Call Market

[Zobo]

I know the demand for suction calls really has increased, but I still rarely run across another hunter in the woods using one.

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Very true


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That's because the market is being driven largely by collectors, a smaller group of repeat buyers, buying over and over. I'd bet 90 percent of trumpets never see the woods. You ever notice how perfectly new most trumpets look on the secondary market?

[Yoder409]

I'd bet 90 percent of trumpets never see the woods. You ever notice how perfectly new most trumpets look on the secondary market?

Good point.

But the VERY same thing is true of custom box calls, if you'll notice.........   "Brand new condition"..........."Never been hunted"............ "Never seen the woods"............. etc.

[EZ]

I know the demand for suction calls really has increased, but I still rarely run across another hunter in the woods using one.

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Very true


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That's because the market is being driven largely by collectors, a smaller group of repeat buyers, buying over and over. I'd bet 90 percent of trumpets never see the woods. You ever notice how perfectly new most trumpets look on the secondary market?

I don't know about trumpets, but I always talk fairly extensively to folks that buy my WBs and Jordans. The vast majority of them are turkey killers looking for a new tool and fully plan on hunting them.

I think the learning curve was the only thing that had been holding it (the market) back for years, but now, with the internet, information and tons of dead turkeys, more folks are taking the plunge.

[richard black]

There are so many good points that have been made already in this thread. Yes, trumpets are very popular now but then so are other calls. Just look at the number of topics on the different types calls on this forum. The trumpets are new to some and different, and that causes many to want to use them.  But no matter how good the maker they buy from, one still has to learn how to run them to be successful in the woods. The first time a newbie to trumpets messes up on a bird, most likely he or she will return to the old standby's. To those who have the perseverance to continue, hooray to them, what a tool they have for hunting. To those who don't, well let us know when you want to sell those trumpets.
Just an old man's ramblings.

[Yelper]

After spending some time with the trumpets and witnessing first hand how effective they are on my first time using them last season I will be carrying one with me at all times. They are another tool to use when the box, pot call and mouth calls just don't seem to be working. As with all turkey hunts just depends on what that Gobbler is interested in.

[Zobo]

I'd bet 90 percent of trumpets never see the woods. You ever notice how perfectly new most trumpets look on the secondary market?

Good point.

But the VERY same thing is true of custom box calls, if you'll notice.........   "Brand new condition"..........."Never been hunted"............ "Never seen the woods"............. etc.

Yes, good point

[Zobo]

I know the demand for suction calls really has increased, but I still rarely run across another hunter in the woods using one.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Very true


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's because the market is being driven largely by collectors, a smaller group of repeat buyers, buying over and over. I'd bet 90 percent of trumpets never see the woods. You ever notice how perfectly new most trumpets look on the secondary market?

I don't know about trumpets, but I always talk fairly extensively to folks that buy my WBs and Jordans. The vast majority of them are turkey killers looking for a new tool and fully plan on hunting them.

I think the learning curve was the only thing that had been holding it (the market) back for years, but now, with the internet, information and tons of dead turkeys, more folks are taking the plunge.

That's an interesting point, as Chester pointed out too, access to online information has changed things so much.

[gaswamp]

I'd bet 90 percent of trumpets never see the woods. You ever notice how perfectly new most trumpets look on the secondary market?

Good point.

But the VERY same thing is true of custom box calls, if you'll notice.........   "Brand new condition"..........."Never been hunted"............ "Never seen the woods"............. etc.

and to think that a turkey call is a tool but hey I got a few too many as well

[Brillo]

If making trumpets was my side hustle I would seriously consider going full time and taking the ride.  Men in general don't hesitate to spend big bucks on hobbies and right now there are few makers.   The challenge is in reaching customers.   
An excellent trumpet seems impossible to mass produce but a crappy trumpet does not.  If the numbers start to look decent one of the big call companies will find a way to make them in China and hang them in box stores.  If the product and packaging looks good they will sell every single one they hang on a hook for $99.99  That will be good if it leads the purchasers to look for the real deal.    Pot, diaphragm and box calls are available at box stores and the custom business for those seems strong.  The future looks very bright for all trumpet makers.

[Yoder409]

......... one of the big call companies will find a way to make them in China and hang them in box stores.

That happened 60 years ago.

Penn's Woods Calls mass-produced the Tom Turpin Yelper.  Wasn't made in China........and no idea how they play or sound.  But they musta sold the crap out of them because there's still a lot of them out there to this day.

[GTH]

Although not mass produced like Penn's Woods didn't Mike Battey test the waters with more of a production type Wild Talker trumpet a few years back?  The recent trumpet craze perceived by some may be a cyclical type thing but is certainly not new.  When I bought my first trumpet back in early to mid-2000 and the Custom Callmakers Online forum was still around there was similar talk of the trumpet being the latest and greatest secret weapon.   Back then it was similar to today, there were a handful of reliably good callmakers making them and some real duds being turned out by others trying to jump into the market. 

[ol bob]

Its very easy to mass produce a good trumpet, but I think the name on the call is as important as the sound its makes. Good example the calls that My Lynch made are worth more that the ones made later with his name on them even though both were made on the same machines.

[bowbird87]

Pot call prices are crazy in the secondary market. You dang near have to give them away.

[Big Jeremy]

I agree with a lot of this. This forum is what got me to try trumpets. I'm still not good on them, but I carry one for directional calling to gobblers in the distance at times, and can do enough for that to work for me. I've only bought three, but Greg Gwaltney's was the easiest for me to run somewhat consistently.

I'm happy for those makers that might be able to make a little more money than they thought. Of course, the best ones don't seem to be raising their prices. That's why they're the best.

Dave Owens talking about them certainly didn't hurt their popularity. I think that's a good thing, overall.


I think tubes will be the next thing to take off.  Dave has been using those more lately, too. Folks will see and copy. If THP used anything other than WH pots and mouth calls, whatever they used would skyrocket.

I'm thankful to get more input from this site...so many here, even though I've never met them, I take their word for truth when it comes to call quality, and callmaker reputation. I'm thankful for the many thousands of dollars over the years that you jokers have helped encourage to spend unknowingly!


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[Yoder409]

I'm thankful for the many thousands of dollars over the years that you jokers have helped encourage to spend unknowingly!

I may not be a professional turkey hunter...........but I AM a professional enabler when it comes to a brother needing call-buying encouragement.