Name: John Gemmell
Address: P.O. Box 197; Hanmer Springs, New Zeland
Phone: 03-315-7254 Fax: 03-315-7254 International: 64-03-315-7254
E-mail: gemmell.riverview@xtra.co.nz
Personal Website:

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 Gemmell Calls

I think you will agree that ordering a call from John Gemmell will make an interesting addition to any collection. You see, John is from New Zealand. Calls known as an American folk art are quickly becoming a worldwide commodity. New Zealand has long been known as a haven for waterfowl hunting. They have excellent populations of birds and minimal hunting pressures.

In addition to call making John Gemmell owns and operates Riverview Lodge in Hanmer Springs. Keeping in mind that the seasons are reversed in New Zealand they spend October through March fishing for Brown trout. In March to July they hunt Canada Geese. Their duck season opens in May. They hunt Mallards, Spoonbills, Grey and Paradise ducks.

It was John’s interest in waterfowl hunting and the lack of quality calls in New Zealand that got him interested in making calls. That was 15 years ago. He started by making a call to attack Paradise ducks. After developing and field testing his call for more them 5 years he got what he was looking for and began to market locally. John uses two local woods, Maire and New Zealand Walnut. Marie is a special wood and one of the densest in the World. The wood he uses is selected from logged trees that are aged between 400 and 800 years old.

This wood is in great demand for it’s resonant qualities and used in musical instruments. Marie can only be shipped from the country as a finished product. It is endemic to New Zealand and prohibited from export as lumber. John Gemmell is the only place to get a call made from this unique wood. His walnut calls are available in two grades.

A standard grade material and an exhibition grade. This is some of the nicest Walnut available in the World and has excellent figure and color. All John’s calls are signed.

John makes a Double reed Mallard call but is soon to release a single reed and a goose flute. These two new calls are being field tested now and will soon be available to the public.

If your looking for something interesting and special for your collection you need to drop John a letter or e-mail and get one of these calls. I’m sure he would also be very happy for helping you set up a special once in a life time hunting trip that you will soon not forget.