Best Duck Calls for Beginners: We have reviewed some of the most popular Mallard, Single reed, Double reed, Wood, and Timber duck calls on the market to find you the Best Duck Calls for Beginners.
If you are in a hurry: Jase Robertson is the Best Duck Call for Beginners as per our reviews.
Here is our list of the top 12 Best Duck Calls for Beginners:
Our Top 12 Picks
- Jase Robertson Pro — Overall Winner
- Duck Commander Triple Threat — Best All Around Duck Call
- Buck Gardner Double Nasty — Best Double Reed Duck Call
- Duck Commander Uncle Si — Best Single Reed Duck Call for Beginners
- Duck Commander Camo Max — Best Mallard Duck Call for Beginners
- Haydels DR 85 — Best Duck Call on the Market
- Pintail/ Widgeon 6-in-1 — Best Starter Duck Call
- Primos Hunting High Roller — Best Cheap Duck Call
- Duck Commander Wood Duck — Best Wood Duck Call
- Pintail Whistle 6-in-1 — Best Duck Whistle
- Mallard Drake Call — Best Mallard Drake Duck Call
- Echo Diamonwood — Best Timber Duck Call
Best Duck Calls for Beginners Reviews
Now let’s move to our in-depth reviews.
Jase Robertson Pro – Overall Winner
Jase Robertson Pro Series is a research-driven duck call. It tactically and functionally surpasses the competition. The double reed provides the harmony and pressure of a single reed call, minus the difficulty. It has a wide range of vocalizations. The Jase can carry across open waters or finish perfectly when the game is close.
The double reed friction fit system, patented by Phil Robertson, delivers great harmony, pressure, and range. From a high piercing tone to a low raspy one, it can mimic any version of the mallard hen.
This friction fit system is easy to blow and can lure a duck from any distance or climate. The Jase Pro Series comes in wood and acrylic models with ten unique color options.
The wood models use quality wood with polycarbonate inserts. It has an authentic Jase Robertson stamp of approval. The shortened polycarbonate barrel and reeds need less air. The result is an extremely easy-to-blow call. The material never shrinks or swells. It provides hunters with accurate vocalization even in the most severe weather conditions.
The Jase Robertson Pro Series is a leader in innovation and versatility. Its wide range of vocalization and broad climate efficacy make it the easiest duck call on the market. Besides having some of the top features, Jase Robertson is very affordable as well. It is the top choice amongst duck hunters today.
Duck Commander Triple Threat – Best All Around Duck Call
Duck Commander sent waves through the call world when they put the Triple Threat Edition on the market. This call uses a unique triple reed system that is field-test proven and very easy to blow.
The Triple Threat requires little air, is easy to harmonize, and has high durability. This classic series comes in green and comes with a very tough polycarbonate finish.
The friction fit system that the Triple Threat has makes it easy to take apart, clean, and re-assemble. It’s the first triple reed that Duck Commander has produced. It comes with precise cleaning instructions.
This triple reed call is designed to replicate the entire range of the mallard hen including quack, feed call, and hail call. Duck Commander Triple Threat can sound gravely or scratchy. Whether it is a high or low pitch, this call stays tough and carries in any weather condition.
The toughness and durability provide many vocalization options when the weather becomes challenging. Its Phil Robertson approved technology allows for easy air manipulation. This makes it easy for beginners to sound exactly like the pros. From a low raspy mature hen to a clear high pitched young one, the Triple threat covers all grounds.
Easy to blow while duck hunting, this is certainly a top choice. If you are looking for the best all-around duck call then go for Duck Commander Triple Threat.
It features a triple reed design to help beginners produce authentic duck sounds. You can disassemble it for cleaning without any worry. It doesn’t change its sound after reassembly.
Buck Gardner Double Nasty – Best Double Reed Duck Call
Buck Gardner brought big-time innovation to duck calls with the Double Nasty. This double reed duck call is unique. It can make highly accurate and carrying sounds in the most adverse situations. The Spit Technology helps it stay effective through saliva, rain, or water. It is a polycarbonate call that comes in a camo green color.
The double reed system makes for a loud and raspy call that provides every hunter with more action. The ground-breaking no-stick spit technology has made it one of the most popular beginner duck calls out there.
It is a double reed call that is easy to blow so it is a favorite for new hunters. Making sure it is perfect, all Nasty Doubles are hand-tuned in Memphis Tennessee.
Being hand-tuned by dedicated hunters makes this beginner call very reliable and consistent. The Spit technology allows it to take a lot of water abuse but continue to produce the right sounds. This allows hunters to hunt ducks in a wide range of environments and situations.
With its brown bell and silver middle, this call is not only great for duck hunting but looks sharp too.
Overall, it is the best double reed duck call for beginners. While you may need to practice a bit to be fully effective, it has the shortest learning curve amongst all duck calls. You can learn duck calling in hours and not days with Double Nasty.
Duck Commander Uncle Si – Best Single Reed Duck Call for Beginners
Uncle Si has said, “It will get em’ right into the decoys, Jack!”, when referring to this call. It is extremely easy to blow and harmonize and produces a high, raspy tone. This duck call is a great choice for beginners, intermediate, or professional hunters.
Duck Commander Uncle Si comes in a nice green color. It has a strong polycarbonate construction for toughness and durability.
The Polycarbonate material allows for its strong calls and ability to hold up in any kind of weather. The high, raspy tone carries long and far and does a perfect impression of the Mallard. Being easy to use, and approved by Uncle Si himself, it is a big favorite amongst beginning hunters.
This tough and durable single reed call comes in one color. It is one of the most affordable, high-quality duck calls on the market.
Given Uncle Si’s ability, new duck hunters can feel confident when using this beginner duck call. His personal approval carries a lot of credibility in the duck world. It guarantees a highly efficient and durable product.
Duck Commander Uncle Si provides duck hunters with the tools and tactics they need to hunt ducks. This “ducky” call will bring more fun and action to your game.
The design is easy to blow for beginners. Among single reed duck calls, Uncle Si is the ideal first call for beginners. It is also durable and made from sturdy polycarbonate.
Duck Commander Uncle Si is durable and keeps its sound from season to season. The raspy sound is produced easily by beginners and is loud enough for use in wide-open hunting spaces.
Duck Commander Camo Max – Best Mallard Duck Call for Beginners
Duck Commander Camo Max replicates the exact mallard hen sound. The call can be loud but provides a quieter sound for closer spaces which is helpful for beginners. The double reed design is easy to learn for beginners.
The Duck Commander Camo Max is a camouflaged duck call that doesn’t have any bright colors. The Realtree Max 4 Camo pattern keeps you completely hidden.
It uses a double reed system, is made of high-impact plastic, and is tough and durable in any condition. Having a wide range of vocalization as well, this call produces many of the sounds made by the Mallard.
It has a great mid-to-low range finishing tone. But this call is not limited to but is great at close distances. The Duck Commander Camo has a variety of calls with specific applications. It is a great first call for beginners or hardcore hunters.
It is part of the gunning series, providing custom calls at a very affordable price. Being hidden in the blind with this great tool is a huge asset to your duck hunting game.
Having the ability to be completely hidden makes this duck call a great choice for any duck hunter. If you suspect that ducks are spotting you, just simply switch to the Camo Max.
It has been a top-selling call for almost fifteen years. And, it continues to improve. It is great for the middle range and finishing calls. You can manipulate its deep sounds down to almost nothing when you are close.
Haydels DR 85 – Best Duck Call on the Market
Haydels DR 85 is a top-selling duck call with the nickname “The Deceiver”. The fully adjustable floating wedge allows for easy personal tuning. This double reed call covers the full chromatic scale, which has won it many “Meat Calling Contests”. Being easy to use, it gives beginners the ability to mimic the exact sounds of the mallard. This is a clear-colored call and is very affordable.
Thanks to the full chromatic scale, it offers hunters a wide range of vocalizations. It proves to be deceptive yet versatile. This combined with easy tuning makes it one of the easiest duck calls for beginners. The clear color allows it to blend in so that you can keep hidden.
When duck hunting, sometimes your call can slip out of tune, especially when dropped. This can throw hunters off their game and waste their time, resulting in lesser ducks. Hayden’s DR 85 brings hunters a special technology that allows for quick easy tuning. This call is deceptive, and tough, providing a nice camouflage and accurate mallard sounds.
Haydels DR 85 is helpful for beginners as it offers a full chromatic scale. It is also relatively inexpensive with the qualities of more premium products. This duck call is easy to learn for beginners and is quite useful for calling in mallards.
Pintail/ Widgeon 6-in-1 – Best Starter Duck Call
Duck Commander Pintail/Widgeon is a unique 6 in 1 call. Subtle changes to the high-impact plastic surface make an already great call even better.
The new sharper sounds can mimic six different birds. This edition can make exact sounding calls from a Pintail, a Widgeon, a Morning Dove, a Bobwhite Quail, a Green Winged Teal, and a Mallard Drake.
The many possibilities offered by this duck call make it a sure staple on the lanyard of any style duck hunter. With simple whistles and sharp tones, it makes even the most call shy ducks feel more comfortable.
Its easiness and accuracy make it a favorite amongst beginners. But it will certainly result in more action for everyone. This limited edition no-reed call comes in a very nice yellow and is perfect for waterfowl.
Given the price, Duck Commander 6-in-1 is one of the Best Beginner Duck Calls. Its multi-sound feature shows its worth in the late season when ducks are more suspicious. It is a very forgiving call and hard to mess up, making duck hunting easier for youngsters and beginners.
Primos Hunting High Roller – Best Cheap Duck Call
The Primos Hunting 838 High Roller is one of the most versatile duck calls on the market. This duck call has a built-in roller that allows you to manipulate the sound. It results in more accuracy. This sound manipulation allows you to produce the rolling, fluttering whistle of the pintail to perfection.
This call is teal in color, and its 4 in 1 feature gives hunters a lot of options in the field.
Unlike many other duck calls, the high roller easily produces the fluttering sounds of the pintail along with four other birds. The wide range of vocalization allows it to mimic the Mallard Drake, Wigeon, Teal, and Pintail.
Versatile and easy to use, this call is popular in the duck community. It is very easy to use and provides beginners a cheap duck call to get started.
This duck call is sharp looking with its unique cross-like shape and teal color. The versatility of this call will bring you more action. With a call this effective, it is continuously gaining popularity. It is quite affordable as well. Add a High Roller to your lanyard today for hunting ducks.
Duck Commander Wood Duck – Best Wood Duck Call
Duck Commander Wood Duck Call, according to the Duckmen, “Will have you spitting feathers!”. The high-impact plastic is part of their special series and is great for making wood duck sounds.
Along with wide vocalization, it is also tough and durable. It allows you to hunt ducks in any climate. The single reed system makes it easy to blow and use. It is one of the Best Wood Duck Calls as per our reviews.
This call makes some of the most accurate and real duck sounds on the market. Depending on the level of pressure that you apply, it can produce three different levels of sound.
To make the first call you can simply apply pressure and blow. The same is used for the second level by just applying more pressure. Lastly, applying back-end pressure on your call will produce the third.
When hunting wood ducks, it is important to understand how to produce the sitting call. Wood ducks will not swim or fly to another flying duck.
With a little easy air manipulation, the Wood Duck Call perfectly re-creates all forms of the sitting duck call. But it is not limited to sitting calls. It can make flying calls as well, proving to be a very well-rounded call for hunting ducks.
Pintail Whistle 6-in-1 – Best Duck Whistle
Buck Gardner 6-1 Pintail Whistle is one of the most versatile and well-rounded duck whistles. Having this call on your lanyard gives you the rare ability to mimic the sounds of six different ducks. It can replicate a Mallard Drake, a Pintail, a Wigeon, a Teal, a Wood Duck, and a Bobwhite Quail.
Easy to use and versatile, it allows beginners to hunt effectively in a wide range of situations. Beginners are not the only ones who will enjoy this call. It provides every hunter with excellent versatility and toughness.
Designed with a larger bell-end, it produces a louder volume than the competition. It comes in black color and looks sharp on any lanyard.
This duck call is so easy to use that kids or hunters who don’t usually make calls can blow it perfectly. It comes with step-by-step instructions. The instruction can help you learn how to make any humming or buzzing sound necessary. It makes replicating the raspy quack of a mallard or the erratic cadence of a pintail feel so simple.
Buck Gardner has given the waterfowl world a great gift by putting this duck whistle on the market.
Mallard Drake Call – Best Mallard Drake Duck Call
Duck Commander Mallard Drake is part of a specialty series. It focuses on reproducing the exact sounds of the Mallard Drake. It is great for attracting “off ducks”. Its confidence call is highly effective when ducks become leery.
It is unique in that it produces a low, humming whistle, rather than a quack like other duck calls. The humming whistle perfectly mimics the Mallard Drake, making this call a great pick.
Duck Commander Mallard Drake is a favorite among beginning hunters. It is among the Best Mallard Duck Calls out there yet it is extremely easy to blow. It allows beginners to make specialized calls like the pros, without any problems.
This call is made of high-impact plastic that makes it tough and durable for any type of weather. It comes in a solid green color which camouflages perfectly while in the field.
Since this duck call makes realistic mallard sounds, it brings more action to hunters. It produces tones that are specific to the mallard drake. But it can also carry through any environment. The durability of this call allows you to hunt ducks in different climates without wearing them out. Being efficient and affordable, this call is very popular in the duck world.
Echo Diamonwood – Best Timber Duck Call
The Echo Calls Diamondwood one of the most popular Arkansas style calls. It is hand tuned and easy to blow. This beginner duck call allows much success in difficult close-range situations. It is designed to create echo calls precisely for close calling. Echo Timber is a favorite among guides for hunting ducks.
Hand tuning assures that this call is accurate, consistent, and tough. It has built-in technology which allows for perfect blowing even while the call is wet. This feature is an asset to any hunter. It provides them with durability and effectiveness when problems arise. Not having to slow down and clean when your call gets wet keeps you in the game and attracts more action.
The Arkansas style is becoming the standard style among modern duck calls. These echo calls have five main parts designed to improve function and durability.
It has a barrel, an insert, a tone board, a reed, and a wedge. These parts allow it to produce the most accurate and tough sounds. With four great colors and amazing results in close quarters, this is a top choice for calling ducks.
All About Duck Calls
As you can see, duck hunters have a myriad of choices when looking for beginner duck calls. In order to select a good duck call for beginners, you need to understand the different types.
Duck calls vary significantly as per materials used, craftsmanship, suitability, and effectiveness. We shortlisted duck calls for beginners on the basis of:
- Material and Craftsmanship
- Loudness and Authenticity
- Effectiveness
- Reed Design
- Ease of use
If you have a fair idea about your requirements and where you would be duck hunting, you can also look at any of the duck calls on our list. But if you need help choosing your first call, then we hope you find this buyer’s guide useful.
If you are looking for Goose calls, then you can read our reviews of the Best Goose Call For Beginners to help you pick one.
Material and Craftsmanship
A duck call can be made of different types of material. Most common are wood and acrylic, high-impact plastic, or polycarbonate.
Most duck calls are constructed from, plastic (polycarbonate), wood, or acrylic. Duck calls made from plastic are the cheapest while the ones made from acrylic tend to be expensive. It’s important for beginners that the call is durable enough to last practice as well as season. So we have ruled out the cheap plastic ones.
Some hunters believe that polycarbonate is the best for making a duck call as it is lightweight. A plastic polycarbonate call is usually more durable than wooden calls. It can handle the abuse that would otherwise damage the wood.
Wood and acrylic is popular as it is affordable and well-suited for beginners. High-impact plastic is another material that has been gaining popularity in recent years.
But polycarbonate construction is more durable with a higher quality sound production. But it’s also more expensive than the other two materials.
When it comes to duck calls, craftsmanship is very important. A poorly crafted call would make learning extremely hard. All beginners should look for calls from reputable brands known for craftsmanship.
Loudness and Authenticity
Duck hunting on lakes and rivers requires a call that is louder and high-pitched so that the notes can travel further. Whereas, if you are hunting in places like flooded timber, potholes, and beaver ponds then a softer call with authentic sound is more important than the reach.
If you are waterfowl hunting in wide and open spaces with the wind and flying ducks, then a ‘single-reed’ call will help you get the attention of ducks. Although single-reed calls have more range and versatility, they are harder to master than double reed calls.
The most important part of any duck call is the sound it makes. The tone board allows you to experiment with different tones and see how they affect the sound of your call.
The double reed duck calls have a more realistic sound, suited for closed in timber hunting spaces like flooded timber and beaver ponds. They sound more “ducky” and help you pull the birds within twenty or thirty-yard gun range. These duck calls are a good choice for beginners are they easier to learn, which helps build confidence in a novice duck hunter.
Effectiveness
Duck calls are effective only if used correctly. As duck behavior can change based on mood, climate, or hunger, a hunter must be able to adapt his call to these moods.
The call must be able to catch and hold the attention of the ducks within the hunting zone. Hence you must choose a call that will help you sound realistic and fit the moment. If you are looking for a loud duck call that is extremely effective in wide and open spaces, then you can pick Duck Commander Uncle Si.
Reed Design
In the early years of duck hunting, hunters used natural materials found in the woods or water. A duck hunter would gather a few stalks and peel off their leaves before twisting them together to form a whispering tube.
But now, different reed designs are available to suit different duck hunting styles. A duck hunter has a wide choice. You can pick a single-reed call, double-reed, or triple-reed.
The most popular type is the double reed design. It has been popular since its invention in 1881. It is considered the most versatile among hunters.
The double reed design has two pieces made from cane. It produces a sound that imitates an air sound from a duck’s bill. These calls are loud and clear enough for ducks to hear over long distances.
Many hunters prefer the double reed design as it can produce multiple sounds. While others enjoy the single reed calls as they sound more natural.
Ease of Use
Duck calls have been around for a while. If you’re looking to get started with duck hunting, then one of the first you buy must be easy to use.
Duck calls for beginners are usually one of the easiest. But it’s not easy figuring out what call would be the best for you. You must get some experience first-hand or at least watch someone using them.
Listening to one being used before buying will give you a good idea.
Conclusion
If you are new to waterfowl hunting, a duck call is one of the first things which you should be looking to buy. We have reviewed some of the most popular duck calls which are easy to blow. While shortlisting these duck calls, we paid a lot of attention to ease of use, durability, loudness, authenticity, and effectiveness.
Jase Robertson Pro Series is the Best Beginner Duck Call as per our reviews. This beginner call easily surpasses the competition with its range of vocalization and features. It is perfect for open waters or finishing when the game is close. A great harmony, range, and pressure make it a clear favorite for calling in ducks.
Duck Commander Triple Threat is a very good all-around call. Combined with its ease of use, it is a good choice to get started. One of its biggest draws is the Triple Reed which makes it easy to blow for beginners.
Double Nasty offers the range of a single reed call with the ease of use of a double reed call. It provides a loud call for drawing in ducks as well as a softer call for ducks within the shooting range. It is durable and holds up well for a beginner to practice extensively before duck hunting.
We hope you like our pick of the Best Beginner Duck Calls. Please let us know if you have any other suggestions. We will include them in our next update.
Last Updated on March 15, 2023 by Victor Mays
