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Louisiana Duck Calling

By: Capt. Rene Dandry

Calling ducks has been a tradition and a key part of the art of waterfowling for generations. A hunters ability to mimic the sounds of ducks and geese, often made a big contribution to putting feathers in the bag. Waterfowl calls vary is size shape and the material from which they are made. Early duck call were hand made with cane and reed; todays call makers use wood, acrylic, and hard plastic. With the duck hunting industry growing more and more call companies are emerging. For this writer, my experiences from the pat few years with a pioneer in the business has changed my life.

Haydel’s Game Calls of Bossier City, Louisiana began in 1981 by Eli Haydel. Eli originally from the bayous of south Louisiana, just outside New Orleans was an accomplished musician. Playing swamp pop and also in the air force band was an avid duck hunter. With a keen sense of tone, he tried and succeeded in making his own call. After he made one, he passed it around to some fellow hunters and they wanted one. Which started as a hobby, turned into a business. As Eli began his business, the eldest son Rod joined his dad in production of the ducks calls. What started out as a waterfowl call company turned into a complete game call company. Duck, Goose, Turkey, Deer, and Predator calls. “ When we would go to outdoors shows, dad would always pick up some rubber ducks and a fish bowl from Wal-Mart and fill the bowl up with water. He would hang a call in the water and put the ducks in the water.” Rod said. This would prove to people that Eli’s calls could blow wet. Then only a few calls were made and sold at a time, but now calls are mass produced. The famous DR-85, which is by far the best selling call that Haydel produces and probably the most bought duck call in the world exceeds the 30,000 mark in number of individual calls sold.

Kelly, Eli’s youngest son, is a key player in the business. Kelly does most of the shows now, and also runs the family’s duck camp. The camp is not a commercial guide camp, but it is utilized to take out clients, tv shows and magazines. Along with myself, Kelly and I see to the day to day operations of the duck camp. Kelly and Rod both hand tune and put together all of the calls that come from their shop. It’s pretty cool to walk in their shop and there are just boxes of parts everywhere. I feel like a kid in a candy store whenever I visit them. There are calls with parts from other calls that are put together and make a sort of frankenstein call. These calls are not on the market but are fun to experiment with. I will have some video up soon with video of myself along with Kelly and Rod on calling specks, Canada’s, Ducks, Turkey’s ETC.... STAY TUNED!!!!

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