Displaying Box Calls

[Pygmy]

I am in the process of  rearranging my  gun/hunting room...I have limited space..

 

I have a modest collection of box calls (14)  and I would like to display them, keeping in mind that they be accessible, because I still use several of for hunting....

 

Anybody got any good ideas for a nice way to show off my calls and still keep them accessible for use ?

[turkeyfeathers]

I only have a Lynchs Foolproof #101 that I've had for 35+ years that's displayed in my turkey vest

 

I think spurs, beards or spent husks you killed birds with should be incorporated somehow in your display.  And BTW, impressive collection sir.

[letinmfly]

Glass curio or some kind of display cabinet which allows them to be visible and accessible.

[Pygmy]

turkeyfeathers, on 05 Feb 2016 - 7:16 PM, said:

I only have a Lynchs Foolproof #101 that I've had for 35+ years that's displayed in my turkey vest

 

I think spurs, beards or spent husks you killed birds with should be incorporated somehow in your display.  And BTW, impressive collection sir.

 

My 101 is my SECOND favorite box call nowadays...It was my #1 choice for years...I bought it in 1977 at Henyan's Sporting Goods in Corning...Doug Henyan had about a dozen of them and he let me take each one out of the cardboard box ( no blister pacs back then) and run it to pick out the one I liked the best. It cost me $17..  It was my GO TO box call until I had a custom box by Bob Harwell in South Carolina in 2003...Bob learned his call making skills working with Neil Cost , and his calls are pretty much clones of Neil's boxes..

 

It has become, far and away, my favorite box and I have killed a bunch of birds with it..However, I still always carry my old 101 Foolproof, because sometimes that old gobbler likes just a little different tone..

[turkeyfeathers]

Random thought but something like this may work and would be easy to build as you desire it to look like. Just a thought

[DirtTime]

Shelves?

You can put up a shelf with ease and almost anywhere.

[Pygmy]

....rob, on 05 Feb 2016 - 7:42 PM, said:

Shelves?

You can put up a shelf with ease and almost anywhere.

 

Good thought, Rob, and I have been considering a shelf....

 

Actually, I have one that would work well...

 

Back in the 1930s, my great grandfather  came into possession of some black walnut, and decided that he would build his own coffin from it.  Lo and behold, the old gent kicked the bucket before he got the coffin finished. I am not sure WHAT he got buried in.

 

However, my grandfather's brother ( my great uncle)  took pieces of the walnut lumber and built shelves  out of it, and gave a shelf to each member of the family. I have the shelf that was given to my paternal grandfather, who probably never even saw a wild turkey, since he died in 1967...

 

It may just be a very fitting way to display my box calls..

[stoneam2006]

Yea put a Lil angle toward the ground with a lip on the front edge to hold calls from sliding off so can actually view the whole call and even the board underneath

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[kpkot]

I only have one that stays on the shelf. Quaker Boy custom call. Dick Kirby signed himself in 1996.

[nyslowhand]

I have a modest collection of box calls (14)  and ......

I love those custom and engraved box calls with some being made with exotic woods. Got any photos of your collection?

[landtracdeerhunter]

Calls of this magitude deserve nothing less than a custom built cabinet. Incorporate a turkey theme in the wood carvings, feather etched glass, and have small box calls for door handles. The possibilities are endless.

 

Sometimes I run across some of these older calls on sales. Most, just plain jane.  Some can be had for only a few bucks. Is their any value to good used box calls for display purposes?

Edited February 6, 2016 by landtracdeerhunter

[maytom]

Danno, I am working on a draft for a custom pot call display as we speak. Pretty much have the design down, just have to get it into production. My computer desk has a couple of shelves that I store my box calls in. Have a total of 8 so far and a couple of them have been built for me by a good friend of mine from Wisconsin. These are my go to box calls during the spring season.

[The_Real_TCIII]

Yea put a Lil angle toward the ground with a lip on the front edge to hold calls from sliding off so can actually view the whole call and even the board underneath

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

I was thinking this but couldn't put it in words. You nailed it

[The_Real_TCIII]

Or, spread them out like a turkey fan. Mic drop

[RoadKill44]

How about a plaque like finished board - Lets say a three to four foot long 1 by 6 with routed edges. This board would mount flat to a wall like a plaque.

Then strategically place short finishing nails about an inch down from the top of your plaque/board.

Drive the nails in at a slight slant such that 3/16" to 1/4" remain showing for hanging purposes. I would also recommend predrilling the nails to avoid splitting the board.

 

Optionally you could use wooden pegs, dowels or cup hooks but this would limit you to hanging the calls from their lanyards.

Hanging the calls from the handle end may cause the calls to open awkwardly and result in a poor display.

 

However, at the risk of changing the tone of your calls (for better or worse), drill each with a small 1/8" diameter hole through the base in the opposite end.

With the calls hanging "handle down" and with the nail spacing arranged for the variety of call widths, I believe the display would have a better appearence.

You may not even have to drill the hole completely through to the box interior if the call bases were thick enough.

And, I really don't think a small hole would effect the calls tone as long as the hole is in the base.

You may even find room to drill the hole in the thicker box end piece.