For the last two day's at the NWTF, i heard as good of pot call's, that a person could play in the 50 - 100 dollar price range , just as good if not better than some of these 350 dollar pot call's that posted for sale .. I'm telling you a lot of these builders are matching these guy's in building great pot calls .. and i'm sure a lot of other people at the show , saw the same thing i did , in the quality of these other builders.
I echo this comment whole heartedly. A vast range of call makers I'd never heard of, or guys with just not a big following, entered some fantastic calls this year, or had booths and were selling calls very cheap for the quality of their work.
To mention one is Clay Townsend. Won best of show, and all his calls enetered were smoking. He still sold his calls he brought to the show at $60 even though he won what he did less than 24 hours before. Was told they will go up a little bit once the show is over, but still be very reasonable, he's now earned the right to sell at a premium, and I highly respect him for his decision to still sell his calls at $60 for the show.
That being said I don't see the prices on those $250-$350 calls coming down too much as though they might not be leaps and bounds "better" it's the fact they're collectible being those call makers don't put out many calls and that's just the new premium those particular calls bring. But I'd imagine the market on them will settle just a little.
I agree I played most everything I came across at the show and was impressed with a lot of them. I also played a lot of the calls entered in the contest and man that would be a hard job judging . There was several I thought could have had a medal and ribbon beside them but didn't . Had a blast tho and met some good folks !
I have owned or played most of the "big name" call makers and I still find myself hunting with most call makers pot that don't enter any of the contest, they focus on building calls that are made to hunt and sound like turkey, and most of those pot calls range in price from $65 to $85.00.
Quote from: Yelper on February 15, 2020, 02:22:56 PM
I have owned or played most of the "big name" call makers and I still find myself hunting with most call makers pot that don't enter any of the contest, they focus on building calls that are made to hunt and sound like turkey, and most of those pot calls range in price from $65 to $85.00.
:agreed:
The other thing is the judges ability to run a call. I see guys at Unicoi holding calls right next to their ear and playing them like they are listening for microscopic turkey sounds. I would cringe watching judges play these calls. So yes there are some great callmakers who aren't well known and some great ones who are. Its personal preference really and the gobbler is the final judge. Right now I'm hooked on Paul Durhams pots. Another amazing callmaker who is humble and doesn't charge hundreds of dollars for amazing pots.
Quote from: KentuckyHeadhunter on February 15, 2020, 03:14:02 PM
Quote from: Yelper on February 15, 2020, 02:22:56 PM
I have owned or played most of the "big name" call makers and I still find myself hunting with most call makers pot that don't enter any of the contest, they focus on building calls that are made to hunt and sound like turkey, and most of those pot calls range in price from $65 to $85.00.
:agreed:
The other thing is the judges ability to run a call. I see guys at Unicoi holding calls right next to their ear and playing them like they are listening for microscopic turkey sounds. I would cringe watching judges play these calls. So yes there are some great callmakers who aren't well known and some great ones who are. Its personal preference really and the gobbler is the final judge. Right now I'm hooked on Paul Durhams pots. Another amazing callmaker who is humble and doesn't charge hundreds of dollars for amazing pots.
You have good taste Paul is making smoking pots that you can get at a reasonable price.
I think Paul's day is coming in one of the Nashville shows one day not sure if he is entering calls now or not.
Never could understand why guys depend on what others think about the sound of a call. Turkey hunting is a one man sport.
Quote from: C. Brumfiel on February 15, 2020, 05:43:58 PM
Never could understand why guys depend on what others think about the sound of a call. Turkey hunting is a one man sport.
Agreed, everyone has their own turkey in their head.
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Do you think the same also holds true for the box call makers?
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As a box call maker I enjoy doing comps and like it when my calls place but dont get wound up in what 5 judges think. That said it's good to get the feedback from judges to help try to make a better call. As long as my customers are happy and they kill turkeys with calls will always trump any comp in my book. Those call makers who have won any category deserve that win. They've worked countless hrs on making they're calls the best that they can be.
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Quote from: husker on February 15, 2020, 06:35:22 PM
Do you think the same also holds true for the box call makers?
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I think so also, i played a lot of great to good boxes and hen boxes ... Overall at the show , i saw and played some really good calls ..
did you play any average or poor calls?
Quote from: gaswamp on February 15, 2020, 07:57:51 PM
did you play any average or poor calls?
I will say i played some i didn't like as well.. but it depends, on what surface your looking for in pitch, break , rasp and sound, what hunts for you..etc .. wood of the pot makes a difference ..just opinion ...
I was there and played alot of great calls and bought a couple.
And some not so good. Remember not all the purchases of calls is for hunting some are collecting. I know the callmaker isnt charging that much, its supply and demand.
Quote from: HookedonHooks on February 15, 2020, 12:07:48 PM
I echo this comment whole heartedly. A vast range of call makers I'd never heard of, or guys with just not a big following, entered some fantastic calls this year, or had booths and were selling calls very cheap for the quality of their work.
To mention one is Clay Townsend. Won best of show, and all his calls enetered were smoking. He still sold his calls he brought to the show at $60 even though he won what he did less than 24 hours before. Was told they will go up a little bit once the show is over, but still be very reasonable, he's now earned the right to sell at a premium, and I highly respect him for his decision to still sell his calls at $60 for the show.
I have 4 of clays pot calls and 8 strikers. They are top class calls for sure.
That being said I don't see the prices on those $250-$350 calls coming down too much as though they might not be leaps and bounds "better" it's the fact they're collectible being those call makers don't put out many calls and that's just the new premium those particular calls bring. But I'd imagine the market on them will settle just a little.
Quote from: Yelper on February 15, 2020, 02:22:56 PM
I have owned or played most of the "big name" call makers and I still find myself hunting with most call makers pot that don't enter any of the contest, they focus on building calls that are made to hunt and sound like turkey, and most of those pot calls range in price from $65 to $85.00.
So you are insinuating that the "big name" call makers don't focus on building calls that are made to hunt or sound like a turkey... this is a ridiculous comment. I think if it were up to them they would love to only sell calls to guys they knew would hunt them. We are the ones making them collectible, not them. Last time I checked, you can get a call from those guys for $100 to $125, yet we keep acting like they charge $300 for a call. I have talked to these "big name" call makers numerous times and they are all obsessed with improving their calls and making them better all the time. I played all sorts of calls on the table in Nashville. The best call I ran was a Platz doublesider. Certainly there are tons of great call makers today, but let's not act like the popular call makers just don't care about making the best calls they can anymore.
Quote from: KentuckyHeadhunter on February 15, 2020, 03:14:02 PM
Quote from: Yelper on February 15, 2020, 02:22:56 PM
I have owned or played most of the "big name" call makers and I still find myself hunting with most call makers pot that don't enter any of the contest, they focus on building calls that are made to hunt and sound like turkey, and most of those pot calls range in price from $65 to $85.00.
You have to hold them close to your ear because its so loud in there! :) If I find one that has a good sound, I ask them to accompany me outside to hear it in the open.
Pure turkey all over the Unicoi show!
:agreed:
The other thing is the judges ability to run a call. I see guys at Unicoi holding calls right next to their ear and playing them like they are listening for microscopic turkey sounds. I would cringe watching judges play these calls. So yes there are some great callmakers who aren't well known and some great ones who are. Its personal preference really and the gobbler is the final judge. Right now I'm hooked on Paul Durhams pots. Another amazing callmaker who is humble and doesn't charge hundreds of dollars for amazing pots.
Quote from: turkeygene on February 19, 2020, 04:29:33 PM
Quote from: Yelper on February 15, 2020, 02:22:56 PM
I have owned or played most of the "big name" call makers and I still find myself hunting with most call makers pot that don't enter any of the contest, they focus on building calls that are made to hunt and sound like turkey, and most of those pot calls range in price from $65 to $85.00.
So you are insinuating that the "big name" call makers don't focus on building calls that are made to hunt or sound like a turkey... this is a ridiculous comment. I think if it were up to them they would love to only sell calls to guys they knew would hunt them. We are the ones making them collectible, not them. Last time I checked, you can get a call from those guys for $100 to $125, yet we keep acting like they charge $300 for a call. I have talked to these "big name" call makers numerous times and they are all obsessed with improving their calls and making them better all the time. I played all sorts of calls on the table in Nashville. The best call I ran was a Platz doublesider. Certainly there are tons of great call makers today, but let's not act like the popular call makers just don't care about making the best calls they can anymore.
Why do you feel that was the best? It was a great call and all things are subject to interpretation. I played the same call and did not see why the call would sell for hundreds of dollars higher than some on this site. Im not taking anything away from the platz but I played some smokers (to me) that had no ribbon beside them.
Just curious as to what jumped out at you with that call.