Shoot For Two

For the past 35 years, Easton Maryland has been home to one of the nation's premier waterfowl events. This year at the 35th Annual Waterfowl Festival, over 19,000 visitors enjoyed events such as decoy auctions, wildlife art exhibits, retriever demonstrations, shooting exhibitions and much more. This festival also hosts five calling contests attracting professional waterfowl hunters and callers from across the country. These calling contests include the Mason Dixon Jr. Duck, Mason Dixon Sr. Duck, World Champion Jr. Goose, 1st annual World Champion "Live Duck" and the Prestigious World Goose Calling Championship.

The World Championship is a two-day event with preliminary rounds beginning Friday evening. The Live Duck contest is only 60 seconds long compared to the traditional 90-second format. Before each caller begins his routine, a 15 second audio clip is played of live mallards feeding and greeting other ducks. The idea of this contest is to sound as realistic as the live mallards as possible. If you ring a single hail note you will be disqualified. Anything outside of what a duck is capable of doing is grounds for disqualification. Many of the callers were using double reeds so that they could get as "ducky" as possible. The sounds that these callers were simulating would raise the hair on the back of your neck. If you closed your eyes you could visualize live mallards as these callers performed their magic. In the Goose Calling Championship each caller must execute a polished routine with a maximum time length of 90 seconds. In this routine the caller must present to the judges a series of sounds choreographed to simulate a group of geese in the wild. The routine must consist of greeting calls, intermediate-greeting calls, comeback calls, and lay down sounds. Each caller's interpretation of the "perfect routine" is different and unique.

The Easton High School auditorium began to fill up with viewers and the sweet sounds of contest duck and goose callers practicing their well-rehearsed routines. The callers could be seen pacing back and forth as they checked the tune of their call, the competitive tension and anticipation were building. The title of World Champion "Live Duck" would be a great honor being the 1st Annual contest of this nature. The possibility of winning the 69th Annual World Goose Calling Championship ads pressure beyond explanation. It is a title that every contest caller dreams of attaining and works a lifetime to achieve.

Friday night ended and there were five contestants from each event that qualified for the finals on Saturday night. These guys had the best and the cleanest routines. My brother, Field Hudnall, had competed in the World Championship two prior times placing 7th at best. This year he qualified for the World Championship "Live Duck" and the World Championship Goose. I asked him what his thoughts were and all he replied was, "It is unbelievable, I can't believe I am in the top five." It was off to the hotel to get ready for the finals on Saturday night. The whole way back to the hotel Field never said a word. It was like he was in shock. I have been to almost every contest with Field and this was a side of him I had never seen.

Saturday morning rolled around and Field was still not acting himself. I could tell that his nerves were to blame. As we pulled up to Easton High School we all jumped out and Freddie, Field and I went into the gym where we were going to be helping out Angler's booth. As we worked the booth, Field started to act like his normal self again. I guess he quit thinking about the contest while we were answering questions from some of the local hunters about calls and the Avery products that Angler's had on display. Hours went by and before I knew it, it was almost time for the competitions to begin. As we closed down the booth and headed towards the auditorium Field and I were discussing all the different hunting stories that we had heard and how we could not wait to get back home and start hunting. I remember asking Field, "So how are you feeling about tonight?" I said that right as we walked through the doors of the auditorium and it was like Field hit a brick wall that totally changed his mindset. He went from being laid back and talking to not saying anything at all. I watched him as he just stared at the stage. As I glanced up at the stage I could see why he was amazed. They had the stage decorated with Greenhead Gear duck and goose decoys. There were banners hanging from the ceiling with sponsor's names on them and there was also a blind built where each contestant had to stand and perform his routine- a daunting platform.

It was not long until the contests were well under way. The young callers in the Jr. Mason Dixon duck-calling contest started things off followed by the Junior World Goose, the Sr. Mason Dixon Duck and the then the first annual World Championship "Live Duck" calling contest. This contest is unique because it is not the same style as the traditional World's Duck Calling Championship in Stuttgart, AR which holds a 90 second prototypical calling contest entailing high balls and comeback calls. The "Live Duck" contest is exactly that, the contestant has to emulate a 60 second feed of wild ducks.

The five callers stepped out and the emcee began announcing the placement of the top 5. As the emcee announced 5th place David Damron, 4th place Derrick Damron, 3rd place Tim Grounds. Field and Mitch Hughes sounded awesome, either one of them could have taken First place home. As the emcee announced 2nd place Mitch Hughes I jumped out of my seat with excitement. I was so happy for my little brother; he had just won a World Championship. I did not get to congratulate Field because he had to head straight back to the caller's room and get ready for the World Goose Calling Competition.

It seemed when the time came for the World Goose Calling Championship the setting of the entire auditorium changed. You could feel the anticipation rising amongst the audience. Everyone had their favorites picked to win as did I, but Field had his work cut out for him. He faced four formidable opponents.

One by one each of the callers stepped out and performed. Goose calling was second nature to each one of them. The sounds these guys were making on those calls were unbelievable. The calling order was Sean Hammock, Kyle Rinella, Field Hudnall, Hunter Grounds, and last but not least Scott Threinen. They all had their own "sugar" and different sounds that made them unique.

At last the five callers were brought out on stage for the moment of truth. The emcee was talking about the contest and was getting ready to announce the winners when our good friend Brett Ayers called and I let him listen to the results live. Sean Hammock received 5th place and a huge list of prizes to follow. 4th place went to Kyle Rinella who put on an awesome display of calling. Last years World Champion Hunter Grounds took 3rd place. The final two on stage were Scott Threinen and my brother Field. Field looked like he was going to get sick to his stomach. The room became quiet with anticipation I could hear Bret on my cell phone saying, "Oh, my God...Field is going to win." After they announced the long list of prizes for second place the emcee announced Scott Threinen's name. Field had just won the 2004 World Goose Calling Championship and the 2004 World Live Duck Calling Championship. Field seemed in shock. It looked as if his knees were going to give out and he was ghost white. Friend and hunting partner Sean Hammock gave him a big hug, which seemed to hold Field upright. Brett was hooping and hollering on the other end, but I had to cut his celebration short to start the chain of calls to everyone of whom I could think.

Field's wins that night earned him a cash purse of $12,000, plus a thousand dollars in gift certificates and a truck load of other merchandise. I asked Field how it felt and what he thought of the whole event. He seemed very humble about the whole thing, even to me. He explained to me how he did not feel like he was a better caller than any other competitor he called against. Any of those callers could have won that contest, especially the guys in that top five at the end. He was just glad that luck was on his side and the judges saw it his way. Since Field started waterfowl hunting he dreamed of being a World Champion Caller, now it is very real. That night on stage, Field did more than he ever dreamed of...he captured not one World Title but two.