# which whistle?!



## daak08 (Nov 18, 2010)

I am using a SportDOG Mega Roy Gonia Orange & Black Special Whistle for the last 3 years and starting to not like it cause the pea with stick from the cold or from spit and I'm sick of it, and now I'm looking at either the Pat Burns PB100 "Green Monster" Whistle,or the SportDOG Roy Gonia Mega Pealess Clear Special Whistle, which one do you have or would you choose and why? I hunt water fowl and upland and run hunt test, I know people say that the green monster has some weight to it but I'm not worried about weight I want something I can trust to work eveytime. thanks for the info and advice!


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## stonybrook (Nov 18, 2005)

I really like The Answer. Orange mega phone that is pealess. Works well at pretty much any distance.


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## Quackwacker (Aug 16, 2011)

I'll Play....................Fox 40


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## daak08 (Nov 18, 2010)

I have a double whistle lanyard and one whistle is a fox 40 classic, but I want to change the second one!


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## Chris Atkinson (Jan 3, 2003)

daak08 said:


> I have a double whistle lanyard and one whistle is a fox 40 classic, but I want to change the second one!


 
"The Answer" is a nice choice for a pealess, all weather whistle.

"The Dallessassee, or the Green Monster" are good choices also. Some feel that those whistles take more air.

I've tried all three and personally prefer the Dallessassee.


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## mlp (Feb 20, 2009)

Acme 211 1/2


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## TonyRodgz (Feb 8, 2010)

Green monster


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## Dooley (Feb 1, 2011)

Acme 211 1/2 or the Acme field trial 212


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## Eli M (Jan 24, 2012)

Fox 40 Classic, always in my pocket, its all chewed up and cracked. Im about due for a new whistle so this thread is interesting to me.


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## 43x (Mar 29, 2009)

2 whistle lanyard, Fox 40 & Mini 40...... the mini 40 feels better to me


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## Decoyin Drake (Jun 22, 2010)

Dual whistled. A Gonia Clear Comp with pea and a Clear Black Mega Whistle without a pea.


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## Dan Storts (Apr 19, 2011)

People need to go sit by the blind stake while others are running their dogs and see the volume of the whistle. You will realize the dog can hear you, because they can hear over 20 times better than us. It the distance, and the dog is feeling they are more in control, is causing them to blow you off. The old Gonia special or pea-less special is plenty for 200 yards and under. Then maybe the Mega if there is a lot of wind.


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## Keith Stroyan (Sep 22, 2005)

I use the clear Gonia mega. Foxes hurt my ears. The monsters are too big and too loud (well, I haven't tried the Dallessassee). Also hurt my ears.

Has anyone who's used the Answer or a monster or regular mega tried a hammerhead?

http://www.bestwhistle.com/


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## S.Miles (Apr 6, 2011)

My choice is the orange, pealess, mega whistle. All of the sound is projected forward.
Whistles like the fox 40 are really more for referreeing sporting events. They are designed to project sound 360 degrees, thats why it hurts your ears.


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## Andy Carlson (Jan 3, 2003)

I use a custom made whistle - a windstorm whistle fitted into a megawhistle shroud.


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## Matt McKenzie (Oct 9, 2004)

I only use a couple of whistles: the pea-less orange mega and the acme 211 1/2. The first is more than enough for hunt tests and the second is small, light, easy to blow and easy on the ears. I start young dogs on the acme and have reached the point that I use it almost exclusively. The tones are similar and my dogs answer to either one. About the only time I use the bigger whistle any more is when I'm training LONG, in high winds or running Master tests.
I hate being around anyone using a Monster or a Fox 40. Both are too loud for me. 
I'm always amused at those folks who walk to the line of a hunt test with their "rain gage" whistle. I don't understand why they subject themselves, their dogs and the people around them to that.


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## The Snows (Jul 19, 2004)

Fox 40's are really designed for sports and project the sound around versus forward which you want for your dog. 

I have heard that judges aren't thrilled with handlers who use Fox 40's .... hurts their ears too!


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## John Lash (Sep 19, 2006)

I think the potential for hearing loss is greater with whistles than gunfire.

People know that guns are loud so they wear earplugs, not so with whistles.


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## 3 black dogs (Jan 31, 2005)

Andy Carlson said:


> I use a custom made whistle - a Fox storm whistle fitted into a megawhistle shroud.


Kevin has made a ton of these. they work well and can be heard as well as the green monster. 

Chirs


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## Webbs515 (Feb 6, 2010)

I use the mega whistles. With and without peas. If your running hunt tests, there is no need to use the green monster or dallahousse whistles. Mega without pea works just fine in wind at ht.


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## Matt McKenzie (Oct 9, 2004)

The only problem I've found with the orange mega is that you have to buy several to get one that sounds good. I've got a half dozen or so and only a couple really work well. The others sound "wheezy" unless you really put a lot of air through them. I think it might have been Rorem who said he buys them by the case and picks the ones that actually work.


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## David McLendon (Jan 5, 2005)

The Green Monster, especially after Pat Burns explained and demonstrated how it should be blown, pretty much everybody is doing it wrong. Do it right and it sounds like you have pulled out in front of a freight train.


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## Paco (Feb 14, 2007)

Hookset said:


> I only use a couple of whistles: the pea-less orange mega and the acme 211 1/2. The first is more than enough for hunt tests and the second is small, light, easy to blow and easy on the ears. I start young dogs on the acme and have reached the point that I use it almost exclusively. The tones are similar and my dogs answer to either one. About the only time I use the bigger whistle any more is when I'm training LONG, in high winds or running Master tests.
> I hate being around anyone using a Monster or a Fox 40. Both are too loud for me.
> I'm always amused at those folks who walk to the line of a hunt test with their "rain gage" whistle. I don't understand why they subject themselves, their dogs and the people around them to that.


Ditto that . Only time I use the mega is when we are going 250yds plus or when quite windy, or running water work etc. A green monster for an hrc 90 yd blind is always quite funny to me, guess it looks cool to some.

Your comment about subjecting their dogs to those levels of decibals at close distance has always puzzled me too ?


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## Keith S. (May 6, 2005)

I like the mega just because it directs the noise out in front of me, protecting my ears. I don't care for pealess whistles cause I feel I run out of air too fast.


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## David McLendon (Jan 5, 2005)

Hookset said:


> I only use a couple of whistles: the pea-less orange mega and the acme 211 1/2. The first is more than enough for hunt tests and the second is small, light, easy to blow and easy on the ears. I start young dogs on the acme and have reached the point that I use it almost exclusively. The tones are similar and my dogs answer to either one. About the only time I use the bigger whistle any more is when I'm training LONG, in high winds or running Master tests.
> I hate being around anyone using a Monster or a Fox 40. Both are too loud for me.
> I'm always amused at those folks who walk to the line of a hunt test with their "rain gage" whistle. I don't understand why they subject themselves, their dogs and the people around them to that.


I 've planted blinds at opens, at the grand and regular HT, and on windy days a handler with a mega whistle you you know what I heard most of the time? Nothing.... The one consistently heard and responded to, the green one. I'll keep my "rain gauge" whistle and when I get ready to run whatever the venue....you can leave.


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## Matt McKenzie (Oct 9, 2004)

David McLendon said:


> I 've planted blinds at opens, at the grand and regular HT, and on windy days a handler with a mega whistle you you know what I heard most of the time? Nothing.... The one consistently heard and responded to, the green one. I'll keep my "rain gauge" whistle and when I get ready to run whatever the venue....you can leave.


I don't run opens, so I don't worry about that. I need my dogs to hear my whistle, not the blind planter. So far, at hunt test distances, they always have. If the rain gage works for you, great. If we're at the same test and you go to the line, I don't think I'll leave. I'll just step far enough away so that the noise isn't so bothersome.


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## David McLendon (Jan 5, 2005)

If the blind planter hears it then it is likely that the dog will too. I'd rather have that than wonder about the alternative, better to have one your not afraid to blow for fear of running water or wind drowning it out. You need it when you need it, not when everything is perfect.


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## bfarmer (Aug 6, 2006)

Rorem uses the black mega whistle. I use the black mega whistle unless it is windy or running water and then I use the blue dallassase.
Bobby


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## fishn (Jul 24, 2007)

Anyone use one of the hunt test versions of the following:

http://dallesasse.com/-The_Dallesasse_.html

Does anyone know the length of these or the Green Monster? I use some kind of a Remington call that sounds right about 1/2 the time, and it has a megaphone kind of like a Roy Gonia. It's almost too big for me, but I like the idea of keeping the noise directed away from our ears.


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## Joe Dutro (Nov 20, 2007)

fishn said:


> Anyone use one of the hunt test versions of the following:


I just changed over to the Dallesasse Hunt Tester after years of using the Gonia Clear Mega. I like it. It is a 3" version of the Dallesasse 5" Field Trialer.

So much in fact that Team Take Em now carries both versions of the Dallesasse whistles.;-)


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## PocketLab (Apr 23, 2010)

David McLendon said:


> The Green Monster, especially after Pat Burns explained and demonstrated how it should be blown, pretty much everybody is doing it wrong. Do it right and it sounds like you have pulled out in front of a freight train.


Care to share?


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## Losthwy (May 3, 2004)

Quote:
Originally Posted by *David McLendon*  
_The Green Monster, especially after Pat Burns explained and demonstrated how it should be blown, pretty much everybody is doing it wrong. Do it right and it sounds like you have pulled out in front of a freight train._



PocketLab said:


> Care to share?


I to would like a slice of that pie.


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## Jacob Hawkes (Jun 24, 2008)

You blow a whistle wrong???? How does one do that? It's not like a duck call. It just takes air to work.


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## Losthwy (May 3, 2004)

Jacob Hawkes said:


> You blow a whistle wrong???? How does one do that? It's not like a duck call. It just takes air to work.


Seen/heard it. Some can not vary the volume also some lose volume by letting air escape around the mouth piece. Should one puff the cheeks like Dizzy Gillespie or does it come from the diaphragm like Maria Callas?


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## Jamee Strange (Jul 24, 2010)

Decoyin Drake said:


> Dual whistled. A Gonia Clear Comp with pea and a Clear Black Mega Whistle without a pea.


Where did you find the pealess mega that is not "the answer"? I can't find one and the clear competition mega that I ordered has the pea.......it froze on me in training the other day. Thanks!


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## 43x (Mar 29, 2009)

RxRatedLabs said:


> Where did you find the pealess mega that is not "the answer"? I can't find one and the clear competition mega that I ordered has the pea.......it froze on me in training the other day. Thanks!


http://www.bestwhistle.com/#!__pea-technology


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## Jamee Strange (Jul 24, 2010)

3 black dogs said:


> Kevin has made a ton of these. they work well and can be heard as well as the green monster.
> 
> Chirs


Who makes them? Do you have his contact info?? Thanks!


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## Jamee Strange (Jul 24, 2010)

Desire Dogs said:


> I just changed over to the Dallesasse Hunt Tester after years of using the Gonia Clear Mega. I like it. It is a 3" version of the Dallesasse 5" Field Trialer.
> 
> So much in fact that Team Take Em now carries both versions of the Dallesasse whistles.;-)


Joe, I will be adding one of those to my winger order this week- just to give you a heads up!  Thanks!

Jamee


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## BonMallari (Feb 7, 2008)

Jacob Hawkes said:


> You blow a whistle wrong???? How does one do that? It's not like a duck call. It just takes air to work.



Guessing you never played a trumpet or a woodwind instrument



Losthwy said:


> Seen/heard it. Some can not vary the volume also some lose volume by letting air escape around the mouth piece. Should one puff the checks like Dizzy Gillespie or does it come from the diaphragm like Maria Callas?


you know that any good competition caller or musician throws that air from deep down in their diaphragm,so they are still able to breathe thru your nose, while making the instrument work..throwing the air into whistle from deep down inside will also reduce the back pressure into the whistle


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## Steve Hamel (Mar 1, 2004)

Jamee,

Kevin makes whistles for clients. I don't think he sells them. However, after watching a batch of them being made, i was able to go home and do it myself. Not difficult. 

You're basically cutting the funnel off of a mega whistle and fitting the storm whistle into it. At the joint where it fits very snuggly, you use gorilla glue to secure it. I used a dremmel tool to cut the mega whistle and remove burrs before gluing. It's a lot of whistle when finished. Long distances and strong winds.

Steve


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## Paco (Feb 14, 2007)

RxRatedLabs said:


> Where did you find the pealess mega that is not "the answer"? I can't find one and the clear competition mega that I ordered has the pea.......it froze on me in training the other day. Thanks!


Pull the pea with some needle nose pliers and save a buck.


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## verne socks (Feb 11, 2010)

Steve Hamel said:


> Jamee,
> 
> Kevin makes whistles for clients. I don't think he sells them. However, after watching a batch of them being made, i was able to go home and do it myself. Not difficult.
> 
> ...


Any pictures?


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## David McLendon (Jan 5, 2005)

PocketLab said:


> Care to share?


Yep....

Originally Posted by Jacob Hawkes 
You blow a whistle wrong???? How does one do that? It's not like a duck call. It just takes air to work. 

Not necessarily true. 

By just blowing air into it the Green Monster gives a fading wailing sound that kind of has a begging please stop sound. Pat blocks off the opening building pressure and blows explosively and forcefully from the diaphragm like being kicked in the gut along with a vocalization similar to yelling into the whistle. It's a totally different sound than just blowing into it, doing it his way build a lot of back pressure in the whistle whereas just blowing doesn't. The Green Monster wasn't designed to be pretty looking or sweet sounding, it was designed for the highest, hardest chargers running flat out through a flooded cut corn field 300 yards away and properly blown they will hear it better than just about any other.


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## BuddyJ (Apr 22, 2011)

I enjoy chewing tobacco and have found it helps to wash your whistle once in a while.


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## Andy Carlson (Jan 3, 2003)

Here is a picture of the custom whistle.


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## Chris Atkinson (Jan 3, 2003)

FinnLandR said:


> What am I missing here? Both the Mega and the Answer use the RG clear special whistle. The Answer has an orange shroud, and the Mega has a black one. What other difference is worth the $2 price differential?
> 
> Does the Mega have a pea? The copy I'm seeing on websites isn't clear.....


I believe the Mega (black shroud) is the same as the answer (orange shroud) with the exception of the pea or cork inside the clear whistle. 

If you already have a Mega and want it pealess, or if you can save a couple bucks by getting the black one, you can just chop the pea with a box cutter and pluck the pieces out with hemostats or needle nose pliers.

I have not priced them in a while.

Chris


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## Mike Peters-labguy23 (Feb 9, 2003)

Desire Dogs said:


> I just changed over to the Dallesasse Hunt Tester after years of using the Gonia Clear Mega. I like it. It is a 3" version of the Dallesasse 5" Field Trialer.
> 
> So much in fact that Team Take Em now carries both versions of the Dallesasse whistles.;-)


 I ordered these from Joe today and will have them on Wednesday! Great customer service.

I use the 5" now and I guess when I run a few Masters this summer I will use the 3" so you guys won't make fun of me. I used the "answer" for a few years but the pro I use switched to the Dallesasse this winter and it has been working well.


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## Gun Dawg (Dec 18, 2010)

Thansk for the tip on the Hunt Tester, looks sweet for that.


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## Eli M (Jan 24, 2012)

I'm thinking about ordering the Dallesasse Hunt Tester, anybody NOT like these?


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## EdA (May 13, 2003)

Please correct if I am wrong but I am fairly certain that the actual whistle of the Green Monster and the Dallesasse is the same whistle, the only difference being the "megaphone" part. That whistle I believe is the Acme Tornado which I find requires more air than the Gonia whistle pea or pealess.

The evolution of whistles for me began in the early 70s when almost everyone used the Acme Thunderer. Next came the Roy Gonia Orange Commander, then the Gonia Orange Megawhistle, then the clear Gonia which was the best yet for me. I would generally buy 12 or 15 to get 2 or 3 which had a really crisp sound. Pat Burns taught me that the secret to the whistle was the pea so when you bit the end off as I often did you knock out the side, salvage the pea, and install the pea in a new whistle body and you had the same great sound.

Next came the high tech Fox 40, whew don't be standing next to Jay Sweezey when he blew that one,.......huh?......what'd you say?

The Green Monster was next but I often felt like I was playing a trumpet, it was so large that it almost required two hands to manage. I was accustomed to putting the whistle in my mouth and leaving it there while running the dog which was easy with the clear Gonia. Then the pealess Orange Megawhistle arrived and I found I the one I liked the best, the dogs answer it very well at distance, it is easy to blow, and light enough that I don't feel like I am playing in an orchestra when I use it. I have 1 Green Monster and 2 Dallesasses but never use them. Add 1 Acme Tornado (no megaphone) which I use for hunting and my whistle collection covers the spectrum.


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## Keith Stroyan (Sep 22, 2005)

Ed taught me that the "peas" make a difference a few years ago and I experimented with two kinds of plastic beads instead of cork "peas". No better than a mediocre cork.

Acme makes several "tornados" and some other whistles similar to the Fox 40's:

http://www.acmewhistles.co.uk/xcart/home.php?cat=8&sort=orderby&sort_direction=0&page=2

I tried several and didn't like them. Burnsie's Blaster and the Blue Meanie use an Acme 635 Tornado:

http://www.gundogsupply.com/0038orange.html

The shorter Dallesasse looks interesting, but an Acme 635 in a black megaphone is so loud it hurts my ears - even with the megaphone.

So I stick with Clear Gonia in a black mega.

I ordered 3 Hammerheads since this thread started. They claim to have a better "pea" and forward projection of sound. If it works, it would be nice not to have to tote these trombones around...


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## John Lash (Sep 19, 2006)

I like how the Green Monster sounds and how it projects the sound away from your own ears.

I hate to use it and carry it.


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## Matt McKenzie (Oct 9, 2004)

EdA said:


> Please correct if I am wrong but I am fairly certain that the actual whistle of the Green Monster and the Dallesasse is the same whistle, the only difference being the "megaphone" part. That whistle I believe is the Acme Tornado which I find requires more air than the Gonia whistle pea or pealess.
> 
> The evolution of whistles for me began in the early 70s when almost everyone used the Acme Thunderer. Next came the Roy Gonia Orange Commander, then the Gonia Orange Megawhistle, then the clear Gonia which was the best yet for me. I would generally buy 12 or 15 to get 2 or 3 which had a really crisp sound. Pat Burns taught me that the secret to the whistle was the pea so when you bit the end off as I often did you knock out the side, salvage the pea, and install the pea in a new whistle body and you had the same great sound.
> 
> ...


I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you've run a few blinds at pretty long distances. ;-) Are you saying that the dogs were able to hear you even when you weren't using one of the big blue or green ones?


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## EdA (May 13, 2003)

Hookset said:


> I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you've run a few blinds at pretty long distances. ;-) Are you saying that the dogs were able to hear you even when you weren't using one of the big blue or green ones?


Yes but I have been known to blow a non megaphoned clear Gonia with a pea VERY LOUD but the new whistles have more directed sound which I used to do by cupping my hands. The first megaphone whistle I saw was a homemade one using a plastic cup the size of the ones motels leave in rooms.


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## Keith Stroyan (Sep 22, 2005)

I made my first megaphone whistle out of a Tums bottle. Talk about awkward...


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## David McCracken (May 24, 2009)

I blow a Fox 40.


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## David McCracken (May 24, 2009)

David McCracken said:


> I blow a Fox 40.


And it drives Spaniel judges nuts at a Spaniel hunt test.


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## Gun Dawg (Dec 18, 2010)

Ordered the Hunt Tester today, Richard said it would be out in today's shipment.

I've been using a lanyard w/Gonia Black Mega Clear connection & small clear connection for walk-up for years. I also have a Dallesasses Field Trialer since they 1st came out (Green Monster's were back ordered at the time), just don't use it as much. Mostly on long set-ups or very windy days. Always seemed too bulky & too much whistle for a Hunt Test. Looking forward to giving the smaller HT version a go.


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## Labs a mundo (Mar 20, 2009)

Andy Carlson said:


> Here is a picture of the custom whistle.


I've been using this for the last couple of years along with most of the rest of our training group.
By far my favorite whistle. A guy in our group makes them and they look just like the picture.

Maybe a mfg'ing / marketing opportunity??


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## Keith Stroyan (Sep 22, 2005)

The Hammerheads arrived. Small and large. Loud whistles with very interesting "peas". But too low pitched for my tastes. The large is much too low pitched for dogs. 

I tried a small one in a black megaphone, too. Pretty good, but a clear pea-less Gonia in a mega is still my pick. I guess I'd rate a pea-d Gonia mega 2nd and a small Hammerhead 3rd.

(It sure is a pain getting the Gonias back in the megaphone...)


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## Gun Dawg (Dec 18, 2010)

Wow, what great service......
Orderd the HT on Tues, shipped UPS grnd. (IL to WA) arrived today 2-days.
Richard's a class act. I'll try'er out this weekend.


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## sandyg (Feb 10, 2010)

Steve Hamel said:


> Jamee,
> 
> Kevin makes whistles for clients. I don't think he sells them. However, after watching a batch of them being made, i was able to go home and do it myself. Not difficult.
> 
> ...


To anyone planning on making one of these, you need the Windstorm whistle, NOT the Storm whistle. The Storm is too big and will not fit in the Megawhistle shroud.

I was all set to make one with my old Storm whistle when I discovered this. I ordered an orange Windstorm whistle on Ebay so it's easier to find in the grass if I happen to drop it.


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## duckwater (Apr 23, 2010)

Green Monster stops em on a dime !!!!


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## Gun Dawg (Dec 18, 2010)

Hunt Tester works great, gonna be on my lanyar.


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## pheona (Jan 22, 2009)

Replace every year they get dirty.1st The Answer. Orange mega phone that is pealess. and the 2nd The Dallessassee.


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