Understanding Your Crow Call

Most of us pick up our calls, go outdoors, call crows and never really think about what goes into making a call work. However, call makers know that subtle differences in call production can give a call a cheap unrealistic sound or can make a call that even the wiliest crow cannot distinguish from the real thing. So lets take a look at the inner secrets of a crow call with master call maker Darrell Gibson.

The measure of a crow call, all game calls in fact, is basically a combination of the quality of materials and the quality of workmanship that is used. While all crow calls sound something like a crow, a well made call will really mimic the tone and volume of a live crow. This difference is not always obvious until a poorly made economy call is compared to the sound of a well made call. The difference really jumps out at you and you can be sure the difference will be noticed by veteran, hunter savvy crows as well. Additionally, a well made call will be easier to master, less windy and will generally hold up better to the elements.

Mouthpieces

The primary job of the mouthpiece is to provide a platform for the reed and to allow air to channel past the reed and cause the vibration necessary to produce the desired sound. Mouthpieces can be made of either wood or plastic, plastic being preferred because of its durability and stability. It is important that the mouthpiece hold the reed securely, evenly and in full contact. Loose or sloppy construction will cause secondary vibration that will distract from the pure reed sound. The hole in the barrel that holds the mouthpiece should be slightly larger than the diameter of the mouthpiece. If not, removal can be difficult and the slight expansion of a wooden barrel due to moisture can actually cause the barrel to crack.

The angle of the mouthpiece to the reed is important in determining the type of reed needed for optimal calling. A longer angled mouthpiece tends to require a stiffer reed, while shorter angles allow the use of lighter reeds.

A Darrell Tip: An important thing to notice when looking at a call is the space between the end of the mouthpiece channel and the end of the mouthpiece. Usually, the shorter the space, the harder to blow.

Reeds

Early crow calls had reeds that were made of wood, copper, spring steel or even zinc coated steel. Today, the most popular material used to make reeds for crow calls is Mylar.

The length, wide and thickness are all important factors in creating a quality crow call. The thickness of the reed should not be less than 7.5 thousands of an inch. Anything less will not vibrate enough to produce a realistic crow sound. Ten thousands is preferable, but a smaller thickness can be used as long as the reed is made wider. Unfortunately, a wider reed creates more surface area to stick to the mouthpiece when moistened by calling.

A Darrell Tip: The general rule is: The shorter the reed, the faster the vibration and the higher the pitch to the call (young birds). Longer reeds have to vibrate in a longer arc and will produce a lower crow call (older birds).

A Darrell Tip: Periodically remove the plastic mouthpiece and reed from your call and clean with alcohol to remove any buildup. Alcohol will clean your call thoroughly and will not harm plastic reeds or mouthpieces.

Barrels

Crow call barrels can be made of many different materials, including plastic, common woods such as oak, walnut, boxwood, cedar and even metal such as brass. They can also be made out of any number of exotic hardwoods including Bocote, Cocobolo, Ebony, Kingwood, Burl and Zebra Wood among others. Keep in mind that when it comes to making a quality sounding crow call, all materials are not created equal.

Plastic calls, while durable and inexpensive, tend to have a "tinny" sound and not the deep mellow sound that can be found in wood. These plastic calls will probably work fine as a turkey locator call, but may not be the best choice for the serious crow caller. That being the case, wood is the material used in most quality crow calls.

Walnut - Most commercially sold calls are made of Black Walnut. This wood is plentiful, reasonably easy to work with and has a good tone. English Walnut also makes a fine call, but is harder to find in the tight grain that is necessary. It also has a slower growing time.

Oak - Common and consistent, Oak tends to make a good call no matter what.

Bocote - A member of the Rosewood family, Bocote is found in the Yucatan Peninsula and is a dense tropical wood. Bocote is considered to be musical instrument quality and makes an excellent crow call.

Other Exotic Woods - Any wood that is relatively dense and has a tight grain will work well as a crow call. Depending on the pattern and color, certain exotic hardwoods will not only make a functional crow call, but a work of art as well.

When it comes to barrel length, there is an optimum point. If too long, the call will sound hollow as if you are in a tunnel. If too short, the call will sound "brassy". You may be wondering how certain short calls can produce the same tone and quality of a long call. This is accomplished by creating a chamber within the inside of the short call. By adding the chamber, you are adding cubic inches, which increase the back pressure on the call and create the "rollover" effect.

A Darrell Tip: Short chamber calls will generally growl at lower air volumes. This is because there is less back pressure.