The art of the call: Lane Dunning’s journey from duck hunting enthusiast to custom call maker

It’s not every day one gets to turn a passion into a career, but that is just what Chaffee local Lane Dunning has done.

Dunning has carved himself a niche in the hunting community with his custom duck calls and his business, LD Custom Calls.

He started creating his custom calls during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on hand-turned wooden calls. The uprise of DIY and custom-made products during the pandemic was the perfect time for Dunning to perfect his craft.

Dunning’s interest in duck hunting began at the young age of 11. He was motivated by a desire to join in on going hunting, only to get a challenge from a fellow hunter, who insisted he learn to use a duck call before joining a hunt. Dunning said he practiced diligently and soon fell in love with the art of calling.

“Honestly, I had somebody tell me beforehand that I had begged them to take me hunting and I don't know if they were kidding around but they told me ‘You can't come hunt with us unless you know how to duck call.’ So that's the first thing I did was buy a cheap call and practiced like crazy. I kind of fell in love with it, the art of calling,” Dunning said.

His passion for calling led him to work for a duck call maker in his teens, where he found inspiration in watching his mentor turn a passion into a profession. Dunning said his mentor was someone he looked up to and it inspired him at such a young age.

“Like I said, I was in love with calling already and then watching him do a job that I guess was out of the norm and he made a pretty good living doing it. I figured it was something I wanted to end up trying to do one day. I was 13 or 14 years old at the time so it wasn’t something I could just do off the rip. But I don’t even know how many years later here I am doing it. So I think that's pretty cool,” Dunning said.

The process of making a custom duck call is intricate and detailed. It starts with selecting materials such as cocobolo or African Blackwood, Dunning said.

It begins with a piece of wood, typically an inch and a half by an inch and a half and about seven inches long. Dunning then cuts the wood to his desired length, drills holes and turns it on a lathe to shape the barrel and insert. He uses specialized tools such as a bandsaw and jigs to ensure consistency. A simple duck hunting call takes about two to two and a half hours, but more complex calls with exotic woods and inlays require additional time and effort.

Dunning markets his calls through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, as well as word of mouth. He plans to launch a website in the coming months and would like to set up vendor booths at events to reach a broader audience.

Custom orders are currently handled through social media, where customers can message him directly. As a duck hunting guide, he also hopes this role will help to promote his calls to hunters from various areas. His custom calls range from $150 for simple hunting calls to $300 for more elaborate designs.

In addition to his online presence, Dunning works as a guide at an outfitter, where he interacts with hunters from all over. This face-to-face interaction he hopes will help him get his calls into the hands of potential customers.

Dunning also participates in weekly duck call classes held in Kelso. These classes are open to the public and provide an opportunity for aspiring duck callers to learn from experienced instructors.

Dunning’s work brings together passion and professionalism. Along with duck calls, Dunning said he has started to produce apparel for his business such as shirts, hats and stickers.

“It’s my passion, it's my job, but it's still not like working. Don't get me wrong, some days can be stressful when things don’t go my way. But it's never really in the grand scheme of things never really working. It’s something I've wanted to do for a long time. I don’t have to do it; I get to do it. It’s a good opportunity and I'm in a pretty good and fortunate spot to be able to do this,” Dunning said about his business.

To view or buy one of Dunning’s calls go to his Facebook page at Lane Dunning or Instagram at ldcustomcalls.