Rodeo performers herald bull riding as the most exciting eight seconds in sports.
But what about the most fascinating 90 seconds?
Welcome to the world of duck, goose and swan calling — a curious enclave made up of camouflaged challengers who vie for the title of champion.
Sure, it’s a sport, in the same way horseshoes, lawn darts and curling are viewed as sports.
Or perhaps it’s art, much like Central Park’s “The Gates,” a saffron-colored creation from artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, is considered art.
Ultimately, it depends on whom you ask.
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“It’s an art,” Pantego’s Chuck Williams says.
“It’s a sport,” says Daniel Baker of St. Leonard, Md. “Yeah, we love it.”
Baker should. He is the World Swan Calling title-holder, achieving the honor earlier this year in Washington, N.C., at the Southern Classic Duck, Goose and Swan Calling Championship.
“It’s just like singing a song,” he says. “If you’re one little squeak off, the swan won’t come in.”
Competitors must perfect a 90-second routine, graded according to volume, clarity and creativity.
Victories prove lucrative. Winners can add the accolade to their business cards — and voila, it’s validation when offering guide services to hunters. But remember, their discipline — just like any field of study — requires commitment to become an expert. In preparation for this year’s event, Evans enlisted the help of 1997 world champion Rick Dunn. Evans would phone him, then put the receiver down while he conducted his routines. Dunn listened and critiqued his friend, imploring Evans to attempt an “aggressive” approach, duckspeak for trying a technique that would distinguish Evans from others.
It worked. With the win, Evans earned a trip to the World Duck Calling Contest, to be held in Stuttgart, Ark., over Thanksgiving.
Just how serious is Stuttgart about duck hunting? The local radio station’s call letters are KWAK.