Syracuse.com - Hunting buddies showed their stuff by winning duck/goose calling contests

[HuntingNY-News]

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Chris Klaczko, of Cayuga, who won the duck calling contest at last weekend's outdoors show at the state fair, qualified for the world championships in Arkansas.

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<span class="caption">Chris Klaczko of Cayuga and Jon Rice of Auburn, the winners of the duck and goose calling competitions last weekend at the New York Sportman's Expo at the state fairgrounds.</span>

<span class="byline">Dennis Nett/The Post-Standard</span>

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Chris Klaczko compares competitive duck calling to playing a musical instrument.

<p>“It all comes down to practice, practice and more practice,” he said.</p>

<p>Klaczko, 28, of Cayuga, won the sanctioned, New York State duck-calling competition last weekend held at the New York Sportsman’s Expo at the state fairgrounds. With his victory, he qualified for the World Duck Calling Championships this November in Stuttgart, Ark.</p>

<p>The win didn’t come easy. He won after beating hunting buddy Jon Rice, 21, of Auburn. They were tied after three rounds and had to do an extra round.</p>

<p>“It was pretty darn close,” Rice said. “If anyone was to beat me, I wanted it to be him.”</p>

<p>Rice, who has competed in duck and goose-calling competitions in several states, didn’t walk away empty handed. He won the unsanctioned goose- calling competition, earning $150 and a plaque.</p>

<p>It’s Klaczko, though, who’s going to Arkansas, with his plane tickets being covered by tournament sponsors Spectra Ammunition, Rig’em Right Waterfowl and Rush Outdoors.</p>

<p>Klaczko, with more than 10 years of competitive waterfowl-calling behind him, was psyched for this contest. He’s been frustrated before, finishing runner-up in state competitions in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.</p>

<p>“The two weeks leading up to this I practiced every day for six hours,” he said. “I practiced in my car on the way to work, during my lunch hour and breaks, and a couple of times after I got home each night.”</p>

<p>The two competitions at the Sportsman’s Expo had different formats and things the judges were looking for. The sanctioned duck- calling contest was “mainstreet” or what others would call “Arkansas-style.” Each of the six competitors had three rounds of calling for a minute and half each time.</p>

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<p><br />The callers were required to stand still, looking straight ahead and not at the five judges. This year’s panel included Josh Edwards, a three-time state champion.</p>

<p>“Arkansas-style calling is showing your talents on the various calls. It doesn’t necessarily relate to what you’d do in the field or in your blind,” Rice said, explaining the judges expect to hear a set sequence of calls.</p>

<p>“You’re drawing a picture in a judge’s mind of what birds are doing,” said John LaFluer, of Weedsport, an elite pro staffer for Rig’ em Right Waterfowl. </p>

<p>The unsanctioned goose-calling contest was a “meat competition,” meaning the calls vary and more accurately imitate actual hunting scenario. The 12 competitors were allowed to walk around during their routine, as they might do when out in the field, Rice said. As in the duck contest, there were three rounds of 1 ½ minutes each.</p>

<p>Klaczko, who works as an assistant for Jason Barnes, of Frontenac Fowlers guide service, and occasionally gives waterfowl-calling seminars locally, was determined to get final get things right in this year’s state competition.</p>

<p>He said he watched YouTube videos of past world duck-calling competitions and patterned his routine after them.</p>

<p>In addition, every time he practiced he taped his calls on his smart phone and played them back and kept analyzing his strengths and weaknesses.</p>

<p>Klaczko said there’s a lot of pressure when you’re up on the stage.</p>

<p>“Most of all, you have to avoid squeaking your calls,” he said. “Any duck hunter will tell you. That’s what scares the ducks the most when you squeak your calls.”</p>

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog