Put The Friggin Call Away

 Put the Friggin Call Away!!!

Let me start this off by saying I’m a below average duck caller, and horrible with a goose call, but I usually get my birds. I’m not gonna sit here and pretend that calling doesn’t work, because that would be stupid, but I will say this…. There is a time and a place for them.

I’m proud of you for buying a call, and practising. Honing your skills, dreaming of becoming the next world champion, or just wanting to add another piece to your waterfowl toolbox, but FFS, 10mins before legal time and every moment of silence in the blind isn’t an opportunity for you to show off your calling ability.

The fact of the matter is, before you learn to call, you should learn how to read the birds. Finding the X, hiding properly, and a good flagman or motion decoy will do the majority of the work for you. Answer me this… how many times have you had birds working your spread, and you rip off a little feed chuckle, during which you watch those birds flare and fly away?

You did all the right things up to the calling! You found the X, the spread is set, your blind is hidden and you’ve got their attention. Now put the call down and focus on watching those birds and calling the shot before it’s too late.

Let me throw this at you… 47% of the time the birds flare on you is because of your calling. Apologies, I can’t back up that statistic, its not a real stat, but I bet it’s close, if not more.

Here’s the part nobody wants to admit.

Most guys don’t call because the birds need it… they call because they need to feel like they’re doing something.

It’s quiet. You’re cold. Birds show up and your brain goes:
“Do something!”
So you grab the call.
Instead of watching.
Instead of letting it play out.
Instead of trusting the setup you already put together.

And that’s where it goes sideways.

Ducks and geese aren’t impressed with how many notes you can hit. They care about what feels right. If they’re already committed, all you’re doing by calling is giving them a reason to second guess it.

Sometimes the best sound in the blind is nothing.
No calling. No movement. Just birds finishing.
It’s boring. It’s quiet. And it works.
I’ve hunted with guys who can run a call like a contest stage… and we still watched birds flare because they couldn’t leave it alone.

And I’ve hunted with guys who barely touch a call—and we limit out—because they understand when to shut up.
That’s the difference.
Calling is a tool. Not a crutch.
Use it when you need it. Not because you have it hanging around your neck.

So yeah—practice. Get better. Learn it.
But when it’s time?
Put the friggin call away.