What is a Custom Game Call? I was at a waterfowl festival in a booth selling my calls and this question came up. Another custom call maker in the next booth over, answering a customer’s question, put it into words that totally hit the mark with me. A custom game call is more than a piece of wood or plastic that makes animal sounds. It is a little piece of the maker. A part of the craftsman that designed the call, turned the call and tuned the call. A little part of the craftsman that put his heart and soul into that call.
Every call that a custom call maker makes by hand is an original. The materials for each call is selected with care. The call may be the same type of material or the same species of wood as other calls but each call is an original, it’s own grain, color or pattern. The craft of making calls has been around for years and the techniques have been passed from maker to maker. I always learn new things from other call makers. Most I’ve been around love to share tips with other call makers but we all still maintain our own style. There is more than one way to skin a cat!!!
I hand craft or modify all the tone boards for all my calls. I try to get each call to sound exactly same as the last one, but there are always little difference in the sound of a call. It is in the nature of handcrafting calls or anything else handmade. Different woods have different densities therefore different tones or ringing coming out of that call. Not every call will fit every person. Five people can blow the same call and you get five different ways the call sounds. I love having customers try my calls and give me they’re feedback. The comments help me make better calls.
With me, as well as any other custom call maker, the knowledge and techniques acquired go into every call they make. If you buy a custom game call you are not only buying a handmade call but also a little piece of that craftsman.