Zink Calls Field Staff

The Zink Calls Pro-Staff is composed of waterfowl hunters, who have established a solid reputation as ethical men who care about the resource - ducks & geese. Some are accomplished callers and others are regionally known hunters, but all have the ability to put game in the bag when the going is tough and they can all Talk The Talk.


Reuben Aleckson

Reuben Aleckson is 18 years old. Being born and raised in rural Minnesota, Reuben has been involved with hunting for as long as he can remember. He started hunting at the young age of 7, when he recieved a Red Ryder BB Gun for his birthday. Ever since age 12, Reuben has been hunting deer, pheasants, and all kinds of small game, but his real passion lies in waterfowl hunting. Reuben lives in Upsala, MN, which is 45 minutes north of St. Cloud, MN. When he isn't out hunting in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, or Montana, Reuben can be found training his Yellow Labs that he raises and sells.

Reuben's favorite method of waterfowl hunting is field hunting for Mallards and Canadas while in his Avery power hunter blind. Much of Reuben's time in the summer is spent putting up wood duck houses and mallard nesting boxes. Reuben is planning on entering calling contests for Canada geese this summer and fall while blowing his Money Maker call. In the spring, Reuben can be found on the baseball field playing for his high school team. Reuben plans on attending NDSU in Fargo, ND for a degree in Natural Resource Management.


Darrell Austin

Darrell Austin, 34 years old was born and raised in southern Indiana. Darrell currently reside in Charlestown, IN, about 20 minutes NE of Louisville, KY Darrell was introduced to the outdoors and hunting at an early age. As a young boy he persuaded small game with his Savage 20/22 over/under. As a teen Darrell, his father Robert, and brother Jaye raised and trained Beagles, winning several local field trials. Darrell also enjoys the excellent deer hunting in southern Indiana. He does most of his deer hunting in early archery and gun season so he can focus on Waterfowl when the season opens. Darrell also has harvested Wild Boar and a record book Corsican ram.

Darrell was introduced to Waterfowl hunting about 16 yrs. ago. It was an early October season hunt, Darrell and good friend Bob Nevitt had swarms of Wood ducks all over them. The hook was set that day! Darrell has hunted ducks and geese from Alberta Ca. to So. Illinois. He mostly hunts private property but has good success on the Ohio river. At first, he only duck hunted and geese were a bonus, but with excellent success the last few years, he field hunts geese and ducks are a bonus. Darrell's constant travel companions during Waterfowl season are a landowner plat map and phone book.

He feels hunting on the "x" is vital to success, however with a good spread Greenhead and Bigfoot decoy's, a well hidden Power Hunter and good calling, geese will come. The thing that excites Darrell most these days is Dakota, his 12 yr. Old step-son. Dakota has shown interest in taking up the habit and Darrell is eager to have a new hunting buddy.

When hunting season is over Darrell can be found on the lake. He enjoys pleasure fishing and fishes some Bass tournaments. In 2004 he finished 5TH in the Hoosier Open series team bass tournaments. Darrell's other hobbies are playing paintball, attempting to play golf, and fabricating car parts for an ARCA/REMAX series race team.


Mike Bard

Age: 31
Hometown: Elbridge, NY
Occupation: Senior Market Research Associate for KS&R Inc.
Areas of Expertise: Waterfowl
Favorite Method of Hunting: Field Hunting
Industry Credentials and Awards: Avery Pro-staff member - Atlantic Flyway PS journal entry editor.

Mike Bard, age 31, currently resides in Jordan, NY with his wonderful wife, Christina, and their three children, Gabriella, Zachary and Jacquelyn. Mike works as a senior research associate for KS&R Inc. in Syracuse, NY. He earned his Masters degree in public administration from Syracuse University's Maxwell School. After high school and while attending college, Mike served over eight years, as an officer, in the New York State Army National Guard's 1/108th Infantry Battalion.

At the age of 12, Mike started tagging along on deer hunts with his dad, Gary, and grandfather, Don. Both men have been instrumental and supportive over the years, in Mike's passion for the outdoors. It wasn't until high school that friends introduced him to waterfowling and since, waterfowl has been where it's at for Mike. Throughout high school, Mike spent his free time hunting wood duck and mallard holes with his friends. Over the years, he's traveled to several states to hunt a variety of waterfowl using about every possible method out there, but field hunting Canada geese and mallards has become what he enjoys most. He believes there is nothing better than fooling Canadas and getting them to land within feet of his blind.

Mike has been using Zink Calls for several years, learning to blow a short reed on the SR-1. He now finds the Zink Little Man to be his go to call in the field, as he loves its responsiveness and speed, not to mention the geese seem to like it too. When it comes to duck calling, he feels there is nothing more realistic sounding than the Zink Power Hen.

Mike brings over 15 years of waterfowling experience to Zink Calls. His passion of the outdoors and the desire to pass along that passion will be a valuable asset. He enjoys sharing his knowledge of waterfowling with others, as well as continually learning more. In addition to Zink Calls, Mike is also a member of Duck Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl and on the Avery Outdoors Pro-Staff.

Brandon Branham

Brandon Branham, 38 years old, resides in Greenville, Indiana, just west of Louisville, Kentucky. Brandon started hunting squirrel and rabbit with his dad when he was 9 years old. It was while serving as a Game Warden in the Army at Ft. Meade, Maryland, that waterfowl hunting caught his interest. During this time, Brandon was exposed to the waterfowl experience by witnessing firsthand the enthusiasm of the hunters on post. After completing his military service in 1990, he returned to Southern Indiana and waterfowling became his obsession, much to the dismay of his wife.

Although Indiana is not known as a hotbed for waterfowl, most hunters Brandon speaks with are surprised with the numbers and different species that Indiana offers. He hunts flooded fields that produce mallards to pintails, marshes that have teal to wooduck, and big lakes for the cans and scaup. Let's not forget the longnecks if you are willing to scout and ask for permission. You can be very successful in the crop lands.

Brandon has permission to hunt on private properties in his area but is also willing to put miles on his truck to travel to the public areas provided by the state which produce some great hunts as well. Brandon feels the keys to being a successful waterfowl hunter are learning to call, scouting, hunting on the X, and most of all to learn something from each hunt.

Brandon has been married since 1988, has two children, and is currently employed at Sonoco Products Company in New Albany, Indiana.

Brandon's other interests include fishing, beating Jeff House in golf, and coaching football at Highland Hills Middle School, Floyds Knobs, Indiana.


DJ Caldwell

DJ, who is currently 22 years old, has spent his entire life in Colorado. He grew up in Colorado Springs and now resides in Fort Collins. He began hunting with his dad when he was a young kid. He spent many years tagging along with his dad and older brother and fellow Pro-Staffer Nate Caldwell. When he turned 10, his dad allowed him to join in on the hunts. Some of DJ's fondest memories are hunting a warm water slue for ducks with his dad and older brother. This is where his love for waterfowl hunting began. After graduating high school he moved to Fort Collins to attend Colorado State University. Soon after he moved there his older brother Nate introduced him to the wonderful world of goose hunting. From the first time he was in the pit with his older brother and had geese landing right on the pit lids he was hooked. Now DJ spends the majority of his time hunting, scouting or practicing his calling so he can get the thrill of "tricking" a flock of Canada Geese to come and land in his decoys. DJ also began guiding goose hunts this past season, 2005, with Waterfowl Haven Outfitters. His favorite thing to do during the hunting season is to "fun" hunt with his dad, brother, and many other great friends he has met through hunting.

When hunting season is closed DJ spends his time working as a crew manager with Foothills Landscape Maintenance. He will soon be graduating from college with his degree in Landscape Management. He hopes this will open many doors in the industry for him. He enjoys the profession, which allows him the opportunity to hunt as much as possible during the off season from work. He sees this as a win-win situation.

DJ hopes that he can bring his knowledge of hunting Canada Geese to the Zink Calls Pro-staff. He also believes that there are many things he can learn and take with him as a Pro Staffer. DJ is very excited to be apart of this great team known as Zink.


Anthony J Caggiano

Tony Caggiano, 34, was born and raised in The Bronx, New York. While few hunters would ever realize it, he was exposed to tens of thousands of waterfowl during the migration each year.

Having grown up on the shores of the Long Island Sound in the seventies he would witness Broadbill, in record numbers, flying in huge swarms, just outside his door. After high school he moved with his family north to Westchester County and it was there, in the suburbs, that his childhood fascination with waterfowl lead him to hunting.

Although the regular seasons on Canada Geese were closed at the time, there were local resident geese by the thousands to be hunted on the surrounding farms and golf courses.

Since those earlier days, Tony's passion for hunting has evolved into a full time career. Nowadays he is a professional hunting guide and shooting instructor in Millbrook, New York, where he lives with his wife, Charlene and spends his days pursuing everything from turkeys to ducks and geese as well as hunting upland birds with his Springer and Boykin Spaniels. But his passion remains with field hunting for BIG northeast honkers. When he is not doing that, he can be found on the legendary salt marshes of Long Island's Great South Bay.

While Tony has traveled from Northern Canada to Arkansas, Texas, Florida and the Carolinas in search of waterfowl of all types, his heart is still at home in the marshes and fields of the East Coast.

In the off-season, Tony spends his days carving decoys, training his hunting dogs and practicing his goose calling. He will begin participating in calling contests early next year.

A long time member of DU, Delta Waterfowl and Waterfowl USA, Tony has done much in the way of volunteer work to foster and perpetuate waterfowl hunting. He hopes that this love of waterfowling will help make him a valued part of the ZINK CALLS Family in the years to come.


Bob "Chappy" Chaplin

Bob "Chappy" Chaplin, is 38 years old and lives in North East Ohio, with his wife Christine, and 2 children daughter Haley, and son Bobby.

Originally being from the Eastern Shore of New Jersey he has had waterfowling in him from a very early age and while waterfowling hunting with a friend about 18 years ago is when he started honing his skills. Chappy is pretty well known throughout the state of Ohio because of his work with Ohiowaterfowler.com, he also has help Honker Bonker with shows, and helps out at the Cleveland Sports Show with a waterfowl hunting seminar every year. He has spent countless hours helping 2 DU Chapters, and one of his biggest accomplishments was becoming an Avery Pro-Staff Member.

As part of Avery he is a Team Leader for the Avery Youth Field Staff, and loves getting kids evolved with our sport, as he feels with out them we will not have a sport.

Chappy also runs a Sanctioned Duck calling Contest every year, and has competed in several himself with placing 3rd in the Pymatuning Duck Calling Contest.

Chappy has duck and goose in him 24-7 and like he always says waterfowling it's not a passion it's a lifestyle and for him and his family it is.


Tom Cormany

Tom Cormany is 39 years old and lives in Petersburg, Virginia. Tom is employed by the USDA's Farm Service Agency as a Temporary Intermittent Employee during the summer. During the fall and winter, Tom can be found chasing Ducks, Geese, Rockfish, Doves and training his chocolate lab “Tar”, while guiding for Blandfield Plantation.

Toms father Charlie introduced him to hunting at the age of 5. His first hunting experience was duck hunting, but the hunt that got him addicted to waterfowl hunting was a November hunt at the age of 7, Where he shot his first mallard drake flying and was hooked for life. While growing up, the love of waterfowling became an addiction. He enjoys fishing on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the James River in Virginia, where he can be found on his days off fishing in front of the Berkley Plantation, the home of the first Thanksgiving. His favorite way to hunt ducks and geese is out of Avery Finisher blinds in fields or on the sandbar banks of the James River.

Tom likes nothing better than a flock of Geese locked up and feet in his face. Tom has duck and goose hunted around Central Virginia for over 32 years with his father and brother Scott as well as guiding in Maryland with some of the best waterfowlers in the area. Tom has been involved in duck and goose hunting since he started, from the calling in contest to studying and scouting before guided hunts.

Tom has been a member of the James River Chapter Ducks Unlimited for over 26 years and is currently serving on the raffle committee. In addition to that, he is an Avery Pro-Staffer. Tom has competed in several calling competitions since the late 80’s and called with some of the best guy’s in the world, most have become great teachers and friends, some of his achievements are:

2006 - Virginia State Championships ( Goose )- Champion
2006 - Virginia State Championships ( Duck )- 2nd Place
2005 -Virginia State Championships ( Duck )- 2nd Place
2002 -Virginia Southern Duck Hunter Duck Calling Contest- Champion
2002 -Virginia Southern Duck Hunter Goose Calling Contest- Champion
1993 -James River D.U. Duck Calling Contest- Champion
1993 -James River D.U. Goose Calling Contest- 2nd Place
1992 -James River D.U. Duck Calling Contest- Champion
1992 -James River D.U. Goose Calling Contest- 2nd Place
1990 -Chickahominy D.U. Duck Calling Contest-Champion
1990 -Chickahominy D.U. Goose Calling Contest-Champion
1990 -Chickahominy D.U. Duck Calling Contest ( Hunters Class Duck)-Champion
1989 -Mason-Dixon Regional Duck Calling Contest- 3rd Place
1988 -Virginia State Championships ( Duck )- 2nd Place
1988 -Virginia State Championships ( Goose }- 2nd Place
1988 -Mid-Atlantic Regional Goose Calling Contest- 3rd Place
1988 -Virginia Hunting Show Goose Calling Contest- 3rd Place
1988 -Virginia Hunting Show Duck Calling Contest- Champion
1987 -Virginia Hunting Show Goose Calling Contest- Champion
1987 -Virginia Hunting Show Duck Calling Contest- 2nd Place


Dustin Curci

Dustin Curci is a twenty-five-year-old avid waterfowler from a small farm town called Escalon, which is located in Northern California. He grew up on a ranch owned by his grandfather, Sal Curci who ran a gun dog kennel on the ranch for over 65 years. Dustin grew up training dogs and hunting waterfowl learning the hunting lifestyle as a way of life. He raised and trained labs with his grandfather. They donated puppies to Ducks Unlimited and California Waterfowl Association for wetland preservation. He builds custom homes in the Central Valley.

Dustin hunts all kinds of game in the state, but waterfowl hunting is his area of expertise because of the years he has spent in the field and marsh. He hunts ducks on the delta and in the valley but he mainly hunts geese. For him, there is nothing better than a big group of honkers that are locked into his spread. Dustin likes to field hunt because the birds are hungry and aggressive and when combined with the use of Finisher Blinds and Greenhead Gear full body decoys, he finds the birds right in his face!

Dustin has been an Avery Pro-Staff member for over two years. This year he will be guiding for waterfowl in California, Oregon, and in Alberta, Canada next September for honkers. Dustin grew up wanting nothing more than to go out hunting with the "big boys." So, after school he would grab a dog from the kennel and out to the field they would go. He has been hunting ever since he could carry a gun (7 or 8 years old).

He mainly hunts Northern California because it is close to home and the bird hunting in California is pretty good. Dustin also hunts Aleutian Geese which mainly winter, by the tens of thousands, in the Central Valley. He has access to some premier property near the main wintering grounds, so he takes full advantage of the opportunity.

Dustin takes pride in his hunting ability and he also takes pride in his gear. He will not back anything that he would not use himself. He personally owns four Zink calls and backs them 100%. He works hard at shows for Avery, and any time anyone asks him about their products he helps out the customers exactly how he would want to be helped; by someone who is respectable, reputable, knowledgeable, and willing to help out with any questions. Dustin wants you to feel that you are getting a quality product from an upstanding company with a great Pro-Staff.


Will DeBlois

Will is 16, and lives in Milford, Delaware. Will has been a dedicated waterfowl hunter ever since he went on his first goose hunt when he was 11 years old. He did manage to kill a goose that day, and he knew right away, he would be hooked forever. Will hunts mainly in Delaware, but plans to hunt in more states during the upcoming waterfowl seasons.

Living on the Delaware Bay his whole life gave Will great opportunities to experience the outdoors. In the summer time, he works with his uncle on a commercial fishing boat, with some on the side crabbing. Will says the best part about working on the water is you can see things you have never seen before. "Working out on the bay is also another easy way to scout for birds, and where they are staying for the summer", says Will. In the winter, when he's not hunting, he's scouting fields or taking pictures of birds on public ponds.

Will bought his first Zink Call in the Summer of 2005. He purchased an SR-1 and has been hooked on Zink Calls ever since. Will makes it a point to practice everyday for upcoming calling contests. He started contest calling in the Fall of 2005, and has been competing since. With some top 5 finishes under his belt, he is still awaiting his first win. In 2006 Will placed 4th in the Delaware State Goose Calling Contest, and 2nd in the Delaware Bay Novice Goose Calling Contest. "The best thing about calling contests or waterfowl shows, is that you can always meet new people from all around the world, and learn valuable information that will be a great use to you in the future." Will enjoys hearing other peoples hunting stories and hearing the migration route of the birds.

Will believes that without his families support, he wouldn't enjoy hunting as much as he does. His Dad is his biggest supporter and is always willing to drive to calling contests to support his son. Will says all his other family members play a big role too. They have all been hunters, and all enjoy the outdoors and sharing it with family and friends.

"Nothing beats watching a nice group of honkers coming to you off the distance as you wait patiently in your laydown blind waiting for calling distance. When them birds commit, and pitch 10 feet from your blind, man there's nothing better." Will prefers to hunt fields with laydown blinds and GHG goose decoys. He enjoys being able to communicate with the birds and watching their reactions to different types of sounds. He says, "when it comes to hunting, the SR-1 and LM-1 are a close tie in my book as the best hunting call". For ducks he prefers the XR-2, and says he has never imagined a duck call sounding that good. Will thinks that team calling for geese is the most effective way to call in geese, and is a fan of working as a team. Every time someone asks Will's opinion on what brand of calls to try, they here nothing but Zink Calls.


Darren Dittman

Darren Dittman is 19 years old and lives in Baldwin, WI. He lives with his brother Andrew who is 16 and his parents Neal and Penny. Darren is currently a student in the sales and marketing program and works at Sportsman's Warehouse in Woodbury, Minnesota in the hunting department. Darren grew up in the country seeing the sights of wildlife everyday. He was first interested in waterfowl hunting when he was asked by a friend to go hunt a pond with about 200 geese on it. When they got up to go feed, the geese flew right over the two of them and Darren and his friend shot 4. From then on he has been hooked.

Darren has been hunting waterfowl hard for about 6 years now. From the start of early season in September all the way to late season in December you will find Darren scouting or hunting. Some of Darren's favorite hunts are when geese are back peddling in the decoys or when mallards are locked up and getting ready to set down in the river bottom. "That's what makes me keep coming back for more," he says. Darren was first introduced to Zink Calls when he started looking at calls at local outdoor retail stores. He picked up the Paralyzer SR-1 and knew it was the call to use. The way it sounded and how easy it was to blow was what he liked. He now likes to switch it up between his Little Man LM-1, Moneymaker or Paralyzer SR-1 goose calls. The Power Hen is the key to shooting greenheads in his opinion. Ever since he has used those calls, he has had nothing short of great hunts.

Darren has a great passion for hunting, fishing and the outdoors. He hopes to educate youth and learn from the veterans. Darren loves to talk to people about Zink Calls and the great sport of waterfowl hunting. He wants to keep learning and help keep the sport and tradition of waterfowl hunting going for many years to come.


Jeff Donohoe

I am 39 soon to be 40. I've been married for 6 years to Julie. We live in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho about 15-20 miles east of Spokane, Wa. I grew up on the Coeur d'Alene River basin in an area called the Chain Lakes, was raised on Cave Lake. When Fall came I would constantly look out the window, watching flights of ducks and geese fly up and down the river. What a way to grow up!

I love hunt waterfowl, elk, deer, turkey, and upland birds. Shot my first goose at the age of 14 and have been passionate about goose hunting since. Hunt elk and deer with muzzleloader, rifle and archery, but mainly muzzle loader and bow. Tagged an elk with all three weapons and deer with the muzzleloader and rifle. Shot a couple of turkeys. Have bagged some upland birds hunting over my two dogs, Autumn- German Wirehaired Pointer and Summer- Yellow Lab. Given the choice I would hunt ducks and geese over any other kind of hunting, but I love it all.

The majority of my waterfowling has been on the water in a boat, hunting over decoys. There is something about watching a flock of "Honkers" wings cupped and feet hanging coming in for there final destination. Oh what a feeling. Also, there are sloughs in the area that can be awesome at times. I've had some excellent goose hunting on the ice, when ever the lake freezes over solid enough.


Brad Duty

Brad Duty hails from Goochland, Virginia a rural town west of Richmond. He is 39 years old and married with two children, Kimberly age 11 and Coleman, age 8. He is a salesman for crushed stone in the area.

Brad enjoys hunting geese and ducks the most in the local area and along the mid-Atlantic coast. Field hunting for geese during the early season and late migratory season is where he spends most of his time in the field. The agricultural fields in the area attract a large number of birds yearly and he and the Leg Iron Waterfowl crew enjoy mixing up their setup to pull wary geese into range. Well concealed Power Hunters and Finishers are deadly! Although he has not guided professionally, Brad enjoys taking business clients on many local hunts.

Brad has started getting his feet wet in contest calling by entering the Bass Pro Shops Maryland Open last fall. He will be looking to enter more events in the upcoming months. He and another partner started the local Ducks Unlimited Chapter eight years ago and the annual dinner has grown to over 200 people attending. The annual Greenwing event hosts more than 40 kids now. Currently, Brad is involved in getting a Delta Waterfowl chapter going in the Richmond area. In addition, Brad is involved with the local youth athletic association, coaching his kid's softball and baseball teams.

Hunting started for Brad around age 10 when he began deer hunting with his Dad. He continued pursuing deer, mainly with the bow and also caught the spring gobbler bug. In his early twenties he became interested in waterfowl hunting and his good friend, Mike Harris, took him under his wing. They have pursued ducks and geese yearly ever since in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. In the mid-90s an annual trek to North Dakota pothole country was started with a trip or two into Saskatchewan thrown in. Freelancing in both areas has fueled the water fowling fire and developed some great friendships with local landowners.

Brad would like to expand the Zink call and product line into the Virginia and mid-Atlantic area with his knowledge of local sporting goods stores and the hunting community. Familiarizing local hunters with his Zink calls has already triggered many of them to buy the product.


Bret Ekberg

My name is Bret Ekberg. I am 21 years old and was born and raised in Funk, Nebraska. I recently took an estimating job with a lumber company which moved me three hours to Fremont, NE. As a boy I hunted the Platte River with my father and grandfather chasing ducks and geese. Hunting was a way of life. At the age of 10 I shot my first duck and from there the obsession started.

I enjoy hunting all species of game including doves, pheasants, and quail, as well as deer and turkeys. Last year I took a first time turkey hunter to the woods. We filmed the hunt and sent it into Cabela’s Outdoor Memories in the Field, and had it played on national television. I like taking people who have never been hunting before because I like to see that addiction begin in others as well.

I have hunted ducks and geese all over the great state of Nebraska. But by far my favorite is hunting them on the sandy banks of the Platte. I like the challenge of enticing wary birds to come into the decoys. Waterfowling is my obsession and birds in your face is what trips my trigger.

Though I have no contest calling experience, I am looking to begin. I have a great interest in the waterfowling community and look to become active in it. I have belonged to Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever for several years. As a member of the Zink Pro Staff I would do my part in the promotion of Zink Calls. I also feel it would be a great way to expand my knowledge about ducks and geese, and meet others that are addicted to waterfowling as well.


Levi Fry

Levi Fry is 30 years old and lives in Woodbury, MN with his wife of 2 years Stephanie and their newborn son James. Levi is an Account Executive for USF Holland, and manages a territory in Minnesota and Wisconsin. His free time is spent with his friends and chocolate lab, Gander, hunting waterfowl.

Levi grew up on a ranch in Southeast Kansas, and has always had a passion for the outdoors. After playing baseball through college, Levi turned his focus to hunting. All it took was a small town, backwater duck hunt for Levi to know he was hooked. From that point forward, he knew what he wanted to do…hunt ducks and geese.

Growing up in Kansas gives Levi an advantage that extends his waterfowl season from September in Minnesota to February in Kansas. His favorite hunts are spent in his Finisher blind while mallards and geese fall from the sky in cut fields of corn and wheat stubble. To Levi, life can't get any better.

After moving to Minnesota, Levi gained a greater understanding for the vocabulary of the Canada goose and was introduced to Zink calls. He believes that they are the most realistic, user friendly goose calls on the market, and he is proud to display Zink calls on his lanyard. Levi thinks that realistic calling enables the caller to really learn what the geese are thinking as they touch down in your decoys.

Levi is also a member of Avery's Pro-Staff, and volunteers for his local Ducks Unlimited chapter as well. His passion for the outdoors, and years of hunting have given Levi a great appreciation for the sport of hunting waterfowl. Levi hopes to educate youth and hunters alike on the techniques of calling ducks and geese, and the steps needed to continue our tradition.


Craig Galloway

Craig Galloway, 33, lives on Lake White in Waverly, OH with his wife Pamela and works as a Transmission System Operator for the Bulk Electric System. He has lived in beautiful South Central Ohio all his life. In the early summer you'll find Pam and Craig enjoying the lake on their pontoon boat where they get to observe the ducks and geese with their young. Craig started deer hunting at the early age of 8 with MJ "Bud" Galloway, his grandfather, which progressed into turkey hunting and upland hunting. In his grandfather, Craig had one of the best teachers of the outdoors and hunting that anyone could ask for. Although he's only been waterfowl hunting for about 7 years now, his obsession with waterfowling has inspired him to become the best at this sport.

Craig thanks his good friend Greg Brodess for introducing him to waterfowling and will always remember their first hunt together. It was the beginning of the second season split, right after the Ohio Deer Gun season, Greg and Craig teamed up with Greg's brother and set up in blinds positioned along the Scioto River. His first waterfowl hunt was one of those you could only dream about. The sky, as well as their decoy spread, was full of waterfowl! Craig was hooked immediately and since then, it's been his passion. He looks forward to taking his nephews hunting every chance he gets and teach them the things his grandfather taught him.

Craig says he is not a champion caller by any means, but he wins many contests in the field and takes home a game strap of trophies every time. He enjoys early wood duck season along the Scioto River and it's tributaries for some of that in-your-face action. You'll find Craig lying in his Avery Finisher Blind in the corn stubble along the Scioto River bottoms with his brother and buddies surrounded by gangs of GHG decoys awaiting flocks of big Canada Geese and many varieties of ducks. Craig also enjoys fishing with his dad, bow hunting Southern Ohio's World Class Whitetail Deer and coyote hunting.

He would never miss that Ohio Deer Gun Season tradition with my friends. Hunting season never really ends for Craig; he's always brushing up on his calling skills, shooting sporting clays to stay sharp, gathering and maintaining gear for the next season, scouting for areas to hunt or maintaining the areas he already hunts by building nesting structures and cleaning up debris. Craig has given a large part of his life to the sport of waterfowling, and the reward of becoming a member of the Zink crew is definitely something he would consider a distinguished honor!


Kenny Gray

Kenny Gray, 32, lives in Grasonville, MD on the banks of the Chester River, with his wife Kate and black lab Tug. Kenny is a Senior Project Manager for a construction company specializing in fire sprinkler systems.

During the Fall and Winter, Kenny can be found chasing waterfowl and deer on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, along with deer and upland hunts for grouse, woodcock and pheasant in Pennsylvania. In the spring you will find him chasing turkeys in VA, MD and PA along with running hunt tests with Tug.

Kenny’s hunting and shooting experience started at an early age with his Grandpa and Dad. One of his earliest experiences include training his German Shorthaired Pointers with his Dad, Jack. Then at the age of 12, Kenny experienced his first duck hunt on the eastern shore, where he killed is first duck, a drake Green Winged Teal. That hunt was quickly followed by a guided goose hunt, which his dad won in a raffle. Although that goose hunt didn’t result in a limit of birds, or even a shot being fired, watching thousands of Canadians pour into the field next to them quickly had Kenny hooked. Since then he has switched from Shorthairs to Labs and enjoys waterfowl hunting up and down the east coast.


Drew Hoglen

Drew Hoglen, 22 years old resides in Woodstown, NJ about 30 miles south-east of Philadelphia, Pa. Before reaching the legal age to hunt, Drew expressed a passion for the outdoors and could not wait to get his hunting license. He grew up hunting small game with his dad and both grandfathers. On a chilly October morning at age 12, he went on his first duck hunt and has been hooked ever since.

Drew's schedule allows him to bow hunt in the early season while he anticipates the opening of duck and goose season in the fall. Salem County is where he enjoys hunting Puddle Ducks as well as Canadian and Snow Geese. As the weather gets colder, Drew travels to the Jersey shore to hunt diver ducks and brant. One season leads into the other as the spring signals the beginning of turkey season. Not only does Drew love hunting himself, but he enjoys introducing others to the sport as well.

Drew currently works as an electrician and in his spare time he enjoys playing baseball, bass fishing and going to Nascar Races. He is also a volunteer for the local fire department.


Chris Holleger

Chris Holleger is 17 years old and currently lives in Milford, Delaware with his mom Sue, dad Randy, and Sister Laura. He grew up in the small town of Milford and has lived there ever since not to far from the Slaughter Beach marsh and Prime Hook Refuge. Recently he was accepted to be apart of the Avery Youth Field Staff. Currently, he is in his senior year at Milford Senior High School.

Chris was introduced to hunting by his dad when he was eleven years old. At first, his hunting was mainly centered on deer hunting. After a year of deer hunting he went on his first goose hunt that he would never forget. Chris was taken on a goose hunt with his cousins, dad, and good friend Jimmy Tibbitt. It was a slow morning pretty much but towards the end it got even better. At the time the limit was one goose and geese were working out in front of us. Something caught there eye and didn't commit. Three geese snuck up behind the blind hovering and Chris as well as his two cousins shot. Chris shot his first goose on that hunt. Ever since that hunt he has been hooked. During that year Chris went on duck hunts as well. Duck hunting has never been more important to Chris than goose hunting, but with the success he has had the last few years, he enjoys going duck hunting each and every time. Chris feels there's nothing better than sitting in an Avery Power Hunter in a bean or corn field with GHG decoys calling in Canadian geese with his Zink calls. Other than duck and goose hunting Chris also hunts deer and dove.

When Chris is not hunting you can find him practicing his duck and goose calling. In March of 2006 Chris entered his first duck calling contest at the Eastern Shore Classic in Salisbury, Maryland. It was an open duck contest and ended up finishing fifth out of 19 callers. In the upcoming years Chris plans on entering both duck and goose contests representing Zink calls. Other than calling and hunting, Chris enjoys fishing as well. Whether it is fishing for large mouth bass or trout in the Delaware Bay it is something he enjoys that occupies his time lading up to goose and duck season.

Chris feels he can bring his knowledge of duck and goose calling to the staff. Another reason is his passion for duck and goose hunting during the season and in the off season. Besides teaching others about calling he feels he can learn more about waterfowl and duck and goose calling from others. Meeting new people and making new friends is something he looks forward to when promoting the deadliest duck and goose calls, Zink Calls.


Michael Holman

Michael Holman, 21 years old, was born and raised in the central Texas town of Bryan. He recently purchased an outfitter in Northern Saskatchewan Canada where he guides waterfowl hunts three months of the year. He also works for a guide service in Bay City, Texas where guides goose and duck hunts. He is working on acquiring his captain's license so he will be able to guide fishing charters in the summer months. He began his duck hunting at the age of 10 on a small lake in East Texas owned by his grandparents. He began to learn everything he could about waterfowl and taught himself how to call from tapes and videos. A neighbor took Michael on his first dove hunt and from there introduced him to bow hunting and turkey hunting. Michael's favorite hunting is divided between turkey and waterfowl. Since the seasons are not the same, he can devote time to each sport.

Michael's love of waterfowl hunting led him to start his own guide service where he takes hunters to all parts of Texas. His favorite method of hunting waterfowl is in backwater and marshes because these give him an opportunity to work the birds in close. When hunting with Michael you can be sure that he has spent the time seeing that everything is perfect. His best hunting partner, Mallie, his four year old black lab, is always by his side. Hunting in Texas can pose quite a challenge to any hunter. Michael has learned how to hunt with frost in the morning and 80 degrees by noon. His calling ability gets tested to lure the birds in and keep them coming down. In Michael's spare time from guiding, you can find him chasing the birds from Oklahoma to the Texas coast or even into Louisiana. Michael's favorite region to hunt would have to in the northern prairies of Canada.

Michael has been calling since he was 10 and is starting to learn the ropes for competition calling. By working with Zink staff and with Michael's knowledge of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana he hopes to introduce the Zink calls to the southern states. Michael can talk hunting with anyone who will listen and enjoys sharing his experiences with new hunters. You will find Michael anywhere along his hunting adventures sharing his enthusiasm for the sport and hopes to make the Zink call number one in the southern region.


Tyler Johnson

Tyler Johnson, 20 years old was born and raised in central Oklahoma. Tyler currently resides in Enid, Oklahoma. Tyler is a full time college student at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma. He is currently in his second year at SNU and loves every minute of it. Tyler owns his own business in Enid. He has owned First Class Lawn Care and Landscaping for 6 years. He loves providing a high quality lawn service and putting his customers first in everything. Tyler always tells people that if you cant do the job in a first class manner than why do it at all.

Tyler has been in the outdoors for most of his life. His first waterfowl hunt took place at the age of 9. He remembers the hunt like it was yesterday. He loves to tell people how he shot his first banded mallard on the first duck hunt of his life. Tyler has been hooked ever since the first hunt and waterfowling is truly in his blood. As Tyler became more involved in hunting waterfowl he started goose hunting. Like the duck hunt the goose hunt would turn out the same way. Tyler's good friend Dan Ward took Tyler on his first goose hunt in Rocky Oklahoma. Dan called Tyler that night and said we were leaving tonight in the rain around midnight. Tyler didn't really know what he was getting into but the hunt would top off the whole experience. The geese were locked and Dan called the shot. Tyler and Dan both shot the same bird at the same time and it was banded. After the hunt, Dan and Tyler flipped a coin and Tyler got the band. The banded goose was a Ross goose. Tyler has had several people impact his life while hunting. From Dan starting the whole waterfowling craze that Tyler has to his close friend Tanner Black. Tyler only hopes that he can have the same kind of impact in a person's life the way Dan and Tanner have.

Tyler spends most of his time hunting ducks and geese with his friends and family. Tyler is always trying to introduce new people to waterfowling. He has a very positive attitude toward calling and hunting. Tyler also loves to talk to people about hunting and offer any help that he can. Tyler has a huge passion for waterfowl. Tyler hopes that he can represent Zink Calls in a first class way.


Jon Lee

Age: 38
Born and raised in Eastern North Dakota now resides near Hillsboro, North Dakota with his wife Wendy, and their son Gus. Jon is employed with (CNH) Case New Holland.

Jon began hunting waterfowl at an early age. Some of his fondest childhood memories are from when his dad would pick him up from school on Thursdays with the pickup truck packed and ready to go. They would go to the Devils lake region of North Dakota to chase ducks and geese for the weekend. He will never forget the sights, sounds, and smells from those days. From the smell of a thermos of hot chocolate being opened in the cold morning, hearing and seeing flock after flock of geese coming from the roost, to the smell of the burnt gun powder from the first shot of the day, this is what truly set the seed for Jon's ultimate passion for the hunt.

Jon feels fortunate that his wife Wendy and son Gus share the same passion for waterfowling. Jon and his family enjoy the challenge it takes to stay successful day in and day out in the field. They have 3 Labrador Retrievers, they also contribute to success of some of his best hunts in field and over the water.

Jon loves to compete at calling contests, he has met a lot of great people and has made some lasting friendships. Jon holds 2-North Dakota State Duck calling championships (2004) & (2006).

Being part of the Avery Pro-staff, Jon travels to waterfowl shows and events, giving seminars, and helping fellow waterfowlers. Jon believes it's a great opportunity, not only to help people have more success with their hunting by sharing what keeps him successful, but learns from others as well. Now also being associated with the best Call Company in the world, he also agrees that "The best way to call ducks and geese is to sound like ducks & geese." Jon brings his knowledge, willing attitude and the love for waterfowl with him to Zink calls .


Nate Lee

Nate Lee was born and raised in Ogden, Utah. By occupation, he is a water operator for Brigham City Corporation. His interests include his family, his dogs, hunting water fowl, bears and competition goose calling. He was introduced to hunting by his father at the age of 8. They would go deer and elk hunting for a week at a time in the mountains of Central Utah.

At the age of 11, he started to develop an interest in birds. After months of begging and pleading, he finally talked his dad and uncle into trying their hand at water fowl. He will never forget his first opening day; trekking through cattails before light, mosquitoes buzzing in his ears, the smell of mosquito spray and the faint sound of ducks taking flight and their wings whistling through the air. From that moment, he developed a hunger that could never be satisfied. At the age of 15 he harvested his first Canada goose which only added fuel to the fire. Before he knew it, he was reading every book and magazine article he could get his hands on to learn more about geese. He would spend hours and hours at the parks and local lakes watching geese and trying to mimic their sounds on his old flute call.

Later in life, nothing has changed. He still frequents the parks and lakes trying to mimic geese only now he has a couple of side kicks that help out, his sons Hunter and Bridger. In 2001, he started following the Whistling Wings video series and that's where he learned about Fred Zink and Zink Calls. He would watch the videos over and over again trying to figure out how they could sound exactly like geese. Finally he admitted to himself he had to get a short reed if he wanted to be more versatile on a call. In August of 2003 he purchased his first short reed goose call; a Paralyzer SR-1. After watching The Ancient Art of Paralyzing to the point it would no longer play, he was able to make a few goose sounds. Since then he has won:
Idaho State Hunter Class - 1st Place - 2004
Idaho State Two Man Pit - 3rd Place - 2004
Utah State - 3rd Place - 2005

As a result, his knowledge in the field and on the contest stage has grown leaps and bounds. During the water fowl season, Nate is a familiar face at the marshes and sloughs adjacent to the Bear River Game Bird Refuge. However, his true passion is hunting from his Avery Migrator blind in dry corn and grain fields over GHG decoys. His ultimate high is hunting the park lands of Alberta, Canada.

Nate feels he brings his open mind, strong work ethic and knowledge of goose calling to Zink Calls. He also enjoys meeting new people and seeing new places. Nate believes Zink Calls is a superior product and something he is proud to represent.


Pete "Country" Lochner

Pete Lochner aka "Country" Lochner is 32 years old and resides in Palm Harbor, Florida with his wife Kim, and his two children, Robert 7, and Riley 4. Pete is a Deputy Sheriff at the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Patrol Operations Division.

Pete began deer and turkey hunting at age 7, at his uncles farm in Virginia, and has hunted Whitetails from Iowa to Florida. Pete was introduced to duck hunting by his friend Roscoe four years ago, and has been hooked ever since. Pete deer hunts and scouts for ducks during early November until the state duck season opens, then ducks are his primary focus.

Pete has hunted the rice fields of Stuttgart, Arkansas and the lakes and salt marshes around Florida for puddle ducks and divers. Pete enjoys hunting small ponds and marshes where boats can not gain access. Pete finds hunting these areas are a challenge, and likes to employ "out of the box" tactics for success.

Pete is a USGC licensed captain, and enjoys fishing and training his two year old black lab "Sadge" during the off season. Pete is also involved with his local 4x4 club, and likes to "wheel" his modified Jeep. Pete plans on competing in some local calling contest in the near future. Pete is a member of Ducks Unlimited and loves to talk about hunting with any one, any time. Pete is frequently found on the Waterdog and Avery website chatting with fellow hunters.


Travis Lyle

Travis killed his first duck at the age of nine and has been hooked ever since. He currently lives in Fernley, Nevada with his wife Temple and daughter Hunter and works in the food and beverage industry. Travis was born in a small town in Western Nevada where he spent most of his time killing ducks and geese with his father and brother on big open water lakes and small potholes.

Today he still hammers those same big lakes and small potholes, shooting everything from mallards to scoters, honkers to brants and everything in between. Travis also hunts big game in the early archery season so he doesn't miss any time during the waterfowl season killing ducks and geese. Travis always loves to experiment with new decoy spreads. He has no problem moving a spread around in the middle of a hunt to make the birds work right. He has adjusted to the areas river systems and lakes with the time of year and weather to make his hunts a success.

During the off season you can find Travis watching waterfowl videos, painting and flocking old decoys, brushing up blinds, scouting new areas, and catching fish for a good beer batter. Hunting public land all his life has truly tested Travis in becoming the best water fowler he can be. Travis lives and breaths waterfowl 24-7. It's in his blood to stay.


Rick Macfarlane

Rick Macfarlane, 33, resides in Washington, PA with his wife Maryanne and four children Bradley, Brant, Jordon, and Morgan. His father introduced him to the outdoors at an early age including hunting and dog training. His first hunting experince was harvesting a Whitetail deer at the age of 12 with a old lever action 30-30 that was given to him by his grandfather.

Living in Southwestern Pennsylvania has given him the opportunity to hunt various types of game including - Whitetail with a bow, turkey, upland game birds, varmints, and waterfowl. Most of his fall and winter months are spend laying in a groundforce blind on the X. Whether it is in a cornfield, working a flock of honkers with his moneymaker or a flooded creek bottom watching the mallards drop from the sky to the call of his powerhen he enjoys every aspect of hunting.

In the early parts of spring and summer, you can find Rick and his kids at the local pond training thier four labs - Hunter, Storm, Sunny, and Moss. Throughout the summer, he travels to local hunt tests to compete and ready his labs for the upcoming hunting season.

Rick enjoys talking the talk with fellow hunters and the game he his persuing. He also enjoys taking new people hunting whether it is a new person that he met at a waterfowl seminar that he was presenting or a youth hunter out for the first time. Rick believes by taking the youth of today hunting and introducing them to the outdoors just as his father did with him you will keep alive the hunting tradition that so many families have past on from generation to generation.


Jeff Nemecek

Jeff Nemecek is 24 years old and was born and raised in Port Clinton, Ohio. He lives just a few miles from the oldest duck hunting club in North America, the Winous Point Shooting Club (chartered in 1856). Jeff's dad, Scott, has been a punter at WPSC since 1978. Since he was 8, Jeff and Scott would hunt every Saturday of the duck season at Winous Point. In 2004, Jeff became a punter himself. There, he is privileged be a part of something only few have experienced.

Jeff first met Fred Zink at the ODCCA decoy show in Westlake, OH. He received calling tips from Fred on the "Ancient Art of Paralyzing."

During the waterfowl season, Jeff guides and hunts in and around the Sandusky Bay. Mallards, Blacks, and Pintails make up the majority of the bag, along with Widgeon, Gadwall, and Teal. When the marshes freeze over, Jeff hunts whenever he can for big Canada Geese. With a Fred Zink Finisher or Power Hunter, GHG FFDs, and his #1 go-to goose call, a Zink Little Man, Jeff can't get enough of mashing big Canadas.

In 2004 and 2005, Jeff went with his dad and a group of their friends to South Dakota to hunt ducks and pheasants. Shooting ducks in the morning mist over a prairie pothole is what he considers the ultimate duck hunting experience.

Jeff graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from Ohio University in 2007. In February 2007, Jeff and his girlfriend Whitney welcomed a beautiful baby girl, named Isabella Marie, into the world. Nowadays, Jeff lives and works in Wooster, Ohio. There he is a GIS Technician at TechniGraphics, Inc. working with satellite imagery to create GIS Data.

Jeff feels very fortunate that Zink Calls is in his hometown of Port Clinton. It's nice to know that he can visit the shop anytime and feel welcome. Fred and Dawn are true professionals and make the best calls in the world.


Erik Nilsson

My name is Erik Nilsson, I am 39 years old and I currently live in Butler, Pa with my wife Brenda, a son Mathew, a daughter Alyssa and our yellow lab "Gauge". I am a sales Representive for the Sherwin Williams Paint Company serving Southwestern Pa.

I graduated from Clarion Univ. of Pa with a B.S. in Business mgmt. I have been active in the persuit of waterfowl since 1985. I have come to love hunting Canada geese and have strived to learn to be as successfull as I can. A good flock of birds comming into the spread, dipping air with feet down just cant be beat. I spend a great deal of time scouting, watching, and listening to live geese and that has really made the difference. I enjoy calling to the birds and watching them react to the calling. When not hunting I practice alot using Zink calls and have found them to be the most realistic that I have used.

During the off season I spend many hours perfecting my shooting skills by shooting sporting clays and skeet. I have been active in NSCA competitive tournaments and have several class titles in both State and Regional shoots. I also enjoy dove, crow and spring turkey hunting.

I love spending time with my family and teaching my children how to appreciate the outdoors and to give back so that others may enjoy it.


David Onyshko

David Onyshko is 16 years old and lives in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. David has been an avid hunter since he began hunting when he was 12 years old. He was introduced to waterfowl hunting at the age of 14. On his first duck hunt he shot a Mallard and has been hooked ever since. David hunts all around western Pennsylvania. Most of the time he hunts in the Pymatuning area where his camp is located.

David has just began to participate in calling contests. His calls of choice are the Paralyzer SR-1 and the Power Hen. He has been using Zink Calls for about 2 years now and loves them.

Field hunting is David's favorite. He hunts in a Powerhunter over some Greenhead Gear FFD Elites. He loves the thrill of working a flock of Canadas with a Paralyzer and a Little Man. He will also likes to hunt swamps for Mallards.

In the off season you will find David on the water. He loves to fish for Bass, Walleye, Muskie, and Pike. He fishes everywhere on the Allegheny, Ohio, and Monongahela rivers. He has fished in many tournaments on Pymatuning Lake and placed in almost all of them.

Bailey Ortley

Bailey Ortley, 17, is a native of Kalispell, Montana. Bailey grew up in a family that enjoys the outdoor activities that the mountains and rivers of Northwest Montana have to offer. Bailey is the youngest of four. Bailey accompanied his dad and brother on hunts before he was old enough to hunt, and began hunting himself at 12.

While Bailey enjoys all outdoor activities, his passion is duck and goose hunting. His first hunt on the Flathead River set the stage for the years to come. Whether it is getting ready for the season, scouting for fields of geese, or heading out in the darkness of a Montana morning, Bailey is all about waterfowl hunting.

Bailey has always enjoyed the challenge of calling and decoying birds, but in 2004 he turned his attention to mastering his duck call and the short reed goose call. Bailey began competing in 2005 and had the chance to meet Fred and Field at the Waterfowl Weekend competition in Spokane, Washington. It was a defining moment to meet the men that Bailey had watched and listened to in instructional DVD's. Bailey has been recognized by others as one of the premiere callers in Montana.

Bailey has traveled to Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota to compete in contests and refine his calling. He currently blows a Money Maker in contests and the field. He recently added a Little Man to his lanyard. For ducks Bailey relies on a Power Hen in the field and at contests. His Power Hen helped him capture a fourth place finish in Hunter Duck at Loveland, CO in the fall of 2006.

Bailey is also an Avery Youth Field Staffer. Bailey intends to pursue a career in the outdoor recreation field, and plans on attending college to obtain the education and skills needed. In the meantime, Bailey plans on taking his calling to the next level and hopes to qualify for the world.


T.J. Owens

T.J. Owens, 35, lives in York, PA with his wife Mary, and their two dogs Jessie, and Mason. T.J. grew up in North Irwin, a small town in the Western part of Pennsylvania. He was surrounded by the rich hunting heritage that PA has to offer. At age 12 he was able to get his first hunting license, and start to develop his love of the sport and the outdoors. It started off with chasing small game and whitetails and then at the age of 16 he heard his first gobble in the spring woods. That sound became something that would haunt him for life, and turn him from fur to feather. You can now find him in the spring woods in many states listening for that next gobble.

It wasn't until he moved to York and lived on the banks of the Susquehanna River that his interest in waterfowl began. Living on the river opened his eyes to all the different species of waterfowl. A few years later he went on his first goose hunt in the field. And from that day on it became his obsession. With this passion for waterfowl, now all he thinks about all year long is how he is going to get that next flock to commit to his spread with calling and decoy placement.

In 2006 T.J. was offered the chance to join the Avery Outdoors Pro-Staff Team. This was a dream come true for him. To be a part of a team who shares their time and experiences with others that enjoy the same passion. And now to have the chance to be a part of the Zink Call family is just the icing on the cake. He will now be sharing with others how to "Talk The Talk".


Hunter Parrish

Hunter Parrish is 13 years old and lives in Washington, Missouri, which is 45 minutes southwest of St. Louis. He lives with his dad, mom, one brother, and two sisters.

Hunter is on the Avery Youth Field Staff. He is an avid duck and goose hunter who started duck hunting when he was 5 years old with his dad and grandfather in North Missouri. When he isn't hunting ducks and geese, he is training dogs, shooting skeet, or watching waterfowl hunting video. Hunter also hunts turkey, dove, and teal in the off season. He loves listening to big toms gobble in the early morning. He mostly hunts at a private duck club in Jonesboro, Arkansas or on private wetlands in North Missouri. His favorite method of waterfowl hunting is hunting out of a lay-out blind in a corn field with full-body mallards, black, and geese around him. His favorite part of field hunting is having hundreds of mallards tornado into his spread.

In July 2006, he and his dog Cash, were chosen to attend the Ducks Unlimited Waterdog Training Daze held at Firewater Lodge in South Dakota. It was also filmed as an episode for Waterdog TV, which was shown on November 12, 2006 on VS.(OLN).

Hunter is working to improve his calling skills to compete in contests very soon. He blows a Zink Power Hen duck call and a Zink Money Maker goose call. Hunter also enjoys basketball, the Super Retriever Series, and hunt tests.


Ryan Polhman

Ryan, 21 was born and raised in the Southern Idaho town of Twin Falls. His favorite game to hunt are big Canada honkers and big corn fed mallards. Ryan's says "Its the thrill of waking up early, knowing what you saw there the night before, and just as the first flight comes out and working the birds into the decoys for some in your face action".

Ryan prefers hunting out of ground blinds; especially the roomy comfort of his Avery Finisher blind covered up in stubble and right in the thick of the action. Ryan uses ground blinds because they provide mobility and easy access to any part of the field.

Ryan has worked as a guide for Double Y Outfitters. Living in the west Ryan mainly hunts in the Pacific Flyway. He feels fortunate as the flyway brings a great number birds to the area and he is usually very successful! As a young kid growing up in a farming community he was introduced to hunting by his father. They would walk the brush-lines for pheasants or hit the corn fields for ducks.

Ryan's favorite earliest childhood memory is when he and a couple of friends were out shooting ducks and a single drake mallard locked up and came in to about 15 yards from Ryan's left side and he dropped him right there. When he went to pick the greenhead up there it was a round piece of metal about a half an inch long; the drake was BANDED!

Ryan is very dedicated and passionate in every aspect of hunting. He works extremely hard to achieve his goals in and out of the field and his knowledge and his potential help him stay on his game day after day.


Michael H. Reed

Mike hails from Hawthorne, NV - a small town 140 miles southeast of Reno. He graduated from Mineral Co. High School in 2000. Mike has sharpened his hunting and calling skills over the past 11 years hunting Walker Lake. This large lake is located directly 10 miles north of Hawthorne. At the age of 13, Mike was introduced to the world of Waterfowling. Since the first time he saw shimmering wings in the early morning horizon, he knew his life was going to be different than most. Since that moment, the passion for Waterfowling entered his bloodstream and he never looked back. Mike has hunted anything from rock islands for divers and passing puddle ducks to the cold north riverbed for ducks, geese, crows, and an occasional coyote. Unfortunately in the last 6 years the water level of the lake has receded numerous times forcing Mike and the ducks to find new ways to elude each other.

After blowing Duck and Goose calls for about 11 yrs, Mike decided to try his luck in the contest world. He blew in his first contest in 2005, the Nevada State Calling Contest. Although things did not turn out like he'd hoped, he learned many new tricks and tips to help his calling career grow. In his first contest, Mike placed 4th in the state goose, finishing behind Chad Belding, John David Stanley, and Cody Bair, that is nothing to be ashamed of. He plans on attending calling contests whenever work will allow and practices mastering his calls everyday to keep on top of his game. Mike currently lives in the outskirts of Seattle, WA. After living there for about a year, Mike has been hard at work finding new "Hot Spots" and painting dekes for the upcoming season.

Mike's preferred hunting location is private land. It doesn't matter if it is in a field, a pond, or timber, Mike would rather be where the crowds aren't. But he fully understands what it takes to get the birds in unfamiliar areas. The plans and goals Mike has set out to accomplish are obtainable but will require hard work, dedication and an open mind. He has and always will approach the hunting industry like he has nothing to lose.

He agrees with Fred Zink completely - "If you want something in life, you just have to go for it."


Matt Sanderson

Matt, a 21 year old, is from Longmont, Colorado. He is a college student working towards a degree in Fire Science in hopes of becoming a career firefighter. Matt's free time is totally devoted to chasing waterfowl. Whether it be hunting ducks on a pond or a creek or chasing mallards and geese in the stubble, you know you can find him somewhere trying to fool these elusive birds. Matt shot his first goose eight years ago, since that day he has been hooked on waterfowling. His favorite style of hunting is hiding in his Ground Force blind and trying to convince a flock of honkers to land in his spread of full bodies. He prefers the Avery decoys on the motion stakes, He says, "even with the slightest breeze it can make your spread come to life". Matt's favorite call is his Zink LM-1, he loves the quick response and how even the big geese cannot resist the high-pitched tone.

When it is not waterfowl season, you can find Matt chasing trout and wiper with his fly rod or fishing the local lakes for bass and catfish. Matt also spends some of his free time watching the 24-7 movies. He finds these movies to be very educational and he realizes there is always more to learn to be a successful hunter.

Matt is eager to be on board with Zink calls. He is looking forward to learning more and gaining new relationships with people who share the same passion. Matt is also excited to help answer questions or help fellow hunters in any way. He is just starting to get into the contest calling aspect of the game and is hoping to represent Zink Calls well on the stage.


Bryan Schutt

My name is Bryan Schutt I am 21 years old from Macomb Michigan. I was born on August 11, 1985 in Mount Clemens. I have a rather large family I have an older brother Michael who is 23, two younger brothers Jason who is 18 and Nathan who is 16, and of course there is my little sister Kaitlyn she is 13. Then there is my mom and dad who have been married for twenty-five years and have been the two people that have supported me the most in my life.

I am attending Wayne State University right now and I am going for a degree in special education. I was an athlete in high school I played basketball and baseball I was a three year starter and captain for both teams. After high school I attended Oakland University to play baseball, and then the following year I attended Tiffin University to play baseball. Now I am in my third year of college and ready to be done. I'm not playing baseball anymore I turned all my attention to hunting waterfowl because that is my true love and passion.

My dad gets the credit for getting me obsessed with the outdoors and hunting and fishing, it started when I was very young. I started fishing a soon as I could set the hook and reel a fish in. I started blowing my first duck call when I was 6 years old and the goose call right after that. I grew up doing everything outdoors and I love being out in the marsh and in the woods. During my younger years almost every weekend in the summer my dad and his buddies that are in our hunting camp would go out to Shiawassee state game area and do habitat restoration projects with the DNR. Some of my greatest childhood memories came from the marshes on that state game area.

I started hunting when I was 12 because unfortunately that's the legal age in Michigan. Even though I could not hunt I would go out with my dad and sit and watch in the marsh or flooded cornfields as ducks and geese pored into the fields once I saw that I was hooked. He let me shoot a couple time so it made it more than worth it. We have a 60 day duck season here in Michigan so I take advantage of it as much as possible. Since I was twelve I have hunted every weekend of our duck season I cannot get enough of it.

I hunt whitetails, turkeys, coyotes, and rabbits once in awhile when late goose season is over. By far my true love and passion is in the marsh or cut corn field or a in a freshly cut wheat field with honkers and mallards poring in.

Now I am attending college and getting ready for the hunting season to start goose season starts here in 12 day and I got a few fields loaded with birds. Last year I was on Michigan Outdoors which is a hunting program here in Michigan that my brother contacted to take them out on an early goose hunt and we showed them a good time we shot 27 geese in about forty-five minutes. All our scouting and getting permission from farmer really paid off last year. We had our best season, my brother and I stared guiding a little bit on the side and we did well. Also this spring I made my first trip down to Mound City Missouri for a week of snow goose hunting and I was amazed. It what an incredible hunt and I am all ready booked for next year.


Bryan Spears

Bryan Spears, 23 years old, born and raised in small town, Mediapolis, Iowa. Mediapolis is about twenty minutes away from the Mississippi River. He currently works for a small residential and commercial construction contractor. Bryan grew up hunting ducks on the mighty Mississippi where his family has a blind that has been in their family for about twenty years. The duck blind sits on a small island on the river. This is where you will find Bryan almost anytime during the fall months. Bryan's stepfather, Jeff, was Bryan's influence into hunting. He has been taking Bryan hunting with him since Bryan was old enough to carry his little red rider BB gun. Bryan can't thank his stepfather enough for introducing him to hunting, because he does not know what he would do without his hunting.

Bryan is known for over achieving when it comes to hunting and never backs down to a challenge, even if this means pulling a boat a mile and a half through inches of water and mud, just for a few early season wood ducks and teal. He has pulled many sleds full of decoys through muddy cornfields, drove around for hours to find a place to put his boat in the river when it has froze over, and even breaks through ice to chase a few late season ducks and geese. "That's when you get your best kills, in the rain, snow and ice," Bryan says with a smile. He does all of this because it is what he lives for, and he has a passion for waterfowl that can't be described. If Bryan is not hunting, he is thinking, talking, dreaming and wishing he was.

Every year Bryan tries to take a hunting trip with his buddies, these trips have included: Jonesboro, Arkansas; Grandpass, Missouri and New Mexico. After the fall and winter months Bryan spends the spring chasing after snows and blues over water and field spreads, which is one of his favorite things to do. Bryan also likes to hunt turkeys in later spring. Bryan spends many summer hours' bass fishing lakes and cat fishing on the river.

Bryan has just recently been brought on to the Real Hunting Pro Staff which is a deer and turkey self filming program. He has filmed a few hunts for a friend of his this year that has made the new Real Hunting DVD. Bryan enjoys filming and helping others with their hunts, and especially likes introducing someone new to hunting.

Bryan hopes to try out the competition side to calling in some contests. He has had a little man and power hen for a little over a year now and just loves them. He spends many nights in his garage practicing his calling and keeping the neighbors up. Bryan loves to go to any waterfowl associated shows, whether it is contests or just seeing what will be the new products for the next hunting season.

Bryan is keeping his hopes up and trying to chase his dream of being a part of a hunting team that has the same passion for the sport as he does.


James Staten

James Staten is 28 years old and lives in Russellville, Ar with his wife Jennifer and his black lab Ace. He was born in Mississippi where he began to hunt with his dad at a early age. Growing up James learned how to hunt small game and deer, eventually taking his first deer at the age of 12. From that moment on James was hooked on the hunting lifestyle. He moved to Arkansas as a young teenager and it was then when he was introduced to duck hunting. His first experience with waterfowl hunting was in the flooded woods of Arkansas.

He went with friends from his high school and seeing mallards and wood ducks buzz into the tree tops was like nothing he had ever done before. Since then the sounds of ducks and geese on the wing are what drives his hunting passions.

As most know ducks are the primary goal in Arkansas but for James the big resident honkers in the river valley where he lives are his top target. His favorite way to hunt the honkers is on the sand bars of the Arkansas river. Seeing a big Canada feet down landing on the big water is the best. Living in the heart of the Arkansas resident goose population gives him alot of opportunities to learn all he can about them. His most memorable hunt was the first time Arkansas had a resident season. On the opening day James and some friends managed to kill 4 resident Canadas all neck collared and leg banded.

In the last couple of years James has gotten into the calling contest scene. Calling in both meat duck and goose competitions. Blowing in contest has helped him to learn how to expand his calling talents to the next level. James serves on the Avery Pro-Staff and is a very active member of Delta Waterfowl serving as Co-Chair of his local chapter. James brings to the Zink Calls staff a great outgoing personality. Being a part of the greatest call company is an honor to him and he hopes to be able to expand the Zink Calls name throughout the south and introduce people to what he believes are the best calls out there bar none.


Adam Strong

Adam Strong is 15 years old and lives in Fort Collins, Colorado. He lives in a prime waterfowl hunting area that holds vast numbers of ducks and geese. He is currently a Freshman at Boltz Junior High school. He was born and raised in Pueblo, Colorado and his father got him in to hunting at a very young age. He started off pheasant hunting in Kansas and he bagged his first pheasant with his 410 bore single shot when he was 7 years old.

He grew up hunting pheasants, rabbits, and turkeys until he moved to Fort Collins at the age of ten where his love of duck and goose hunting began.

His father took him out duck hunting one afternoon for the first time and Adam shot his first mallard drake. He finished out his first limit that same day. Later that year he went goose hunting and shot his first goose! "I was so excited when I saw it hit the ground that I practically flew out of the pit!" say’s Adam. A few years afterwards, Adam learned how to blow a short reed goose call with the help of his friend Forrest Carpenter. Forrest taught Adam the basics then Adam taught himself the rest with lots and lots of practice and advice from other callers.

Adam gave contest calling a shot in 2005 and to his surprise he did fairly well. He placed 2nd place in the intermediate Duck calling contest at Sportsman’s Warehouse Loveland Co. He has since then blown in all the contests he could!

Some of the contests he has placed in are:
1st In Hunter Class Open Duck, Sioux Falls, SD 2006
1st In the Rocky Mountain Gold Novice Duck 2006
1st Sportsman’s Warehouse Junior Duck 2006
2nd at Sportsman’s Warehouse Two-Man Goose 2006
2nd Sportsman’s Warehouse Jr. Goose 2006
2nd Stillwater Classic Intermediate Goose 2006
2nd Cabela’s Open Goose, Sydney, NE 2006
2nd at Rocky Mountain Gold Intermediate Duck 2006
2nd Sportsman’s Warehouse Intermediate Duck 2005
3rd Cabela’s Open Duck, Sydney, NE 2006
3rd Cabela’s Two-Man Duck, Sydney, NE 2006
3rd Cabela’s Two-Man Goose, Sydney, NE 2006
3rd Stillwater Classic Jr. Duck 2006
3rd Sportsman’s Warehouse Hunter Class Goose 2006
6th In the Colorado State Goose Calling Championship 2006
Adam’s love for Hunting Ducks and Geese as well as Big game will continue for very many years to come!


Kenny Thompson

Kenny Thompson is currently 21 years old and residing in Wichita Kansas. Kenny was introduced to hunting at an early age of 7. Kenny's father Doug was the one who showed him the world of the outdoors and he has hit the ground running ever since. Most of Kenny's knowledge that he has gained has been from experience in the field and he has experienced many ups and downs. Kenny's love for the outdoors doesn't stop with hunting, he can also be found out fishing the local ponds and rivers or is also spotted on the Golf Course playing the occasional tournament. If it has feathers or fur you can bet Kenny has spent time trying to chase it down. While Kenny's main passion is Waterfowl hunting he enjoys all the sights and sounds of the outdoors. Since Kenny blew he first Zink Call 6 years ago, he has been driven to get the most out of his calls. Ever since that first Zink Call Kenny has wanted to be a part of the Zink family and help it grow every way possible.

Over the past year Kenny has become a committee member on his hometowns local Ducks Unlimited Chapter, making sure that the ducks get the protection they need. In the winter Kenny finds his second home on wooded lakes chasing fat Mallards and long neck Canadians, even the occasional lesser or two. Over the past 6 years Kenny has had many memorable moments good and not so good....but his most would have to be bluebird morning Mallards with his father in a hole of only 45 yards wide, what a quick limit!!! Kenny mainly likes to hunt wooded lake Mallards and Pintails the most but he is pretty fond of plowed field honkers too. Kenny brings a great personality and a do whatever it takes to the Zink Calls Pro-Staff and really enjoys representing them at shows and seminars. He has a great passion for the sport of waterfowling and wants to make sure it heads in the right directions. He also loves to introduce children into the world of waterfowling as for the smile on their face is priceless.


Ryan Vande Griend

Ryan is 16, and currently lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his mom, dad, and sister. When he's not blowing his Zink Calls, answering questions on the Avery Message boards or out hunting, you can probably find him working on peoples lawns or playing war games on the internet.

He is currently on the Avery Youth Field Staff, and enjoys working and talking with many different kids about duck and goose hunting or just being in the outdoors with friends and family!

Ryan has been waterfowl hunting with his dad and other close relatives since he was three years old. His favorite type of waterfowl hunting is lying in his power hunter in a cornfield with a bunch of Greenhead Gear Goose decoys out, waiting for some Honkers or big corn fed Mallards to come around. A close second would be sitting in a layout boat on a large body of water in November waiting for some Buffleheads to come zipping across his diver spread.

He has not yet entered any calling contests, but he practices every day on his PM-1 to try and get all the right sounds, and is trying to get a good routine down so he can start entering the contests.


Larry Van Kirk

Larry Van Kirk is 34 years old and lives in Hightstown, New Jersey. Most of the year you will find Larry on campus at Princeton University where he his a construction foreman. When autumn comes, you can bet he’s not far from where the birds are.

It was Larry’s father that introduced him to hunting at the age of 13. His first hunt was for deer, which was not unlike waterfowling. The wake-up, and the getting to your stand well before daylight were the same, but the comradery of being able to share the hunt was missing. The following year , Larry’s father took him on a goose hunt on a river not to far from his home.

During that hunt , Larry was able to call in both his and his father’s first goose. Watching the birds react to the decoys and to the calling made this hunting different. It was from this point Larry was forever a waterfowler.

As the seasons progress, you will find Larry pursing Woodies and Teal early to Red leg Mallards in late December or Resident Canadas in September to late migrators in January. Waterfowling is always present in the daily routine, whether its scouting for the next hunt or flipping through old magazines.

At the age of 29, Larry began guiding for StormOutfitters in New Jersey. He has had many enjoyable hunts, and has made countless friends. Larry knows that there is nothing more enjoyable than watching a new hunter’s excitement as the birds are worked from afar, and finished in close.

Larry brings over 21 years of waterfowling experience to Zink Calls, he hopes to help both new and old hunters alike with the ability to "Talk the Talk!"


Mike West

Mike West, 19 years old was born and raised in Buffalo Minnesota, 30 miles northwest of Minneapolis/ St.Paul. Living 10 miles from the Mississippi River, there is never a shortage of ducks and geese. Mike currently goes to College at North Hennepin Community College majoring in Criminal Justice and History. He tries his best to hunt hard and still get good grades.

Mike started hunting with his father and the rest of his family at an early age. Before he could ever shoot he was in the blind doing the calling. That's where his love for the outdoors began. In his early days he spent a lot more time calling and shooting then he did killing. Whenever he comes home with a full bag of ducks and geese his father congratulates him then always seems to recall his first Minnesota youth day when he shot 3 boxes of shells and only two birds. Since then he has chased the birds around the county every chance he gets. While in his early days he hunted geese behind hay bales out in alfalfa fields and in blinds and boats on the edge of rivers and ponds. Then he got his first Finisher Layout Blind and since has hardly been able to pull himself out of it. Mike always says there is nothing like shooting geese that are cupped and committed and feet down on top of you.

Along with hunting ducks and geese in Minnesota, Mike and his friends have made it a tradition to hunt snow geese in South Dakota every year for their spring break. When everyone else at school leaves the state to head for warmer climates, Mike and his band of "Goose Slayers" as they like to call themselves, leave for the thrills and adventure of muddy fields and cheap crowded motel rooms." I wouldn't trade that for all the sandy beaches and hot sun you could throw at me."


Culley Wilson

Hometown: Nacogdoches, Texas
Occupation: Key Accounts Manager for Schering-Plough Animal Health and Owner of Wild Wing Outfitters
Areas of Hunting Expertise: Waterfowl
Favorite Method of Hunting: Decoying late season geese in the swamps.

Culley Wilson was born and raised in Texas. His father, being a professional bass fisherman, introduced him to the outdoors at a very early age. It was when he was a young teenager that his passion for outdoors began, especially the pursuit of white tailed deer. Growing up in an area of Texas where you were only allowed one buck he quickly took to waterfowl hunting to fill the remainder of the hunting season. Living in between the Central and Mississippi flyways in East Texas, there was usually an abundance of waterfowl to hunt, mostly puddle ducks. When he moved to NC in 1999 he found himself frustrated by not finding consistent flights of ducks in the Piedmont area of the state. To harvest a limit of puddle ducks was an accomplishment. So, he taught himself how to hunt Canada Geese being there was good resident population as well as good migration of Canada Geese. After trial and error, he honed his skills and was fast becoming a seasoned goose hunter. His friends eventually talked him into guiding and Wild Wing Adventures was born.

Besides guiding, Culley enjoys spending time with his wife Melissa and their one year daughter, Sophia. Traveling the East Coast from PA to GA with his job allows him to create hunting memories and new friends with clients in many diverse locations and hunting scenarios. He credits trips to the field hunting geese in MD and DE as a guest of customers as a very instrumental part of his becoming a successful goose hunter. With his hunting experiences in many different areas of the Atlantic Flyway, Culley brings some good insight to varying hunting methods that are successful from one place to the next along the Atlantic Flyway from hunting Tundra Swans to Atlantic Brant Geese. This insight and experience from a wide range of hunting scenarios makes Culley an ideal candidate to promote Zink Calls.