Me and a couple friends are looking to start a contest here in NETX... The list of contests in Texas is very small, not to mention how poor some of the contests I've been in have been. I know they arent an over night success and we arent looking to get rich, we want to put something on that'll bring hunters/callers together for a good time and leave with a smile and a bigger wallet. We were going to have one this year but with work and other things going on in life we weren't able to get it all organized in time for the date we were shooting for. Any opinions and thoughts on how to make a contest people would enjoy coming to, and a simple i would attend or not would be appreciated.

Serve food.
Serve beverage.
Don't have duck dynasty there.

Is it going to be a "callers competition" or a real "duck hunting" style competition?

It would be during a festival held here every year, so food is available, idk how the beverage side of things works and we want a meat and open. No need to worry about DD being there.

I would attend and I know a few buddies of mine would attend as well!

I've never had the desire to attend one of these deals. I'd much rather go watch people work dogs at a field trial or something like that. I'm not big into dogs either but I'd rather watch a dog work than some bozo on a stage. Just seems like the DB factor at one of those things would be at epic proportions.

To me calling is about working ducks right...and a guy on a stage is not working ducks he's working people. Would be cool if you could do a real duck calling comp where ducks are the judge. Maybe that Aflac duck is available.

Calling contests whether you agree with them are not are a demonstration of the mastery of a musical instrument. The limited time provided to make your run forces competitors to stream together a series of notes that no hunter will ever use in the field but every hunter should know how to make. It’s the mastery of the of the musical instrument that is being judged not the song

Thanks for not adding to the db factor by attending one of these deals Marc

I know what you are saying and can respect the fact that some enjoy calling contests...that's fine and I'm sure it's a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon for some people. For me, I look at a call as a tool for me to kill ducks or geese so to me the only mastery that matters is that if someone uses those calls they can use them to help them bring in birds. That's what matters to me. If you want to master a musical instrument you should take up a real musical instrument that actually makes music that people like hearing. So there are different definitions to "mastery" i guess.

But don't worry about what I think (not that you would)....there are plenty of Duck Dynasty new hunters that would probably love to come to an event like this so they might feel more like real duck hunters and they would probably get to meet some real duck hunters even. And overall there are worse things people could be doing so it's not really a negative in my book at all. I'd probably just rather go fishing or watch Wayne make a duck call than go to a calling contest.

Excellent way to explain that sir... On another note-- Calling comps were around long before DD turned famous. I've been competition calling for 3 years and it's a great thing to do during the offseason and fun competition, not to mention meeting people and blowing other calls. Alot of times that "bozo" on stage is a solid hunter and a good duck caller in the woods. To each his own.

Yeah I'm aware that they have been around for a very long time. I was just saying that with the new interest duck hunting is getting from the DD types it would probably be better attended than usual. If I was a promoter I'd probably embrace that.

So basically marsbar is saying he can't run a call and has pretty much given up any hope of it so he just doesn't want to go and by calling them DB he feels it covers for his lack of skill with a duck call. I usually call surgeons DB myself because I was never any good at open heart surgery

Good to hear from ya Elder! Lol nothin like a solid, entertaining post from the Cap'n. You ought to ease down my way sometime, let someone else punch cows for a while.

Very well said Jeff . Y'all need to have a goose contest as well .

I've obviously touched a nerve. Worked up Jeffrey getting real mad haha. So because I don't go to a calling contest it means I can't run a call good enough to hunt? It's funny but makes no actual sense. I don't like watching hunting shows either...I find them super boring...does that mean I don't like to hunt or can't shoot ducks because I don't like watching it on TV? That also would make no sense.

I'm not trying to be the best at watching people duck hunt on TV or standing on a stage pretending I'm duck hunting. You can have that. I just like to get out in the field away from most people and work ducks and maybe kill a few. To me duck hunting has nothing to do with competing with other people...for me it's a way to relax and have fun...I'm not overly concerned with shooting more ducks than the next guy or hunting every day of the week and making sure I post all my tailgate pics. That would be work to me.

Also so no one else gets butt hurt...I was not calling all people that do calling contests DB...I was just saying that the DB factor at one of those events would be high enough that I would not want to attend...mostly due to all the new post DD hunters that are on the scene now. But if you are a DB I apologize...if you know you are not a DB then you would not have been butt hurt in the first place.

just a thought, you might try having several different stages. For example a professional contest where all you pro-staffers and previous contest winners can compete, then an intermediate for those who sound good and can run just fine but arent the heavy hitters like the professionals and then a beginners/youth for those who are young and or just getting started. Just trying to help fill some seats, and just my spend it how you will. A calling Comp would just be another great opportunity to educate those who don't know the true inns and outs of the past time that we all know and love.

This exact same thing was done a few years ago in Pasadena. Only made it 2 years and hasn't been put on since. Not sure why it didn't make it, we had a lot of fun at that thing. I'm sure others on the board attended it as well.

Well Marc you ought to come out sometime, I think you'd be surprised that most guys there aren't DB and several of guys at contests are on the forum. Hell maybe you should even give your call a whirl, never know Cap'n Elder might show up and wanna have a call off!

I never heard of the one in Pasadena, I would like for the contest here (if started), to be a long lasting fun event that pays out good $$ to winners! Contests don't have to be some fancy get up at BassPro IMO. I just think a good stage, timely light, being prepared and good judges with a nice payout and I don't see how one wouldn't last...

Personally I love the idea, and would defiantly participate. One idea...if you have it in NE Texas chances are you could pull from Tx, La, Ok, and AR....therefore giving you the ability to host a sanctioned contest for worlds.

T

Its funny to hear people who are against calling competitions because it doesn't sound like a duck. Thats the point its the mastery of your tool. If one of the world champs shared the blind with you, they are some of the best hunters out there. Usually people who hate on the competition can't control their kazoo call anyways so who cares what they say

mastery of your tool

I don't understand why people get so defensive because I say I have no desire to go to a calling competition. Then they start jumping to conclusions that it must mean I can't call. That's just dumb. I for sure could not win some competition because I don't even know what you have to do to impress people but I know I can call good enough to work and kill birds...and for me that's all I care about...so excuse me for just caring about that part of it. I guess I don't understand why you guys have a problem with me just wanting to using my calling to kill ducks. I've just got about 100 other things I'd rather do on a Saturday afternoon. I have a family and kids...I have other interests. It does not take anything away from your calling if I don't show up or if I don't think it's "so awesome" to hear people on a stage blowing a call.

I will say this...if I was a guide, call maker, or in some kind of business that had to do with duck hunting I would probably attend and enter as many call comps as possible because it would be a way to meet people and get more business. I'm sure most of the people that enter are there in part because of that and I have zero problem with someone trying to drum up business. Makes perfect sense.

you need to master your tool marcus

Since you are making a serious comment Garrett I'll give you a serious reply....I've pretty much had it mastered since I was about 11. You'd be surprised how fast one can go from novice to expert master. Let's not talk about this again.

practice makes perfect, take your show to the big stage

..You should understand that when you called people "Bozos"for going and entering that is where you touched a nerve....