Dry, seasoned wood with a tight, straight grain pattern typically makes the best box calls. Apple, Butternut, Cedar, Cherry, Poplar, Mahogany, Sassafras, and Walnut are some of the more popular call woods. I like to mill up plenty of stock at once, then sticker and store the 1/4" and 1/8" blanks in a cool dry place to insure even drying and uniformity until I'm ready to use it.

Callmakers have one thing in their favor when trying to scrounge wood for box calls: they don't need a lot. In fact, what other people consider to be scraps are usually just right for us. Cabinet makers and interior carpenters who install a lot of fancy custom millwork, flooring, and trim often end up with scraps of good call woods like mahogany, walnut, poplar, and cherry. If you know someone in construction, architecture, or interior design and renovation, chances are he'll be able to toss you some scraps, or perhpas put you in touch with someone who will. Also, a lot of people are amateur woodworkers and may be willing to part with a few scraps. You can also visit local cabinet shops and see if they'll be willing to part with some. Since they often keep their scraps and use them for odds and ends, professional woodworkers who are willing to part with some scraps may charge you a little bit, but it shouldn't be much. It (usually) doesn't hurt to ask! Custom gun and knife makers are also people who usually have large quantities of nice walnut on hand, and they usually sell some at gun and knife shows for a reasonable price. Old furniture is another good source. I once saw a beat-up old cherry table, with a leg or two missing, at a garage sale for just a couple of dollars. At the time I wasn't making calls, and I didn't have the tools to mill it up anyway, but if you've got access to a table saw or band saw and some hand tools, old furniture can be turned into call stock without too much trouble or expense. Needless to say, be generous! If you find good suppliers, treat them well. Give them a call or two made from the wood they gave you, or do them some other favor. It's satisfying and it keeps the wood coming in.

Of course, if none of the cheapskate options work for you, you can just buy some wood from a lumber yard, home center, or woodworking shop. It can be more convenient, but also more expensive, especially when you're just starting out and making mistakes.

If you do decide to buy some wood, I'd recommend starting with poplar or cedar--they're both relatively cheap, easy to find, easy to work with hand tools, and both make a decent sounding call.