Jonesing...

[Rick]

Last time I found myself jonesing for a call was in 1983, when a Callin' Pin Oak Susie inexplicably failed to make the move to Southwest Louisiana with my other calls, and I couldn't find another. Had to go through my second round of buying and trying prospects to find something, Robertson's Cutdown Reacher, I developed similar confidence in.

Much simpler, I hope, this time, as the LA Cut Singleton that had become EDC in a jeans pocket for truck and field use on the dog and my morning rounds is still made and on order - after repeatedly tearing the house and truck apart and retracing our last field route, twice. But, dang, I miss having it with me and fooling with all the ducks it could produce in my otherwise cutdown unfriendly hands.

Going to be a serious disappointment if I can't tune the next one to fit my purpose for it as well. Not to mention if it turns out distant birds don't find it as nifty as I have.

[Ricky Spanish]

Last time I found myself jonesing for a call was in 1983, when a Callin' Pin Oak Susie inexplicably failed to make the move to Southwest Louisiana with my other calls, and I couldn't find another. Had to go through my second round of buying and trying prospects to find something, Robertson's Cutdown Reacher, I developed similar confidence in.

Much simpler, I hope, this time, as the LA Cut Singleton that had become EDC in a jeans pocket for truck and field use on the dog and my morning rounds is still made and (after repeatedly tearing the house and truck apart and retracing our last field route, twice) on order. But, dang, I miss having it with me and fooling with all the ducks it could produce in my otherwise cutdown unfriendly hands.

Going to be a serious disappointment if I can't tune the next one to fit my purpose for it as well. Not to mention if it turns out distant birds don't find it as nifty as I have.

I've not had to Jones like that.
Way back I got to wanting a Daisy Cutter.
I'm pretty sure I got the wrong one it did not fit.
Got a cocobola short barrel..I wasn't ready for it yet.
Once I got where I've got a plate full of high dollar single reeds it got hard to pick one.
An MVP works.
I'd like to try a wooden one.
Right now today I think these are the ticket.
The white one is crisp and can get loud or soft.
When the ducks are hella high and it's windy.
White one.
If they're only half way hella high try the hedge and if it's socked in with everything flying low the 2-reed cutdown.
Adjusting to what the ducks are doing is new to me but here we are.
Whitey is a racist call.

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[Ricky Spanish]

I was jonesing hard for this one.
Stan the man pulled it out and I said mine all mine.
The next day I was shooting wood ducks.

16808742460041635757902974145653.jpg

So I'm using two Phil Robertson calls.
Damn I didn't expect that.
I've got a third one around here too.
The sarge? Is that a DC call?

[Rick]

Don't lose 'em if, if you can't replace 'em.

That said, the only calls I find nearly as neat as the ones I've the developed the most faith in are the ones I think might manage something useful they can't - at least until proven otherwise...

[Ricky Spanish]

Don't lose 'em if, if you can't replace 'em.

That said, the only calls I find nearly as neat as the ones I've the developed the most faith in are the ones I think might manage something useful they can't - at least until proven otherwise...

Show me a duck call please.
That mvp ought to be handy to grab.
Cmon man.

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[Rick]

I was jonesing hard for this one.
Stan the man pulled it out and I said mine all mine.
The next day I was shooting wood ducks.

16808742460041635757902974145653.jpg

So I'm using two Phil Robertson calls.
Damn I didn't expect that.
I've got a third one around here too.
The sarge? Is that a DC call?

I had a wicked good Duck Commander wood duck call I'd tuned just a wee bit that I gave to a friend whose only duck hunting targets them. (After I found how well "sweeeets" through a much louder speck call can work.) Bought another DC woodie call sometime later, just to have one, and never could get it "right". Just another case of "not as good as the old ones..." Or, at least our memories of them.

[Ricky Spanish]

I was jonesing hard for this one.
Stan the man pulled it out and I said mine all mine.
The next day I was shooting wood ducks.

16808742460041635757902974145653.jpg

So I'm using two Phil Robertson calls.
Damn I didn't expect that.
I've got a third one around here too.
The sarge? Is that a DC call?

I had a wicked good Duck Commander wood duck call I'd tuned just a wee bit that I gave to a friend whose only duck hunting targets them. (After I found how well "sweeeets" through a much louder speck call can work.) Bought another DC woodie call sometime later, just to have one, and never could get it "right". Just another case of "not as good as the old ones..." Or, at least our memories of them.

Hey you want to try a delrin speck call from rainman?
Ill never actually need this kind of hammer.

16808756247358808885386464425827.jpg

Plus I sound bad on any speck call including the easy Grey one. It's just not my thing at all.

[Rick]

Best I can do this (rainy) morning, little travel-zoom that downloads to PC is croaking, and I've yet to get my smarter-than-me phone to download as it's supposed to. (Well, it did once and won't again.)

Anyway, my early "go-to" MVP looks just like an early MVP:

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Recall you were into jig "circles," so here's an old photo of one on an early MVP Butch bored out a bit and reworked the toneboard on to make it an extra loud hunting call:

CIMG1673a.jpg

Some crazy RNT collectors will actually pay a premium for his jig mark, but I'll not sell any of the calls I was given. (Have, however, in turn, given a few to deserving souls.) The "best mallard" reed is so marked, not because it's a favorite mallard call (I prefer the stock MVP above) but to separate it from the shorter teal-tuned "best teal" reed that shares that call's z-lock bag. Was my loudest September teal call until a Stanley Deceiver took its place.

[Rick]

Hey you want to try a delrin speck call from rainman?
Ill never actually need this kind of hammer.

16808756247358808885386464425827.jpg

Plus I sound bad on any speck call including the easy Grey one. It's just not my thing at all.

No thanks, I've tried most everything else out there without improving on what I have, and we're about out of specks, anyway.

But given the birds' current trend, you might find more use for it than you think. Bill, at Riceland, tells me he's sold a mess of his to Illinois hunters.

[Ricky Spanish]

Interesting and impressive on the jigged tone boards.
Every wooden call I have was hand cut on a jig like that.
Now do the whistles.

[Ricky Spanish]

Hey you want to try a delrin speck call from rainman?
Ill never actually need this kind of hammer.

16808756247358808885386464425827.jpg

Plus I sound bad on any speck call including the easy Grey one. It's just not my thing at all.

No thanks, I've tried most everything else out there without improving on what I have, and we're about out of specks, anyway.

But given the birds' current trend, you might find more use for it than you think. Bill, at Riceland, tells me he's sold a mess of his to Illinois hunters.

That part of Illinois where you hunt specks and snows doesn't even exit to me.
I've been there but just kept driving west.
It is very nice along the Mississippi River but a little too far for me. That's the beautiful part of this state.

[Rick]

Now do the whistles.

Don't want reminded of how many duck, let alone dog, whistles I've auditioned.

[Ricky Spanish]

I was jonesing for a cut d2 olt and poof he made me one.
One of these days I will call a duck and kill it I swear

[Rick]

One of these days I will call a duck and kill it I swear

OK, Grif.

[Ricky Spanish]

Now do the whistles.

Don't want reminded of how many duck, let alone dog, whistles I've auditioned.

I suck at whistles because around here peeping or whistling ducks are pretty rare.
A goldeneye scared the hell.out of me when it flew in.
The only reason I knew what it was was I'd been watching a pair thru binoculars. Heard this crazy noise. Splash.....bam.
I have no clue on anything but woodies, mallards, gadwalls, spoonies, and I've accidentally called pintails a couple times..Teal in timber is actually a thing I could use coaching on. Last year I had them buzz by but not decoy a lot. I'd eat them if I could kill them.
Greenwings.
That one I've just not even tried.
I find dead ones in the woods a lot too.

[Ricky Spanish]

I only had it for one season and I think it's floating somewhere along the shoreline in houseboat cove.
I switched calls mid hunt and basically left it on top of the blind then must have flipped it off into who knows where.
I'll get another one built and maybe I can cut my own toneboard.
That'd be sweet.
I lost my smallbore it's gone.

No crying emoji?
I'm jonesing for another one.

[Rick]

I only had it for one season and I think it's floating somewhere along the shoreline in houseboat cove.
I switched calls mid hunt and basically left it on top of the blind then must have flipped it off into who knows where.
I'll get another one built and maybe I can cut my own toneboard.
That'd be sweet.
I lost my smallbore it's gone.

No crying emoji?
I'm jonesing for another one.

That's why God made lanyards, not that those can't be lost, too. No telling how many have been stolen from where they hung off the mirrors of unlocked trucks. Add bands, and you could lose the window out of a locked truck, as well.

Going to have to put the new Singleton on a string (to a belt loop when not around my neck) for everyday pocket carry when it gets here. Still driving me bughouse not to have it at hand.

[Ricky Spanish]

I only had it for one season and I think it's floating somewhere along the shoreline in houseboat cove.
I switched calls mid hunt and basically left it on top of the blind then must have flipped it off into who knows where.
I'll get another one built and maybe I can cut my own toneboard.
That'd be sweet.
I lost my smallbore it's gone.

No crying emoji?
I'm jonesing for another one.

That's why God made lanyards, not that those can't be lost, too. No telling how many have been stolen from where they hung off the mirrors of unlocked trucks. Add bands, and you could lose the window out of a locked truck, as well.

Going to have to put the new Singleton on a string (to a belt loop when not around my neck) for everyday pocket carry when it gets here. Still driving me bughouse not to have it at hand.

The instant I put a band on one it gets on the registry of shit to steal and proof just like that it's gone.
Upon investigation and finding evidence it is usually "the honest guy" in the club.
Beware of the honest duck hunter

I know this guy that makes duck calls.
A gallon of honey and ...
Yeah

[Rick]

I don't keep bands, so theft of mine before they make it to some kid's lanyard is no worry. But it's a pisser that we couldn't keep one on the camp mounts any length of time. Always thought it would be fun to get some stamped "ASSHOLE".

Not that we could keep nice mounts long, either...

[Ricky Spanish]

I don't keep bands, so theft of mine before they make it to some kid's lanyard is no worry. But it's a pisser that we couldn't keep one on the camp mounts any length of time. Always thought it would be fun to get some stamped "ASSHOLE".

Not that we could keep nice mounts long, either...

Haven't shot a banded anything since the 1900s.
Had a season where half the honkers I shot were banded by the Illinois state biologist himself.
The honkers here don't move around much.

[Rick]

Had a season where half the honkers I shot were banded by the Illinois state biologist himself.

That's what nipped my band collecting interest in the bud. Lived in the Mid Ohio Valley when resident Canadas were being introduced and every third bird seemed banded. Had a good start on a cigar box of proof I'd shot "used" birds someone else had already handled. There being no e-bay at the time, I eventually gave the box to a Memphis banker disappointed by not shooting anything banded when he hunted with us down here.

Haven't kept one any length of time since, and working with banding crews hasn't done anything to change my "used bird" view.

[Anotherone]

The majority of my bands are from woodie hens banded near LSU’s campus, a 30 minute drive from Amite River swamp. I do have a couple woodie bands from Ohio.

[Ricky Spanish]

The majority of my bands are from woodie hens banded near LSU’s campus, a 30 minute drive from Amite River swamp. I do have a couple woodie bands from Ohio.

Ew whee I betchu know how to breast em and cut a little pocket for cheese an jalapeño peppers.
Wrap it in bacon and...tonight we eat!
Oh yeah

[Anotherone]

Oh yeah, that’s the shit!

[Rick]

Make mine cream cheese and pineapple, instead of jalapeno. That, and be sure the bacon is either extremely thin sliced or partly pre-cooked in the microwave, so it will crisp on the grill while the duck's still pink in the middle.

[Ricky Spanish]

Make mine cream cheese and pineapple, instead of jalapeno. That, and be sure the bacon is either extremely thin sliced or partly pre-cooked in the microwave, so it will crisp on the grill while the duck's still pink in the middle.

Ah snap.
You're kidding right?
Pineapple is not a problem.
Microwave is.
You bring it and I'll power it up for yuh.
You're going to have to choke down thick wrights
bacon because that's all I buy.
Bring your own bacon.
You're going to have to call and shoot your own ducks too mister.

Kill n cook in the natural state is not that bad.
Not that good either.
Ain't no holiday inn

[Rick]

I'm screwing up duck to by grilling it long enough to crisp thick bacon or screwing up bacon by not cooking it crisp, thank you.

[Ricky Spanish]

I'm screwing up duck to by grilling it long enough to crisp thick bacon or screwing up bacon by not cooking it crisp, thank you.

Hell I don't know.
It's still a little bit bloody when I do it with the bacon just about wright.
It's not rocket science when you're jonesing and boondocking on the side of the road. So hungry it doesn't matter...

[Ricky Spanish]

These look a bit rare...

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[Ricky Spanish]

These look a bit rare...

20220101_122037.jpg

When the toothpicks are burnt off it is done.