How to make a paracord lanyard for duck calls

Dear Writing Huntress,
Duck hunting is quickly becoming my favorite thing to do outdoors, but I’m on a tight budget and I don’t know what kind of gear I can make myself. Do you have any crafty tips for a dedicated waterfowler?

Sincerely,
Crafty in Cresson

 

 

Dear Crafty,

Hunting, duck hunting especially, can be on the expensive side – from the clothing and firearm, to decoys and calls and everything in between. I kept myself confined to an extremely tight budget when I first started hunting. Luckily, I met my husband, Mike, who happens to be a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to making something out of nothing, and we made some of our gear, without breaking the bank.

I never excelled at boondoggle as a child. While my peers would crowd around the craft table, producing bracelets and necklaces, I would sit, watching and wondering how anyone could make such beautiful “plastic-wears” from yards of boondoggle. Fast-forward quite a few years later, and Mike had just bought a case of camo-colored paracord. What soon followed were many nights watching him weave a tapestry of colors while making a dog collar for our lab, Avery, and then a call lanyard for himself and one for me, too. He claimed it wasn’t difficult at all, and he showed me how to make paracord creations for duck hunting.

Keep in mind, patterns of all kinds are available online. Instead of buying a pre-made dog collar, call lanyard, duck carrier or decoy bag handle, invest in a few yards of paracord and have fun!

 

 

How to make a Mike Barron Special Duck Call Extreme Layard

1. Procure paracord from Army surplus/outdoor store. We prefer blacks, oranges, greens and camo, if we can find it, because it’s less noticeable to waterfowl.
2. For this particular lanyard, choose 2 colors for the main body, and 1 for the center strand.
3. Cut the paracord 4 times the length of what you’re intending to make. For instance, if you want a larger lanyard that fits your body, measure the length of your chest and double it, in order to have the correct length. Your “working strands” — the strands that will always be on the outside of the lanyard (running parallel to the inside) — should be at least 4 times the length of your final product. Your center strand should be twice the length of the finished product.
4. Tie a loose overhand knot with both of your working strands.
5. On 1 of the outer loops of the overhand knot, feed the center strand (the shortest length) through and pull it tight. The center strands should then be in the middle, flanked by each working strand.
6. Pick 1 color always to be on top; we chose green for this demonstration. Go over both middle strands, creating a loop on the side you came from. Take the other working strand, layer it over the green strand and go back behind the black strands (working strands) and loop it over. Tighten.
7. Continue step 6 until you start to run short on cord, or until you reach your desired length. When you’re done, tie the end closed. To complete the circle, burn both ends with a lighter and hold them firmly together. The paracord will melt and fuse once cooled.

 

 

The best part about making your own lanyard is you can customize it in your own way. Mike added detachable call straps with miniature clasps, and even a ChapStick holder for those windy mornings. It may be a little confusing to get your first lanyard started, but once you get the hang of it, it’ll be as easy as tying your hunting boots before an early-morning hunt.

Crafty, I hope that you have a great time not only making your own lanyards, collars and bracelets, but also during your duck-hunting season! Be sure to check back and post pictures of your successes on The WON’s social media sites.

 

Happy Hunting,
WH