The Best Duck Calls for Beginners in 2023

Most folks looking to get into waterfowl hunting share the same initial question: What are the best duck calls for beginners? The answer is an affordable call that is easy to blow but also allows you to develop your skills over time. There’s a wide range of options out there that vary in price, style, and sound. 

Personal preference has a big say in call selection, and over the years, I’ve developed my own criteria. Some of these preferences include user-friendliness, the durability of the call, and most importantly, the sound of the call. I rounded up a collection of options as well as some considerations and things to look for when shopping for your first duck call. Here are some of the best duck calls for beginners.

Best Overall: Bill Saunders’ The Clutch

Best Single Reed: Zink PH-1 (Power Hen)

Best Double Reed: Slayer Calls’ Ranger

Best Budget: Primos Original Wench

Best Whistle: Buck Gardner’s 6-in-1 whistle

Best Lanyard: Rig ‘Em Right Pygmy Rattler Lanyard

How We Made Our Picks

I’ve hunted ducks for over four decades, and in that time, I’ve learned what makes a solid call. Each of the calls recommended on this list has, at one point or another, been on my lanyard. All of them are solid calls that are relatively easy to learn. This is the criteria novice waterfowl hunters should look for in their first call.

User Friendliness:  Some duck calls are just inherently easier to blow than others. Single reeds can prove a challenge to some, while double reeds can pretty much work straight out of the box. I chose calls that are relatively easy to blow.

Durability:  Theoretically, a duck call should be a lifetime investment. Is the call rugged enough to last season after season?

Sound Quality: A duck call has to sound like a real live duck. With practice, certainly, but the sound has to be inside that call in order for you to work it out. Does the call sound real?

Best Duck Calls for Beginners: Reviews & Recommendations

Best Overall: Bill Saunders’ The Clutch

Key Features

Polycarbonate or Cocobolo construction

Single reed design

Four color options

Pros

User-friendly single reed that blows like a double

Durable

Affordable

Cons

Single reeds can be trickier to blow than double reeds

Bill Saunders is a champion caller and an even better call-maker. The Clutch is one of my favorites, and I blew it during the 2022/23 duck season here in Washington. There is some skill required to make this single reed sing, but it’s not an impossible challenge. The realistic tone combined with the strong volume makes this a great call to grab the attention of birds at a distance. I like the longer mouthpiece, which makes the call easier to operate, though the Clutch seems a little bit on the small side in my hands.

Best Single Reed: Zink PH-1 (Power Hen)

Key Features

Polycarbonate build

Single reed

Hand-tuned

Z-Cut tone channel

Pros 

Easy-to-blow single reed

Modified tone channel eliminates reed stick

Affordable

Cons

Tough to tune

I have a PH-1 hanging on my working lanyard 24/7, and I am slowly teaching myself to use this single reed call. It takes a little time and practice, but I think most will be pleased with the call’s range, volume capabilities, and price. The Z-Cut tone channel basically eliminates any reed lock and produces loud realistic quacks. The polycarbonate build makes this a durable call and although it takes some practice, this is one of the easiest single reed calls to learn.

Best Double Reed: Slayer Calls’ Ranger

Key Features

Acrylic build

Double reed design

Multiple color options

Widened exhaust

Slightly extended tone board

Pros

Easy to use

Excellent service after-the-sale

Forgiving double reed

Rugged acrylic

Aesthetically pleasing

Cons

Expensive

I’ve carried the Ranger double reed call since it hit the streets late in 2022, and by and large, I am impressed. I’m no calling champion when it comes to playing a double reed; however, I don’t think anyone would tell me to stop if they heard me blow it.

Although expensive, the Ranger is a lifetime investment. It’s a good-looking call—mine is Blue Wing Mesh—made of tough acrylic. Most of all, the Ranger sounds good, thanks in part to the over-bored exhaust port and lengthened tone board, both of which work to help prevent lock-up and produce great volume.

Best Budget: Primos Original Wench

Key Features

Polycarbonate build

Double reed design

Reed relocation system

Tuning hole in barrel

Pros 

Costs less than a box of shotshells

Easy-to-blow double reed

Polycarbonate material is durable

Cons

Poor aesthetics

Even as I write this, I am looking at my own personal Primos Wench call, and I can’t tell you how many mallard ducks were doped by this small conglomeration of graphite and Cocobolo, brass, and mylar. The $17 price tag is one of the most affordable calls you can buy. The double reed design sounds good and provides a relatively user-friendly starting platform for the beginner. Today’s Wench is a polycarbonate call, so it’s tough and easy to maintain. Speaking of which, for those prone to tear things apart without knowing what they’re doing, the Wench features a patented ‘reed relocation system’ of notches and posts that make it virtually impossible not to reassemble the call correctly. Graphite innards enhance the sound, while the tuning hole allows the user to raise or lower the pitch.

Best Whistle: Buck Gardner’s 6-in-1 Whistle

Key Features

Includes instructions for different calls

Durable materials

Seven different natural sounds

Pros

Easy to blow

Wide variety of sounds 

Great volume when needed

Simple, lightweight, and extremely affordable

Cons

None

I can’t tell you how long my 6-in-1 has been hanging at the end of my working lanyard. It’s a fantastic, simple call with no moving parts and great volume. What do you get for your $7 with the 6-in-1? You get a drake mallard, pintail, widgeon, green-wing teal, wood duck squeal/whine, bobwhite quail, and for you turkey hunters, a red-tailed hawk scream. The included instructions make this a perfect call for beginners to learn on.

Best Lanyard: Rig ‘Em Right Pygmy Rattler Lanyard

Key Features

Holds up to three calls

Made of ultra-strong paracord

Two loops per call/six total

Color-matched design

Pros 

Simple build

Strong paracord

Affordable

Cons

It can be uncomfortable; wear a high collar or hoodie

Headquartered in Newport, North Carolina, Rig ‘Em Right makes well-thought-out waterfowling gear that hunters can afford. I use their stuff because it works, and I have faith in it. The Pygmy Rattler call lanyard is just another example of Rig ‘Em Right’s commitment to providing the waterfowling community with good, affordable stuff. The double droppers ensure those new calls stay safe, secure, and around your neck.

Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Duck Calls for Beginners

There are a lot of things the novice waterfowler should consider when buying a duck call. It’s quality that you want, but at not too high a price because there’s an awfully good chance this won’t be your last duck call. Think of it like buying a new car, only a lot less expensive. Whether a car or a call, each comes with a variety of options. Some I’d consider necessary, while others are, just as the word implies, optional. Remember these considerations before buying the best duck calls for beginners.

Price/Budget

How much money are you willing and/or able to spend on a call? Again, duck calls can range from $20 to over $200, but just because a call sets you back a pair of Benjamins doesn’t mean it’s a good one.

Construction Material

Duck calls are crafted from any number of materials, including:

Wood: Mellow realistic sound; maintenance and care are required due to the tender nature of wood. Often custom and/or higher-end calls, thus a bit more costly.

Polycarbonate: Hard plastic material; rugged and durable. Unaffected by weather changes. Little maintenance is involved. Least expensive material and a great choice for beginners.

Acrylic: Extremely hard plastic-type material that produces sharp, clear, ringing sounds. Individually hand-made; higher end in terms of price and very durable.

Reeds

Ducks calls come in one of three reed designs—single, double, or triple. Single reeds are said to be the most versatile, but have a steeper learning curve than do the more user-friendly double reeds. I pack both on my lanyard, but prefer the double reed. As for the triple reeds, you don’t hear much of them, and I’d steer clear.

Skill Level

How much time and effort are you willing to invest into learning how to blow that duck call the proper way? To repeat, single reeds are versatile but a bit more challenging to master than double reeds; however, practice is a common denominator with both.

Company Reputation

I strongly believe in buying a call, shotgun, ammunition, or any other piece of waterfowl hunting gear from a respected manufacturer with a history of craftsmanship and support after the sale.

FAQs

Best Duck Calls for Beginners: Final Thoughts

Best Overall: Bill Saunders’ The Clutch

Best Single Reed: Zink PH-1 (Power Hen)

Best Double Reed: Slayer Calls’ Ranger

Best Budget: Primos Original Wench

Best Whistle: Buck Gardner’s 6-in-1 whistle

Best Lanyard: Rig ‘Em Right Pygmy Rattler Lanyard

I said it earlier, but I believe it’s worth mentioning again. Choosing your first duck call is a lot like buying your first vehicle. There’s a lot going on with that decision. Eventually, though, the choice boils down to selecting the call you think works best for your abilities, your soon-to-be calling style, your requirements for the places you hunt, and, certainly, your budget.

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