Meet the CC Champion Duck Calling Pro-Staffers

September 30, 2010 by · 1 Comment 

CollegiateCamo Pro-Staffers have some bragging rights! The CollegiateCamo team is so proud to boast that two of our Pro-Staff team members are in the top three Drake Waterfowl Systems “Power Rankings” for competition duck callers, as of 9/22/2010.

At #2 is Jody Niccum from Olathe, KS, with a ranking of 136.72.

You know him for his expertise in duck calling, but did you know this about Jody Niccum:

His favorite pizza is pepperoni; what he likes most in women is that “they be blonde”; his favorite drink is Gin & Tonic; he has a ritual before every competition, “I pray to my Grandparents”; his favorite breed of dog is “black lab”; he shoots a Winchester Super X2; his favorite vacation spot is Las Vegas; his hero is Mike Keller; his favorite movie is “the Guardian; his favorite branch of the military “Marines”; his favorite camo is “nat gear”; his favorite pastime is “bass fishing with dad”; his favorite duck is wigeon; his dream job “to own a hunting company” and finally –he prefers brief over boxers.

Read more about Pro-Staffer Jody Niccum

At #3 is John David Stanley III from Bixby, OK, with a ranking of 135.20.

JD’s known for his competitive nature, and we asked the same questions of JD Stanley:

JD loves meat lovers pizza, what he likes most in women is “their personality”; his favorite drink is “Jack & Coke; he has no ritual or superstition prior to competition; his preferred breed of dog is “black lab”; he shoots a Benelli Super Black Eagle II; Alaska is his favorite vacation spot; his hero “my dad”; his favorite movie is “A River Runs Through It”; Marines are his preferred military branch; favorite camo goes to nat gear; his favorite past time is fishing with his dad; his favorite duck is a canvasback; his dream job is to own an outfitting business; –he’s a boxer type of guy!

Thanks to both Jody and JD for sharing “intimate” parts of their personalities with us.  We wish them the best this year in all competitions.

Check out a video of the duck callers in action:

Socially Acceptable Grooming and Behavioral Practices for REAL Men

September 4, 2010 by · 2 Comments 

The women of CollegiateCamo have been talking, and in an effort to reclaim all that is man, we are going to be producing a multi-part blog for how to get back to the origin of man without stepping back too far in time. The damage must be undone somehow. This is a social commentary on the grooming habits of the current man – as written by a woman.

Prior to my parlay into the outdoors industry a few years ago, I noticed a shocking change in American men. A new aroma was rising in our men, and this one was unfamiliar and a little bit creepy, like the smell of musk mixed with the smell of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls. These observations were disturbing to say the least.

What happened to our men over the last decade? To examine the opposite gender, I had to first examine myself. I am not a girly-girl. I’m a pro-active, get things done, do this, do that, get business taken care of alpha-female. In clinical terms I am a highly-effective female. I like guns, fast cars, Chevy trucks, playing music and my most favorite and least favorite to admit — fruity rum. So, as societal standards go, I’m not your traditional female. I’d rather discuss the inner workings of a small block Chevy motor than what happened on the high-rated TV drama from last night.

So, now I examine the men. Their places are tidy, styled and painted. Their hair has more “product” than I will allow in mine in a week. Is that eyeliner (“guyliner”) I see on him? I think it’s that tattooed on eyeliner I keep hearing about. I’m going to call it perma-guyliner. I shake a man’s hand, it is softer than mine. I’m standing in line to get a burger and I overhear a man talk about his feelings. What? How did this happen? Where did all the real men go? When did they start having public therapy sessions?

Some men (and I use the term men loosely at times here) are waxed, plucked, shaved, styled, groomed into what is now being referred to as “manscaping.” I’m having a hard time believing that they are doing this on their own accord. I believe every disgruntled girlfriend or wife in America had a secret meeting with network executives for television shows and came to the consensus that men needed to be changed. They put their plan into place and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was put into production and when it premiered, I heard a caveman cry.

The Economic Impact of the Firearms Industry

September 2, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

How sick and tired are you of hearing about the rotten economy?  Ever want to really do something about it? Then get your guns out!

Get the word out to your friends that you and your huntin’ buddies account for the vast majority of the economic support to keep parks and recreation going for all mankind regardless of their personal thoughts and feelings about hunting.  And, you provide much needed jobs for many.

Anglers also contribute strongly to conservation via their licenses and permits. Most likely, if you’re anything like us, you do both.

According to a recently commissioned report just out in April, from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the report detailed a significant economic impact that the firearms and ammunition industry has on the nation’s economy as well as each state’s economy.

“In 2009 our industry increased its contribution to wildlife conservation by over 37.6 percent, which translates into sportsmen contributing more than $7.5 million dollars daily to conservation efforts,” NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane said.

Oh yeah, taxes are much more than a “four-letter word.”  Just look at how much your hard earned dollars contributed to the national economy when you purchased guns and ammo in the last couple of years:

Taxes

2008 2009
Federal Taxes $1,503,740,471 $2,035,154,440
State Taxes $1,299,088,678 $1,909,417,793
Excise Taxes $327,070,867 $450,177,780

And due to your outdoor passion and your purchasing power your support is keeping workers off the unemployment line.

Firearms and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact

2008 2009
Jobs 166,200 183,424
Wages $6,361,205,400 $8,210,881,000
Econ Impact $19,199,634,700 $27,846,304,300

Let’s look at a few states to see how many jobs the firearms and ammunition industry supported in 2009:

  • Alabama:  1352
  • Arizona: 2296
  • Arkansas 1208
  • California 6980
  • Florida 4276
  • Georgia 1703
  • Illinois 2706
  • Kansas 1157
  • Michigan 2582
  • Missouri 2702
  • Nebraska 3299
  • Texas 6085.

(For a complete list check out the full NSSF 2010 Economic Impact Study)

So to my fellow gun-toting, ammo-buying buddies, we are obviously doing our part for the “economic stimulus.” What is President Obama doing?