Tennessee Duck Calls Soar to New HighsBy Jim Fleming, Editor

CCAA NEWS

C.C.A.A. Official Publication Vol. 22, No. 5 Spring 2010

A Publication of theCallmakers & Collectors Association of America

www.ccaacalls.org

518 Heather PlaceNashville, Tennessee 37204

At the Guyette and Schmidt auction in St.Charles, Illinois this past April, the duck call sec-tion of the auction was a big success.

There were 142 lots in the auction with only10 lots consisting of multiple calls. The bids real-ized topped$161,000.00,with nine Ten-nessee callsfetching a whop-ping $85,000.00– better thanhalf of the totalbidding.

R e c o r d swere set for thesale of a carvedPerry Hookercall. For themost part, all thecalls sold in theirlow-to-high esti-mate range, andthere was onlyone “no bid” in the entire auction.

The carved Charles Perdew calls held their ownand sold above their low estimates. The creamalways seems to rise to the top.

The only exceptions to the high bidding werethe plain barrel Perdew’s, the V.L.&A. Perdew’sand the St. Francis River Perdew’s. They all soldwell below the pre-auction estimates. I would notbegin to worry about the value of the Perdew’s in

your collection just yet though. You must remem-ber that this auction is primarily a decoy collec-tors auction that is held in Illinois (Perdew’s homestate) every year. There have been many Perdewcalls sold in this auction for as long as I can re-

member. Once adecoy collectorhas a Perdewcall standingnext to hisPerdew decoy,there is littleneed to addmore to that. If Iwas looking toadd a CharlesPerdew call tomy collection,this is the venueI would look atfirst.

There is stillone mystery callthat this auction

yielded. It is widely believed that the call attrib-uted to Sundown Cochran was in fact not aCochran-made call. It is a fabulous call with greateye appeal, and looks very much like a “Cochran.(See call on right side of the photo). Maybe some-day we will be able to determine exactly who madethis fine call and give him the credit he so richlydeserves.

L-r: Carved and checkered Perry Hooker, Kinney and Harlow, Victor Glodo, G.D. Kinney,and a call attributed to Sundown Cochran.

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The Art of Duck SeasonBy Eric Francis

From Arkansas Life magazine, Volume 2, Number 3, November 2009 (www.arkansaslife.com)

Louis “Biff” Morgan considers for a few moments the hun-dreds of duck calls in open display cases in the den of his LittleRock home. He slips one out of its elastic loop and offers it to avisitor.

Touch it. Hold it. Examine it, he encourages.The weighty call has a fine, hand-carved checkered pattern

all the way down to its mouth – and a blank space where acustomer’s name or initials could be added. It probably sold for$3, maybe $5, when it was new.

Continued on page 9

Left: James T. Beckhart walnut duck call from the 1890s to 1922 in Bucks Point.(Photo by Shannon Sturgis)

Below: This box holds 42 ducks calls made in the Northeastern Arkansas area ranging from the1890s to the 1950s.

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Midwest Decoy Collectors Show – St. Charles, Illinois

Brad Elliott

Jim Dester

Bob Wiseman

Bob Wiseman

Wes Townzen

Brad Elliott

Mike Houlihan

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Wes Townzen

Dave Constantine

Jason Jenkins

Beryl Driskill

Pat Tully

Dan Rodgers

Bryan Schultz

Doug Nelson

Herb Ohley

Kent Bowers

St. Charles show, from page 3

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Doug Nelson

Dennis Bumpus

Dennis Bumpus

Albert Thibodeaux

Billy Hays

Sharon Forte

Bernie Forte

Katie and David Mills

Albert Thibodeaux

St. Charles show, from page 4

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Danny Bignar

A selection of calls from the Coyette & Schmidtauction.

L-r: Dave Duncan and Bryan Schultz talk calls.

Calls placed in categories prior to the judging.

A fine Perry Hooker call.

Scott Schroder goes over some notes with ouroutgoing president Len Guldman.

L-r: Mike Lyons, Billy Hays and Walt Williams.

St. Charles show, from page 5

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L-r: Tommy Whittington and Doug Rice.

Howard Harlan and JimDester with Bob Pitts, ScottMerchant and Billy Hays in the background.

Tommy Whittington, Bob Wiseman and WaltWilliams gather around the Fancy Call Displayarea, with J.A. Kolter relaxing in the background.

L-r: Bob Wiseman and our newpresident Herb Ohley.

ScottMerchantenters hiscalls at thesign-intable.

St. Charles show, from page 6

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NWTF Show – Nashville, Tennessee

Sharon Forte, Bernie Forte, Yvonne Ohley and HerbOhley man the booth at the NWTF show inNashville.

Above: Old oakbox turkey callby RichardSherwood.

Right: Greathand-carved boxcall by Don &Sharon Clark.

A few calls from the open division.

Finely carved call with elk bust barrel.

Another great box call with carved elk and gobblers.Continuedon page 17

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These days “finding a pristine Beckhart duck callwould be akin to winning the lottery,” according to aDucks Unlimited magazine article, “Legends of theCall,” by Gary Koehler.

Duck hunting guide James Beckhart carved thismasterpiece out of black walnut – probably while wait-ing for customers on Big Lake in northeast Arkansas inthe 1890s, Morgan explains. His eyes sparkle withwonder as he speaks.

Duck calls and decoys are simple tools with practi-cal roots. Most were handmade up until a century ago,when modern manufacturing processes melded highquality with mass production. But the old-schoolsamples, as individual as their makers, are revered byhunters and collectors alike.

Biff Morgan retired last December as a senior vicepresident of Regions Bank. He became fascinated withduck calls after graduating from the University of Ar-kansas.

“It was probably the mid-ups. I ran across a fewold duck calls that really intrigued me,” he says. “I foundmy first one about 1973 or 1974 and saved it; that’swhat grew into the collection.”

His collection of calls made in Arkansas between1890 and 1990 contains several hundred pieces, manyacquired from the families of the makers. But Morgancollects more than just the calls; he collects every detailhe can about each one.

So he doesn’t mind handing a visitor a duck call

The Art of Duck Season, from page 2 that’s nearly 120 years old. He’ll even pull it apart toshow how it works.

James Beckhart’s calls used a detached “wedgeblock” to keep the reed in place. That is, as long as thepieces of the call are together. If not opened carefully,the reed is prone to fall out. That’s why O.K. “Pop”Pickle from Weiner, Ark., who made calls from the 1900suntil the 1930s, invented his own mechanism for holdingthe reed in place. It is a small piece of metal bent into aclip that slides into a narrow slot with the reed. Latergenerations of call makers created the “Arkansas style,”with a piece of cork wedging the reed in place.

Morgan’s calls are arranged by region and maker,from earliest to latest. He knows each one like an oldfriend – and can tell stories on them.

Leonard Pickle, son of Pop Pickle, made one callwith the customer’s initials carved out of ivory. Wheredoes a duck call maker in Weiner get ivory in the early20th century?

“They were made from piano keys,” Morgan says.“Rumor has it, they came from a church or a countryclub.”

Another call maker, Cotton belt railroad worker JoWillingham made calls from the early 1920s until theearly 1930s. He carved the phrase “Jo made this” intoeach one. These details and differences appeal toMorgan, who shows his calls across the state.

“I couldn’t measure the fun I’ve had,” he says. “Ilove the outdoors, I love hunting, I love Arkansas, andI love history. It’s just a great hobby.”

Decorative Duck and Goose CallsSponsored by Call Makers andCollectors Assoc of AmericaBest of Show, 2010 GrandNational Champion and CallMaker of the Year:Mike HoulihanSecond Best of Show:Mike StelznerThird Best of Show: Todd HansonRookie Call Maker of the Year:Jason JenkinsYouth Call Maker of the Year:Jared KaiserCategory 1, Matched SetFirst: Todd HansonSecond: Wes TownzenThird: Wes TownzenCategory 2, Traditional CarvedCall:First: Marv MeyerSecond: Danny BignarCategory 3, Antler Call

NWTF 2010 ResultsFirst: Billy HaysSecond: Bob WisemanThird: Bob HayesCategory 4, Decorative CarvedCallFirst: Dave ConstantineSecond: Bob WisemanThird: Todd HansonCategory 5, Hand Checkered CallFirst: Mike StelznerSecond: Bob WisemanThird: Roger LaversCategory 6, Laminated CallFirst: Todd HansonSecond: Jason JenkinsThird: Dave ConstantineCategory 7, Carved WaterfowlHead CallFirst: Marv MeyerSecond: Bob SidneyCategory 8. Miniature CallFirst: Bob WisemanSecond: Roger Lavers

Third: Brad SamplesCategory 9, Two DimensionalDecorative CallFirst: Bob HayesSecond: Joe BucherThird: Dave ConstantineCategory 10, Open CallFirst: Mike HoulihanSecond: Bob HayesThird: Dave ConstantineHunting Duck & Goose CallsBest of Show, 2010 GrandNational Champion and CallMaker of the Year: Mike StelznerSecond Best of Show:Mike StelznerThird Best of Show: John KoeppRookie Call Maker of the Year:John KoeppYouth Call Maker of the Year:Ashton HansonCategory Working Duck AFirst: Mike StelznerSecond: Herb OhleyThird: Mike Stelzner

Category 2, Working Duck BFirst: John KoeppSecond: Bob HayesThird: John KoeppCategory 3, Working Duck CFirst: Mike StelznerSecond: Herb OhleyThird: Jacob FriendCategory 4, Working Duck DFirst: Herb OhleySecond: Bob WisemanThird: Benjamin “Bear” LyleCategory 5, Working CallsMatched SetFirst: Mike StelznerSecond: Bob HayesThird: Brian PhillipsCategory 6, Working Goose AFirst: Jacob FriendSecond: Chuck WaisThird: Severen PedersenCategory 7, Working Goose BFirst : Herb OhleySecond: Herb OhleyThird: Bob Hayes

By Bob Wiseman

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Reprinted from the bookCustom Calls, Duck & Goose Calls

From Today’s Craftsmen1995 edition

By James C. Fleming

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Continued on page 14

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Mr. Bill Jones III of Sea Island, Georgia is oneof the country’s preeminent turkey call collectors. Ihad the honor recently to sit down with Bill whileon a turkey hunt at his plantation in Georgia andvisit with him about his fabulous collection.

CCAA: Bill, obviously turkey calls are the focus ofyour collection. What got you started collecting callsand what type is your primary interest?

Bill: I love all turkey calls but concentrate mainlyon older vintage calls and especially calls with prov-enance or historic interest. I do collect a few con-temporary calls from makers such as Cox, Farmerand Yule but dearly love the older calls. I was raisedin a family of hunters and hunting has always beena major part of my life. In the early 90s my dadgave me a Carlisle turkey call in the box that reallysparked my interest in calls and early turkey hunt-ing history here in the south. Then I got a Thatcherturkey call from my wife’s grandfather. That reallygot me excited. I started reading all I could findabout calls and turkey hunting. Many of the oldbooks are true classics. I started buying older callson eBay and was contacted by Mr. Earl Mickel. Hewas a great mentor for me and gave me some direc-tion in my collecting. We became good friends andI really miss him.

CCAA: The way you have your calls displayed isincredible, it is almost like a museum atmospherewith all the history involved. How many calls doyou have in your collection?

Bill: Just over 7,000 calls.

CCAA: What are your favorite top five calls in yourcollection?

Bill: Decorative Gibson box call, Henry Davisyelper, Tom Turpin box call, Archibald Rutledge boxcall and a new in-the-box Jackson push-button call.

CCAA: With this many calls in your collection, arethere any calls that you are missing that you wouldreally like to add?

Member Profile: Bill Jones

Bill: There are a couple, a verifiable Henry Davisscratch box is one. The other is a Fishbourn callwith one of his poems inscribed on it.

CCAA: You mentioned hunting earlier, do you everuse any of your older calls to hunt with?

Bill: Oh you bet. I have called many birds to thegun with some of my vintage calls. I have usedTurpin calls, both box and yelper, Gibson’s, etc. Butmy favorite was using an original Henry Davis yelperto hunt with. What a nostalgic moment that was.

CCAA: Bill, where do you see the future of callcollecting going?

Bill: Right now, with the current economic condi-tions, all sporting collectibles have slightly stalledand turkey calls are no different. It is interestinghowever, that upper end calls have continued to dowell. There seems to be renewed interest in these

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calls. I have also noticed that there are investorsfrom outside our field interested in some of thesecalls. I think it is folk art collectors looking to spreadout into a new market.

CCAA: What can current collectors do to promotecall collecting?

Bill: Support the current contemporary call mak-ers and spread out from there.

CCAA: There are a couple of other things I thinkour readers might find interesting. Tell us about yourNeil Cost collection and your Earl Mickel collec-tion.

Bill: Well, when I first started getting serious aboutcall collecting, I fell in love with the custom calls ofNeil Cost. I have over 350 different Cost calls inmy collection. When Neil passed, I purchased fromhis family all of the remaining calls, furnishings anddecorations from his house. I converted one of theguest cabins here on the ranch into an exact repli-cation of Neil’s front room. These were many of

Member Profile: Bill Jones from page 13

the items that he had surrounded himself with thelast years of his life; the things that meant so muchto him. I thought it was the least I could do for aman who had contributed so much to custom tur-key call making. It remains intact today as a monu-ment to such a great man.

When Earl discovered he was ill, he came to me tosee if I would be interested in his great call collec-tion in its entirety. We actually pre-arranged mepurchasing all of his calls before his passing. I in-tend to keep the core of his collection intact as atribute to this fine gentleman, the father of turkeycall collecting.

CCAA: Bill thanks for taking the time to sit downand share your thoughts and wonderful collectionwith our readers. All this talk about turkey callsand hunting makes me think we should head out tothe woods and call up a long beard, what do think?

Bill: I couldn’t agree more, pick a call you like andlet’s go do it.

Members are encouraged to contribute articles for futurepublication. Deadline for submitted content is the 15th of themonth prior to publication. Both content and advertising copyshould be submitted to:

Jim Fleming, Editor/Publisher518 Heather Place • Nashville, TN 37204

Phone: (615) 292-1463

The CCAA NEWSPublished four times per year: March, June, September and

December, as the official newsletter of the Callmakers andCollectors Association of America.

Member contributions are solicited and welcomed.Deadline for submitted content is the 15th of the month priorto publication. Both content and advertising copy should besubmitted to:

Jim Fleming, Editor/Publisher518 Heather Place

Nashville, TN 37204Phone: (615) 292-1463

Email: ccaanews@comcast.netClassified advertising in the Trading Post is free to mem-

bers. Display advertising rates available on request. Please sendmembership applications, name and address changes to:

Herb Ohley, Membership Chair2925 Ethel Avenue

Alton, IL 62002Phone: (618) 465-5235

Email: quackassassin@hotmail.com

CCAA DOUBLE ISSUE

The 22nd edition of the CCAA Fancy Callcontest produced a line-up of calls that many inattendance declared to be the strongest field of callsthrough all classes and divisions that they had seenat a St. Charles event. At the contest, 28 call makersplaced 63 entries for the judges review. After tworounds of judging, Mike Houlihan of Portland,Oregon emerged as the Best Of Show winner forthe second year in a row. Mike produced a stunningminiature call of osage orange and ivory. The minifeatured high relief carved ducks and scrimshaw onthe ivory. By all accounts, this is the first time that aBest of Show winner has come from the miniaturedivision. Congratulations to Mike on his repeatperformance.

The Master class featured four entries from threemakers. Albert Bignar’s matched set entry earnedthe 1st place ribbon. The set featured a raised panel,checkered call of ivory flanked by a pair of matchingcalls of ebony. Jim Dester entered a carved matchedset that finished one point behind the winner.

The Professional class had 26 entries across thesix divisions. Mike Houlihan’s miniature call scored149 to win Best of Class. The scoring was close,David and Katie Mills carved/checkered matchedset of ivory and ebony received a score of 148 asdid Bob Wiseman for a carved walnut call. Otherhigh scorers were Mike Houlihan and Beryl Driskillin the open division, along with Dennis Bumpus inthe laminated division. Congratulations to Dennisfor winning both 1st and 2nd in his division alongwith the Design Award of 2010. The Merit Awardwas awarded to Dave Constantine’s entry in theOpen Class.

The Amateur class featured 33 entries amongthe six divisions of competition. Doug Nelsonearned Best of Class honors for his matched set entry.Doug’s entry featured a complex geometric patternof lamination on his pair of calls that scored 141.Close competition was provided by Brad Elliott inthe carved division. Brad had two entries in thedivision that tied with a score of 140. Brad’s callsare true carvings with a duck call inside. A strongentry scoring 139 was also provided by AlbertThibodeaux in the matched set division. Albert’s setfeatured calls with raised panels carved andcheckered with inlay accents, this entry also received

Fancy Call Contest 2010the President’s Award. Albert also received theAmateur Merit Award for his entry in the opendivision. Kent Bowers, Pat Tully, Jason Jenkins, andDan Rodgers all earned respectable scores for theirentries.

Judges for the Amateur class were Peter Keuhn,James Bennett, and Dave Duncan. Bob Fort, MikeLyons, and Jim Fleming judged the Professional andMaster Classes. The club thanks them forvolunteering their time to make the contest a reality.

My personal thanks to Billy Hays and TommyWhittington for helping with the check-in,tabulation of scores, moving calls to the mega center.Jim Dester, Herb and Yvonne Ohley for providingsupport throughout the event.

Bob Wiseman

1st and 2nd place by class and divisionAmateur ClassCarved1st - Brad Elliott 1402nd - Brad Elliott 140

Checkered1st - Pat Tully 1322nd - Jason Jenkins 131

Laminated1st - Bernie Forte 1352nd - Doug Nelson 134

Miniature1st - Dan Rodgers 1332nd - Herb Ohley 127

Open1st - Kent Bowers 1372nd - Sharon Forte 129

Matched Set

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Professional ClassCarved1st -Bob Wiseman 1482nd - Bryan Schultz 140.5

1st - Doug Nelson 141- Bestof Class2nd - Albert Thibodeaux 139-President’s Award Meritaward went to AlbertThibodeaux for his open call.

Checkered1st - Billy Hays 1422nd - Bob Wiseman 140

Laminated1st - Dennis Bumpus 146 -Design Award2nd - Dennis Bumpus 138

Miniature1st - Mike Houlihan 149 -Best of Class - Best of Show2nd - Wes Townzen 134

Open1st - Mike Houlihan 1472nd - Beryl Driskill 144

Matched Set1st - David & Katie Mills 1482nd - Wes Townzen 140

Merit award went to DaveConstantine for an openentry.

Master Class1st - Albert Bignar 1392nd - Jim Dester 138

By Bob Wiseman

Trading PostFor Sale: E.E. Montgomery; Miller’s (Grubbs); N.C. Hansen(Broadbill); Red Duck (Fisher Design); Swiss Router; Ralph True;Bud Hinck, Washburg, IL; Paul Breland, Jena, LA; John Lipscomb,West Chester, OH; Trutone, Red Band; L.L. Bean, George Soule;Tom Condo; Joe Bush, Mobile, AL; Harry’s Ear Tuned; Burl Lohman;Bill Robinson, Huntsville, AL; Truetone; Danny Weaver, Caraway,

AR; Rick Kagerer; Walt Disney, Ideal Toy Co.; Gene Parrish; MidwestDecoy Buttons 1992-2005; Jeff George, Lebanon, TN. ContactWlliam Robert Bailey Sr., 137 Kingswood Drive, Clarksville, TN37043 or call (931) 647-0902.

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From the EditorWe have a double issue for you this time around. Since we

were late with the March issue, we decided to double up onthe page count and give you a double issue to cover Marchand June. We really need members to submit articles! it is hardto give you a good newsletter when we don’t have enough in-formation to publish. In an effort to get more articles for theCCAA News we are starting an “Article Drive.” Here is how itworks:

If you submit an original article that is published in ournewsletter, your name will go into the drawing for the St. Charleswinner’s duck call. This is the same drawing we use for ourmembership drive. Articles need to be about a callmaker or anitem of interest to callmakers and collectors. This is a greatway to get some member participation with our newsletter. Youwill find a form in the center of this newsletter that you canremove and use as an outline for a story. If you have good in-formation, but feel you cannot write well, that is OK, the edito-rial staff can edit and put your data into article form.

When we get all the details nailed down, we will lay it outfor you in another issue of CCAA News.

This might turn into a fun way to develop your collectionand share your knowledge with other collectors and callmakers.

Thanks and have a great summer,

Jim

Upcoming EventsAnnual Illinois Alley Sporting & Fishing Collectibles Show – Sunday, August8, 2010, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Celebrations, 150 banquet hall, $2 admission.Eight foot table $40; additional tables $35. 740 E. Route 6, Utica, Illinois.Contact info: John Vulcani, 1588 Bucklin Street, Lasalle, IL 61301, (815)223-8764, email decoys80@gmail.com. (Right off Rt. 80, take exit 81; southoff Rt. 80 to US Rt. 6; turn right at stop sign, 2 miles; west on Rt. 6 toCelebrations 150 on your left.

21st Annual Reelfoot Lake Waterfowl Festival & Sporting Collectibles Show– Downtown Samburg, Tennessee, Oct. 9 & 10, 2010 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.For more info contact Chris Bugg, president (270) 830-6505 or Joel Harris,secretary (731) 536-0266. Nationally sanctioned duck calling competitions,Reelfoot style metal reed calling competitions and duck call & sportingcollectibles auction.

Third Annual Missouri Waterfowl Festival – To be held Oct. 15 - 17, 2010in Kennett, Missouri at the Fairgrounds. The Missouri Waterfowl Festival isdesigned for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts and their families. Our emphasisis on youth involvement but there will be fun activities for outdoor sportsfans of all ages. Retriever demonstrations, duck calling contest, Ralph Durenmakes over 100 animal sounds with his mouth. Kent Freeman (CCAA

member) teaches kids to paint duck decoys and take them home.www.missouriwaterfowlfestival.com. Contact Charley Hilburn (573) 717-0999 or email: info@missouriwaterfowlfestival.com

2010 Stuttgart Duck Festival – November 20, 2010, 7 pm Queen Mallard& Jr. Queen Mallard Pageants; Nov. 27 sporting collectibles show, Jr. World’sChampion Duck Calling Contest, 30th annual World Championship DuckGumbo Cook-Off. For info contact Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce.

35th Annual NWTF 2011 Convention & Sport Show – Nashville, Tennes-see at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. Friday, Feb. 18,2011 through Sunday, Feb. 20. CCAA sponsored Game Call Contest.

Santa Rosa, California Sporting Collectible Show – March, 2011 at the SantaRosa Veterans Building, 1351 Maple Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95404. The larg-est show of its kind in the west. Info, contact Red Johnson (707) 539-3662or cell (707) 888-7935 or email: warrenjo@pacbell.net

Midwest Decoy Collectors Association – National Antique Decoy & Sport-ing Collectibles Show held the last full weekend each April (April 29 & 30),2011 at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois. 400 tables of sport-ing collectibles. Free identification and evaluation clinic. Game call carvingcompetition. Top-of-the-line decoy display. Buying, selling and trading. Col-lector seminars. Room-to-room trading. Guyette & Schmidt decoy auction.

Billy Hayes and Herb Ohley.

Red handed hand-carved and painted by DaveConstantine.

Beautiful inlaidduck call.

Owl hooter, cow horn and walnut.

Wing bones.

NWTF show, from page 8

~ 17 ~

Mark Warmath (left) and Ron Dowda inspect a nicelittle call made by Billie Ray Fann.

The Man Call by Todd Hanson.

More from the Open category.

L-r: Bob Wiseman, Mike Pahl and Jim Dester judging thecontest.

Beautiful carved and paintedtrumpet yelper.

Taking a snooze.

~ 18 ~

NWTF show, from page 17

~ 19 ~

From his book: It Seemed Like the Thing To Do at the Timeby Larry W. Hickerson

NashJohnny Marsh had a wealth of stories about hunt-

ing, fishing, duck call-making, and other subjects. Hewas always quick to add that once in a great while hewas wrong about something. One of these rare occa-sions happened in the 1940s at Reelfoot Lake. Johnnywas spending his customary month of December at thelake hunting ducks. At times the local guides wouldoverbook and ask Johnny to take the extra hunters outwith him. So was the case on this particular day.

This “sport” was an outdoor writer Johnny was told,and when he showed up that morning at the dock wear-ing a necktie and carrying a mutton leg gun case, Johnnythought that maybe this gentleman, who was introducedto him as Nash Buckingham, was a novice to shotgun-ning. After introductions they moved out into the dark-ness to cross the lake. The trip was silent and unevent-ful and they arrived at Johnny’s blind in the famousKaty’s Gourd area of the lake. Johnny started a fire,limbered up his call, loaded his gun, and sat down towait on shooting time.

He noticed Mr. Nash opening the mutton leg caseand withdrawing a set of barrels followed by a receiver.Johnny, being a connoisseur of firearms, politely in-

quired as to what kind of shotgun he had. Nash informedhim it was an Ansley H. Fox that had been customizedby a gunsmith named Becker. As the conversation con-tinued Nash told Johnny that he had been working withthe Winchester Company on a new shell called the 3”magnum. Up until recently 12ga. ammo had been 2”,but this new shell had additional powder and shot; itspurpose being to increase the effective range of a 12ga.

Johnny spotted a flight of ducks and soon had themhovering over the blocks. Being the good host he waitedfor Nash to take a shot. He made no effort to pick up hisgun and Johnny saw the ducks were going to flair. Hepicked up his Model 12 and dropped a couple. Johnnystood in wonderment as Nash commented on his finecalling and equally fine shooting but offered no reasonwhy he had not shot.

A short time later two Jacks buzzed by at a respect-able 50-yard range and Nash casually picked up thedouble and folded both in a split second. He turned toJohnny and said, “Mr. Marsh, that’s the way I like them.”The rest of the day was made up of Johnny calling andNash putting on a long-range shooting demonstration.Johnny always stated that Nash Buckingham was a truegentleman, a knowledgeable outdoorsman, and one heckof a fine wing shot.

Johnny Marshand LarryHickerson inJohnny’s shop.Notice all theduck callbarrels dryingin the top ofthis photo.

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Application for MembershipCallmakers & Collectors Association of America

New Member n Renewal n Date:

Name (please print or type)

Address

City/State/Zip

Phone (with area code)

Wife’s name

E-mail

Are you a callmaker? n Yes n No

I am a: n Custom Callmaker n Call Manufacturer

I make: n Duck n Goose n Turkey n Predator n Other

Are you a collector? n Yes n No

My interests are: n Antiques & Classic n Contemporary n Competition

I collect: n Duck & Goose n Crow n Turkey n Predator n All Game Calls

Specify type or maker:

RECRUITING MEMBER:

All new members’ dues start the following month they joinCCAA at the rate of $3.00 per month through December of thatyear. New members joining in December would pay the fullmembership fee of $30 for the coming new year. Circle monthjoined and send $3.00 per month for the remainder of the monthsin the year.

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT.OCT. NOV. DEC.

Upon receipt of dues, new member will receive a member-ship list and a copy of the latest newsletter.

All old members’ dues expire December 31 of the presentyear. New year starts January 1, with a two-month grace period.If dues are not paid within this time period, your name will beomitted from the CCAA membership files. Reintatement iswelcome at any time with full membership dues. We appreciateyour interest in call collecting.

1 Year Membership Dues (U.S.): $30.00Outside U.S. (in U.S. dollars): $33.00

3 Year Membership Dues (all): $84.005 Year Membership Dues (all): $138.00Life Membership: $500.00

Mail application and dues in U.S. dollars to:Herb Ohley

2925 Ethel AvenueAlton, IL 62002

Make checks payable to:Callmakers & Collectors Association

From the PresidentI would like to take

this opportunity tothank Len Guldman,board members BillJones, Mark Warmath,Bill Orgain, Biff Morganand Jim Dester for thegreat job over the lasttwo years of moving ourorganization forward. It

has been a real pleasure working along side them.I thank the membership for the honor of serv-

ing as your president for the next two years andtake the position seriously. I joined the associationin 2004. Fellow Callmakers and Collectors havetaken me under their wing, with the friendshipsdeveloped along the way considered priceless.

Please welcome Mike Stelzner as your new vicepresident. Not only is Mike an award-winningcallmaker but a good man who has his priorities inlife together. The position of vice president will haveadded responsibilities as we move forward with ouronline activities and Mike is looking forward to thechallenges. Your new Board of Directors are: MikeStelzner, Len Guldman, Scott Schroder, BobWiseman, Jim Dester, Chris McDonald and myself.Some of our goals include:

Increasing membership – being membershipchairman the last three years I’ve noticed that thesame members consistently recruit new members.Now the costs of everything has increased and wehave made many efforts to reduce future costs butthe key is more dollars in the bank. How? Newmembers! If every member sponsored one new mem-ber our revenue would double. I am personally chal-lenging each member to recruit one new member.For each new member the sponsor gets their namein the drawing for a call made by the “Best of Show”winner from the previous year. Who would not liketo win a call made by Mike Houlihan?

Online newsletter – Let me make myself clear,we are NOT doing away with the newsletter beingmailed to our members. The newsletter will soonbe available online for members who in the futureopt out of the mailings.

Other goals include expanding the followingContinued on page 21

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From the President, continued from Page 20

areas – online store, classified ads, surveys, messageboard, calendar of events and online event registra-tion.

★ ★ ★The NWTF convention in Feb. at Nashville was

a great event. Our booth was a gathering point forour members, as well as adding a few new mem-bers. It was located as close to the call contest aswas possible. I had the honor of judging the Deco-rative Duck and Goose calls. What a challenge! Theexposure our club gets at this event we help to spon-sor is invaluable. If you get the opportunity to at-tend next year please consider it. Thanks to Bernieand Sharon Forte along with Jim Fleming and JimThompson for manning the booth.

Our membership meeting in St. Charles was wellattended. We discussed many of the things I brieflytalk about in this newsletter. The sharing of ideasfor our future was lively and quite informative.The

Fancy Call contest was fantastic. I believe Bob saidthere were 63 entries from 28 callmakers. I don’tbelieve I have ever seen so much ivory in one place.Many thanks to Tommy Whittington for bringingup some outstanding entries from some of ourmembers in Louisiana. I also had the opportunityto witness some of the magnificent vintage callsbeing sold at the Guyette & Schmidt auction (oh,to have the resources to own some of those calls).One can’t help but speculate what callmakers willbe joining the ranks of such highly sought after calls.

One final thought, Jim Fleming is in desperateneed of articles for the newsletter. If you have any-thing you consider even remotely of interest to ourmembers please contact him.

If there is anything I or any of the officers cando for you please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours in service,Herb Ohley, President

he 2010 NWTFDuck and Goose Call Competi-tion saw members of the CCAAtaking the top honors in both thedecorative and hunting divisions.Association members also tookhome the bulk of the medallionsthat were awarded.

Mike Stelzner continued his winning waysin the hunting call division by winning Best ofShow for the third year running. His outstandingwork was evident as he also took the 2nd placeBest of Show. The 3rd Best of Show winnerwas first time contestant John Koepp of Benton,Missouri. John also won the National Rookieof the Year award. There were 93 entries in theworking division in the seven classes ofcompetition. Mike Stelzner won the 1st placemedallion in three classes, Herb Ohley had twofirst place entries, with John Koepp and Jacob

CCAA Members Shine at 2010 NWTF Convention

Friend taking one each. The 2010 YouthNational Champ was Ashton Hanson ofMeridian, Idaho.

Mike Houlihan won his 2nd Best of Showaward in the Decorative Division of the contest.Mike Stelzner picked up the 2nd place trophyand Todd Hanson finished 3rd in the Best ofShow judging. Jason Jenkins of Ohio earned theRookie National Champ award. The YouthNational Champion award went to Jared Kaiserof Bartlett, Tennessee. There were 48 entries inthe 10 classes of competition. Todd Hanson andMarv Meyer each won two first placemedallions in the decorative division. Other classwinners were Billy Hays, Dave Constantine,Mike Stelzner, Bob Hayes, Mike Houlihan andBob Wiseman.

A complete listing of all the medallion win-ners (1st thru 5th places) is available on thewebsite at the Call Contest section.

By Bob Wiseman

~ 22 ~

Reprinted from the book Custom Calls, Duck & Goose Calls From Today’s Craftsmen, 1995 edition – By James C. Fleming

Thanks to William Bailey for providing the information on Catlett Darnell.

~ 23 ~

IT’s Still Out ThereA great selection of calls found in a middleTennessee antique mall:

4 Johnny Marsh,1 Tom Dennison,4 Glenn Scoby,1 Larry Hickerson,1 E.V. Iverson,1 Mike McLemore,1 Unknown.

Big Call!

Member Bob Kremer (right) with CCAA PresidentHerb Ohley at the NWTF show. Kremer built thiscall in 1990 entirely of walnut. “I made the call withthe hopes of getting autographs of some of the turkeycall makers and callers that I often come across in mytravels and displaying with my call collection,”Kremer said.

Some makers who signed the call are no longerwith us, so it reminds Kremer of how lucky he is tohave had a chance to meet these gentlemen.

“Great stories and conversations is one of the ben-efits of meeting such turkey hunters. Everyone whohas signed the call were amazed by the size and sig-natures on the call.

“Many have made offers to buy the call from meand some of the offers were more than I would everexpect, but I still enjoy the call as a super conversa-tional piece of my collection,” he said.

Here is a list of the callmakers and championcallers who signed the call.

Callmakers:Don BaldWill PrimosHoward HouseDick KirbyJim ClayRob KeckRoberts Bros.Lynch CallsJim BuckDon HardyMark Drury

Champion callerswho signed:Earl MickelBen LeeWalter ParrottJim PollardLarry ShockeyScott EllisRicky Joe BishopRon JohnsonAlex RuttledgeEddie SalterShane Hendershot

Terence WilliamsonBobby WoodsErnie CalandrelliSadler McGrawMatt Van CiseMatt MorrettPreston PittmanChris WallsRoy RhodesPaul ButskiCuz StricklandHarold KnightDavid Hale

New & Re-joined MemberRichard Boone, Davenport IAAlan Buretta, Ashley ILDavid Jones, Xenia OHDamon Spenny, Glasford, ILJohnny Cochran, Hornbeak, TNDaren Jespersen, Minot NDDarrell G Cureton, Farmington, MOJim Clayton, Bellvue, COKurt Aebi, North Springfield, VTGene Branum, Harrisonburg, VARoss Byers, Peterborough, ONT CanadaJim chamberlin, St Simons Island, GAJim Clayton, Bellvue, COTom Condo, Monticello INBrad Elliott, Jena LALarry Grisham, Jonesboro, ARRobert J Holcomb, Ripley TNRobert L Kremer, Teutopolis, ILDavid Mills Trout, LAKatie Mills, Trout, LAJoseph Reinsch West Yellowstone, MTRick Sandstrom, Marion IALarry Simpson, Niles, MIConrad Sundeen Crown Point, INAlbert Thibodeaux, Carencro, LADavid VandenBoom Cedar Rapids, IAJerry G Wilkins, Columbia, SCJack Wylie, Regina, SK Canada

Officers & Editorial StaffPresident Herb OhleyVice President Mike StelznerSecretary Scott SchroederTreasurer Chris McDonaldMembership Chairman Herb OhleyShow Coordinator Bob WisemanEditor/Publisher Jim FlemingContributors Jim Fleming, Biff Morgan

Jim Dester, Bob Wiseman,Larry Hickerson, Bob Kremer,

Len Guldman

CCAA NEWS

www.ccaacalls.org518 Heather Place • Nashville, TN 37204

The C.C.A.A. was formed in 1987 as a non-profit organization forcallmakers and call collectors. The primary objectives are tofurther an awareness of call collecting as a hobby, assist mem-bers in the location, identification, and trading of collectible calls,and to promote and encourage the perpetuation of the art formthrough contemporary callmakers.

Collectors & CallmakersAssociation of America

518 Heather PlaceNashville, TN 37204

A Publication of theCallmakers & Collectors Association of America

UNKNOWN CALLCAN YOU ID?

CCAA member Wally Duzansky submitted thiscall to see if any member can identify. The call is5-1/4” long and thought to be from Southern Illinois.

If you can I.D., contact Wally at (815) 598-9104and also email the editor at:

ccaanews@comcast.net