2005 Florida DU Duck Calling Contest

[Novalex]

Just wanted to send out a big "Way to Go" to all the contestants @ this years calling contest.

Thanks also to the judges who donated thier time to ensure another successful event.

Assistent State Chair Len Schwenniker
Assistent State Chair Rich Davis
CVA Pro-Staff Steve Smith
UWF Member Kevin Hall


Capt Jeff Kraynik
Florida DU MARSH chair

[Kevin Hall]

Heck ... it's a lot of fun watching (hearing) some of these guys' calling improve from year to year.

:)

[Novalex]

August 30, 2005

Bulleman top caller for ducks

ORLANDO - -- Tim Bulleman always loved duck hunting but he never knew much about the true art of duck calling.

Then he went to Arkansas State University at Jonesboro in eastern Arkansas, in the heart of the Mississippi Flyway and some of the best waterfowling in the country.

"That's where I learned to call. Duck hunting is a way of life in Arkansas," said Bulleman.

On Sunday, the 30-year-old physical therapist assistant from Deltona won the Florida State Duck Calling Contest for the second time. He also won in 2003.

Bulleman, who has been entering calling contests for five years, won $1,000, and he will represent Florida at the World Duck Calling Contest on Nov. 26 in Stuttgart, Arkansas.

The state contest was held in conjunction with the Fall Hunting Classic at Bass Pro Shops in Orlando. Ducks Unlimited, Bass Pro Shops, Hunter's Specialties, Weatherby and Leupold and Stevens sponsored it.

Jeff Kraynik of Palm Bay, one of the five duck hunting experts who judged the contest, said Bulleman was clearly No. 1 in his mind among the eight callers competing.

"I felt he was head over heels ahead of the others," Kraynik said. "His routine just got better in each round."

For each of three rounds, the judges were sequestered behind a curtain, and only numbers identified the callers.

Judge Len Schwenneker of Winter Garden said the cadence of Bulleman's calling was a strong point.

"You can have a good routine but if you put in one wrong squawk it ruins the cadence and you get a deduction," Schwenneker said.

Four hunting-related factors were used for the scoring, with the factors relating to a prescribed hunting scenario. Each caller opened with a loud hail or long distance call, followed by a feeding or chatter call, then a come back call and finally a mating or lonesome duck call.

The rules required each caller to follow the four factors in relation to a flock of ducks that first appeared at a distance. With the hail call the caller turns the flock towards the decoys. As they approach the flock flares away. The caller calls the ducks back toward the decoys and sets them down in the decoys.

Contact Sargent at 242-3697 or bsargent@flatoday.net

[N. Cook]

Florida has to be one of the toughest places to put on a duck calling contest because of the lack of mallards here and the callers have to resort to their memories of northern marshes and timber....I sure miss calling at those "spots in the sky" grunting a hail call, come back, feeding chatter.....boom!......Congratulations to Jeff and his group for another success.

[uncle D]

Didn't he win it before? If it is him, UW had him do some calling demos @ BP during the "Waterfowl and Dog Dayz" symposium two years ago.

Ask him if he used the $60 dollar call he relieved Ted Ensminger and Bass Pro of to win the contest.

Duke

[northfla_hunter]

yea duke, tim won it 2 years ago. he won with a RNT MVP ($150 call).