Limited Edition

Limited Edition
Here is your chance to ‘Reignite the Passion’ with one of these beautiful
collector’s Limited Edition Duck Calls.
here are going to be more
opportunities to hunt ducks
this year than for the last
twenty years. Hunters are going to
be able to dust off their hunting
skills and be successful on each
trip. New hunters are going to learn
more skills in this one year than in
all the last ten.
T
To commemorate this great duck
season that we are all getting ready
for, Feathers & Fur Magazine has
commissioned the making of a
Limited Edition duck call as part of
the ‘Celebrate the Hunt Festival’.
Renowned decoy carver and call
maker, John Byers from Gippsland,
has been given the task of creating
these beautiful duck calls. John
has sold calls and decoys to every
state of Australia and
John Byers individually trims and hand tunes the reeds for the calls.
internationally to the USA, Canada,
New Zealand, Greece and even Japan.
John first
began carving
decoys in 2002
and shortly met
up with Brian
Hiller from the
USA who
taught him
some of the
finer points of
decoy carving.
John always
had an interest
in woodworking
and found that
carving decoys
was a great way
Each duck call is turned by hand without the use of
to combine this
templates making each call unique and individual.
interest with his
passion for waterfowling.
He began making duck calls very
soon after. The foray into the duck
calls was just another progression
of his interest in woodworking and
duck hunting.
Wood for each call is hand selected
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Feathers & Fur
John is basically self-taught in call
making, but developed some
associations with call makers in the
USA and was able to get instruction
from these makers. He has now
made several trips to the United
States to hone his call making
skills.
Fine sanding on the lathe.
www.feathersandfur.com.au
Duck Call
prevent
splitting and
swelling. The
call is returned
to the lathe for
shaping and
polishing of the
brass band and
fine sanding of
the call.
Once the lathe
work is
finished the
call is then
sprayed with
lacquer and
The brass band and copper rivets are turned in the
polished. A
lathe to match the call barrel.
moulded
polycarbonate
Hand made duck calls are highly
insert
that
John
has
made in the
sought after in other parts of the
USA then gets fitted into the hand
world where the making of duck
turned timber barrel.
calls is a folk art with hundreds of
years of tradition. Quality calls
Once this is done the
made from different types of wood
soundboard is shaped, the
fetch many hundreds of dollars at
reeds are trimmed and then
call collecting shows and swap
the wedge is fitted. Because
meets around the world. Some are
each call is individual the
worth many thousands of dollars to
reeds are hand trimmed to
collectors.
suit the density of the
The call that Feathers & Fur
Magazine has commissioned John
to make for this Limited Edition
commemorative series is a double
reed black duck call.
They are made from walnut which
was grown at Dargo in the High
Country of Victoria. It was felt that
walnut was very appropriate for
these commemorative calls as
walnut is the wood used for stocks
in high quality shotguns.
Each call is individually made by
hand and John does not use a
duplicating or copy lathe. This
means that each call is unique and
individual; no two calls are exactly
the same.
The process of making a call starts
when a blank is cut from the
timber. Most types of timber have
been stored and dried for up to two
years. A 5/8” bore is drilled
through the blank and then the
blank is rounded on the lathe.
These calls will have a brass band
fitted and secured with glue and
two copper pins. The blank goes
back onto the lathe where it is
turned to shape. The rough call is
then sealed against moisture to
www.feathersandfur.com.au
timber. The call is then
tuned to get the right
sound for the type of
timber used.
Once John has finished
the calls they are then
sent away to have their
sequential number put
on each individual call.
Each call will be
packaged into a clear
lidded presentation
box so that it can be
displayed proudly in
the appropriate
position of a hunter’s home or
trophy shelf.
The beautiful walnut grained wood
sets these calls apart from any
commercial call on the market in
Australia. Each call comes with a
numbered certificate of authenticity
that matches the number of the
call.
Not only are these calls stunning
works of art and craftsmanship but
they are also working duck calls.
They come with a spring loaded
camouflage lanyard for those
hunters wishing to take them into
the wetlands.
Every duck call is tested to
ensure perfect sound and pitch.
Only 200 of these Limited Edition
commemorative duck calls will be
made. Sales will be on first ordered,
first served basis once this edition
of Feathers & Fur Magazine is
delivered to readers and on
newsstands.
Hunters may
order their call
by using the
order form on
page 33 or by
phoning (03)
9775 6744. You
can order the
lowest number
available or you
can select your
own number.
Hunters that
purchased a
limited edition
FGA 50th
Anniversary
Miroku shotgun
may wish to get a
call with the
matching number of
their gun; if so, be
quick and phone now.
This is your chance to
‘Reignite the Passion’
and retain a permanent
part of a season we will all
remember. Let’s all
‘Celebrate the Hunt’.
GRAND SLAM
2011
Are you up for the challenge?
See details page 44
Feathers & Fur
21
Limited Edition Duck Call
Individually hand made
Dargo High Plains Walnut
Brass Band
Individually numbered
Camouflage Lanyard
Hand Tuned
Cleaning Cloth
Certificate of Authenticity
Presentation packaging
Limited Edition of 200
1/200
Your choice of pick your own number or the
Lowest Number from what is available.
Limited Edition
Collectable Duck Calls
Mail or Phone Order to:
FEATHERS & FUR
P.O. Box 4242, Langwarrin Vic 3910
Phone: (03) 9775 6744
Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Address: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Phone: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Email: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
No of CALLS @ $150 CHEQUE MONEY ORDER VISA MASTERCARD
1st Preference: No ........ or Lowest Number available
2nd Preference: No ........ or Lowest Number available
3rd Preference: No ........ or Lowest Number available
Celebrate the Hunt
Photo Competition
ubmit your favourite photographs for a chance
to win great prizes! There is $1500 worth of
hunting equipment to be won courtesy of DKS
Outdoors and Australian Hunting Sports Alliance
(AHSA). See their advert on pages 37 to 40.
S
There are three categories with 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th
prizes in each category.
You may submit as many photos as you like, BUT
only submit photos that you have captured yourself.
Be sure to include your full name, city and state in
the email. Give a small description of the
photograph and where it was taken.
F&F 65
Expiry Date . . . . . . . Signature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Limited Edition
Duck Call only
$150
Landscape & Habitat (eg, wetlands, sunsets,
sunrises, rivers, wildlife)
Hunting Scene (eg; hunters shooting or putting
out decoys, calling, driving boats, fetching or plucking
ducks & anything else that happens on the hunt)
Gundogs (eg; retrieving, delivering a bird,
waiting in the hide, riding in the car or boat,
sleeping or any other situation that happens during
the season)
See the article on page 42 for some tips on how to
take some great photos this duck season.
Images submitted may also appear in Feathers &
Fur magazine, web site, Facebook fan page, or
marketing materials.
Winners for the contest will be selected by Feathers
& Fur based on quality, originality and creativity.
The winning photographers will be contacted by
Feathers & Fur Magazine via email at the end of the
season.
The three categories are:
Email your photo(s) to [email protected]
www.feathersandfur.com.au
Feathers & Fur
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