Arizona ironwood duck whistle

[Aaron Wingert]

I just started making these duck whistles. They're duck calls, but don't imitate the "quack" sound of the mallard hen. Instead, they make a quiet "dreeeeeb" sound that mallard drakes make...They're a great call for skittish ducks that have heard every duck call out there. They also imitate the sounds made by pintails, widgeon and teal.

This one is Arizona desert ironwood. Gotta say that it is my new favorite wood. To me it seems like a cross-breed of cocobolo, bocote and osage orange (and there must be some gold in there somewhere to justify the high price of the stuff). The finish is CA wet sanded to 2000 and buffed on the Beall system.

Haven't really settled on a shape just yet. I've only made a couple of these thus far so it may evolve some. The groove at the end is so it can be attached to a lanyard. The toneboard in this one is cherry but I'm going to replace it with walnut just so it looks a little nicer. C&C welcomed!
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Edit: hard to tell the size from the pic. They're about 3-1/2" long.

[John Keeton]

Aaron, that is unique! Love the wood, and I do agree that a walnut toneboard would show better. I take it you use the second hole for tone change? I don't hunt waterfowl, so this is new territory for me.

[Steve Schlumpf]

First of these I have heard of... interesting idea. Love the wood!

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have never heard of these type calls. Really nice looking wood and very interesting.

[Aaron Wingert]

Thanks guys. Many guys that hunt haven't even heard of them, let alone used them. Funny thing is, when they're hammering away on their conventional duck calls late in the season and scaring birds, I'm quietly using a mallard drake grunt and it makes the ducks commit. Until now I carried a plastic whistle...No more!

John the first hole acts like a reed. The second hole can be blocked with a finger to create widgeon and pintail sounds. Unblocked, it gives the mallard grunt and the teal whistle. Still takes some technique and knowing what to "say" into the call to get the right sound. But these are easier to run than a mallard hen call so they're great to give to a kid or a new hunter so they can help call when the other guys in the blind are working ducks with hen calls.

Here's one from cocobolo I whipped up today.

[Philip Duffy]

Aaron, my son is a devoted duck hunter and I would like to know if you have/sell a kit to make these whistles so I could turn one for him. He loved the call I made last year and used it effectively this season. Phil

[Aaron Wingert]

Phil they're all wood, so there's not really a kit like there would be with some other types of calls. Just precise measurements, hole locations and angles, plus a wooden tone board.