Break-In & Care

Field Notes

Break-In & Care

A new call has a voice of its own. Here’s how to break it in and keep it running for years.

Breaking It In
01

Start slow

Run soft, steady notes for the first few sessions. A new reed needs time to settle before it’ll open up and ring.

02

Find the floor and the ceiling

Work from your lowest growl up to your highest hail. Learning the call’s full range is how you learn where it wants to sit.

03

Let it dry out

After a session, pull the insert and let the reed dry flat. A dry reed snaps back clean and lasts a lot longer.

Keeping It Right

Keep it clean

Rinse with clean water after a muddy hunt. Skip the soap and solvents — they do more harm than good to wood and reed.

Store it dry

Off the lanyard and out of a hot truck cab. Dry, shaded, and flat is best between hunts.

Mind the reed

Reeds are wear parts. If the call goes flat or sticks, it’s usually the reed — reach out and we’ll get you sorted.

“Take care of it, and it’ll ride a lanyard for decades. That’s the point.”