What is the best call to learn on?

[dstrater]

I have two calls. A Foiles $30 (approx) call. It's kind of cheap and you can feel the seam where the the two halfs are put together. My other call is a Performance Call that by all accounts is put together very nicely. Cocobolo wood etc... My probelm is I can not get that goosey sound I hear on the cd's from either one. And they both take considerable effort to blow. I was wondering if there is one model of call out there that really lends it's self to getting a beginner on the right track. Any suggestions? Also, what DVD/CD would you recommend. is Bad Grammer good for a beginner?

[huntin again]

You've been around here for a while now....so I would expect you've also done a bit of reading and seen the Winglock brand mentioned often, as well as the GK brand and many others. And there's a lot of us that have our favorites.

I started off with a Zink power clucker with the CD included and instruction by Field Hudnall, now of FP calls. I out grew that call in no time and wanted something better. I also notice many fellows that speak highly of the "Goosezilla" and now wished I would've got one of those in the beginning. Results may have been the same regardless.

I read many posts about Winglock and sprung for a walnut Longneck, and really like it,,,,,but my hunting bud said it's too loud for our areas and echos (maybe due to my lack of air control) so I bought the Whisperer and it goes with me on every hunt. I also carry a GK Slayer and at $69 is likely one of the most versatile, easiest blowing calls available. I also have a RNT Dirtybird that I'm fond of for ease of use. If you phone or email either Rick at Winglock or Bob at GK and tell them what you're wanting they will do what it takes to make it happen.

There's lots of info on the tuning aspect of goose calls that can be found through the search feature and I tend to experiment with most all my call brands. There are some calls out there that can be made easier to use and some that take a little more time and patience to get decent on. Many times all it takes is a little sanding with an emory board or scraping with a sharp knife blade on the reed to make it run easier.
You will likely get a lot more replies and many will offer their favorites as I have, hope it helps, good luck.

[huntfish12]

learn on the ones you have right now. you can go out and buy a bunch of $200 calls but if you dont know how to use them then whats the point. Yes some lower priced calls are better then others as far as begining callers go but you have to crawl before you can walk.. I personally learned on a top of the line call that requires good amounts of air and hand work to run correctly. I think(my opinion only) that by learning that way on that call, it made me a better caller....to answer your question...gk slayer,any winglock, tim grounds super mag in poly, are some good calls on the lower priced side of calls. they go up from there. I dont personally own any of them but i have run them. The bad grammer cd and dvd are the best out there. buy them both. watch the dvd and keep the cd in your truck and practice while driving. In a couple months with the right amount of practice you'll be winning calling contests. good luck

[BenelliSBE2]

I also carry a GK Slayer and at $69 is likely one of the most versatile, easiest blowing calls available. I also have a RNT Dirtybird that I'm fond of for ease of use.

While the GK Giant slayer is a great call (have one on my lanyard) I would not consider it the easiest blowing call available. It requires more air to operate then any other goose calls I've tried. (Yes I've played with the reed). Thats the only downfall to the call, other than that its a very goosey call and sounds amazing.

[fisherhunter460]

While the GK Giant slayer is a great call (have one on my lanyard) I would not consider it the easiest blowing call available. It requires more air to operate then any other goose calls I've tried. (Yes I've played with the reed). Thats the only downfall to the call, other than that its a very goosey call and sounds amazing.

I would have to disagree with this. I picked one up a few weeks ago and found it too easy blow compared to any of my other calls. I found it very sensitive to over pressure and locking it up or breaking notes too soon. Took an hour or so for me to figure out the right air flow and it was pretty awesome after that. Tons of built in back pressure.

Back to the original question. The call you have, I suspect, is a Foiles Meat Grinder. Most of that goosey sound you speak of comes from air presentation, voice inflection, and very importantly hand positions. Check Bad Grammar out. Lots of great tips.

[cashman]

Bad Grammer is a must. Pick up the CD, pop it in the truck and go. I still listen to that thing over and over for about a week a few weeks before the season. Gets me back into some of the good habits I might have lost over the off-season. Got to get it. The DVD is fantastic too, I highly recommend it.

As for the Goose-y sound... its 90% in the hands and tuning. Hand position is critical to getting a good sound out of a call. Watch some videos of some guys on youtube and look at their hand positions, get the bad grammer, and go from there!

[Trevor Shannahan]

To me I would get an easier blowing call that you will never outgrow. Sounds like a hard to find call, but they are out there.

Zink "NOS"- Very easy to use, but won a JR World Championship and has placed in 2 more SR World Championships
Field Proven "Adrenaline"- Very easy to use, but won this years JR. World Championship and has placed in 2 more SR World championships and Champion of Champions
Black Timber "Overload"- Easy to use, my best seller, but won and placed in numerous top ranked contests last year
Bay Country "Shore Thing"- Easy to use, 3 world titles, a Champion of Champions title, and countless contest wins

All these calls are easy to use, don't take much air, but you will never outgrow them

[BenelliSBE2]

While the GK Giant slayer is a great call (have one on my lanyard) I would not consider it the easiest blowing call available. It requires more air to operate then any other goose calls I've tried. (Yes I've played with the reed). Thats the only downfall to the call, other than that its a very goosey call and sounds amazing.

I would have to disagree with this. I picked one up a few weeks ago and found it too easy blow compared to any of my other calls. I found it very sensitive to over pressure and locking it up or breaking notes too soon. Took an hour or so for me to figure out the right air flow and it was pretty awesome after that. Tons of built in back pressure.

Thats weird that you say that, cause I've let quiet a few of my friends try it and they all say the same thing, requires a lot of air to blow. Maybe I got a bad one out of the bunch? Whatever either way its a great call and I'd recommend it to anyone.

[dstrater]

Have any of you heard of or have tried the "Illusion" goose call? http://illusionsystems.com/waterfowl-systems/short-reed-canada-goose-calling-system

[Trevor Shannahan]

Have any of you heard of or have tried the "Illusion" goose call? http://illusionsystems.com/waterfowl-systems/short-reed-canada-goose-calling-system

Don't waste your money

[huntfish12]

DO NOT LISTEN TO THAT GUY! Hes an idiot, and has no clue what hes doing. Ive never heard of the call and now after watching the video for it i know why. It was actually quite funny watching him run that call, especially at 1:22 into that video. Im still laughing. I had to watch the duck call after seein the goose call and it was funny too. they need to stick to turkey and deer calls. Hopefully they sound better then there goose and duck calls.

[huntfish12]

I gotta go back and listen to all the calls now, its just too much to resist. ..GOOSE FLUTE, .."Probably the best performing goose flute ever!.." hilerious! Trevor, i think you got some compition in the flute catagory.

[cashman]

While the GK Giant slayer is a great call (have one on my lanyard) I would not consider it the easiest blowing call available. It requires more air to operate then any other goose calls I've tried. (Yes I've played with the reed). Thats the only downfall to the call, other than that its a very goosey call and sounds amazing.

I would have to disagree with this. I picked one up a few weeks ago and found it too easy blow compared to any of my other calls. I found it very sensitive to over pressure and locking it up or breaking notes too soon. Took an hour or so for me to figure out the right air flow and it was pretty awesome after that. Tons of built in back pressure.

Thats weird that you say that, cause I've let quiet a few of my friends try it and they all say the same thing, requires a lot of air to blow. Maybe I got a bad one out of the bunch? Whatever either way its a great call and I'd recommend it to anyone.

When I stopped up there this summer Bob and Glen said there is a guy that works there that tunes them REAL heavy. When I started, I had a super mag tuned up REALLY heavy and since then I just about blow straight through just anything else on the first honk. I met my match on that Giant Slayer that day and on those Canucks. I know it had to be in the tuning because everything I've ever heard about those calls said they were easy blowing, but I didn't want to sit there and re-tune a call in front of the guy that made the thing I'm sure it was probably one from that dude because I've never encountered a call that tough to punch air through...

[NEgander81]

Here's the thing you guys need to remember. One guys heavy is another guy's light. It all depends on the guy tuning it, and how he interprets it. If ya send me a call and tell me to tune it light, I'm probably gonna tune it for a kid, and you will overblow the heck out of it. If ya tell me to tune it heavy, you probably won't be able to break it over, and if ya want it stiff, it probably won't make a sound for ya. There is no such thing as one bad call out of a bunch. Every call can be tuned to fit a guy, it just depends on how much fine tuning you want to do. You can always send a GK back to the shop and have it re-tuned free of charge. Just put a note in there, and tell them what's wrong, or even better call the shop.

[cashman]

Here's the thing you guys need to remember. One guys heavy is another guy's light. It all depends on the guy tuning it, and how he interprets it. If ya send me a call and tell me to tune it light, I'm probably gonna tune it for a kid, and you will overblow the heck out of it. If ya tell me to tune it heavy, you probably won't be able to break it over, and if ya want it stiff, it probably won't make a sound for ya.

Good point right there...