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Bois d'Arc
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Bois
d'Arc (pronounced bo-dark — French for "bow wood"),
a moraceous hedge tree, common to Arkansas, got it's name from the
French explorers. From this flexible, durable, dense wood was made
wagon tongues, spoke wheels, fence posts. Indians used it to make
bows. In the old days they were planted closely together, making
an excellent hedge row to keep cattle in their boundaries.
Today, some duck hunters hang bois d'arc duck calls around their
necks — thanks to well-known call makers Andy Bowles, Mark
Weedman (Weedy Pinoak calls), Howard Amadon and Chick Majors.
Snazz
Bois d'Arc calls
The bois d'arc tree produces an inedible fruit which has been nicknamed
the horse apple, hedge apple and Osage orange because ... well ...
it looks like an orange. About six inches in diameter, it has been
known to keep away moths, roaches and other critters. This yellow-toned
wood turns darker in time. It makes a very crisp sounding duck call
because of the density of the wood.
The wood Jerry Billy uses in Snazz calls comes from the Pollard
Farm Lane, just 3 1/2 miles southwest of Gregory, Arkansas. The
land is currently owned by Gregory Farm, Inc. It's also just down
the road about 4 1/2 miles west of the Black Swamp Duck Hunting
Grounds. You dont get much more country than that!
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