Ciraulo Is State Duck-Calling Champ

It takes some competition duck callers years to win a major title and qualify for the World’s Championship in Stuttgart. Alex Ciraulo did it in the first year he was eligible. Alex, a 17-year-old from Buford, recently won the Georgia State Duck Calling Contest.

In addition to joining an elite group of Georgia state champions, Alex punched a ticket to compete at the World’s Duck Calling Championship in Stuttgart, Ark. At sanctioned events that are World’s qualifiers, callers must be 17 years old, so this was the first year Alex could compete in the event.

Using a RNT call, Alex had high score or tied for high score in all three rounds for a winning total score of 776. Second place went to Chad Gillespie, of Covington, with a score of 774. Placing third was two-time state champ Clint Shipman, of Byron.

The Ducks Unlimited sponsored contest was held during GON’s Outdoor Blast at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth on Aug. 4. Also held during the event were the Georgia State Meat Calling Championship and the Georgia State Two-Man Meat Calling Championship.

The 2013 Georgia State Meat title went to Zach Raulie, of Green Cove Springs, Fla., who placed second in this event last year. Zach edged the 2011 World’s Champion and 2011 Georgia State Meat winner Antonio “Duckman” Jones, of Conway, Ark.

Zach Raulie later teamed with Kevin Gilreath, of Titusville, Fla., to win his second Two-Man Team State Championship in a row. They edged the team of Alex Ciraula and Ben Perez. Ben is a World’s qualifier from Burlington, N.C.

Thanks to Ducks Unlimited for sponsoring the events. Yeti coolers and Avery blind bags went to top finishers, along with 100 percent payback of entry fees.