Duck speak is hard to quack

Luring ducks is considered higher education, thanks to Mike Plein, who has represented Idaho at the World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest in Stuttgart, Ark.

Plein has even taught a five-week community education class at the College of Southern Idaho to help hunters learn to speak duck.

Plein’s competition routine, a type of call that demonstrates control and technique, runs the gamut from a loud siren-like shriek to chattering sounds to garden variety quacks. Calls actually meant to summon ducks have several meanings such as “Hello,” “Let’s eat” and “Come back.”

“I’ve blown a long time,” said Mike Glenn of Twin Falls, who enrolled in the class even though he had been hunting about 52 years, “and it’s time to get better.”

Duck calls are a type of whistle with a plastic reed held in place by a piece of cork. They are usually made of wood or plastic. Plein prefers plastic because wooden calls tend to wear out when exposed to harsh weather.

Hunters use whistles to call ducks because using recorded duck sounds is illegal in Idaho and Washington.