Calling The Wild

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CALLING THE WILD: THE HISTORY OF ARKANSAS DUCK CALLS; A LEGACY OF CRAFTSMANSHIP AND RICH HUNTING TRADITION chronicles the remarkable collection of Mike Lewis, the largest private collection of Arkansas duck calls in the United States. This epic photographic journal features nearly 700 images showcasing one of the most impressive collections of calls, blending craftsmanship with hunting tradition. The book explores Arkansas' deep connection to duck hunting, particularly along the Mississippi Flyway, where migrating mallards offer an almost religious experience for hunters. The duck call, an essential tool of the trade, was adopted by backwoodsmen in the early 20th century, evolving into both a functional and artistic creation. The legacy of Arkansas duck calls is a testament to the state's influence on waterfowling, and the cultural significance of Stuttgart, the "duck hunting capital of the world," which hosts the prestigious annual "World's Championship Duck Calling Contest."
CALLING THE WILD: THE HISTORY OF ARKANSAS DUCK CALLS; A LEGACY OF CRAFTSMANSHIP AND RICH HUNTING TRADITION chronicles the remarkable collection of Mike Lewis, the largest private collection of Arkansas duck calls in the United States. This epic photographic journal features nearly 700 images showcasing one of the most impressive collections of calls, blending craftsmanship with hunting tradition. The book explores Arkansas' deep connection to duck hunting, particularly along the Mississippi Flyway, where migrating mallards offer an almost religious experience for hunters. The duck call, an essential tool of the trade, was adopted by backwoodsmen in the early 20th century, evolving into both a functional and artistic creation. The legacy of Arkansas duck calls is a testament to the state's influence on waterfowling, and the cultural significance of Stuttgart, the "duck hunting capital of the world," which hosts the prestigious annual "World's Championship Duck Calling Contest."

  • Hardcover, 9x11, 5.2lbs, 256 pages

  • "Calling the Wild is a tribute to Arkansas, the Duck Capital of the World and to its renowned call makers, past and present. It's a great arrangement of history and the best duck calling book ever written. This is a book that's been long overdue. Congratulations on an excellent job well done. - Jim Hunt, Founding member Callmakers & Collectors Association of America

    "On the pages of Mike's book you will see some of the very best representations of calls and call maker profiles that Arkansas has to offer on these beautiful pieces of American history. The skill these backwoods carvers exhibited with a simple pocketknife and only straight blades with a sharp point amazes me and call collectors as well as hunters worldwide." - Howard Harlan Collector, internationally known championship call maker and author. He is the most widely acknowledged duck call expert of our time. His efforts to authenticate the game call as a unique American Folk Art form has received worldwide recognition. Co-founder of the Callmakers and Collectors Association of America. His books include, Duck Calls - An Enduring American Folk Art (1988) and The Legacy of the American Duck Call (2012).



    "We need historians and we need storytellers alike in this wonderful tradition of duck call artistry. Mike Lewis masterfully combines both as he takes you on a journey through time and tale in the great state of Arkansas. This is a true deep dive into the craftsmen of duck calls of times gone by. A necessary classic for the serious collector, or anyone interested in our great American folk art! " - Rick Milligan, Past President of Callmakers & Collectors Association of America and avid outdoorsman.

    CALLING THE WILD: THE HISTORY OF ARKANSAS DUCK CALLS; A LEGACY OF CRAFTSMANSHIP AND RICH HUNTING TRADITION, chronicles and celebrates the collection of author and collector, Mike Lewis. This renowned collection is the largest private collection of Arkansas duck calls in the country. This epic historical photographic journal with some 700 images of one the most impressive collection of calls will be cherished for generations by all who revere waterfowling and the history of American art.

    About the Author
    Mike Lewis is a lifelong hunter. A native Arkansan, he lives in an area renowned worldwide for its duck hunting and fine call makers. Lewis began actively collecting duck calls, a uniquely American art form, and documenting the history of early call makers in the mid-1990s. Lewis has accumulated one of the world’s most historically and artistically significant collections of Arkansas-made duck calls. His collection includes approximately two thousand calls dating from 1890 to the present. He lives near White Hall, Arkansas, where he also practices law.