How to Make a High-Pitched Duck Call

Duck calls attract ducks in the sport of hunting. Hunters use single or double-reed duck calls, depending on the needs of the hunter. Double reeds create a raspy-sounding noise. Single reeds produce a high-pitched noise. To attract distant birds, use a high-pitched single-reed duck call. The noise lures the birds closer to the duck decoys and hunters. With some practice, you can master a high-pitched duck call.

Things You'll Need

  • Hand saw
  • Dense hardwood
  • Mandrel
  • Lathe
  • Sandpaper
  • 1-inch-by-1-inch strip of cork
  • 1/2-inch acrylic tubing
  • 3/4-inch-by-2 1/2-inch Mylar, 0.10 inch thick
  • Dowel holders
Show More

Instructions

  1. Making the Duck Call

    • 1

      Cut the barrel of the duck call to size with a hand saw. The duck call should be 1 1/2 inches thick and 4 inches long. Bore a hole, 5/8 inches wide, in the center of the block of wood.

    • 2

      Place the wood block on the mandrel. Shape the wood block using the lathe and gouge. Sand the wood with sandpaper.

    • 3

      Cut a second piece of wood to be used as the insert, approximately 1 1/2 by 3 inches. Shape the insert with the lathe. Create a straight taper on one end so the insert slides into the barrel snugly. Drill a 3/8-inch hole in the center of the insert.

    • 4

      Cut a 2-inch section of the acrylic tubing. Sand the ends to round. The acrylic tubing is for the soundboard. Cut the Mylar 2 inches long by 3/8 inches wide. Cut each of the corners with a 45-degree angle. The Mylar is used for the reed. The cork will be sized according to the fitting around the soundboard and reed.

    • 5

      Assemble the duck call by placing the insert in the barrel. Insert the soundboard and reed into the insert. Fill the insert with cork to to hold the soundboard and reed in place.

    Making the High-Pitched Noise

    • 6

      Tune the single reed duck call by shortening the reed. Disassemble the call to remove the reed. Trim the reed and put the call back together. The length of the reed determines the pitch of the duck call.

    • 7

      Place your hand on the end of the duck call. Lift the duck call to your mouth.

    • 8

      Rest the duck call on your lips, the same way you would drink a bottle of water. Using your diaphragm, blow air into the duck call.

    • 9

      Make feeding calls by saying either "ticka, ticka, ticka" or dugga, dugga, dugga" into the duck call. Quack like a duck by making sounds such as "kwit," "dwit" or "whit."

    • 10

      Practice the duck noises. Experiment with blowing into the duck call to produce higher-pitched noises until you master the duck calls.