Out in the quiet corners of Missouri, where the fog hangs low over the timber and the ducks cut silhouettes across the sky, you’ll find a man shaping sound from wood and memory. His name is Ivan Hess, founder of Hess Custom Calls, craftsman, hunter, and storyteller in his own right.
Ivan made two calls for Mad Trapper this fall, and when you hold one in your hand, you can feel what he’s about: precision, patience, and a deep respect for the hunt itself. We caught up with him to talk about how it all began, what makes a great duck call, and why he keeps chasing the perfect quack.
The First Cut
“I got into duck hunting because of my uncle, Tim,” Ivan says. “He’s an avid waterfowler. I was in high school at the time and really into photography. One morning I tagged along with him. He hunted, I took pictures, and from there, I was hooked.”
Like many craftsmen, his path to making started by accident. In 2017, he met a retired postal worker named Laddie at a bar in Springfield, Missouri. “The bartender told me we had a lot in common,” he laughs.
“Next thing you know, we’re talking woodworking. He got me started making spoons, coffee scoops, even a desk. Then when the pandemic hit, I picked up a lathe and figured I’d try my hand at call-making.”
His first call? “A piece of hedge wood that sounded like a kazoo,” Ivan admits. But the bug had bit, and he hasn’t stopped since.
The Craft of Sound
Every Hess Custom Call starts with conversation, the kind between maker and hunter. “If it’s a custom order, I’ll talk through materials, design ideas, all of it,” Ivan explains. “Once it’s in the queue, I rough out the barrel, shape the insert, and start the slow work of fitting and tuning.”
He leans heavily on carbide tools for their precision and sharpness, switching between his metal and wood lathes as he shapes each part. “I’m a perfectionist,” he says. “Getting the toneboard just right...that’s where it all comes together.”
From hedge and walnut to cocobolo and blackwood, every material brings its own voice. Dense woods and acrylics carry volume; softer woods like walnut mellow the tone. “I love walnut in the woods,” he says. “It’s not so ‘in your face.’ Sometimes that’s exactly what the ducks want to hear.”
Not Just the Call
Ask Ivan what makes a great duck call, and he won’t say “tone” or “volume.”
“It’s the caller,” he says. “Knowing when to call and when not to. Sometimes the best call is just the one hanging on your lanyard, looking good, staying quiet.”
His flagship design, the Central Standard, was shaped by years of listening and learning. He was inspired early on by legends like Butch Richenback of RNT Calls, John Stephens, and Jim Ronquest. “My first call looked like their ‘Original,’” he says. “Over time, I found my own lines.”
But beyond shape and sound, Ivan’s attention to detail shows in the way each call leaves his shop. They come packaged in drawstring bags made from repurposed vintage Army duffels bags that once carried the stories of American soldiers. “Some have drawings or names still visible,” he says. “It’s my way of giving them another life, another story to tell.”
Legacy in the Making
For Ivan, call-making isn’t a side hustle, it’s an outlet. “My mind races constantly with new ideas,” he says. “The shop is where I get to let all that out.”
Quick Shots with the Maker
Favorite call you’ve ever made: “Man probably the ambonya burl with elk antler caps, six inlays, and custom band were doing as a fundraiser sale with the RNT community.”
Favorite wood: “Thuya burl. Looks and smells incredible.”
Favorite duck to hunt: “American Wigeon. Still chasing that fully plumed drake.”
Dream hunt: “Two Bayous, Arkansas.”
Go-to recipe: “Duck poppers. Always a favorite in the blind.”
Trusty shotgun: “Benelli Super Black Eagle II. Never let me down.”
Note from the Mad Trapper Team
We're extremely proud to have worked with Ivan on this collaboration as well as grateful to him for sharing his story with us.
Check out the Hess Custom Calls x Mad Trapper collaboration HERE and be sure to follow him at @Hess_custom_calls.
