Clint Shipman Wins 2008 Georgia State Duck-Calling Contest

Clint Shipman of Byron, the 2008 Georgia state champion duck caller, blows during one of the competition rounds.

A ticket to Stuttgart, Ark. for the Super Bowl of duck calling — not to mention the coveted title as the 2008 Georgia State Champion — went to Clint Shipman of Byron during Georgia’s sanctioned state event held at the Outdoor Blast in Macon on Aug. 8.

Competitors had to blow in three rounds of competition, and scores were recorded by five competition judges.

During the first round, Clint tied for the top score of the round with Macon’s Ron Payton. Clint then won rounds two and three to take the state championship title with an overall score of 791. Ron finished with an overall score of 777 to place a strong second in the sanctioned event.

Placing third was Benny Briggs of Harlem, while Jimmy Lee of McDonough finished fourth.

Also held at the Outdoor Blast on Aug. 8 was the Georgia State Meat Duck Calling Contest. The meat contest prohibits the ringing hail call common during sanctioned state and regional events and at the World Championship Duck Calling Contest in Stuttgart. The Georgia State meat contest was also open to out-of-state callers, while the sanctioned event was for Georgians only.

Although he’s grown up now and an attorney living in Northport, Ala., the winner of the Meat contest was a familiar face in Georgia — Randy Rose.

Randy won the Georgia State Junior title in 1998 and 1999. Placing second in the meat contest was Clint Shipman.

Both the sanctioned state championship contest and the meat contest featured 100 percent payback to the top callers.

Clint will represent Georgia during the World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest in Stuttgart on Nov. 29.

Clint with his first-place check and his Echo Boss call. Also pictured is state runner-up Ron Payton of Macon.