# Duck Call Jig



## DavidDobbs

Who makes the best public duck call jig?

Son would like to try to make his own calls.

Thanks

Dave

Reactions: Useful 1


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## SENC

I don't know that there is a "best", but would recommend the following 3 (in no particular order):
Doug Hess (google River Mallard duck calls or custom calls)
Webfoot Custom Calls
Pintail Waterfowl

Doug's site only shows his calls... you'll need to grab his email from the site and send him an email inquiring about his jigs.
Pintail now has 2 or 3 jigs, as I recall.

They're each a bit different, but any of them will get you to a ducky sound quickly, so a part of your decision if in a hurry may be who has them already made.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## JR Custom Calls

I have a pintail P1... Never used either of the other two, but I can say that pintail will get you a quack without much work. Fine tuning that quack, on the other hand... that'll take more time. I'm sure that's the case with all public jigs though (and probably custom too... doubt there's any jig you can just cut and slap a reed in).

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## DavidDobbs

Thanks
I just didn't know is one was better than the other. He has cut and tried to make a few basically freehand.
So he has tried I told him I would get him a jig.
He duck hunts every free minute he has.

Dave


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## SENC

David, I'll give you some additional thoughts before you spend money on a public jig (which can be money well spent... but might also be wasted depending on his wants and needs long-term). I bought and eventually abandoned a public jig, not because I couldn't get a duck sound, but because I couldn't get the one I wanted without lots of manipulation (now, I've moved on to reelfoot calls so wouldn't use it anymore, anyway). The real purpose for a jig is repeatability... if it doesn't start with the sound you want based on your own blowing style, then it provides some shortcuts to get to that sound but he'll end up still freehanding tweaks to get it where he wants it (assuming that particular public jig allows those tweaks - ie., you can't put wood back on once cut).

If what he really wants is a good sounding, all wooden call made with his own hands, the fastest and easiest way to get there is to buy, modify, and sleeve premade inserts. Echos have good sound, and can be modified slightly with reed modifications and minor changes to the soundboard. Sleeving them give an entirely custom look from the outside. There are a number of good sounding inserts on the market in addition to the Echos and, frankly, I think they all sound better "out of the box" than what he'd get off a public jig with no modifications.

If, on the other hand, what he really wants is a fully customized call where he has developed the sound to his own tastes, then fully custom inserts are the way to go. A public jig is a starting point. A flat jig (one with no radius but with the cork notch) is another, one that gives more flexibility to create the radius he wants. There is no short-cutting the learning curve on toneboard radius, tonechannel length, reed length and tweaks... they each affect each other and ultimate sound is created by the combination of the three (primarily). A third starting point is to make a hardwood jig, using his favorite call insert as a guide. The advantage to a wooden jig is that it can easily be modified (or replaced) as he learns and tweaks his inserts and figures out how to make them sound the way he wants. Once he gets the sound he wants, he can have a custom jig made that gives him better repeatability than a wooden jig can offer.

I would encourage him to join THO Game Calls Forums and read through the various tutorials and threads on custom call making. There are some phenomenal resources there. Dogcatcher is one name to look out for - he has posted lots of threads with great information for those wanting to get started without massive investments in jigs, specialized mandrels and tools, etc. Then, start posting some pictures of what he's done and the challenges he is encountering. The THO group is very helpful and welcoming, particularly to new members who have been working on their own and studying previous posts and are looking for guidance.

The best advice I can offer is that he seek out someone local that is making calls and go and spend some time with them. There are lots of IL callmakers on THO, and I'll bet there are many who would be happy to have him in their shops to learn and pick their brains. That will also give him someone he can take his inserts to for testing and discussion/assistance.

The fully custom route is not an easy one, and I don't think there is any way to make it fast. Most callmakers have hundreds, if not thousands, of hours invested in making and testing toneboards over many, many months. With or without a public jig, that is likely to be true for him, too. Local callmaker assistance and THO will shorten his learning curve more than a jig, in my opinion.

I'm not trying to dissuade you from buying a public jig - just want to make sure you and he know it isn't a perfect solution. I started out with homemade jigs long before public jigs were available, and before most of today's internet resources were available - but I still eventually bought a public jig and learned a lot using it. I don't consider it wasted money because it gave me a consistent starting point that helped me learn the impact of various tweaks.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Agree 1 | Great Post 1 | Informative 3


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## Wildthings

Great write up Henry!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## ironman123

Henry that was honest good solid information for a beginner call maker. I concur.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## DavidDobbs

Wow thanks Henry!


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## stumpjumper

A public jig is a tool to help you learn tone board dynamics 101 only. It is not something you buy and use to build a quality duck call sir. Duck call making (for those that actually do it justice and care) takes years to learn and develop. People want instant gratification and fame these days....and their calls sound that way to. A quack does not a duck call make

If your son is serious about learning the art, I would suggest a flat jig to help him start with something parallel. A good square cork notch is a must before a tone board is developed. 

STUMP

Reactions: Agree 1


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