Hunting Stories

Great People.....Great Calls????
 

By Jim Autrey A recent trip to Bossier City, LA. provided me with an opportunity to meet with the folks at Haydel Game Calls.  There is no better way to learn about a company than to go to where the work is done and meet the people involved.  In building my business over the past years, I have always insisted on visiting the factory and or meeting the people involved before selling their deer stands or deer feeders.  This little exercise has served me well.  So the question of the day is...Do great people, make great game calls??? Eli Haydel (founder) You get the idea by meeting Eli, that this is a man comfortable with himself and his accomplishments.  As the founder of Haydel Game Calls, he is still involved, to share his love for calling and hunting with the others in the company.  Before, I left he was telling me that he was going to get to play his saxophone with the great Percy Sledge. Rod Haydel & Some Fine Trophies Rod Haydel, Eli's son is responsible for the daily operation and marketing of Haydel Game Calls.  His interest in doing things the right way was inspiring and most important, as I met some of the other employees, they really seemed to enjoy working with the Haydel team.  Cody Williams, the turkey hunter Cody makes final tuning adjustments on Haydel Game Calls before they are shipped. Cody, harvested his first turkeys this year.  Congratulations!!!  They were really big pretty birds.  Maybe, he will send us a picture of them and I can but them on the web site for the rest of you to see. Packaging and they are ready to go. Francie Forest, hands Rod a newly packaged Squirrel Call.  This lady packages the calls after Cody or others checks their final tuning.  She has an unusual way of hunting.  She practices the old art of Falconry.  I hope, she will help us make a show that we can share with you on this fascinating method of hunting. Now back to the question at hand.  Do Great People...Make Great Calls???  To tell the truth, we never looked at a call the whole time I was there.  The people and the attitudes were so positive that it seemed to be a given, that the calls would be at least as good as the people and that would be more than good enough for me.  I can't wait until duck season to take advantage of the duck hunt, that Eli offered.  Who knows, we might even get him to play a little saxophone for us.