When my son wanted to go hunting this fall I just grabbed a couple mid-range ($-wise) calls to get me by without a major investment in case his interest in duck hunting was short-lived, which it definitely was not.
So, along with a bunch of other stuff, I want to upgrade my call selection a little. Right now I have a Zink Power Hen 2 Polycarb, which I like well enough although it tends to load up. (Maybe I just slobber a lot...) Also have a Gardner Double Nasty II which I like too. Plus all my old calls which are God knows what anymore.
Most of my hunting is likely to be small water stuff, timber at times, mainly for puddlers on private land. So I don't need a massively loud call for big water or to compete with other hunters so much.
Like to get an acrylic or two, probably double reed since I'm pretty rusty at calling (amazing how the skills atrophy).
Any recommendations? Ones to stay away from?
Also wouldn't mind a recommendation on a mid-range goose call. Doubt I'll hunt geese a whole lot as the field hunting where I'll be isn't great, but would like to have a call handy just to try to get the odd small flock that happens by duck hunting to swing close enough for a shot.
Goose calls have sure changed from the old flute calls... Wish I would have recorded myself trying to get a short reed to sound like a goose the first time I picked one up. Sounded like someone waterboarding a mule.
I'm sure this question will get a total consensus answer, without the least bit of disagreement...
TIA,
OTC