happy.plinker Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 A whistle from a kettle works good too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudpatten Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 For me, and not everyone will share this opinion, the critical thing about a wigeon whistle is the volume it can produce. Some years ago I did some audio comparison tests using a variety of plastic and brass calls and the plastic thingy was a clear winner. I used a decibel meter borrowed from work. If I can find the results I`ll put them up here for the sake of accuracy. The plastic American things can produce an ear splitting whistle that can be heard hundreds of yards away in a gale of wind. Logic dictates that, if you are to bring distant birds towards you, they have to be able to hear the call in the first place. Every brass call I`ve ever heard, and some sound very realistic, is deficient in this respect. The two cartridge head calls are,regrettably, the least able to emit a call of great volume. Any call that requires the user to suck rather than blow it will never produce great volume, such is the mechanical nature of the human lungs and the way in which they work. As has already been pointed out, wigeon will often respond well to a mallard call. I agree wholeheartedly with Kent when he advises familiarising your dog with a wigeon whistle to avoid confusing it. As with a lot connected with calls,much of it is very much a matter of opinion. As can be seen, my opinion is at odds with some others. Good luck with whatever you choose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 (edited) For me, and not everyone will share this opinion, the critical thing about a wigeon whistle is the volume it can produce. Some years ago I did some audio comparison tests using a variety of plastic and brass calls and the plastic thingy was a clear winner. I used a decibel meter borrowed from work. If I can find the results I`ll put them up here for the sake of accuracy. The plastic American things can produce an ear splitting whistle that can be heard hundreds of yards away in a gale of wind. Logic dictates that, if you are to bring distant birds towards you, they have to be able to hear the call in the first place. Every brass call I`ve ever heard, and some sound very realistic, is deficient in this respect. The two cartridge head calls are,regrettably, the least able to emit a call of great volume. Any call that requires the user to suck rather than blow it will never produce great volume, such is the mechanical nature of the human lungs and the way in which they work. As has already been pointed out, wigeon will often respond well to a mallard call. I agree wholeheartedly with Kent when he advises familiarising your dog with a wigeon whistle to avoid confusing it. As with a lot connected with calls,much of it is very much a matter of opinion. As can be seen, my opinion is at odds with some others. Good luck with whatever you choose. I agree a whistle to blow rather than suck is always going to be better , especially once the mouth piece is full of mud , the amount of times I sucked a load of **** in last year ! I have a plastic one here ready for next season ! Edited April 17, 2016 by fenboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 If your having to call widgeon from far off then your in the wrong place Don't whistle widgeon till they start calling themselves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudpatten Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 ..........but if you`re in the right place - do you need the call? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 It depends you might not be spot on the spot. I think with widgeon especially it's just a tad of extra confidence. On flood with a big patch to go at 20 yards too far is still too far the call can certainly make a difference then. Pulling birds by turning them at distant traveling to other hot spots? Questionable in its effectiveness to say the least Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawntredder Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 Wigeon!! Wigeon!! Wigeon!!.....I have called them from a considerable distance using my converted brass whistle and in worst weather,I do agree tho with others about being in right place...as the Marsh I shoot is pretty much north to south and vice versa so I now were to be 20 mins after pulling up in my motor!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 If your having to call widgeon from far off then your in the wrong place Don't whistle widgeon till they start calling themselves Yeah , we are not all as good as you though Kent , I often find myself in the wrong place . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 As do we all. I suppose we have all called in birds from a distance as well. Let's be honest though often as cool as it is when it works ITS HARDLY A HIGH PERSENTAGE THING As cool as it is when it works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 We must not forget that like decoying what works for calling on one marsh does not work on another and the duck will act differently from marsh to marsh. Years ago when I used to shoot on the Wash you could hear the wigeon calling on a still night a quarter of a mile off before they got to you. Yet on my local N Norfolk marshes the wigeon usually do not call at all at flight , but come in silently . However on both marshes they come in well to a good call. I have a brass caller these days and the wigeon come to it well even though I feel its not loud enough. Before I lost it I had a Buck Gardener whistle call. You could not get the " wheooo " call of our wigeon as it was tuned for American wigeon , but it still pulled European wigeon in with its loud whistl,, though I really got the call for teal and pintail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudpatten Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 Even with a relatively easy to use call such as a plastic wigeon whistle I think there is still a bit of "technique" to master. The plastic calls still need to be blown from the diaphragm, rather from the mouth and cheeks. The call works best when using the high volume, low pressure warm air from deep in the diaphragm. If the air is produced from too high in the chest cavity, or from the cheeks, it`s moving too fast and the effect is to "overblow" the call which simply produces a high pitched whistle. Blown in a way that the plastic call likes it`s possible to get an effective eurasian wigeon sound with plenty of "whew", and great volume, with the correct small hand movement. You can, of course, always reduce the volume by blowing less hard. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misser Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 have had quite a bit of success on the marsh with wigeon using believe it or not a mallard call... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudpatten Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 Could`nt agree more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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