Osage Roost
Turkey Call Paradise => From the Callmaker's Bench => Topic started by: SS Custom Calls on March 27, 2010, 02:44:27 PM
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Ken asked me to build this call for him from a very special piece of pecan that means a lot to him. I was real nervous working on this call, knowing how much the wood meant to him. Gotta say I'm relieved it turned out sounding good. Hope you like it Ken.
Al
(http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd113/gracieboo2/purp.jpg)
(http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd113/gracieboo2/purp2.jpg)
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Great looking call Al. Congrats Ken. *cheers*
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Al that is awesome! I love pecan and you did that wood some good!
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that turned out just awesome!!!! Ken is a lucky man!!!! *up*
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Congrats to Ken and the SS crew on a real stunner!!
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Thats a beautiful call Al !!!!
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Al, That call turned out mighty fine. You matched that pecan with a fine lid!
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*up*
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Congrats to Ken and the SS crew on a real stunner!!
RkLu RkLu RkLu RkLu RkLu RkLu RkLu
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Very nice! 1st Purpleheart over Pecan I've seen! Beautiful!
Mike
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Another sweet turky killing machine! *up*
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Looks like you made good use of that pecan Al !!
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Special wood make special calls..... Congrats ..... That looks awesome guy's .... RkLu
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Awesome looking call Al & Josh!! Love the character in that Pecan!!
Lee
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Thats a beauty for sure. *bowing* I know bird will die with that call.. *bannana*
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All I can say is WOW(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/barefoot58/Smileys/banana.gif)(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/barefoot58/Smileys/0pity1.gif)(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/barefoot58/Smileys/0pity1.gif)(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/barefoot58/Smileys/0pity1.gif)(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/barefoot58/Smileys/banana.gif)! It will definitely boot something out of my bag and take a very special place there. Thanks so much for doing this for me! Can't wait to take it for a trial run!(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/barefoot58/Smileys/banana.gif)(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/barefoot58/Smileys/banana.gif)(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c280/barefoot58/Smileys/banana.gif)
Just to fill in the story for everyone else... I grew up hunting with my Dad on the old homeplace that he grew up on. His father, my GrandPaw, died when I was about 2 years old, back in 1960, and I didn't get to know him. He left very deep roots for us though. His and GrandMaw's descendants still gather in the old house on the day after Thanksgiving for a family reunion. There were 96 of us there last year! Right before the blessing at dinnertime, one of my Dad's generation tells a little something about how life was for them, growing up through the great depression. There are still old tools, furniture, implements, and relics scattered around the place to give the younger generations a feeling of how things USED to be.
One of the things GrandPaw did well was plan for the future. He planted several pecan trees around the yard and down in the bottom back in the 1920's. Those trees grew and have provided all of us with pecans since any of us can remember. And I mean they GREW! It was all we could do to fling an axe-handle up to the top branches to bring about a rain of pecans on those post-Thanksgiving Fridays. Gathering pecans was a very fun event and a fond memory that was built for the kids from one generation to the next.
Well Hurricane Katrina took 3 of those pecan trees from us on that August day back in 2005. We were grateful that they all missed the house. When we were cleaning up the mess, I loaded my truck with several of the pieces, cut them into about 3 inch planks and have been drying them since. I built some crosses for my Dad and all his brothers and sisters and a couple of boxcalls for myself. But I wanted a call fitting of the legacy that GrandPaw left us. So I stuck a couple of blanks in my suitcase and took them to the National Convention with me. I knew that there were several callmakers here that could have (and most probably would have) done this for me, but I figured that having the call made by a champion would be a fitting tribute to GrandPaw. Since Al and Josh did so well at the '09 show, I put Al at the top of my list to ask. He was gracious enough to try and THIS is the result!
Al emailed me a couple of days ago to tell me it was about ready and asked if I wanted anything special written on it. I hadn't given that any thought, since I didn't expect to be able to use it before next year, so I asked him to let me think about it a little while. It quickly became apparent what needed to go on it and I emailed him back that night. Somewhere on there (I guess the bottom?) is written:
"Through the destructive winds of a storm can we define "Legacy". Its when you can hunt with your grandfather 50 years after his passing. Thanks for the pecan tree, GrandPaw."
GREAT JOB, Al!!! I can't thank you enough!
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Ken thank you for sharing your touching story and congrats on the great caller!!!
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Ken, I feel very honored that you asked me to build such a special call for you! It was our pleasure to do it my friend! Hope you harvest a nice gobbler with it this Spring! Best of luck with your season my friend.
Al
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Looking good Al. RkLu
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What a story and a beautiful call congrats. to both of you.
Jon
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Great story Barefoot.....and congrats, to you and the SS team......
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Way to get it done guys! It looks great! *up*
It sure is a special call.
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Congrats!!! Great call, great memories to share, add to, and pass on!!
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That is one great story, Thank you for sharing it with us! Al, you and Josh did a fine job!
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A special story and a very special call---congrats to you both !!!
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Man, that's what it's all about. Congratulations on a beautiful call. You couldn't have picked a finer team to build that call. When my 2nd daughter was born, 1.5 years ago I wanted a call to honor her birth. I picked Al & Josh to build that call.
Todd.
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*bannana* *bannana* *bannana* ITS HERE!!!!! *bannana* *bannana* *bannana*
...and its all I expected it to be! Al, the call looks great and sounds even better! Couldn't ask for more!
THANK YOU, Thank You, thank you!
And thanks to the rest of you, too, for the kind comments. I'm sure I'll enjoy this call for years to come and knowing that so many other like-minded turkey hunters and callmakers feel the same way somehow brings it home. *up*
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Wow what a great way to carry so many memories around with you! Thanks for sharing Ken and I cannot wait to see some pics with it RkLu
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Ken, You're more than welcome my friend! *cheers* I wish you the best of luck and hope to see some pics of a big ol' gobbler taken with the call. Have a great season!
Al
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Beautiful call Al. Congrats Ken.
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Al, is that Pee-can wood or is it Pa-kaan wood...hey, either way it is a great looking caller... *cheers*
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Al, is that Pee-can wood or is it Pa-kaan wood...hey, either way it is a great looking caller... *cheers*
Hmmm, all I know is it's dang hard!!! ROTFLMBO
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Awesome call right there!!