...Kittrell Kallers... From call collector to call maker...

[NCBigShot]

I recently dipped my toe into the water of call making about a month and a half ago not knowing at the time that the water was so deep.. When I picked up a dead stick of cane out on my hunting lease and thought to myself, "I wonder if I can make a yelper out of this".... Luckily that first attempt actually produced a sound I thought was decent enough to inspire me to try to make others... I've received loads of encouragement from my friends and family to continue on... Here's a little pictorial summery of how I started to where I am now.... My how the time flies!



...my first caller..made 07/24/11... As ugly as this little stick is, it had a very nice sound to it...
I decided to call my calls "Kittrell Kallers" because I came across a stand of wild bamboo in a creek bottom up on my hunting lease in Kittrell, NC... I grabbed a dried stalk of cane with no particular plan for it and took it home... I initially considered making a cane fishing pole out of the 7 foot long piece but ended up cutting it into sections to see if I could make myself a suction call..



...I made some more in the next couple of weeks...still only two piece calls... At the time I considered a 3-piece call so advanced, I wasn't quite ready to try making one yet...


..Continued to harvest more locally grown cane, and my workbench was beginning to look like a bamboo graveyard...



..by mid-August I felt like I got the hang of the 3-piece calls and I swung into full production mode, spending way more time at the workbench than I ever have before...


...had to make this handy-dandy call stand to "stage" calls that were in the middle of making...



...Now here is where I am now... Making calls that I feel are both functioning and attractive... Experimenting with stains, finishing techniques, brass ferrules, and so-forth...

...I had great luck recently when I walked into a local sporting goods shop with several of my calls... The shop owner actually bought 15 new yelpers from me! And a couple have been sold to friends at my son's football practice. So far, the response has been terrific!

..I've decided to create packaging for the yelpers with basic instructions for care and usage... The owners of the sporting goods store where I'm selling these calls thought that was a great idea, and besides..you know what they say about "presentation"...


...Here's the new line of Kittrell Kallers all packaged up and ready to find new owners...


...What do ya'll think?

[TRKYHTR]

I like it bigshot. How do they sound? Congrats on your progression they look great.

TRKYHTR

[NCBigShot]

I like it bigshot. How do they sound? Congrats on your progression they look great.

TRKYHTR

...Thanks, TRKYHTR!.. To be honest, they sound great for what they are... 100% pure cane yelps... Nothing fancy... No "internals"... ...I won't put together a call that I feel won't rile up a gobbler...

[Ferguson]

I think it's great!

David

[drenalinld]

Great looking callers. I would love to hear one!

[r.bmann]

Nice!!! They have come along way in a couple of months.    

[a-j calls]

Well done Ken, they look good..

[savduck]

Those are some nice callers. Congrats.

[NCBigShot]

Great looking callers. I would love to hear one!

Thanks!
...I'm currently working on a Youtube demo video... Hopefully you won't have long to wait!

[NCBigShot]

...Video link is now posted!

http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,12864.0.html

[Old Gobbler]

Ken , you will do well with those ! - Congrats on the new venture    --Shannon

[silverspur]

Congrats, sound good and best of luck with them.

[West Augusta]

Got mine tonight.



You made a fine Kaller Ken
Makes some pretty good yelps.

[NCBigShot]

..Glad to hear you like the call, Steve! Coming from you that means a lot. Thanks.