About Us

Our Story

WoodHaven was built from a simple desire—to be the very best. For founder Mike Pentecost, the woods were the classroom, and wild turkeys were the teachers. What began as ideas and experimentation in his grandparents’ basement grew into a company rooted in real hunting experience and an uncompromising pursuit of sound.

From the very beginning, the goal was clear: build the best turkey calls, period. That standard still defines everything we do today. This page tells the story of how WoodHaven began, how it’s built, and why excellence has always been non-negotiable.

The Standard

WoodHaven’s quality standard was built through years of refinement in the woods—learning how materials, surfaces, and sound behave under real hunting pressure. Calls were built, hunted, evaluated, and adjusted season after season, until consistency and realism became repeatable, not accidental.

That process shaped every aspect of our call making, from tuning methods to material selection. Designs like the Cherry Classic Crystal are the result of that progression—calls known for control, natural tone, and reliability in the field. The WoodHaven standard isn’t defined by claims, but by experience earned over time and carried into every call we build today.

Built With Purpose

WoodHaven has never been just a hobby or a side pursuit—it has been real life, shaped by responsibility, sacrifice, and purpose. Through seasons of growth, challenge, and refinement, the work has always required faithfulness to doing things the right way, even when the path forward wasn’t always clear.

Romans 8:28 reminds us that all things work together for good when guided by purpose. That belief has shaped how WoodHaven was built and how it continues—through decisions made in the shop, lessons learned in the woods, and a responsibility to steward what this company has become.

Our History

1986 / 1987

WoodHaven’s story began in Mike’s grandparents’ basement with a broken plastic slate call. After repairing and refining it, Mike discovered the call sounded better than before—sparking a curiosity that quickly turned into a pursuit of the most realistic turkey sound possible.

1988 / 1989

The operation moved to Mike’s parents’ basement, where his father Jimmy’s woodshop opened new possibilities. With better tools and space, Mike began refining materials and learning more efficient ways to produce consistent, high-quality calls.

1990

Mike developed the V2, V3, and V4 mouth calls—standard V-cut designs using two to four reeds. These early mouth calls marked a major step forward in consistency and realism, with the V3 remaining a staple in the lineup to this day.

1992

Calls began appearing on countertops in local stores, sold one at a time through word of mouth. What started as experimentation was gaining traction, and Mike’s hobby was steadily becoming something more.

1999 / 2000

In 1999, Mike made the decision to quit his job and fully commit to WoodHaven. He filed for incorporation that year, officially launching WoodHaven Custom Calls in 2000, operating out of his parents’ basement and later his living room and garage.

2002

WoodHaven experienced its first major expansion, moving operations from the house into a barn. The added space allowed for improved workflow and marked a turning point in production capability.

2002 / 2003

The Cherry Classic Crystal was introduced in 2002, built from cherry wood—a material largely overlooked at the time. In 2003, the Red Wasp followed. Together, these calls became two of the most trusted and effective calls ever developed, shaping WoodHaven’s reputation for years to come.

2004

The Sting Team was formed, bringing together elite callers including Billy Yargus, Matt Van Cise, Joe Drake, Doug Crabtree, Jim Pollard, and Saddler McGraw. The team would go on to be recognized as one of the most accomplished turkey calling groups of all time.

2005 / 2006

Another milestone period saw the release of the Toxic Orange in 2005, followed by the Copperhead and Real Hen box call in 2006. Each addition expanded WoodHaven’s range while reinforcing its focus on realism and control.

2007

The Purr Pot was developed, introducing a new level of subtlety to WoodHaven’s lineup. Though created in 2007, it would officially debut a few years later and become a staple for close-range calling.

2010

Small-frame mouth calls were introduced, making diaphragm calls more accessible to youth hunters and those with smaller palates. This innovation opened the door for more hunters to confidently use mouth calls in the field.

2016 / 2017

The Hunting Public and Turkey Ninja series were released, quickly becoming some of WoodHaven’s best-selling lines. These lines reflected a new generation of hunters while staying rooted in proven sound and desig

2022

The Fusion Series was introduced, featuring acrylic pots and waterproof calling surfaces. This marked a step forward in durability and versatility without compromising sound quality.

2025

WoodHaven celebrated its 25th Anniversary—marking 25 years in business and 38 years of call making. The milestone reflects decades of refinement, experience, and a standard that continues to guide everything built today.

1986 / 1987

WoodHaven’s story began in Mike’s grandparents’ basement with a broken plastic slate call. After repairing and refining it, Mike discovered the call sounded better than before—sparking a curiosity that quickly turned into a pursuit of the most realistic turkey sound possible.

1988 / 1989

The operation moved to Mike’s parents’ basement, where his father Jimmy’s woodshop opened new possibilities. With better tools and space, Mike began refining materials and learning more efficient ways to produce consistent, high-quality calls.

1990

Mike developed the V2, V3, and V4 mouth calls—standard V-cut designs using two to four reeds. These early mouth calls marked a major step forward in consistency and realism, with the V3 remaining a staple in the lineup to this day.

1992

Calls began appearing on countertops in local stores, sold one at a time through word of mouth. What started as experimentation was gaining traction, and Mike’s hobby was steadily becoming something more.

1999 / 2000

In 1999, Mike made the decision to quit his job and fully commit to WoodHaven. He filed for incorporation that year, officially launching WoodHaven Custom Calls in 2000, operating out of his parents’ basement and later his living room and garage.

2002

WoodHaven experienced its first major expansion, moving operations from the house into a barn. The added space allowed for improved workflow and marked a turning point in production capability.

2002 / 2003

The Cherry Classic Crystal was introduced in 2002, built from cherry wood—a material largely overlooked at the time. In 2003, the Red Wasp followed. Together, these calls became two of the most trusted and effective calls ever developed, shaping WoodHaven’s reputation for years to come.

2004

The Sting Team was formed, bringing together elite callers including Billy Yargus, Matt Van Cise, Joe Drake, Doug Crabtree, Jim Pollard, and Saddler McGraw. The team would go on to be recognized as one of the most accomplished turkey calling groups of all time.

2005 / 2006

Another milestone period saw the release of the Toxic Orange in 2005, followed by the Copperhead and Real Hen box call in 2006. Each addition expanded WoodHaven’s range while reinforcing its focus on realism and control.

2007

The Purr Pot was developed, introducing a new level of subtlety to WoodHaven’s lineup. Though created in 2007, it would officially debut a few years later and become a staple for close-range calling.

2010

Small-frame mouth calls were introduced, making diaphragm calls more accessible to youth hunters and those with smaller palates. This innovation opened the door for more hunters to confidently use mouth calls in the field.

2016 / 2017

The Hunting Public and Turkey Ninja series were released, quickly becoming some of WoodHaven’s best-selling lines. These lines reflected a new generation of hunters while staying rooted in proven sound and design

2022

The Fusion Series was introduced, featuring acrylic pots and waterproof calling surfaces. This marked a step forward in durability and versatility without compromising sound quality.

2025

WoodHaven celebrated its 25th Anniversary—marking 25 years in business and 38 years of call making. The milestone reflects decades of refinement, experience, and a standard that continues to guide everything built today.

Then. Now.

The story of WoodHaven didn’t stop with the past. Every lesson, refinement, and standard built over the years continues to shape how our calls are made today.

What began in the woods and evolved through decades of experience lives on in every call we build now—guided by the same commitment to sound, consistency, and performance that defined WoodHaven from the beginning.

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