Most of you know Dick as the founder of Quaker Boy Game Calls located in Orchard Park, NY. Dick was the president of Quaker Boy until his recent retirement. Dick turned over the reins and day-to-day operation of the company to his son Chris. I guess Dick will sit back and relax and become a couch potato. I'll call Dick when I need to catch up on my favorite Soap Opera...... NOT! 

If successful in the turkey woods this year, Dick will complete his 20th successive year with a Grand Slam. This will raise his Grand Slam total to over 30. Dick also is available as a consultant and advice giver to son Chris. {Who can just walk away from a company, employees and a business that has been a way of life?}  And Dick is on the way to establishing another successful company, Dick Kirby Collectibles. The collectable turkey call market is phenomenal to say the least.

Check out the pictures Robert Hoague took at this year's convention of all the custom made turkey calls.  Crafting and collecting these calls in an extension of ones love of the wild turkey. The buzz of activity around the custom calls by viewers and bidders never subsided until the show closed. Each call is donated to the NWTF by the call maker and auctioned off in a silent auction through the three days of the convention. 

This same buzz of activity surrounded the Dick Kirby Collectible booth. 

As I sat and talked to Dick, he non-stop signed autographs and personalized calls for buyers . I didn't ask, but if these buyers are like me Dick's custom made call will get them a turkey before it has a place of honor in their collection. I got one of Dick's calls in January last year and killed my best gobbler to date using that call. Dick not only crafts his calls to look good, they must be the best sounding call he can make, guaranteed.

 Dick told me that he started making custom crafted calls in 1972. Dick learned from Neil Cost. Dick spoke of his admiration for call maker Neil Cost.

Neil half jokingly told Dick, "Start with a chunk of wood and take out everything that doesn't sound like a turkey." 

Neil handcrafted every call he made. Neil is prominently known today as the "Master Turkey Call Maker" of all times. His box calls and Boat Paddles are highly sought after collectibles by all wild turkey buffs. Neil's last hand crafted call made in 2001, called "the Fat Lady," sold for $11,200 at auction.

This is the Grand Slam Set of Dick Kirby's collectible turkey calls. Each of the 4 Grand Slam birds has a custom call.

Dick stated he could make 300 to 500 custom calls per year. He has the advantage of a modern workshop and the best high speed tools available today to turn out this production.

"I learn constantly," Dick stated. "I use Cherry, Poplar, Butternut, Cedar and other woods. I learn how each works in harmony as a striker, paddle, etc. I learn by putting together different lids with different bottoms. I check their harmony with angles, wall thickness and checkering."

I asked Dick if the quality of his calls now match the quality of Neil Cost calls. 

Dick looked up at me from the call he was signing and said confidently, "Yes. The modern power tools I use allow me more consistencies than hand making each call one at a time. With Neil's calls, no two are alike. I hand sand and hand tune every call I make. I sometimes make a mistake. If I make that mistake twice I learn and can correct that mistake in minuets. Call making to me is a labor of love. I don't have to do this. I don't have a schedule. If I want to make calls in the wee hours of the morning I do it because I want to. Happiness is life.  Life is good."

If anyone is interested in a Dick Kirby Collectible call, Dick can be contacted at Dick Kirby Collectibles, 5455 Webster Rd, Orchard Park, NY 14127 Phone 716-662-3979 ext 3057. E-mail : kirbydickkirby@aol.com.

Dick Kirby and Fred Lutger. Fred is holding a photo of his 2002 personal record wild turkey, taken with Dick's Collectible calls. Dick autographed the picture.

Good Turkey hunting this spring,

Fred Lutger