RE: duck and goose calling
No doubt about it, decoying and calling ducks or geese beats any other method of taking waterfowl. There is no arguing that pass shooting and stalking can be fun and effective, but once you have had ducks turn into your spread because of your calling you will be hooked forever. To begin, a guy only needs a few decoys and an entry level call. A dozen Green Head Gear hot buy decoys and a Haydel's DR-85 duck call would serve very well for a beginner or an experienced hunter alike. All for less than $40. Goose hunting will necessarily be more expensive as decoys are more expensive but good buys can be found with a little searching.
Getting started is easier than a person would expect. Many of us end up with loads and loads of equipment, but plenty of ducks can be taken on the cheap. Some guys come full circle and use only basic entry level gear in order to give them the edge when running and gunning, being mobile while searching out hotspots.
At the end of the day, there is no feeling like watching birds coming into the decoys, because of your hard work and learned skill. I hope you give it a try, your gonna love it.