The Featured Call this month from THO Game Calls is actually a matched set of Fall Brown Camo Acrylic calls, one turned as a raspy closed reed Bonker, and the other in a more traditionally shaped open reed with brass accent band. Hope you enjoy them whoever wins.
(http://www.custompredatorcalls.net/Call%20Photos/show1.jpg)
(http://www.custompredatorcalls.net/Call%20Photos/show2.jpg)
Born in Ohio and raised in Northern Illinois, Al grew up hunting and fishing by his father's side. He shot his first "rack" deer at the ripe old age of 11, in Webster, Wisconsin, and was deemed responsible enough the next fall to chase squirrels and rabbits on his own in the woods near his home with an old single shot 20 gauge shotgun. When he wasn't hunting, he was usually fishing off the family's dock.
After high school, Al joined the Marine Corps and while stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, was standing in the base game wardens shack one evening. A rather old and weathered Marine came busting in and asked if there was anyone there that had a lantern to help him track a deer he just shot. The base game warden turned and looked up at the clock on the wall and asked with a smirk, "exactly what time did you shoot this deer?" Since by now it was pretty dark outside. The old weathered Marine looked him dead in the eye and replied, "I don't know, what time was sundown? Must have been before that." Little did he know they were old friends, and little did he know that by being the only other person there, and of course the lowest rank, Al would the job of helping to track and later dragging that deer out. The old Marines name was Chief Warrant Officer Winston and he and Al became hunting buddies. He taught Al to shoot the long bow, and to hunt deer on the ground as well as track shot game. Although Al often thought the only reason he kept him around was to do the dirty work of dragging out his deer, they hunted together almost every day for four seasons until Winston's retirement. But he had left his mark on Al and for over 20 years, the long bow was the only weapon he hunted with, taking deer, bear, turkey, wild boar and even a moose with the stick and string.
After retiring from the Marine Corp and moving to New Hampshire, Al got more involved with the politics of hunting. He served two years as the president of his state's bow hunting organization, and was a director and then vice president of his hunting and fishing club. He contributed a column to the state bow hunting newsletter on tracking each month, and wrote for one of the local hunting publications on maters relating to the regulations and proposed rule changes that would affect bow hunters.
Al's fascination with hunting coyotes came after getting talked into going crow hunting with a friend in late March 2000. While moving to a new spot to call crows, they watched a pack of 5 or 6 coyotes take down a deer on the edge of a small swamp. It was then that he decided he was going to learn to hunt coyotes. A rifle was easy enough to come by, but finding calls proved to be the hard part, no one in NH had any. So, one day, after a long drive to the biggest sporting goods store in the area only to discover that they had the same two calls he already owned, he stopped at a Rocker Woodworking shop on the way home and bought a lathe. He figured he would learn to make his own. Back then, the only information on making calls was a single post by Jay Nissiter giving the size hole to drill for a closed reed call and a tutorial by Rich Cronk on how to make antler calls.
With no other resources readily available, Al set about learning the craft of making predator calls by searching the duck call making and wood working forums for everything and anything he could find, and by making lots of sawdust out of perfectly good lumber. Soon he was making two piece closed reed predator calls that didn't look like screw driver handles and using them with some success in the field. In 2003 he began offering them to other predator hunters under the name THO Game Calls. He has been making and offering calls to hunters ever since.
Al was the first predator call maker to bring brass bands to predator calls, and his later work with acrylic combined with the tutorials on his web site have helped bring hand turned acrylic predator calls to the fore. He continues to explore new designs as with the Bonker style call featured here, and help new call makers through his web site and personal interaction.
Al currently lives in New Hampshire with his wife Linda, and sons Justin and Jeremy. He owns and operates THOGameCalls.com, an online web site offering custom game call supplies as well as CustomPredatorcalls.net; a site that showcases's his finest work.
Al can be contacted at THOGameCalls@AOL.com
His calls can be seen at www.custompredatorcalls.net
Very nice write up Al.
Loren
Great bio, those are some good looking calls too.
:yoyo: Wow!.....what a write up. :congrats:
Nice job all the way around Al, as usual.
You got that CustomPredatorCalls.net site looking good Bud... :wink:
Freakin awesome as always Al. We're ALL fortunate to have you onboard here at FNF. There is more than one of us who got our start watching you. Thanks for all you do sir!
Yoey
Al your work never seizes to amaze me the writeup is awesome as are the calls thanks for all the time you take to help beginers like me your an inspiration to us all :yoyo:
Ed
Nice write up Al and your calls all I can say is wow.Thanks for being on this board and thanks for all the help you give us.
Al,
I have more of your calls that any one person should, but I really like them. Your turning ability is first rate, as are your calls. But, even more than the quality of your calls, is your quality as a person that is willing to help anyone with call problems. While some builders try to keep their secrets you openly share, and for that I truly commend you.
That is a nice looking set of calls and the bio helps all of us get to know you a little better. Born in Ohio, what more could we ask for?
Jerry
Very nice indeed!!! :bowingsmilie:
Joe
Great write up Al.
Brian.
Those are beautiful calls, but as expected, with the same flair, quality ad classy style were used to from THO calls. :bowingsmilie:
Al I remember the first day I saw your calls on PM. Back then they weren't nothing as compared to what you do now, but they were levels ahead of what was being put out there at the time.
Matter fact ya told me you weren't selling them yet, not even to a beggar. :innocentwhistle:
Not sure how long after that but seen them up on Ebay, under, get this historians Al and Sons (Pre THO) :biggrin: I think I bought everyone ya would let me buy back then, and then a few more a week or so later. ;yes; I even recall when ya started tuning your reeds. Your calls were as effortless to blow as the Rhinos I campared everything with back then.
I knew back then you were special and gona be special to the hobby, and in my opinion, you have had the largest impact on the custom predator calls since the internet, and probably even more.
I applaud ya for what ya done and what ya continue to do for the hobby,
Your friend, and biggest fan,
Todd
Home of the THO Crumpler :yahoo:
Very nice write up Al. Beautiful calls ! Thanks for putting them up, and all you do for this board, and call making in general. Much appreciated. Scott
Great job Al!!
Still got the bloodwood openreed you made, and like the rest of your work, it's like a fine wine.
Exquisite job on the pair of calls showcased, and cheers to you and yours, and everything you've done for the hobby and this board!! :highclap:
Brad
Beautiful calls and a very nice write-up!!
:yoyo: :yoyo:
Nelson
Great write up and extremly nice looking calls
Thanks for all you have done for the board,and everything you have done for me,and my call building.
Who would have ever thunk it. Al from Ohio :yoyo:
Great write up . As usual calls beyond description.
Dave
Wow, thanks for all the nice comments. It's kind of humbling to read this stuff with all the great call makers out there today.
Rich Cronk probably got more guys started making howlers and antler calls than anyone alive.
Brad, I have two of your calls. Just the other day I pulled that antler open reed out and played it in the shop to compare it to a new tone board I was working on. Just to check. If I could spell Stratavarious, I would tell you that that is what that call is to me.
There are just too many great call makers, and too many guys to list that have in one way or another helped me, so I will just give you all a big Thanks for what you have done.
You are going to see some changes to the THO Game Calls web site here real soon. It will have a completely new look and be a lot easier to navigate. But the biggest change is going to the tutorials. I had thought about putting them in PDF format and then onto CD's and selling them in the shop. Instead, I am just going to put them in PDF format and leave them on the site so people can down load them and take them to the shop or share them with their friend who might live in caves and not have internet access LOL
You are also going to see some price reductions in many items. I am finally able to buy in quantities that allow me to get a bit better prices so those will be passed aong to the call makers.
The other big change is the Call Makers Photo Gallery and the Call Makers links pages are going to be put back up. I picked up some industral strenght anti virus software and that should solve the problems I had before that made me take the photo pages down.
So stay tuned to the site. I think you will like it a lot better than now.
Again, thanks for all the kind words and the support over the years.
AL
I knew there was something special about Al - besides all the helpful information and great calls that he puts out there for all to see and learn from. He's a born "Buckeye".
Keep up the good work Al. I look forward to seeing your new and improved site. Thanks for all the quality information that you provide to all. You are a true call makers gentleman.
Richard
Beautiful Al! Awsome writeup.
"A Master call maker, and inspiration to us all. Finally gets his just homage" You are one of the elite Al. The world of predator calls is richer because of your efforts. We have all benefitted from your expert advice. Thank you!
Its hard to find somthing nice to say about your work that hasnt already been said! So ill jus give a :congrats:!
Al,
Great write up. As I have told you before, Thank you for all the help. You are a vital resource to all the new call makers that need a helping hand once in a while.
Allan
(rwehuntn)
P.S. Great looking calls.
I really enjoyed that write up!! Slobbering over your calls is standard fair for me... I just look to my left and .... dang, give me a sec to clean off my keyboard.....
.... ok...where was I... oh yea.... hey, can I talk you into posting them articles you wrote on tracking?
Great bio and many thanks to Al for all of his inspiration and help!
Stu, they are all in news letters, but I can dig them out and retype them. Where would you want them posted? Most of them date back to 1994 thru 1999 or so. I used to use the pen name Medicine Tracker. It was a fun thing to do. Our news letter was pretty bare back then. The Granite State Bowhunters did not even have a web site till I came along LOL. Brought them into the future with that one.
Here's another one of my passions when it is too hot to hunt coyotes. We have a workd class striped bass fishery here and I fly fish for them every chance I get. This image is from the Virtual Fly Box. I don't tie too many flies anymore, just enough to keep me fishing.
(http://www.custompredatorcalls.net/Call%20Photos/surfcandy.jpg)
Al
Al,
I'm relatively new to the predator calling world and even I have seen the changes that were influenced by you! I think it is awesome the way you share your knowledge instead of guard your secrets.
I salute you.
Great write up and awesome set of calls!!!
Chad
awesome write-up :bowingsmilie: good lookin calls :bowingsmilie: :yoyo:
Al-- Congratulations on a great bio. Your calls are truly impressive to say the least & I will buy a bonker when I can. I think those are the coolest calls out there. I haven'r forgotten what you did for me a few months ago & I certainly do appreciate it!!
Beautiful calls Al!!
Go Bucks!!!!!
What can I say that hasn't been said already. Great calls, and a great guy. You have helped me a lot in learning the art of call making and helping me with the various parts necessary. One of the things I admire so much is your selfless sharing of information. Many try to tell others to learn it yourself. That is the motto of a lot of the duckcall tuners. Not you. No. You go out of your way to post tutorials that help people. Even to the point where some of your ideas have been stolen with no credit. I, along with a lot of others, owe a huge debt of gratitude to you. Thanks so much.
Al,
just like most of the other call makers you are a real class act. I have always appreciated your skills and the coolest part is you continue to strive for better. Keep em comin!
Great looking calls as always Al! And a great Bio!!!!!!!!!!!! I really enjoyed reading that! I didnt know you were born in Ohio? Must be why you such a good guy!....lol
Thanks for stepping up!
Brent
:congrats: Great stuff as always! Thanks Al!
Al,
I love your calls! Great Bio too! Like Brent said, I didn't know you were originally from Ohio too. Born and raised here. :wink: Moved to TN last year. Thanks again Al for everything you give to this board. :congrats:
Joe
The Bonker! That is a great design.
Very classy... both the man and his calls ! :highclap:
I am lucky to have many calls that Al has made. All are very beautiful and each one has a killer sound. The fist one I ever got was one of his first open reed calls, it had a double reed very raspy. Each time I recieved a THO call I felt like I hit the lottery, very special indeed! As Gerry Blair would say "DamnFine"!! Since that first call I have purchased a few more and even been given a set by my wife(with Al's help!) and each one very special to me. I hope to hand them down to my son some day. :yoyo:-Greg
sharp looking calls and some day i hope too meet the man that made those calls
Very good write-up, Al. Your calls are almost too pretty to take in to the field. But they sound too good to leave at home.
Semp
haveing won a call that you gave to me for picking the right number last month i want to say thanx again and also comment on the craftsmanship you put into them. they shure do look good and no doubt in my mind of the quality put into them (dont know if you remember the one i got, you said it had a flaw in the material and if you hadnt pointed it out i never would have found it). also want to comment on the sounds acheived with your open reed calls. i dont have much experience with callsing with mouth calls ; other than driving my wife nuts with me practiciseing my son is impressed with the sounds i can get out of it; he has a fox pro and i try to sound like the different sounds on it. as i said very impressed with your work.
Absolutely gorgeous! :yoyo: Super looking pair of calls there Al. Sleek!
Beautiful calls as always Al.It is also a great bio.I like reading how others got started into this great sport of ours.
Al those two calls are quite lovely. They really show off well , as every call I've ever seen of yours does. Someone is going to win a treasure at the end of the month. I hope you are doing fine.
Bob
If those sound as good as they look youll need more bullets !!!!!!!! :biggrin: awsome lookin calls, great job Al. Hopein to win these :fingerx:
Keekee is it possible to create a winners list ?
Al is one of the most generous people I've ever known. He's gone out of his way for me more than once. And his calls are second to none. He's #1 in my book! :yoyo:
Nice bio!!! The call look great.Good job :yoyo:
Al does make a nice call.
Send those to N.M. :biggrin:
very nice calls al. went and read down through the posts. seen that you tie flys. I used to be pretty good at it(won the junior devision at the eastern sports and outdoor show) then got my index and thumb of my right hand in a place it should not be(table saw). I still have em but feeling is coming back in the index finger and the thumb is getting better. I do not have full mobility in my index but atleast they are still there. after that it was two years before I picked up my stuff again.
The winner of these calls needs to E mail me
thogamecalls@aol.com
so I can send you your calls. Please include your NAME and Address
Well! We have a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And the winner is.......................bowslinger !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrads dude!!!! :biggrin: You have got you self a fine call! Trust me I got a few myself!
Just shoot Al over a email with your sipping address.
Al,
Thanks so much for stepping up and doing a showcase!
Brent
congrats bowslinger looks like your getting a nice pair
Congrats bowslinger :congrats:
Way to go there Bowslinger
Congrats bowslinger and thanks to Al for the call.
Jerry
bowslinger you lucky dog!
Thanks for puttin em up Al.
man what a set congrats Bowslinger I bet they sound as good as they look :wink:
Al thanks for particapating and putting up such a fantastic set :yoyo:
Great win Bowslinger and thank you Al for putting up the calls!!
Nelson
Nice grab Bowslinger. :yoyo:
And thank you Al for participating in the showcases.
Congrats a real sweet call Bowslinger!! Hope it brings you many memorable moments in the field!! :biggrin: :congrats: :congrats:
thanks guys i fell like a fool i did not even know i womn bin so busy i forgot to check this al let me now if u got my adress i sent it to u thank u sir
Al, nice!!
I have been unable to find the information on working with acrylic mentioned in the introduction. I have found zero help on working with acrylic, seems its some big secret. Been doing OK self taught but sure would like to know how to get that great look Al's calls have.