The echo inside a stand of flooded timber is incredibly loud, yet many hunters call as if they are trying to cut through a thirty-knot wind on an open reservoir. High-volume calling in close quarters bounces off the tree trunks, creating a disorienting wall of sound that alerts wary mallards to your exact position. Success in the trees requires a drastic reduction in volume and a major increase in realism.
The Power of the Single Reed
Ditch the loud double-reed calls designed for maximum volume and switch to a bored-out single reed made of soft timber acrylic or wood. These calls allow you to drop down to a raspy, quiet feed chuckle and a squealing hen mallard duck sound that mimics a content bird feeding on acorns. It takes more air control to operate, but the subtle, natural tone is unmatched in tight spaces.
Read the Body Language
The golden rule of timber calling is to only blow the horn when you see tail feathers and wing tips. When ducks are committed and swinging toward your hole, put the call in your pocket and let the water motion do the work. If they start to drift or slide wide, a simple, soft single-note quack is all it takes to lock them back on line.