Rod Haydel's 10 Tips for Better Calling
1. As long as the ducks are coming in, forget calling.
2. When the ducks start an erratic wing beat, hit them with a comeback call immediately to bring them back on line.
3. If they look as if they may drift off-line, use single quacks and feed calls to bring them back online.
4. Try calling at birds as they circle when they quarter into the wind. This will make it easier for them to set up for a landing zone into the wind. (Anticipate their swing).
5. Remember your whistle and mix these sounds in with your mallard call. Youngsters can blow these with ease and feel partly responsible for bringing the ducks in! The mallard drake sound should not be discounted either, especially on windless days!
6. Always start high and come down the scale smoothly with no "start-up note."
7. If possible use a call that applies to the species you're trying to call. Speak their language (eg. blue-winged teal, use a bluewing call).
8. When team calling, one person should be the leader while the others just fill in. Don't compete against yourselves.
9. Realize that not all ducks are callable and that even real ducks do not call in all the ducks all the time.
10. Be different! If what you are doing isn't working - CHANGE! Don't get stuck in a rut!
Don't wait for next season, put these pointers into practice today and be ready for opening morning!
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