I GREW IN SOUTH-WESTERN MINNESOTA, IN THE LITTLE TOWN OF WALNUT GROVE .A FARMING COMMUNITY OF 700 PEOPLE, WHERE EVERY ONE, KNOWS EVERY ONE. WITH MY FATHER, AT THE AGE OF 10, I STARTED SHOOTING AND HUNTING. AND FROM THEN FELL IN LOVE WITH THE OUTDOORS. NEVER GETTING ENOUGH, AND NEVER HAVING ENOUGH MONEY FOR AMMO OR GOOD CALLS. SO I STARTED RELOADING AND THEN MAKING CALLS.
MY FATHER WAS THE LOCAL SHOP TEACHER (FOR 35 YEARS), AND A MASTER CARPENTER , SO BUILDING THINGS AND WORKING WITH WOOD WAS THE NORM AT MY HOUSE.
UPON GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, I DID 4 YEARS IN ARMY, SERVING WITH THE 82ND AIRBORN DIV. GOT OUT, AND RETURNED TO MINNESOTA FOR SCHOOL AND RESUMED HUNTING. UPON COMPLETING COLLEGE, I GOT A JOB OFFER IN PENNSYLVANIA. AND MOVED. NOW I RESIDE IN THE PHILADELPHIA AREA (A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM A TOWN OF 700 PEOPLE).
I NOW HAVE THE MONEY TO GET THE GOOD CALLS, AND BUY AMMO. BUT MAKE THEM AS A HOBBY. WITH WORK, I DON’T GET TO THE OUTDOORS AS MUCH AS I WANT, BUT I SOME HOW MANAGE. IN 2000 A FRIEND OF MINE PERSUADED ME TO START SELLING THE CALLS, SO HERE I AM.
I USE THE BEST WOOD AND REEDS I CAN FIND, (NOT THE CHEAPEST). I CAN CUSTOM MAKE CALLS OUT OF ABOUT ANY PIECE OF WOOD, (AS LONG AS IT’S LARGE ENOUGH). SUCH AS A LOG FROM THE FAVORITE TREE IN THE BACK YARD, AN OLD FIRE PLACE MANTAL, GRANDMA’S BROKEN ROCKING CHAIR AND THE STOCK OF GRANDPA’S OLD SHOTGUN, THESE ARE SOME THAT HAVE BEEN MADE SO FAR.
MY CALLS REFLECT MY MIDWESTERN, SMALLTOWN UPBRINGING, MY FATHERS TALENTS, AND MY LOVE FOR THE OUTDOORS. ALL MY CALLS ARE HAND MADE, ( MADE IN AMERICA, BY AN AMERICAN ) . NO TWO CALLS WILL EVER BE EXACTLY ALIKE.
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