I've only been duck hunting for about 4 seasons now and have a long way to go. Before I used to shoot like crap so I practiced non stop until I got proficient at it. Now I'm trying to improve my duck calling skills and I'd like to know how all of you learned? I know there are people on here that are pro's so I'd appreciate any tips you can give me or maybe suggest videos that I can watch?

I'd also appreciate any tips on getting my decoy spread right. I've read dozens of articles online but it almost seems like if they all say something different with the exception that they all agree that you need to leave a place for the ducks to land. Thanks.

youtube is a good help should get u were u need to be. i like this guys videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOu8BxAOiuc

hours and hours and hours and hours and hours and hours of practice. seriously, every chance you get put in practice changing tones and pitch and air pressure and tounge control and so on until you refine it like you like it.

Watching live birds really helps alot for decoy spreads and calling at the right time.

You want to learn drop me a line.

duckcommander has some good videos on this

dont call at all,practice this summer.

get The Duck Dictionary dvd. Kent has the credentials to back up his instruction. goto the Hobo calls web site and watch his demo for his calls. on the site there is also a list of what he has won. he won the world live duck in '07,'08 and '09.

http://www.hoboduckcalls.com/

DONT CALL TO DIVERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Practice, practice practice practice practice and the practice some more. Keep a call in your truck and practice while driving. If your sitting at home pick up a call and practice.

I really dont know you but if you want me to teach you PM me
My wife can blow a hell of a call now she had plenty of practice on my call

I highly recommend the notion of listening to live ducks when you can, and try to add that to your calling skills.

I sat on a deer stand most of the weekend with wood ducks flying early. It is truly amazing how many cadences even a wood duck has. You would think they always sound the same, but they really don't.

Best way i learned, went to a local park where some ducks are always there swimming sat on the bank in the afternoons and ,listened and matched their tones for the most part, you'll know when you do it right cause they'll be all over you, lol, but like Keestan said carry one in your truck, youtube has some great videos, type in google a specific call you are trying to learn and there are alot of video's you can watch and listen too, Be very patient and persistant and it'll become natural. But don't try to learn 4 different calls at one time, pick one and learn it and move on to the other, don't be upset if you don't get the feeder right away. Just keep practicing. If you know someone that is very good at it get you a good call and you and him/her call and try to match each other. All these things are what helped me and i am still trying to perfect my sounds!

Thanks for all the advice guys, I'm going to check out the duck dictionary as well as the duck commander calling videos tonight. Right now I have four calls, two mallard, one acrylic one wood, a teal call, and wood duck call. This weekend I did have some luck calling in a flock of teal that started circling with a simple hen call by just repeating the word ten but I think it was more luck than anything else.

90% of the ducks I hunt down here in Florida are Ringers, Teal, and Mottled Ducks. In the past I've gotten quite a few Mottled ducks to change direction by just blowing a hail type call but the Ring Necks are a different story. These are the ones I'm most interested in learning how to call now since it's basically all I see in the Everglades. I also watched the video in you tube on the second post and that guys really seems like he knows what he's doing. Then again, I might be wrong.

Not a whole lot of calling a ringneck boss...

And I might add that blowing a mallard call will probably hurt more than help iffen they ain't no mallards in your area. I mean think about it.

Chico80x-

on the Duck Dictionary Kent tell you what call to use and when and how to do it....and what sounds are made in the air and on the ground. you can't break calling down any further than he has. he also acknowledges that not all calls you hear are for the ducks. some of these are man-made for comps. it's the best $15 you will spend if you are interested in calling.

Just ordered the Duck Dictionary and is there such a difference between a $40 dollar call and the ones for $140 on Kents website that makes them worth an extra $100? Right now the most expensive call I have is like $20.

i have never owned an expensive call either. been using a poly ph-2 but it has been bad to stick. i did put chapstick on the toneboard tho and it hasnt stuck again....yet. i just bought an acrylic ICU2 that should be here in a few days. kinda hated to do it but i wanted a good call. after watching the DD and seeing the sounds that Kent could make on the call....that sold me. it might takes me 5yrs to be able to do it tho on youtube he has a vid of a young guy that has only been blowing a call for 8 months and he followed the DD. he had never picked up a call. my goal is to sound as good as he does. if he can do it i know i can....good luck.

macks has the cocobola ICU2 on their web site and mag but i think they are sold out right now. they are $79 i think.

yall all do yourself a favor and get up with Mudslinger
They build a hell of a call

go to the park...

The best way i have figured out is just blow forever. Never give up and have a call in your hand at all times. listen to who sounds good to you (preferably not DC) and try to sound like them.

I just finished watching the duck dictionary and learned quite a few things.

1. Kent is a master at calling.
2. All my $20 dollar calls are a piece of crap.
3. I really don't know what the heck I'm doing, now I realize I know less than I previously thought.
4. I should've bought this DVD at the end of last season!

Thanks for recommending the DVD to me, I was truly impressed with Kent's ability to call and I'm amazed at just how bad my calls really sound compared to his. Thanks again and I have a lot of practicing.

Hey chico the best way to learn your pitch is record yourself calling and then play it back and see where exactly you need to improve and in what area. Your calling will sound nothing like him coming from the tape, it'll always sound off, so don't shiat can your calls just yet.

X2 wit h take em
I also sit on my front stoop and blow the call
the guy across the Bayou has ducks
This makes it easy to figure out what they like and don't like

Well after watching the Duck Dictionary 3 times and practicing the hail call a bit, I managed to get about 15 Mottled Ducks to change direction and come into my decoys the opening of the second phase on Saturday. Best thing is that I did it with my $20 dollar call so maybe I'll hang on to it for now. The ringnecks were a different story though. Had about 5 flocks come over me and they wanted nothing to do with the decoys or the calling.

Apparently you should learn from Foiles, sounds like he gets his share of ducks.

you can also go outside and if its an open area call toward a barn or shop. it'll echo.

Divers like to trail downwind of each other it seems, in a line. Sea duck hunters tie only long lines of decoys gang rigged, but you don't need to be that drastic.


Take your spread and put the divers at the back, in the more open water if you are hunting a shoreline. Let them whittle downwind until they are a staggered single file, about 5 or 6 birds should form the line, having the bulk of the divers bringing up the rear of the main flock. They seem to like this, I've seen them pull right up that line if they are gonna commit.


Don't hold me to this, just seems to make sense to me. You get the idea.

Thanks DMD, I'm going hunting tomorrow morning and I'm going to set up my spread and I'll report back tomorrow night. The winds going to be blowing 30mph and it's going to be 31F here so it'll be fun.

DMD, I've hunted two days using your spread method above and I did have a few ringers come in but the quality of the ducks I've been shooting has been amazing. I shot my first red head drake yesterday and today I had a flock of Wigeons come in along with a flock of Fulvous Whistling ducks. They all came into the decoys! I dropped two hens and my buddy nailed a drake wigeon. Getting those birds here is South Florida is right up there with shooting a 12 point buck, extremely rare.

97% of the birds we get down here are teal, ringers, and mottled ducks