can operate a lathe, or operate a hand drill, knife, maybe a dremmel, can make an effective call. The quality of the purchased reeds is just so good today, that anyone can do it. I think what is selling the calls is the looks and the attention to detail. Those things show up when one looks at a call, and the word get around. Caller John spends a lot of time making a finely detailed call, people hear that and want to by one of Caller John's calls. Caller Fred's calls are not well finished, show unfinished insides, shows scratches and tool marks on the barrel, and that word gets out. People shy away from Caller Fred's calls. Will they both call the predator in? Yep, probably with out much difference noted between the effectiveness of one verse the other. It is the looks of the call, the attention to detail, the attention the maker pays to the customer, all these things are more important than the internals of the call itself.
Well, you asked for it, so there it is. Even though I didn't start off intending to write a book, it seems I sure did. I guess I am an opinionated old fart after all. ;D
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From one old opinionated fart to another that is a pretty good answer. A lot of detail. I especially like the comparison at the end of the 2 callmakers. Pretty doesn't call in varmints, it the sound that matters.
On the bore issue, an open bore in the 5/8" to 3/4" range is what I consider the optimum size and also to have expand as in megaphone shape to the end. A straight bore is like a pipe, directional and confining. a megaphone shape also is easier to blow. There has to be an increase in bore size as the length of the bore increase to achieve this "megaphone" affect.
Marvin
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(1) If a callmaker buys the toneboard and makes their own reed to fit it, how do they know that the reed is cut tuned correctly?
In my opinion, the reed is cut and tuned correctly when it produces the sound that the call maker is looking for in the syle of call he is using the toneboard in, with no pitch breaks.
(2) If a callmaker is not a predator hunter/caller, can they really know how how to tune an open reed howler or distress call?
No. Once again, in my opinion, listening to tapes or other recordings of live animals in a controled environment like a shop or living room will not tell a call maker how his call is going to perform in the field.
(3) How much does the exhaust bore contribute to the overall sound of the call?
My experiance tells me that the exhaust bore affects several things in a call, including tone, back pressure and volume. All of which affect a calls performance. The material the bore is made of, to include how it is finished, is of as much if not more importance to the tone of a call than the exact bore size. A cow horn or other type of megaphone will have a unique effect on the sound however.
If you look at most commercial open reed calls, you will see that none of them have a barrel on them that is over 1" long. Red Desert Howler and the Crit R Calls are an exception. This is because without a barrel, there is no back pressure, and the call will play smoothly with no adjustments. Adding a barell to the calls will change their tone dramatically in most cases. I have some Primos Regulators that I have put wood barrels on that prove this very point.
(4) If the toneboard is a great toneboard will a sorry excuse for a body have a detrimental affect on the toneboard?
In my opinion, it depends on a couple of factors. The diameter of the barrel, the length of the barrel, and to a lesser extent, the material the barrel is made out of. A straight piece of PVC will work just fine if it is the right length and diameter for the tone board design being used.
(5) What is the optimum size of the exhaust bore of a call in the 3" to 5" range?
Once again, in my opinion, it depends on the tone board design. Width and depth of the air channel, reed width and thickness, length of the reed bridge, the ark of the tone board and the desired sound the call maker is trying to achieve. In general, a barrel length of between 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches with a 5/8" bore will significantly reduce back pressure to allow MOST tone boards to play adequately. But, it depends again on the tone board design.
Pretty doesn't call in varmints, it the sound that matters.
While agree with the later half of this, the former is usually heard by call makers who do not have the skill or desire to make "pretty" calls, or call makers who understand the ins and outs of call making and are trying to drive home a point to the new call maker.
There is one very well known predator call maker who, when he post some of his better work, often exclaims, 'I spent way too much time on this one' which always leads me to wonder, as the buyer, am I not worth your best efforts?
Don't ever be fooled by this statement. You take the most hard corps, most crusty no nonsense caller out there and give him a "pretty" call that works, and puts fur in front of him, and he will use it all day long.
Pretty calls varmints just fine if the call maker is, a call maker.
AL @ THO
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Boy Marvin, you sure came up with a great topic for discussion. This is almost guaranteed to cause debate. I am not sure I am qualified to answer all these questions but I will jump in where I can.
(1) If a callmaker buys the toneboard and makes their own reed to fit it, how do they know that the reed is cut tuned correctly?
I get my tone boards from from Al, so I can't answer this one. They come with a reed and sound good, I have never found the need to mess with them.
(2) If a callmaker is not a predator hunter/caller, can they really know how how to tune an open reed howler or distress call?
I think they can provided they have a person that does hunt to help them get the right sound, and help them learn to make the proper sounds.
(3) How much does the exhaust bore contribute to the overall sound of the call?
I am not sure.
(4) If the toneboard is a great toneboard will a sorry excuse for a body have a detrimental affect on the toneboard?
I am not sure what you mean here. If the body just looks bad but functions well no. If the design causes the sound to break or not sound right then yes.
(5) What is the optimum size of the exhaust bore of a call in the 3" to 5" range?
I have not experimented in this area.
I will have to revisit this when I have more time to respond.
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I started this topic because of the amount of time I "waste" on non callmaking forums. I see these woodturners that make bowls, vases, pens etc., then by chance they get a callmaking kit from one of the suppliers and make and sell a few calls. Then "presto" they are "custom callmakers". That is okay in one way, but my concern is will the end customer really get a good call. Some of them have even admitted that they are not hunters or ever used a call before. Now they are holding themselves out to the hunting public as a "custom callmaker"
All of the answers were good ones, there is no right or wrong answer to any of the questions. But as I see it the real callmakers are seeing dropping call prices, and some inferior work being sold. This inferior work reflects back on all of the callmakers. I am not talking about a poor sanding job or a poor finish. I am talking about a piece of wood that has been fancied up on the outside and left as a straight bore on the inside and then charging the price of a full blown belled out call. I am sure the buyer was surprised to find a "clumsy heavy" call as his reward for spending good money on it.
Thanks for the responses and letting me have my rant.
Marvin
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Here we go,
I have a few minutes before work.
First off, Marvin, I do not see your question as a rant, more of a discussion.
I looked at some of the first calls I made, and I tell you what the calls I am selling now are a huge step up from the calls I first made.The finish is better as well as the design, in my opinion. This is mainly because I want to make the best call I can to sell, yet not copy someone elses work (another hot topic). This is what I think most call makers do. A person that is a bowl turner or penmaker without a doubt can turn a call body, with a little research they probably could make a decent call too. That does not automatically make them a call maker, just another person making pretty wood. In my opinion (Take that for what it is worth) a call is say, 75 percent how it works versus 25 percent how it looks. So this covers two areas The exhaust bore and the outside of the call. I have calls I have kept that look like crap because I don't like the shape or finish, but have accounted for more than one dead coyote. That tells me they sound good to a coyote, look bad to the maker. I have bought calls that look great but have not called in a one eyed, three legged, mangy starving coyote. I do not use those calls.
Got to cut it short, work time. I'll be back later.
rwehuntn
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Shouldn't that bowl or pen turner first do the research and know the functions of the call before he starts selling them. A non call user that cranks out a kit can make a call, even a good call, but does that one call make him a true callmaker? I would say yes if he understood most of the dynamics of the call and knew the "hows" and "whys" of how it works. But now we have the ones that are in it for the fast dollar and do not care about the dynamics of the call.
Example. a closed reed call, 5 inches long, with a 9/32" bore, with the last 3/4" of the bore cleaned out. The diameter at the bell is 1 3/8" and the top 1" in diameter. Regardless of how fancy or plain the outside is, regardless of how great or poor the finish is, if it makes a noise it is a call, but is it a good call. When the buyer gets it, will he think all callmakers make their call this way?
The reason I even bring this up is I have gotten a phone call from a friend, said he bought a call from a "callmaker" on a forum, then when he got it it as pretty as could be, but no real exhaust bore, no finish in the bell, heavy and clumsy. This reflects on all of the good callmakers.
With today's resources to find out the whats and whys of a call there is no excuse for not making a good working call. The only reason I see is laziness and I do not consider that an excuse, I think that is a fault.
Marvin
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Okay, I'm back.
Marvin, you are absolutly right. If a person is going to make call and sell them they should do the research. I am not so sure it is all that important to even bell the exhaust of a call. I do not know if it makes a difference in the sound, but it does make the call look better. I think as long as the exhaust can pass the air the intake lets in, the call should function properly (with a closed reed jc type call)
Any time you get people in any venture strictly for monetary gain and not for some good reason, things go to crap.
In the example you gave, if I ordered a call like that I would send it back. This is a direct reflection of the person that made it though, not a reflection of other call makers. The only way I can think of to combat this is to document your product through pictures as well as you can and let your calls speak for themselves. I would also suggest your friend contact the "callmaker" and let him know he is not happy. If the maker is any kind of a decent guy, he will either offer to make it right or he will send your friend the money back and let him keep the call. Again, I feel this is a direct reflection on the guy that made the call, not other call makers. It is kind of like if you buy car "A" and it is a piece of crap, do you blame the maker of car "B", no.
You are absolutly right about laziness as well.
got to go again
rwehuntn
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Marvin, thanks for starting this. It is really thought provoking and getting some good input. I just wanted to toss some input in here also. I agree about the thought that the blame won't necessarily shift to all call makers for a bad call received. Most of the call makers I have done business with have a guarantee, if you don't like the call, get your money back. No questions asked. I tell my customers, I'll repair, replace or refund money, on any call they have problems with. But even with custom orders, I don't accept money up front, and never send a call out sight unseen. I send pictures first, and only then, after they say it is what they are looking for, will I make the deal. I just want happy customers.
A side note here on money. There are a few of the custom call makers that are trying to make a living doing this, but most of us are just trying to pay for a hobby. Hell, I spent hundreds more last year than I took in, and I didn't even add up a lot of things I spent money on. I'm sure most are in this catagory. The ones that are making crappy calls, and trying to sell them just for the money, I don't believe will be around long. I have bought a few if the calls you are talking about; poor workman ship, not properly finished inside, don't sound good, etc. I just let that be my lesson never to buy from that person again. And, while I try very hard not to slam anyone in an open forum, I have been known to express my thoughts in private. Hopefully, we all do it that way.
Great post!
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Braz, did you tell the callmaker what you thought of the call when it was crappy? I know most of the callmakers stand behind their work, but I have found that most of the buyers are not aware of what really is a good call. Then there is that majority that will not say anything. So the crappy callmaker thinks he is "great" when he is a marginal firewood maker.
Rwe it does matter if these marginal callmakers are selling, if a hunter buys his first handmade call from a marginal maker, he will think this is not what I expected and go back to the commercial calls. That "disgruntled customer" did not know that callmaker was not all that he seems to be. But he went away with a marginal call thinking all handmade or custom calls are no better than the commercial calls.
Send it back? I bet I could sell 20 calls that sounded like crap, looked like they were made in middle school shop class and the end result would be that not one of them would comeback to me nor would there be a complaint. They would not buy from me again, and they would be leery of buying from other callmakers.
Marvin
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Marvin, you're right I did not complain. It was one of the first calls I had purchasd, and I guess I just did not know any better. However, that did not stop me. I continued to purchase calls. My collection is not huge, but is growing. I have complained about other calls since then though. There is one callmaker that is well known that made a call I really liked and I bought it. When I got it, it was vey poorly finished. I mounted it up and refinished it myself. I loved the shape and wood, otherwise I would not have done so. But I did send him a lengthy note. Later I purchased another call, again because of the shape and wood. And by this time he is getting rave reviews. Again, the finish is so so. But a few days later I noticed it starting to crack. I contacted him with my story about the poor finish and the cracking. He said it must have been wet wood so toss it and he would make another. I got another mail saying he was refunding my money as all the wood was too wet. Again, I was very disappointed in the call maker. However, both calls sounded just fine. If I were only going to hunt them, that would be one thing, then the poor finish may not be such a big deal. But it just shows the lack of attention to detail that I think all call makers should take. By the way, I will not purchase a third call from this call maker.
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I think the quality of a call, to a certain extent is in the eye of the buyer. If I sell a call that I think is good any you buy the call and think it stinks and don't tell me I will continue to think it was a good call. That is why I actively solicit feedback from people I sell calls to. Granted, I have a small group of people (Compared to people that have been doing this for years), but I intend on making calls for a long time. I want people to be happy with the calls they buy from me. As Braz said, this is my hobby. I have a job, I just do this for fun. My motivation for selling calls is to be able to make more. I appreciate feedback, both positive and negative for this reason.
If a person gets burned by a shyster, should they blame the honest people in the same field? No they should not, but just the same, I am sure it happens. This is an unfortunate event for other callmakers, but the only way to combat this is to put out better calls ourselves and outclass the shysters.
I am new to this callmaking business, so I may not have the insight of a person that has done if for years. I am sure any one of us could put out crappy calls and sell them. We are not that kind of person, or we would not be having this discussion. ;D As people, we have to worry about what we do. I personally have given away more calls than I have sold, just because I can.
got to go again,
Allan
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Allen, many of us are new. Some, like Marvin, have been making calls for years and years. Some, like you and me, have only been making calls for a few years. Does that mean we are not call makers? No, it means we don't have the experience that Marvin does. I know I can't make a call as well as Marvin does, but that doesn't mean I can't pick his brain when i have the chance, and strive to produce the best call I can. That, in my opinion, is what makes me a call maker. I think I make a good product. I also have the confidence of many buyers. Most of my sales are from two local boards I sell on. And it is because of the comments on those boards that more people want my calls. All say they are good. I have only had one fellow return calls. He said it was because he was just not using them. I got them back and there was nothing wrong with them. I inspected them carefully, and they looked good and sounded good. So, I resold them. The new buyer loves them, as they have called in animals for him.
But, Marvin, this is a great discussion. We all can tend to get complacent if we don't have someone prod us now and then. This is one think I see this discussion doing. It is good to have to sit back and reflect just what one is doing and why. If it were only for money, then I would probably take a different approach. I would buy a lot of production barrels, make some calls for cheap, and sell them to sporting goods stores. I have ordered some production barrels, but for a different reason. I want to have a good supply of quick, inexpensive, decent sounding calls to give away to kids. I love doing that. I try and give each kid on my local forums, kids of the folks on the forums that is, a free call. It is my little way of promoting this sport. Sorry for rambling, kinda got off track.
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What's really interesting, is that in the thread I started on FnF, there were 211 views, and not ONE new call maker who usies the commercial tone boards responded stating how they modified or used the tone boards they do to turn them into howlers.
That tells a huge story.
I once had a call maker, who is currently working and considered one of the Gods of another board, ask me to make him 30 or so tone boards. I told him I was just too busy to do that for him, and that he should really learn how to make them himself. Not only would it give him a better understanding of how they worked, but it would be a whole lot cheaper too.
His response?
"I am just too good of a call maker to spend my time making tone boards when I could be spinning calls."
He had been a call maker for two or three months at that time.
There is nothing wrong with using molded or commercial tone boards. Nothing at all.
But we do need to know how to alter and modify them to suit a particular need. There is more to making a howler than putting a 6 inch call body on a commercial tone board.
It's hard to teach this stuff to the new call makers. But we owe it to the hobby to do so. Those that want to learn, will go on to become very good call makers. Those that don't will just go on.
I agree that the number of new call makers has watered down the hobby, and the quality of work is reflected in the prices that many of them are getting for calls. It is also reflected in the direction many of them are taking. Many have stopped making calls and have turned to other hunting related items. The knives are a big one. That's sad because a few of them were very talented wood spinners who could have and should have become master call makers. Some may still.
The buyer is always the last judge of our work. He decides if he will promote or slam our calls to his buddies. With the growth of predator hunting, Marvin may have a point that a lot of new guys will get turned off by poorly crafted calls, and turn away from customs totally.
The only way I know to stem this is to make the very best call you can, post a sound file with the call when you sell it, and stand behind it 110%.
The new guys will learn or leave. Or be forced out. They may leave a bad taste in some people mouths, but on the other hand, they will allow some of us to charge and get more for our calls.
Al @ THO
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You bring up a few good points Al,
I have been asked why I do not charge more money for my calls. There are mainly three reasons.
1. As I stated before, I do it for a hobby. If I had to make a living at this, all the stuff Becky and I make would have a higher price tag.
2. Again, I am new at this, there is no way I would presume to enter at this stage of the game and represent my calls being as good or better than a well respected callmaker through pricing. I just do not think it is appropriate.
3. I make calls to hunt with. I would rather make a second call for free than have the first never enter the field because someone did not want to use it because they spent X amount on it.
Don't get me wrong, I think people should charge what they feel is fair for their work. I just do not have to get top dollar, nor do I think it is right for me as a new maker to expect it. regardless of the price of my calls, I do stand by my work.
as far as some people thinking they are too good to do something. That is b.s. That is just a person too lazy to try and learn something new. To tell you the truth, that person probably made open reed calls because it is easier to drill a straight hole than it is to drill to use a jc reed. I apoligize if that sounds a little harsh, but I bet it is not far from the truth.
I have played with the reeds on several of the toneboards I have got from Al, sometimes as requested by a customer and sometimes just to see what happens to the sound (there was nothing wrong with the boards, you know just tweaking). I currently have a few I need to get some mylar for ::) In the future, I do plan to make my own toneboards, I might even give making the old style calls Marvin makes a go. These projects require more tools in my man cave, so they have to wait.
I think people like Al and GrampasShop help the new guy with the tutorials they put together. I know I have spent plenty of time studying the tutorials and they have helped me immensely. You guys are right. the information is there to help people new to this, but there are some people that are too good to take advice.
In short, I make calls because I enjoy it. I like to look at other peoples work, and I like to hunt. I can make calls for my friends they just can't get from the local sporting goods store. I can give calls to the kids so they can drive their parent nuts, I spend time with my wife discussing life in general. The end result is a call that will call in predators, the work in the middle is why I do it.
I apoligize for getting off topic, better get back to work.
Allan
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We are completely off the subject but it is a very productive and informational thread.
Back to callmaking, today predator hunting has advanced to the point that it is not the blue collar sport it was a few years ago. Now the cream of the high dollar hunters are getting into and getting into it big time. But only a few callmakers are reaping the benefits, these new hunters haven't learned who the top names are so they are buying beauty. It doesn't matter if the callmaker made his first call yesterday or 40 years ago, the buyer is looking at beauty. Most have no idea as to what a call should sound like. These "rich" guys have limited experience with commercial calls so when they get a crappy call they do not know what they have.
How do we deal with it? I can tell someone what I think, but then I get the feeling they prefer I keep my thoughts to myself. In one case I was told I did not know what I was talking about. For 40 plus years I have done alright without the Internet, computer etc., made a few calls here and there, had a lot of good friends that I hunted with, made a lot more friends. Then about 2 plus years ago I found the Internet, found a few short cuts, faster methods. Learned a lot of new tricks, from some of the old timers that I had never heard of and some from new guys that were not even born when I turned my first call. But at the same time I have seen a lot of newbies come on the scene become so called "experts" and along with that I have seen the prices of calls drop. Before 2000 when I got sick I was getting $80 plus on my old style calls, now I get $75. With inflation I should be well over a $100. Closed reed JC calls used to be $20 plus now if I get $20 it would have to be a work of art, sanded to perfection, flawless finish, and shine like a polished penny. If I make my run of the mill hunting call I might get $10. It is like the buyer wants the body of a Cadillac but doesn't care if I put a Yugo motor in it.
Anybody have any spare Yugos I can part out????
Marvin
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Well said Marvin.
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Marvin:
Great post... Lots of good great thoughts on call making being expressed here. Being new to call making every call made is a new adventure.
Dave
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I make my own tone boards and i also purchase some. I make most of my boards our of hard maple. I`m a machinist by trade and a amature call maker by hobby. I`ve only been making calls for about a year and i haven`t sold a call. They have all been traded or given to people. The 2 people that i met from another board that i traded calls with they were both happy with my calls and gave me good feedback on them. Friends and fellow hunters that i have given calls to like that mine sound a little different. When doing a distress board remember a rabbit only dies once so what does the perfect death cry sound like? (like the lucky rabbits foot i`ve never seen the lucky rabbit that had that foot that is now on a keychain drinking a cold beer by the pool) Sorry bout the foot rant LOL. People don`t quite get it when they talk about them and u ask them where the rest of it is. I don`t make any howlers with my own boards i use cow horns for that and in the past i`ve used KO`s. But i started playing with deer antler and made a open reed out of it so next is with cow horn. Well i think i wandered around and off the mark enough LOL.
Later
Rich
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Rich,
I've seen your wood toneboards and they look well done. Your calls are pretty nice too :)
Couldn't agree with you more on the "lucky rabbit foot" thing. Always seemed to me like the rabbit ends up in the short end of that deal................
Without a leg to stand on :)
Sorry, I couldn't resiste LOL
Al @ THO
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And didn't try very hard to resist either, did you? ;D
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It was there for the taking ;D
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Hey Braz i`ll thow this one out here. I know ya seen it
Well i got a story for ya. It kinda throws the call maker or hunter thing for a funny loop. Well i went hunting tonight and did a bunch of setups. The neighbors land that i hunt owns on both sides of the road from me. I hunted on the south side and well i was trying to use calls that i bought (Thank you Jerry, Aaron, and Jeremy). Well the south didn`t work. My neighbor that raises highlanders gives me horns and lets me hunt his land. Well dumb call maker me starts calling and sees parts of hide in the field. Guess what i found a head. Well i guess (what i found out later) while my dumb you know what was getting the horns off that head. The neighbor was watching a yote walking the slowest he had ever seen across the field. So while i was getting a horn for my next howler the yote was watching me LOL. Guess what i got the horns LOL. It wasn`t the neighbor that owned the land that saw the yote good thing he didn`t take a poke at it cuz he would have been shooting at me But hey i got one horn here and i`ll have the other tomarrow. It`s hard to hunt with the material distraction LOL.
Well later
Hope ya find humor in it
Rich
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Yep, saw that before and had to laugh hard again. Great post. ;D