Platz

[pplatz83]

When I stopped taking orders back in 2016 I was already two years behind on orders.  I was married with no kids, 32 years old.  My calls were becoming wildly popular at the time and things just got out of control really fast that summer so I made the decision to cut off my list.  I had what must have been over a hundred orders, some with as many as 4 calls per order.  I thought at the time, this was really going to take a long time to do all these.  I told most people it would take a year for me to fill the order, even as the list ballooned in just a matter of a few weeks.  When I took those orders I had every good intention that I would just make calls as I usually did and I would indeed eventually get them done.

That fall my wife and I found out we had a baby on the way.  Life focuses changed after that.  We didnt have a house ready for a baby.  We werent sure we would ever be ready or even want to have kids.  Keep in mind that call making was always a hobby for me.  I work full time just like everyone else.  Every minute I spend making calls is time spent not with family when i am supposed to doing just that.  Anyone with kids knows, they are the most important and precious thing that can happen in your life.  They have been life changing for me and my wife.  The thing about having kids is that you dont know until you know.  I saw people with kids and made judgements for years until we had them and realized what kind of commitment and challenges parenting presented.

Callmaking is hard on families, dont beleive me, go ask a callmaker.  If I kept working on calls the way I did, regardless of having children or not, I wouldnt still be married today.  Again, every minute I spend doing it is telling my wife and kids, this is more important than you.  You have to keep a balance in your life or family will not succeed.  Everyone makes calls different, and I dont judge anyone on how they do it.  It takes me at least an hour to rough out a pot call, probably 15 minutes to finish my internals at a later time, 5 coats of urethane after that, 8 hours of dry time between coats, sand and clean between each one, clean, prep, and glueing surfaces takes me about 15 minutes per call.  And then I turn strikers.  That takes varying time depending on the wood, let's say 20 minutes plus 2 coats of urethane.  The time I dont include in this is the time spent thinking out and preparing what I can do to change the next call to make it better than the last.  Every call I make has some minor changes to it.  If you think there isnt a science to making calls, you're wrong.  Especially if you want to make consistentally really good calls.  Making a pot call the way I do is pretty mentally and physically challenging.  It's not easy to stand at a lathe that long.  I chuck up a block of wood and shape the inside and outside of the call with hand tools.  I dont use high end tooling to speed up the process of shaping any part of the call.  I have all my dimensions for every call I make written down before I start to the nearest .001 inch.  It takes a lot of patience and concentration to cut as close to those dimensions with hand tools as you can.  I have well over a hundred calls in a drawer at home, it's called my junk drawer.  I dont ever toss out a bad one, and I dont ever send one out either.  I have always taken pride in what I built and i have tried to make the best call I can.

In the last few years the only thing that has gotten me motivated to make calls has been the NWTF Grand Nationals.  I made a commitment to make calls during times when it doesnt interfere with family time.  For me that means sacrificing sleep.  I had to get up at 4 am to rough a call and then get ready for my 10 hour daily work shift.  Or maybe I get up after everyone goes to bed and put in a late night.  One year I only made one call after my daughter was born, the next I made 12 calls and entered 8 of those in a competition.  If I have 4 calls left over, yeah, I get those to my close friends in Nashville.  That was always something I did every year.  These are people that I look forward to seeing once a year that have somehow influenced me in my callmaking journey.  Some of them I would consider to be my best friends.  When I get back to making calls for people on my list is a time that I just dont know right now.  I didnt stop filling orders because I wanted to be a jerk to a bunch of people.  The people that know me, should tell you that's not the kind of person I am.  It makes me sick to have not filled every order i took.  Every callmakers goal is to get rid of the dreaded list.  No one wants that to be hanging over their head.  Call making is not something that I can devote much time to these days.  It is not my livleyhood and its counter productive to a healthy family life.  I suspect when my kids get older, then I will have more time to focus on it.  One thing wont change though, I will still make the best call I can for anyone on my list that still wants one.  If you dont want one feel free to drop me a note and I can remove anyone from the list.  It's nothing personal to anyone on my list.  My family will always be more important to me than making a Turkey call.  And if you see a friend of mine with a Turkey call, it's nothing personal and beleive me when I say that it doesn't mean I made a hundred calls and sent those out to a bunch of guys not on the list.  I intend to fill the orders I took someday, I just dont know when that will be.  I havent taken a penny from anyone on my list.  I also dont sell calls for 300 dollars.  I think you guys think that I do sometimes.  I'm not in it to get rich.  If I was you would all have your calls by now.  If I have missed a note from someone, feel free to reach out again.  Happy Hunting to everyone this year.

Paul Platz

[Mathews.1]

I'm more proud of you for being a father to your children and a husband to your wife. Sorry you had to explain your life and what's important to you.

[EZ]

Very well said Paul.

[HookedonHooks]

People often forget that receiving a call from a call maker is still a privilege, and not a right.

No need to explain yourself to a bunch of grown men why your family is more important than some turkey calls.

[CDCorder]

Very well said brother. Those of us that know you know there's not a better or good hearted a guy out there. You're as likable a guy as there is in the call making world, and everyone that truly knows you knows that. I'm proud to call you one of my closest and most trusted friends. It's really sad we live in a world where you have to explain yourself to grown men that have nothing better to do than complain about a turkey call on the internet. You are definitely the one with your priorities straight.

Clint

[Tom007]

Well said, enjoy your family because in the grand scheme of life, it really is all you have...

[ChesterCopperpot]

Paul's answer makes me want one of his pots even more. You sound like a hell of a father and fine, fine man. Which back to my original response to the OP, I'd much rather pay $300 for a Platz pot than I would a "limited edition" MeatEater pot

On a serious note, this is also a good lesson in how we tend to take things personally that probably have nothing to do with us at all. Human nature to internalize things and make them about us—me, me, me ain't just the sound of a grouse about to spook—when most the time what we're failing to realize is that the other side is just living life, getting by same as we all are and that there's absolutely nothing personal about it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Fieldturkey]

All the guys that get on here and bash call makers for being backed up are losers. You could just move on and buy someone else's calls but you take time out of your day to bash a guy for having a life outside this. Speaks more about you than the guy your pasting about. Bunch of haters

[CDCorder]

All the guys that get on here and bash call makers for being backed up are losers. You could just move on and buy someone else's calls but you take time out of your day to bash a guy for having a life outside this. Speaks more about you than the guy your pasting about. Bunch of haters

So much this. You are my new favorite poster.

[Andy S.]

I haven't read Paul's reply above, but I can promise you I'm not bashing him, I'm stating facts in my reply above. I'm also not a loser and I don't internalize things. I have bigger fish to fry in my life. I can also promise you I have a mortgage, a demanding career, children (plural), one with medical challenges, and family life and ALL of the hurdles and daily frustrations ALL of you have and point to as an excuse to not keep a commitment. With that said, when I make a commitment, I honor my word. Period, no discussion about it. I'm not an excuse maker. My word to another is more secure than a legal binding contract. I KNOW how long it takes to turn a pot call and put some glue on it and allow it time to dry before it goes in the mail to a customer, or more likely to another call maker at a show. I'll always support call makers putting families first, but I weigh one's moral compass heavily by the word they give me, especially if it's in writing. Like I stated above, I'm still patiently waiting and I expect to receive my calls one day. I can tell from everyone's reply here that supports Paul that they too expect him to fulfill my order when my name comes up on the list. They speak too highly of him which tells me they trust his word as well.  Like I stated, not bashing, just stating facts with a documented timeline and documented correspondence. The same way I do business in my every day life. For good measure, I just resent my e-mail from last month as a follow up note to increase my odds of correspondence in 2022.

[MDTOM84]

So how many sent Paul a email saying they want to be taken off his list? Just curious

[Ranger]

More importantly, how many people WERE going to send an email or make a call that now never will?

[Txag12]

I guess I don't get how people can get this worked up over a turkey call. Sure I would love to have a Platz or Corder pot in my collection, but I know it's unlikely at this time. If someone has waited 6 years for something and still thinks posting online will change their outcome then they're taking it way too personal. Take it with a grain of salt and realize it's just a turkey call. Order some calls from one of the many other great makers if you need one tomorrow.

[Andy S.]

My last reply on this thread. I'm not worked up, it's truly not a big deal to me, as I have more custom calls than I can hunt and I haven't placed an order in a few years with any call maker. I'm sharing my experience to date. Take it however you may.

[compton30]

I mean I feel like this thread doesn't exist if that post by Mr. Platz would've been sent in an email or on a phone call years ago.