One note about this call and “lock up”: I’ve read forum postings and online reviews commenting on how this call has a tendency to stick or lock up in the cold, but I’ve never had that issue. If you’re a new duck hunter who wants to take the sport seriously and get good at duck calling, this is an excellent call to learn with. Beginner duck callers should go with the double-reed option. Quite simply, it’s versatile and it sounds great. It can be blown soft and raspy, but it also has enough volume and tone on the high end to talk in ducks on windy late-season hunts. The Strait Suzy is my go-to mallard call season after season. This is the all-around best sounding call on the list. A call that is easy to blow is useful for beginners, but also for experienced duck hunters who want to call softly and work birds in close. In this lineup of calls, it was the second easiest for me to blow, behind only the Haydel’s call. On the low end (less air pressure) the call sounds nice and raspy in tone, and on the high end, the call is crisp with a higher pitch that will cut through the wind. We figured it out and the result was a unique sound.” “The more reeds you have, the more difficult it is to get the reeds to harmonize. “We were trying to create three reeds that are easy to blow,” Robertson says. Jase Robertson and his buddy Steve Schultz designed the Triple Threat call over the course of a year. On the expensive side for a beginner call.This call offers a wide range of pitches and is very easy to blow. Best Overall: Duck Commander Triple Threat If the call you pick doesn’t work for you, that’s cheap enough that you can try another. The calls in this lineup cost up to about $36. Going back to the musical instrument analogy, someone just learning to play guitar shouldn’t throw down for the hottest new Fender (though, if you want to spend big, here’s our review of the best duck calls).

CostĬustom duck calls can cost a few hundred bucks, but there’s no need for a beginner to spend that much. You’ll notice that most calls in this list are poly since that middle ground is a good place to start. Polycarbonate falls in the middle of the two. Acrylic is denser and typically makes for louder calls (it’s also usually more expensive). Wood is softer and more porous making softer sounds. Call Materialĭuck calls are commonly made from wood, polycarbonate, or acrylic.

If you’re getting started and just want to make realistic duck sounds, you’ll probably have an easier time with a double-reed call.

Single-reed calls have more range in pitch and volume, but they also require better mechanics and air control. Double reed calls do require more air pressure to blow, but they are also more forgiving. Reed selection all comes down to personal preference, but generally, double-reed calls are easier for beginners to use. Most duck call options will have either one or two reeds (though the Duck Commander Triple Threat has three). But if you hunt wood ducks specifically, or often target teal or wigeon, you’ll also want a whistle-type call. Puddle ducks and even occasionally divers will work to a mallard call. What species will you be hunting most often? If you’re like most duck hunters, a mallard call is what you want to start with. Things to Consider Before Buying a Duck Call A late-season greenhead called to the gun with the Strait Suzy. Most Raspy: Buck Gardner Double Nasty II.Best Overall: Duck Commander Triple Threat.After trying dozens of calls over decades of duck hunting, these are my top picks for the best duck calls for beginners along with audio recordings for how they sound. They’re also affordable and readily available at online retailers. But for beginners, blowing a duck call-at least in a way that sounds like a duck-can be a serious challenge.Ī duck call is essentially a musical instrument, only instead of trying to play a song, you’re trying to hit the notes that will bring ducks into shotgun range. The best duck calls for beginners are easy to blow and they sound realistic. Calling in a big flock of mallards, working them hard on the edges, and then finishing them over the decoys is one of the most thrilling moments in all of waterfowl hunting.

Mallard duck sounds