metal reed duck calls

[jbridges09]

Where can you buy them at i heard some older hunters talking about them and im interested in buying some also do they work better than the new one whats the good and the bad about them

[GulfCoast]

The only place you ever see them regularly is around Reelfoot lake. I have a couple, they are very deep pitched, raspy, and take a LOT of air. The bronze reed is usually stiff and not very responsive. If you have trouble double-cut chuckling a mylar single reed, don't even think about a metal reed. The sound board on a metal reed call is straight, and the reed is curved, which is the opposite of an Arkansaw style call with a curved sound board and a straight reed. If you kink that metal reed, its pretty much over. Metal reed calls are a cool old slice of duck calling history, but I don't see them suddenly becoming popular again. If you can find an old Earl Dennison call in the box, the stuff in the package and the "duck calling" floppy record are really cool, with calls like "The Paducah" and "The Barnyard" and "The Grass Feed Call."

[Dixie Land]

I've got a few by Leonard Douglas from Reelfoot lake. They are different and I also do not see them as a call that will make a huge comeback. There are a lot of custom call guys starting to make them but it is more of keeping the tradition alive.

[RF]

I have a couple from Glynn Scobey that I picked up at the Reelfoot festival over the last few years. Those suckers are loud and really squeal!

[LawDawg]

get in touch with blu hed. search the site for dick reed. talk to bullet or myself. Dick has made metal reed calls for over 40 years and you wont find a better one around. He learned from Jimmy Riddell. I can keep going, but if you search the site, you will see what I am talking about.

[aweyerman]

I would like to have one just for having one's sake.

[GulfCoast]

Glenn Scobey still makes and sells metal reed calls. If you go to the Reelfoot festival like RF is talking about, there should be lots of them. Johnny Marsh and the Earl Dennison "Stradavarius" were the famous ones as I recall. Earl Dennison has passed away, but I think someone is still making Johnny Marsh calls. I have a hand checkered Dennison I use as a paperweight on my desk. If you have the air, it will lock up a 747 its so loud. I don't have the air. It is a giant hunk of tung oiled cocobola that reminds me of my Grandfather every time I see it.

[teul2]

The sound board on a metal reed call is straight,

Glodo style is, but not all metal reeds are this way.
I have seen Arkansas and Reelfoot style metal reed calls.

[Dixie Land]

Oh I forgot. Johnny Cocharan, 3rd or 4th generation Reelfoot callmaker. In poor health now but his sone and daughter are making calls to keep the name going. His son is John.


I think the genertion names go:
Johnny
John
Johnny
John

They next to last Johnny, his calls are well known hunting calls on the lake. The RF waterfowl festival is the best place to see and try out numerous MR calls.

True Reelfoot style metal reed calls do have a flat toneboard using a wooden wedge to hold it in place. Several people are making Arkansas or J frame style calls using a metal reed but use a cork or rubber wedge.