I don't have a monstrous size collection but I do have some quality, calls in the $200 plus range. I can honestly say of the expensive high end calls I've bought from different makers I have "never" been disappointed or felt I didn't get my money's worth.
However on the flip side I've bought some very "cheaply priced not cheap quality" calls here on the Swapboards. My last DADs box call was $40 I had about 5 previous dad's all sounding pretty good but this $40 blows away my expensive purpleheart/cedar combos. I bought a McKammey here for $75 that I wonder why I don't just hunt all the time.
However I just feel I HAVE to hunt my expensive ones because their pretty and I made the investment and pride of ownership.
I'm wondering if you guys find yourself compelled to do this too.
I've hunted my buice trumpets a few times this year, called one up for a youngster with one and he killed the bird. It'll be a safe queen now. The few expensive pot calls I have don't leave the house just because I make my own.
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Not going to buy any call and not hunt it. Every call I own has a chance to see the woods. Calls ranging from $30 to $350. I do not buy a call to look at but to hunt. Some do not make the vest but none are bought to sit and collect dust.
My best (favorite) calls go into the woods no matter what I paid for them.
Quote from: wolfman on June 03, 2019, 03:05:01 PM
My best (favorite) calls go into the woods no matter what I paid for them.
:agreed:
I have hunted every higher price call I own, all my Platz and Watkins have been in my vest at one time or another. Some get used more than others but all have been hunted
I hunt with all my calls. From the Cost boxes to my Farmer trumpet, all get an opportunity to get blood on them. That is why the callmakers build them and why I buy them. I get great personal joy from using all from an old production call to a Stradivarius.
JMHO , I think a lot of callmakers get disappointed knowing that a wonderful piece of American craftsmanship sits on a shelf.
Nitro nailed it for me,,the calling is 80% of the fun and funner with a fine instrument. We dont need engraving on a gun to shoot straight but it's nice to hold in your hands.
Most of the better calls in my collection came with signed letters from the maker encouraging me to " go get some blood on her" I take that advice seriously. Damn serious.
Calling to and interacting with a Gobbler is what cranks my clock. I send photos to my callmakers when successful. I have seen them displayed in their shops after the fact. My opinion is that it's taking my callmaker friends along - even if they can't be there in person..
Andrew
Quote from: Happy hooker on June 03, 2019, 04:20:21 PM
Nitro nailed it for me,,the calling is 80% of the fun and funner with a fine instrument. We dont need engraving on a gun to shoot straight but it's nice to hold in your hands.
I don't necessarily hunt all the call's i have collected .. some of my collection is based on the history of the calls and call makers ... so those call's that hold a special place or history , i just enjoy getting them out and playing them for myself ... most all of the other ones i have yes , i buy those for hunting purposes and enjoyment also... I don't feel force to hunting and call i have ... but i don't hunting all the same calls every year either ..my collection is for my enjoyment only ...
How much do you pay for a complete set of camo, shot gun, pick up truck, that you use?
Bob
I won't pay extra for rarity or drummed up demand because I'm not a collector I'm a hunter but I'll pay for sound and craftsmanship everytime and hunt the call.
I do marvel over the value steals you find at times, I have a $22 scratch box with more kills then any of my custom box calls
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I won't buy a call I don't want to hunt with. I not have any super expensive calls.
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I buy them, I hunt with them!!
Quote from: nitro on June 03, 2019, 04:10:06 PM
I hunt with all my calls. From the Cost boxes to my Farmer trumpet, all get an opportunity to get blood on them. That is why the callmakers build them and why I buy them. I get great personal joy from using all from an old production call to a Stradivarius.
JMHO , I think a lot of callmakers get disappointed knowing that a wonderful piece of American craftsmanship sits on a shelf.
Great post!
I would not buy a call I did not intend to hunt. That's what they were made for and more than likely I will give a call away before I sell one.
I wish I had a Neil Costs with some blood and mud on it, I would be smiling ear to ear!
I hunt them, I might be a little more careful and more conscious of them, but I don't leave them at home because of cost.
If I give 250 dollars for a fishing rod, you can better believe I'm going to cast it out
Quote from: Happy on June 03, 2019, 08:17:06 PM
I would not buy a call I did not intend to hunt. That's what they were made for and more than likely I will give a call away before I sell one.
I understand what your saying ... BUT .. i'm not going to take a chance with one of my Neil Cost boxes that cost over 1500.00 and in my opinion these boxes are priceless and loaded with history .. but i don't blame you if you want to hunt with whatever you buy ...
I don't feel compelled to do anything. I hunt what I want. I will say if the call was extra expensive I'd be careful bout when I used it but feeling I needed to use anything??? No
I hunt with the calls that sound most like what I think a turkey sounds like. I don't care how much it costs anymore. I hunted with the most expensive call I own this year. I think that the maker was happy that I did. And, if you do mess one up while hunting with it, most call makers will repair them.
Quote from: BOB_HARWELL on June 03, 2019, 05:30:00 PM
How much do you pay for a complete set of camo, shot gun, pick up truck, that you use?
Bob
Thank you Bob! :z-winnersmiley:
If I wont hunt it then it dont stay. I have too many to hunt them all even changing them out throughout the season. If you pull a call out of my collection you can bet money its a good one. I have way too many and will have many many more before im done here but they all are killers.
Quote from: Greg Massey on June 03, 2019, 09:05:18 PM
Quote from: Happy on June 03, 2019, 08:17:06 PM
I would not buy a call I did not intend to hunt. That's what they were made for and more than likely I will give a call away before I sell one.
I understand what your saying ... BUT .. i'm not going to take a chance with one of my Neil Cost boxes that cost over 1500.00 and in my opinion these boxes are priceless and loaded with history .. but i don't blame you if you want to hunt with whatever you buy ...
I'm with you.
I have but ONE original Neil. It's on the different side and worth WAY more than what I'm willing to take into the woods and possibly harming.
To each, his own, I reckon.
I don't buy anything I won't use. #notacollector:)
I do not have any high end calls yet, I think I have 125 into my most expensive call and for me that was MAJOR investment. I have had it into the woods this year. Oh I take that back I have a pot call I paid I think 130 for and it got my my first turkey this year but I will tell you it is a fair weather call for me, I do not want to take it out in bad weather as I want to take care of it. I have old crappy but just as good production calls I take out when it is raining. As a matter of fact they sat in the blind in a dry box all year and it was so rainy this season they got more use than all my other calls put together with the exception of my mouth calls.
Everything I have I plan to hunt at some point or another. I do hunt a lot of different calls throughout a season and rotate regularly. I do have too many to hunt in one season and I am selective on when I hunt my more expensive calls. I am not taking my hen boxes on a misty damp morning but I will grab my SS field grade.
I hunt the calls that sound the most like a turkey to me. Have never let the calls cost influence which ones I hunt. I believe that callers are tools that are built to call turkeys.
Just my opinion.
I hunt them all! If I bought it, it's going to the woods.
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Quote from: Chris O on June 04, 2019, 05:58:51 AM
I am not taking my hen boxes on a misty damp morning but I will grab my SS field grade.
Agree; don't mind misty mornings, but if the weather is calling for steady rain, my long, mini boat and short box calls stay in the truck or camp, and a 'waterproof' box call goes in the vest instead. Other than rain days I hunt everything I own.
My problem is I own too many and can't hunt them all...
If i own it i hunt it. So i would buy a $1,500 call. But i have no issues taking a $300 call along. That is why i bought it. that being said i will let it in the truck if it is raining ;D. Every gun i own as well as my truck are also going to get used and scratched. especially grouse hunting! To me every scratch or wear mark on my equipment adds value. Sentimental value.
Quote from: paboxcall on June 04, 2019, 10:59:33 AM
Quote from: Chris O on June 04, 2019, 05:58:51 AM
I am not taking my hen boxes on a misty damp morning but I will grab my SS field grade.
Agree; don't mind misty mornings, but if the weather is calling for steady rain, my long, mini boat and short box calls stay in the truck or camp, and a 'waterproof' box call goes in the vest instead. Other than rain days I hunt everything I own.
My problem is I own too many and can't hunt them all...
I agree, who makes a good waterproof box? Thanks
Quote from: paboxcall
My problem is I own too many and can't hunt them all...
And you see that as a PROBLEM ?????? ????
Quote from: Chris O on June 04, 2019, 04:13:04 PM
Quote from: paboxcall on June 04, 2019, 10:59:33 AM
Quote from: Chris O on June 04, 2019, 05:58:51 AM
I am not taking my hen boxes on a misty damp morning but I will grab my SS field grade.
Agree; don't mind misty mornings, but if the weather is calling for steady rain, my long, mini boat and short box calls stay in the truck or camp, and a 'waterproof' box call goes in the vest instead. Other than rain days I hunt everything I own.
My problem is I own too many and can't hunt them all...
I agree, who makes a good waterproof box? Thanks
I carry a Woods Wise waterproof box for rain days. Took a little light tweaking on the black coating with green scotchbrite but she sings now.
Quote from: Yoder409 on June 04, 2019, 05:33:29 PM
Quote from: paboxcall
My problem is I own too many and can't hunt them all...
And you see that as a PROBLEM ?????? ????
:TooFunny: :TooFunny:
Thanks I have a Quaker boy with a gray coating that is Ok . I may have to try the scotch brite
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If you can find one.........the Hally Caller Weatherproof was/is about as good as you can get.
I don't force myself to use them. I hunt with them because that is why I buy them. That being said the most expensive call I own is an Albert Paul box. I have too many nice pots that haven't seen the woods so I'm selling them to people who will hopefully hunt them.
Waterproof box? Yeti load out. It can fit a few calls for you. Not convinced on ease of transport though
They become more priceless when they are hunted.
The Buzzard call by Kenny Crummett was free but is the most cherished. It had a good workout the first week this season. RIP Kenny
Quote from: Greg Massey on June 03, 2019, 09:05:18 PM
Quote from: Happy on June 03, 2019, 08:17:06 PM
I would not buy a call I did not intend to hunt. That's what they were made for and more than likely I will give a call away before I sell one.
I understand what your saying ... BUT .. i'm not going to take a chance with one of my Neil Cost boxes that cost over 1500.00 and in my opinion these boxes are priceless and loaded with history .. but i don't blame you if you want to hunt with whatever you buy ...
I understand completely. However I am not the type to buy something and just look at it. Not saying it's wrong, it's just not me. I always try to get my money's worth out of whatever I buy. I remember one time when I was about 14 or 15 years old and I went fly fishing with my dad. On the way to the river all I heard about was his new $2,000.00 custom made split bamboo fly rod that he had just bought. Guess what happened? Not 50 yards from the truck he falls and snaps it and I bust a gut laughing about it which infuriated him even further. But hey stupid is stupid. Dont play with toys you aren't willing to break. So to sum it up I understand why some aren't being taken out of the house. I just dont buy that kind of stuff.
early this year I had the chance to buy a Neil Cost box (can't remember wood combo). At any rate it was $800 and very well used. After playing it I understand why it spent a lot of times in the woods, it sounded great.
Day in and Day out my best caller is a $10 scratch box. But I do hunt with and carry a $100 box call every time out. Both are killers. I try not to buy pretty calls but calls that hunt.
I don't buy a call to set it on the shelf and look at it. I buy a call to kill a turkey with it. If you go out and spend $75000 for a new truck (and they do cost that much TRICKED out), do you put it in the garage and never drive it because you are afraid you will wreck it or get it wet?
Quote from: nitro on June 03, 2019, 04:10:06 PM
I hunt with all my calls. From the Cost boxes to my Farmer trumpet, all get an opportunity to get blood on them. That is why the callmakers build them and why I buy them. I get great personal joy from using all from an old production call to a Stradivarius.
JMHO , I think a lot of callmakers get disappointed knowing that a wonderful piece of American craftsmanship sits on a shelf.
That's the TRUTH! Nothing means more to any callmaker than to receive a picture of a beautiful gobbler with your call laying beside his head.....NOTHING!!!
If they make the music, I am going to hunt with it. Don't care what it cost.
But with that said, I take care of them. I have lost only one call. It was a production call, Knight and Hale Old Yella pot call. Made me sick because it was a birthday gift from my wife.
Have a good one
Ray
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Nope, bought my CODY World Class Slate because of it's sound/performance! Use it all the time, it's a hunting call.
I pick performance over pretty
MK M GOBL
If I buy it, I hunt it. That goes for trucks, guns, knives, and everything else hunting related. I believe in buying quality stuff and doing my best to take care of it. You can't take it with you so why buy it if you are not going to enjoy it? There is something to be said for good "honest wear" or "patina".
Up here in the northland we have alot of patina around our wheel wells and fenders,,but people don't appreciate it when we sell them they want to use it to get a lower price.