Best Duck Calls for Beginners – Buyer’s Guide

Duck hunting requires some level of skill and the right gear.

As a beginner, to become a good duck hunter, you need to first master how to use a duck call.

A duck call doesn’t have a complicated design, but for you to learn different types of duck calls, you will need quite a bit of practice.

Getting one of the best duck calls for beginners can make it easy for you to learn and even master the duck calls. You may even find yourself mastering the duck calls a lot quicker simply because you have the right duck call.

Different duck calls have varying prices. Some are more expensive than others. Expert hunters tend to by the more expensive ones because they have something that more that is appealing than the less expensive ones.

Nevertheless, for a beginner, it doesn’t matter whether you buy a $20 call or a $100 call, as long as you get a call that you are comfortable using.

Also, price should not be too much of a factor if you are looking for the best duck call. A $20 duck call produces as good quality calls as a $100 duck call.

With that said, take a look at our top picks.

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[wpsm_highlight color=”blue”]Duck Commander DCCALL2011

Having reviewed numerous duck calls, we settled for the triple threat duck call. This is one of the best duck calls for beginners because it is easy to use and it replicates the feed call, hail call, and quack of a mallard hen.

Its ability to replicate these sounds easily is the reason why it’s able to produce a quality duck sound.

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• It has a triple reed
• Can replicate the feed call, hail call, and quack of a mallard young and mature hen
• It is made of durable materials
• It produces unique quality sounds

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We’ve tested 4 duck calls for beginners and the winner is above!
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Duck Calls for Beginners Comparison Chart

4 Best Duck Calls for Beginners (as of April, 2024):

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1. Duck Commander DCCALL2011 Call for Beginners Review

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• 15 Characters Max
• Easy-to-Blow Triple Reed
• Perfect All-Around Call
• Polycarbonate
• Replicate the Mallard Hen

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The Duck Commander DCCALL2011 features a triple reed system that is easy to use and ideal for a beginner. The body is made of polycarbonate for durability making it tough enough to withstand harsh weathers.

One of the main factors that make this tool ideal for beginners is its ability to replicate a mallard hen duck’s feed call, hail call, and quack. The Mallard hen ducks are plentiful and quite vocal.

So with this tool, it makes it extremely easy for a beginner not only to master the calls but to also catch a mallard hen duck effortlessly.

The triple threat may be slightly more expensive than some other duck calls, but you get value for your money.

Spending a little extra to get a good duck call which can produce different quality sounds is better than getting a cheap which is incapable of producing tone variations.

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The triple threat is an ideal duck call when it comes to producing quality tones. So for a beginner, this is a call that can help you get started as a duck hunter.

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Main Features

• Very Easy to Blow
• Triple Reed Produces Unique Tones
• Material: Polycarbonate
• To Replicate the Mallard Hen in her Quack, Feed Call & Hail Call
• 15 Characters Max
• Low Gravel Tones for Mature Hens
• High Scratchy Pitch for Young Hens

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• Made out of durable materials
• It has a triple reed that make it easy to blow
• It can replicate a mallard hen ducks’ feed call, hail call, and quack

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• It slightly more expensive compared to some other duck calls

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Duck Commander Triple Threat Duck Call Instructional Video:

Jase Robertson Demonstrates the Triple Threat:

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2. Duck Commander DCCALL10025 Call for Beginners Review

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• Made of High-Impact Plastic
• Easy to Blow & Confidence Call
• Not a “Quacking” Call
• Dark Green Color for Camouflage

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The Duck Commander DCCALL10025 is made out of high-impact plastic that can withstand any weather condition. As a beginner, you want to buy a duck call that you can use in any weather condition and one that is durable.

What is great about this call is that it is designed for hunting Mallard ducks. What you won’t get with this call, however, is quack sounds. It only produces Mallard drake duck sounds.

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Mallard ducks whistle, but they don’t quack. They tend to produce a low whistle and the Mallard Drake Duck produces this exact sound.
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Since the Mallard Drake call is capable of producing naturalistic drake sounds, it is very easy to use. So it’s ideal for beginners who want to start with a call that doesn’t require too much time to master.

Main Features

• Made of High-Impact Plastic
• Easy to Blow & Confidence call
• Not a “Quacking” Call
• Anyone can use this call
• Know as the “Green Stick of Death”
• Dark Green Color will camouflage well with your gear
• Designed specifically to attract “off ducks” and those late season birds that have become call-shy

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• It is made out of a durable and tough plastic that can withstand any weather condition
• It produces realistic mallard drake duck sounds
• It not expensive
• It is easy to use

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• You need to have a deep voice to produce the sound accurately

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Duck Commander Mallard Drake Duck Call Instructional Video:

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3. Buck Gardner DN-WD Duck Call for Beginners Review

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• Polycarbonate Call Material
• Spit Technology
• Tone Board & Double Reed Combo
• Raspy Bottom End & Mid Range Feed Calls

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Don’t judge a book by its cover, in this case, the name, but the Buck Gardner Double Nasty is a looker. This call boasts a beautiful design and it is capable of producing low and high tones. It’s the ideal call for a beginner who wants to show off.

The Double Nasty uses Spit Technology. So it doesn’t matter how much spit you’ve got, you will still be able to produce quality sounds with this call.

When it comes to mastering the calls, this particular call is easier to master than the Triple Threat Duck Call. It should take you a short time to learn how to produce the calls.

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The call is made of polycarbonate for durability and it features a double reed and a tone board.
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So if you are looking for an all-weather call, get the Double Nasty.

Main Features

• Polycarbonate call material
• Spit Technology guarantees to blow even when full of spit
• Tone Board & Double Reed Combo
• Raspy Bottom End & Mid Range Feed Calls
• Full spectrum of sounds from low-end feed calls to ringing hail calls to a simple raspy quack

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• It is made of polycarbonate for durability
• It has a double reed and a tone board that can produce low-toned and high-toned duck calls
• It produces quality duck sounds
• It has a beautiful design

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• It is a little pricier than other duck calls

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4. Faulk’s Game Calls WA-33 Review

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• Made of Walnut
• Single Reed
• Easy to Blow
• Tuned for Smooth Natural Mallard Tone

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The Faulk’s Game Calls WA33 Deluxe Duck call is made of heavy-duty walnut and it is tuned to produce a realistic mallard call. This could possibly be one of the easiest calls to use.

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It is easy to blow and because it’s made of wood, it does not freeze up. This means you can go duck hunting even in cold weather.
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Main Features

• Made of walnut
• Single Reed
• Easy to blow
• Tuned for smooth natural mallard tone

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• Made of durable material
• It’s easy to use
• It is tuned to produce mallard duck calls
• It features a single reed

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• It doesn’t produce many calls

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Buyer’s Guider

As a beginner, buying the right duck call can make all the difference. It can encourage you to get into duck hunting or it can discourage you altogether. So it  all boils down to the call.

So before buying a duck call, do some research and get to find which duck calls are best for beginners.

If you have friends who are duck hunters, talk to them as they may provide you with valuable information about duck calls and duck hunting in general.

But in case you need to know what are key factors that you need to consider when buying a duck call, read on.

Factors to consider when buying a duck call

So when it comes to down to choosing a duck call, it can be hard to know where to start for a beginner.

But expert hunters know exactly what they are looking for in a call. For a beginner, it natural to want to buy the best-looking duck call.

This is not to say that the design and color are not factors to consider when buying a duck call, but are they that important? No, they are not.

You want to hunt ducks, and hopefully catch one and you want a tool that can help you achieve this successfully. There is nothing wrong with having an elegant looking call as long as it can produce good sounds.

And that is the first thing you need to check. Is the duck call capable of producing quality sounds duck sounds and variations?

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Most expert hunters buy duck calls consider two things when buying a duck call: Where they are going to use it and how they aim to use it. Hunters who call over short distances should get a call that produces low, soft sounds.
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But if you intend to call over a long distance, like an open lake, get a call that produces loud, high-pitched sounds.

Reeds

Duck calls have reeds. When blown these reeds produce different sounds and pitches. A single reed call has more range than a double-reed call. It is also more versatile than a double-reed. But it is also hard to master.

A double-reed call doesn’t have a long range and it requires more air to produce sound. However, it’s not all bad news with the double-reed. Most double-reeds can produce very realistic duck calls.

Material

Another factor you may want to consider is the material the duck call is made of. Duck calls are made of either wood, polycarbonate, or acrylic. You may find also find duck calls that are made of a different material.

Wooden calls produce low and mellow sounds. They are a good option if you are calling over a short distance. Acrylic calls produce loud and sharp sounds and are a good choice for long-distance calling.

Acrylic calls, unlike wooden calls, don’t require much care. They are not porous like wooden calls, so they don’t absorb moisture and swell up. For this reason, acrylic calls always produce consistent sounds in any season.

Price

Finally, the price factor. Many beginners assume that a cheap duck call is not as effective as an expensive one. But that is not true.

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The difference between $20 standard duck call and a $120 customized duck call is very small. You can get a $20 duck call that can produce very good sounds.
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So when it comes to price, it shouldn’t be too much of a factor. However, consider starting small. Start by buying a less expensive duck call and move to the more expensive ones once you have mastered how to use one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better? A single-reed or double-reed duck call?

A single-reed is a good option for a beginner because single-reed calls are versatile and have more range than double-reed calls.

But if you are looking for a reed that can produce realistic duck sounds, then the double-reed does a much better job at this than a single-reed.

Are expensive duck calls any better than the cheaper ones?

Just because a duck call is expensive, it doesn’t mean it produces better sound than a cheap one. You can get many duck calls under $20 that produce excellent duck sounds.

Should I consider what material a duck call is made of when buying one?

This might depend on whether you plan to go duck hunting during a particular season.

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Wooden calls are not a good choice for hunting during cold seasons. For the reason that they absorb moisture and swell up. This affects their ability to produce consistent sounds.
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However, this is not a problem you will experience with polycarbonate or acrylic calls because they don’t absorb moisture. So if you want a call that can produce consistent sound despite the weather condition, get a call made of acrylic or polycarbonate.

Are duck calls affordable?

Many duck calls are affordable prices. But some are quite expensive. Although generally, many duck calls are not expensive.

Do I need a duck call to go duck hunting?

You don’t need a duck call to go duck hunting but having one can be very helpful. With a duck call, you can get the ducks to come to you making your hunting expedition easier.

Verdict

The Triple Threat Duck call took our number one spot because it features a triple reed that can produce different sound variations.

For a beginner, it makes sense to buy a call that is capable of producing different sounds because it gives you a chance to learn more about different duck sounds.

The other reason why this is the best duck call for beginners is that it’s easy to use. And it’s made of durable materials. This means that it won’t take you long to master this call and when it comes to maintenance, it doesn’t need much care.

Although it is slightly pricier than some duck calls, it is worth the investment.