10 Calls Every Goose Hunter Should Have in Their Collection
Ryan Barnes for SPLIT REED
Every waterfowler, to some degree or another, loves duck and goose calls. From the many shapes, sizes, styles, and colors, they all provide a unique style that seems to captivate everyone in the blind. Many hunters go beyond just what they put on their lanyard and collect many different calls as a way to the heritage and craftsmanship of the many talented waterfowlers that have pioneered the waterfowling industry. In this article, we’re going to take a look at the 10 calls that every avid goose hunter should try to add to their collection. Whether they add them to the lanyard or the display case is up to them. Some are harder to come by, and some can be purchased with a little digging online. Either way, these calls help the owner preserve a little piece of goose hunting, and goose calling history.
10. P.S. OLT A-50
No, these calls aren’t very “rare” per-se, but they were some of the first calls on the market to sound like a goose that wasn’t the hunter’s own. Phillip Sanford Olt started making calls in 1904, starting with his first “Arkansas style” duck calls. Many of which are still in use today. The A-50 is a flute-style call that was one of the first of its kind. Hunter’s from all across the country began to use the A-50 to bring birds closer to their make-shift decoys and give themselves a better chance at bagging the prized Canada goose. The A-50 is truly a piece of goose hunting history that any collector should be proud to own. It might not be made of any fancy wood with any sort of hand-carved engravings, but it is a true pioneer of the goose hunting world.
9. Foiles Strait Meat Honker (numbered)
While the water is a bit muddy here, due to a checkered past, one can’t deny that the Strait Meat Honker wasn’t a flat-out killer when it was released. The early models had a number engraved underneath the “Strait Meat Honker” indicating where it had been turned. Obviously the lower the number, the older the call. If you go back and watch any of the old hunting videos from the early 2000s, you’re bound to see someone ripping away on an SMH. Not to mention the many different contest wins it has notched into its acrylic. There also are some different models that specific collectors search for. Like press-fitted inserts, certain acrylic or wood designs, or even models with certain engravings. Even though the Foiles Migrators name took a hit, the old numbered calls still remain a staple in the history of Canada goose hunting, and therefore, should still hold a place in any hunter’s collection.
8. Bill Saunders Threaded Insert GP
With the old black clucker guts, the original GP, or “Goose Pimp”, is a mean-sounding call. Running the stage in the Western US, winning about every contest it was entered into, and killing almost every goose that heard it, it was far and above one of the best calls on the market. The threads were later done away with, around the late 90’s early 2000s, and replaced with O-rings. Now, the call itself has completely been taken out of production. Many collectors, especially those familiar with Saunder’s calls, make a point to try and seek out the old-style threaded inserts. More for nostalgia-sake than anything, but either way, it will still serve as a goose whisperer. Or as a fine piece in any collection.
7. Bill Saunders Original Guide Series
The parent of the “traffic” goose call that so many hunters know and love today, the Guide Series calls were some of the first that Bill Saunders ever turned. They became extremely popular with hunters on the West Coast, and those who weren’t just hunting the Midwestern giant Canadas. With a bit more rasp to them, an entire call company (Bill Saunders Calls and Gear) was created from this call. No longer for sale to the public, this is a call that will take a bit more digging to find, as well as a few more dollar bills to buy. However, once you find one, you’ll have your hands on a true piece of waterfowling history. Beautiful acrylic, with the old school “Bill Saunders Guide Series Calls” sticker on it, with the word original on the insert.
6. GK Calls Jack Miner Goose Call
GK Calls has a very close relationship with Jack Miner's bird sanctuary. Because of that, they have a numbered series of goose calls, released in a “small batch style, that have inserts with Jack Miner style bands on them. The calls themselves are quite beautiful. With ivory barrels depicting a finishing honker, and below the name “Jack Miner”. The calls aren’t necessarily “rare”, but they do make for a great addition to the collection. Plus, a portion of the proceeds goes to the Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary to help the bird banding program.
5. Tim Grounds Half Breed
It would be a heinous sin to not include this call on this list. While many people try to get their hands on some of the actual original half breeds made by Tim himself, the newer half breeds would fit the bill. The Half Breed is the call that truly pioneered the way for the short reed goose call. It might be a bit of a tougher call to blow, but once the user gets the hang of it, it’s as goosey as any call out there. It also would look just as nice sitting in a collection display, as a representation of where the short reed style Canada goose call truly took off.
4. The Eastern Shoreman
Not very many people today pull out flute calls. A lot of that has to do with the call previously listed. That being said, many geese have met their maker because of Sean Mann and his creation of the Eastern Shoreman. It is one of the most iconic flute calls ever made. While it can be bought at most sporting goods stores for roughly $60, most collectors try to get their hands on one of the elusive wood Shoremans. Not only for the deep goosey sound but for the amazing looks as well. Very few calls have that old “gentleman” style looks to it like a wood Eastern Shoreman. Making it a must-have for goose call collectors looking to add a bit of history and refinement to their collection.
3. Tim Grounds Guide’s Best
If you were to ask any of the call makers mentioned in this list, they all probably had a Guide’s Best goose call in their blind bag at one time or another. Not to mention Tim used it to win his first world-title in Easton, MD. You can still buy these for only $40 from Tim Grounds Calls, which makes them extremely appealing to any collectors. Every so often a rare wood-turned guide’s best may turn up, at an extremely high asking price, but there’s a reason these calls hold their value. They are some of the most iconic calls in the history of Canada goose hunting.
2. Earnie Ross Custom Goose Call
30 seconds. That’s about how much time you have to buy a custom Earnie Ross goose call before someone else snatches it up. There’s a reason for it. His calls are handcrafted out of some of the finest burl, inlaid with buffalo horn or sometimes antler, have threaded inserts, and sound unbelievable (so I’ve been told, I haven’t been lucky enough to be there in that 30-second time frame). Earnie Ross calls are in that higher caliber of calls. Just by the nature of how they’re made. The craftsmanship and the intricacy put into each one is astonishing. Whether on the lanyard or on the shelf, it will definitely be the best-looking call you own.
1. Charlie Hess Goose Calls
Much like Earnie Ross’ calls, Charlie Hess's calls are made of beautiful style woods, with fantastic carving designs. Hess’s calls are some of the most valuable on the market today. Even his newer style calls go for $500 or more. Some might say that’s absurd, but to those that truly appreciate the quality and workmanship that goes into these instruments, they understand that price is more than fair. And there’s many that gladly open up their pocket book for hundreds of dollars for even the guts that Hess would put into his calls. Hence why his calls make the top of our list
No matter what, goose calls hold a valuable part of the history of honker hunting all across the nation. Certain styles and designs hail from different regions and ideas. Just like any collection, there’s no right and wrong way to collect, but these suggestions are some that any true collector would benefit from adding to their shelves and lanyards.
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