Chick Major: The Legacy That Shaped Generations of Callmakers

In the heart of Arkansas’s Grand Prairie lies Stuttgart—the duck hunting capital of the world. For nearly a century, hunters have flocked there for its legendary flooded timber hunts, abundant mallard populations, and rich waterfowling traditions. But Stuttgart is also the birthplace of something just as iconic: the Arkansas-style duck call. And if you trace the roots of that tradition far enough back, you’ll find the name Chick Major etched into the grain of history.

Chick Major wasn’t just another callmaker. He was the callmaker who helped define the sound of the Arkansas woods and, by extension, modern duck hunting itself. From his humble beginnings in the late 1930s to his role as a mentor and patriarch of a dynasty of champion callers, Chick Major’s influence still echoes through the swamps, marshes, and sloughs where mallards pitch their wings in response to a well-tuned call.

A Callmaker Ahead of His Time

Charles "Chick" Major began making duck calls in Stuttgart, Arkansas, during a time when callmaking was as much a craft as it was a necessity. Hunters in the region needed tools that worked—and worked well. What started as a personal pursuit to create a better-sounding call soon became a calling in itself. Chick’s first calls were hand-turned and hand-tuned, with every effort focused on realism and functionality.

As he honed his designs, Major found his signature sound—one that mimicked the raspy, seductive notes of an Arkansas timber hen with uncanny accuracy. His calls could pull ducks down from the heavens, breaking high-flying flocks and working birds tight through thick cover. His reputation quickly grew. By the 1940s and 50s, Major’s calls had become so influential that if you wanted to make and sell duck calls in Arkansas, your design had better sound like a Dixie Mallard. If it didn’t, hunters wouldn’t give it a second glance.

Chick’s work wasn’t just good; it was groundbreaking. He introduced features that are now hallmarks of Arkansas-style calls, like the three-ring turned barrel—a simple yet elegant flourish that became instantly recognizable. His toneboards were masterful, producing calls that were both easy to blow and incredibly versatile. Early on, Major used hard rubber reeds, later transitioning to plastic in the mid-1950s as materials and techniques evolved. Every element of his calls was designed for one purpose: fooling mallards.

The Dixie Mallard: A Legend in Wood and Sound

One of Major’s most famous creations was the Dixie Mallard, a call that has reached legendary status among collectors and hunters alike. Known for its sharp bark and ducky rasp, the Dixie Mallard became a staple on lanyards throughout the Mississippi Flyway. Whether a hunter was working tight timber or open water, Major’s call was up to the task.

Many of Chick’s early calls were made from walnut and maple—both woods that offered durability and excellent tonal qualities. Later, he experimented with laminated woods and even added decals to help hunters identify his craftsmanship. His iconic red, gold, and black decals became a badge of honor on a hunter’s call lanyard, marking them as someone who knew their stuff.

Collectors today scour vintage markets and call auctions in search of Chick Major’s rarest pieces—early models without markings, models stamped “Dixie”, transitional calls with flared stoppers, laminated versions, and models featuring his famous decal work. Each one represents a chapter in his evolution as a craftsman and storyteller through sound.

Passing the Torch: A Family Tradition of Champions

Chick Major didn’t just leave a legacy in wood and reed; he passed it down through his family. His daughter, Pat Peacock, became the first woman to win the World Duck Calling Championship. At just 17 years old, Pat walked onto the stage in Stuttgart and blew away the competition—literally. Using a Dixie Mallard call made by her father, she wowed the judges and audience alike with her mastery of the four calls: open water, woods, mating, and comeback. Pat’s win was more than symbolic; it shattered barriers and showcased the Major family’s unparalleled skill.

Over the next few decades, the Major family became known as the “World Champion Duck Calling Family.” Between Chick and his daughters Pat, Brenda, Dixie and other family members, they racked up an astonishing 28 titles, including 20 world championships. Chick’s  son-in-law, Eddie Holt, also found success on the stage. Their combined achievements turned the Major family into legends not just in Stuttgart but across the waterfowling world.

The Inspiration for Generations of Callmakers

What sets Chick Major apart from many of his contemporaries is how deeply he influenced other callmakers. Many of today’s top makers—whether they’re turning barrels in small shops or leading major call companies—trace their roots back to Chick Major’s designs.

In the 1940s and 50s, if you were starting out as a callmaker in Arkansas, you looked to Chick’s work as your benchmark. His tonal profile became the standard. His design language—the shape of his barrels, the flare of his stoppers, the ring cuts—was emulated by others hoping to achieve the same success. Even today, many of the fundamental principles of Arkansas-style callmaking owe a debt to Major’s pioneering work.

Chick was also known for mentoring and collaborating with others. Sometimes he made calls for other businesses or hunters who wanted to market their own branded calls. In those cases, Chick would subtly tweak the design, ensuring each call was unique yet still carried his unmistakable sound and craftsmanship.

The Soundtrack of the Timber

Hunters who had the privilege of blowing a Chick Major call often speak about the sound it produced—not just how it worked on ducks but how it fit into the world around them. The cadence, the rasp, the realism—it was all there. For those who hunted the timber in the heyday of Arkansas duck hunting, Major’s calls were the soundtrack of early mornings and late-season migrations.

Even today, it’s not uncommon to hear stories of hunters who still carry a Dixie Mallard on their lanyard, refusing to retire a call that has put countless birds in the decoys. That enduring trust speaks volumes about Major’s craftsmanship and his ability to create a tool that worked year after year, season after season.

A Lasting Legacy

Chick Major passed away in 1974, but his legacy remains as strong as ever. His calls are highly sought after by collectors, his designs continue to inspire modern callmakers, and his family’s contributions to the sport of duck calling are woven into the fabric of waterfowling history.

For anyone who has ever stepped into the timber with a call on their lanyard, Chick Major’s influence is there. His work helped define what it means to make a great duck call—and more importantly, how a great duck call can bring people together through the shared experience of the hunt.

As the sound of mallards echoes through the trees each fall, so too does the spirit of Chick Major. His calls may have started as simple tools of the trade, but they’ve become something far greater: symbols of a tradition that lives on, one quack at a time.