call collections?

[Greenhead22]

That's a negative ghostrider.

[Jake St. John]

Check this call collection out!!! http://www.antiquefishinglures.com/call.htm

In the above collection, if you look at call 207, it carries a $500 value. The following is my collection of Mr. Jimmy's calls, plus a short barrell lohman.

The call on the right (1967) was a call Mr. Jimmy used for 3 years and sat in a drawer for 2 when I bought it in. It probably is closest to the 207 call in age. The two Riddell calls on the left date back to about 1950 to 1955 when he was making his calls in the longer, Arkansas style. Enjoy

[LawDawg]

Check this call collection out!!! http://www.antiquefishinglures.com/call.htm

In the above collection, if you look at call 207, it carries a $500 value. The following is my collection of Mr. Jimmy's calls, plus a short barrell lohman.

The call on the right (1967) was a call Mr. Jimmy used for 3 years and sat in a drawer for 2 when I bought it in. It probably is closest to the 207 call in age. The two Riddell calls on the left date back to about 1950 to 1955 when he was making his calls in the longer, Arkansas style. Enjoy

You still use those riddell calls? they are good looking calls and are ducky as they can be. I have a few of them myself along with a bunch of his fishing lures. I have the pleasure of hunting with his predecessor to call making every year (I think he is 78 now), and it is truly a blessing to be in the woods with someone that knows as much about ducks as he does.

[Jake St. John]

The call on the far right is the one I currently use and have been since 1967. I posted that it was made in 1967, but I bought it in 67 and it was 5 years old. I hunted with Mr. Jimmy, Dick Reed, and Dick Noel at Blissdale back in the late 60's and early 70's. I went by Jimmy's late one season after I got to know Jimmy because I had lost the end out of one of his calls (a cardinal sin to a callmaker). He had a drawer full of calls that he did not sell over the years. Since he had sold all of his "for sale" calls for the year, he told me go over to that drawer and pick one out. I started through the lot, maybe 25. All as good as they get, but all a little different. I hit on this call and really started working it. Mr. Jimmy said "Let me see that call" and started hailing on it like noboby but Jimmy could do. He handed it back to me and said "Well I'll be dern, I used that call for 3 years and it changed on me a little bit and I stuck it in the drawer. Low and behold, it has changed back for the better". Bought the call then and there, and like Jimmy used to say over a cup of coffee, after working on calls all day, "I'll bet I could fill this room up with the ducks I have killed over my lifetime." His old kitchen, in that old house off North State, had 14ft. ceilings and was huge. I have some of Dick Reed's calls but I have not found one that holds a candle to that old burl walnut call of Jimmy's. I used to help Jimmy tune calls the last 5 years that he made them. He used to say no two hunters will blow the same call the same way, just as most ducks have a little different call. He was from the old school of duck hunting, and was a true master hunter, call maker, and caller. The best of the best.

[LawDawg]

It's a small world. almost all of my duck hunts include Dick Noel and/or Dick Reed. And as for Mr. Reed's calls not holding a candle to Jimmy's, I've got some of his that would make you reconsider that statement.

[gator]

The call on the far right is the one I currently use and have been since 1967. I posted that it was made in 1967, but I bought it in 67 and it was 5 years old. I hunted with Mr. Jimmy, Dick Reed, and Dick Noel at Blissdale back in the late 60's and early 70's. I went by Jimmy's late one season after I got to know Jimmy because I had lost the end out of one of his calls (a cardinal sin to a callmaker). He had a drawer full of calls that he did not sell over the years. Since he had sold all of his "for sale" calls for the year, he told me go over to that drawer and pick one out. I started through the lot, maybe 25. All as good as they get, but all a little different. I hit on this call and really started working it. Mr. Jimmy said "Let me see that call" and started hailing on it like noboby but Jimmy could do. He handed it back to me and said "Well I'll be dern, I used that call for 3 years and it changed on me a little bit and I stuck it in the drawer. Low and behold, it has changed back for the better". Bought the call then and there, and like Jimmy used to say over a cup of coffee, after working on calls all day, "I'll bet I could fill this room up with the ducks I have killed over my lifetime." His old kitchen, in that old house off North State, had 14ft. ceilings and was huge. I have some of Dick Reed's calls but I have not found one that holds a candle to that old burl walnut call of Jimmy's. I used to help Jimmy tune calls the last 5 years that he made them. He used to say no two hunters will blow the same call the same way, just as most ducks have a little different call. He was from the old school of duck hunting, and was a true master hunter, call maker, and caller. The best of the best.

THIS is extremely COOL STUFF!!!!! and makes me feel better about my own call making, as i share many of mr. Riddell's thoughts myself.

thanks mr. st. john!

-gator

[Jake St. John]

It's a small world. almost all of my duck hunts include Dick Noel and/or Dick Reed. And as for Mr. Reed's calls not holding a candle to Jimmy's, I've got some of his that would make you reconsider that statement.

Now, I did not say Duck Reed's calls are not good. I have 4 or 5 very good calls of his , and will purchase more so long as Dick makes them. I just have not found one, like that old one of Jimmy's. That old call was made from a walnut tree root section near Edwards, Ms. Mr. Jimmmy said it was high on a hill. He would say, use the walnut that's been through the stress high on a hill, don't use the walnut from down in a wet marshy bottom. It will have black streaks and be weak. It's just something about a certain call. When you find one, that mates with your calling style, you immmedialtely know it. -- It's the same way with turkey calls, I didn't know what in the heck I was doing when I started making box turkey calls back in 1987. The first one was so bad I gave it to my brother in Shreveport, horrible call, lucky if you got a turkey to answer it. I would sell all of shotguns and consider trading you my wife before I would let the second call I made out of my possession. I have been making turkey calls for 22 years, trying to get the same sound that that call has. I have come very close and can make a very good call almost every time, but it's something about wood density, the grain, and type of wood that creates the sound. Kind of like the stratavarius violin. They say it was the aged wood from a certain area that makes that special sound. I do know this. The man that taught me how to turkey hunt, gave me the piece of walnut that second call was made from. He said it was very old. He was in the timber business and he had it for a number of years.--Here's to all the callmakers out there! Keep up a fine tradition.

[LawDawg]

It's a small world. almost all of my duck hunts include Dick Noel and/or Dick Reed. And as for Mr. Reed's calls not holding a candle to Jimmy's, I've got some of his that would make you reconsider that statement.

Now, I did not say Duck Reed's calls are not good. I have 4 or 5 very good calls of his , and will purchase more so long as Dick makes them. I just have not found one, like that old one of Jimmy's. That old call was made from a walnut tree root section near Edwards, Ms. Mr. Jimmmy said it was high on a hill. He would say, use the walnut that's been through the stress high on a hill, don't use the walnut from down in a wet marshy bottom. It will have black streaks and be weak. It's just something about a certain call. When you find one, that mates with your calling style, you immmedialtely know it. -- It's the same way with turkey calls, I didn't know what in the heck I was doing when I started making box turkey calls back in 1987. The first one was so bad I gave it to my brother in Shreveport, horrible call, lucky if you got a turkey to answer it. I would sell all of shotguns and consider trading you my wife before I would let the second call I made out of my possession. I have been making turkey calls for 22 years, trying to get the same sound that that call has. I have come very close and can make a very good call almost every time, but it's something about wood density, the grain, and type of wood that creates the sound. Kind of like the stratavarius violin. They say it was the aged wood from a certain area that makes that special sound. I do know this. The man that taught me how to turkey hunt, gave me the piece of walnut that second call was made from. He said it was very old. He was in the timber business and he had it for a number of years.--Here's to all the callmakers out there! Keep up a fine tradition.

I know you weren't saying that. I was just giving you a hard time. I know the feeling about having one call that fits you better than any other. One that Mr. Reed gave me about ten years ago (it's probably 30 years old) is my go to call and I would cry if I ever lost any part of it. It just fits me perfectly. Next time I am in greenville, I'll bring some of mine and we can envy each others. It's good to know someone else outside of dad and noel that truly appreciates the caliber of calls and the amount of knowledge jimmy and Mr. Reed had/have.

On another note, i was going to offer to burn you a copy of the cd of Jimmy and Mr. Reed doing the interview, but I think Noel has a copy for you. If you don't get it, let me know and I will send one your way. you will absolutely love it.

And who knows, maybe one day I will have the pleasure and honor to use one of your calls in the turkey woods on a cool spring day.

[Jake St. John]

If Noel has a copy for me, I have not received it. Would consider trading you an Eddleman custom box call for a CD. I have a copy of Jimmy's picture that the Clarion Ledger made when the big article about him came out in the Sunday paper. This was before I left Jackson in 73. Couldn't be a CD of that, they didn't have CD's back then and I don't think Dick was in that article. This must be a later one after I left Jackson. You can send it to John Eddleman Custom Calls, 285 Primrose, Greenville, Ms. 38701 and I will put you on the list for a custom box call. I will get with you for the specs on it. Have 5 ahead of you and don't work on them during this hot weather. Probably be this fall or around Christmas.

[LawDawg]

well now I guess the cat is out of the bag Mr. St. John.

I will put it in the mail for you tomorrow. It was on a tape and dad converted it to cd and cleaned it up a bit to get some of the variant noise out of it. I have the picture from that article on Mr. Jimmy in the clarion ledger. In fact, I believe I have one of the calls in the picture.

[swamprooter]

I need a Southland duck call circa 1979ish from Leland Ms for my collection. I grew up on that call. I remember Delta Arms had a gass jar full of them for $20 a piece...i'll pay top dollar for one if someone can find one for me.

[three11]

I need a Southland duck call circa 1979ish from Leland Ms for my collection. I grew up on that call. I remember Delta Arms had a gass jar full of them for $20 a piece...i'll pay top dollar for one if someone can find one for me.

My first call was a Southland that my dad bought for me at a calling contest in Greenville around 1980 or so. He was selling them out of a shoebox in the parking lot before the contest. I remember Mr Hartley had a larengectomy, and couldn't blow them anymore. He would tune them by flicking the reed against the tone board and adjust the call by the click that it made. Many a duck met his maker due to that call. I lost it long ago, but would give away every call I have now to get it back.

[Jake St. John]

Swamprooter wrote

I need a Southland duck call circa 1979ish from Leland Ms for my collection. I grew up on that call. I remember Delta Arms had a gass jar full of them for $20 a piece...i'll pay top dollar for one if someone can find one for me.

_________________

Well it just so happens that I am going by tomorrow to look at one a friend has. He is not a duck hunter, someone gave him the call. May be for sale. The only thing, he has several calls like this and does not know what one looks like. I don't either, I have an Idea, so send me a picture of one or one similar to it and I can figure it out.

[swamprooter]

PM sent with picture..thanks Jake St. John

[champcaller]

this thread is quickly turning in to one of my favorites..

mr. eddleman, thank you for sharing some of these great stories about the art of call making. great stuff!!!