State champion duck caller pursues world title

Bobby Brown demonstrates his competition duck call in the backyard of his home. (T-G Photo by Erin Edgemon) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Shelbyville native Bobby Brown grew up duck hunting.

His father, Dan Brown, took him hunting the waterfowl the first time when he was only 10 years old.

The love for the sport and his competitive nature eventually grew into another calling -- competitive duck calling.

"My dad did the contest back in the '70s -- that sparked my interest," Brown said, adding that his father placed fourth in the state competition in '74.

World at his call

Brown is the reigning Tennessee state champion in duck calling. He is slated to compete Saturday for the first time in the 74th World Duck Calling Contest in Stuttgart, Ark.

"I don't think I am that good at it honestly," the humble husband and father of two said. "I know I am good, but I don't think I am best by any means."

But that doesn't mean he doesn't enjoy saying he is the state champion duck caller.

Bobby also enjoys traveling the country and meeting other callers during competitions.

His goal is to finish in the top 10 in this year's world championship.

"Realistically, I think I can make top 20," he said.

His wife, Kristin, said she is excited for her husband to compete in the contest. She bought him his first competition call for their one-year wedding anniversary.

"I think he is better than he thinks he is," she said. "I get more nervous than he does."

Tough foes

Brown is competing among some stiff competition. Many of the champion callers have been competing for some 25 years. Brown has competed since 2006 when he came in fifth place in the state contest. He is also the 2007 state champion.

Competition duck calling requires a 90-second routine that simulates the calling out of a flight of ducks, seeing the ducks and calling them close, calling them back after they leave and sitting the ducks down.

"We are showing control over a call," Bobby said.

Bobby takes competition seriously.

During competition season Bobby practices 30 minutes a day. He practices in the kitchen using the microwave as his timer.

The week before the world competition he expected to practice an hour a day even though it isn't easy on his family's ears.

"Competition duck call has the same decibel range as a freight train," he said.

"If a real duck was in the contest it would come in last place," Bobby added, because ducks aren't that loud.

Kristin said she can feel her ears vibrating when her husband practices his competition call.

Added help

Bobby fine tuned his competition call with Rick Dunn at Echo Calls, a duck call company, in Beebe, Ark. Dunn was the '97 world duck call champion.

"I have been known to drive for six hours (to Beebe), blow a duck call for two hours and then drive back," he said.

The Browns are looking forward to when their 16-month-old son, Drake, is old enough to compete in the junior calling competition.

"He teethed on a duck call so we are pretty sure he will eventually (compete)," Kristin said.

Their 4-year-old daughter, Hannah, also loves duck calling. She wears a pink duck call necklace that matches the blue one her father wears.

Bobby said he plans to continue competing for 20 years or "till I don't have the wind to do it anymore."

Ideally, Bobby said he would love to compete until he and his son are competing together in the world contest. In that competition, Bobby would come in first and Drake would come in second.