Entry fee for 2025 is $15.00 per entry. The contest will be held at the Westin Lombard (Chicago).
Calls will be judged in the morning of April 25th, in the same room that the Thursday CCAA Pizza Party & Friday morning Annual Business Meeting will be held...the (Room TBD). Look for signs in the main building of the Westin for location. You can start entering the calls beginning at 7:00 am through 8:00 am. The entry table will be set up in the (Room TBD). Judging will begin upon the completion of the CCAA Annual Business Meeting...approximately 9:30 am.
After the judging, the calls will be moved to the Sporting Show ballroom and set up at the CCAA booth for the show on Friday & Saturday. The calls and ribbons will be on display for the general public to view, and the show opens to the public at 2pm on Friday.
Each call will be judged on:
There are no rule changes planned for 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025
There was one rule clarification for 2022. There is no rule change, but just an emphasis is in regards to the laminated divisions. All laminated blanks are to be made by the maker(s) of the call. Purchased laminated blanks will not be allowed in the competition.
There was one rule clarification for 2018. It was in regards to the use of lip rests, inlays and laminations in the Carved/Natural Division. The rule clarification does not alter the rule clarification that was made for 2017, but provides more clarification on the difference between the Carved and Open Divisions. There is always confusion on what is the difference between the carved division and open division. The carved call category has been historically for relief carved calls made out of a single piece of wood. The main difference between a carved call and open call is typically the laminations and different uses of multiple materials. If you carve on multiple pieces of material separately that are later laminated together, then that is an open category call. If you have carvings and scrimshaw, or carving and checkering, then it is an open category call. The only lamination allowed on a carved category call is at the lip rest area. The lip rest/inlay can be made of a different material than the main body of the call, but it cannot be decorated in any way, ie no stippling, carving, scrimshaw, etc. The laminations on inlays on the lip rest area of a carved call cannot exceed a total length longer than 1/4". The intent of the carved call category is for relief carving. The outside of the carved call will only be judged. It is permissible to do a sleeved toneboard on a carved category, since only the external appearance of the call will be judged.
There was one rule clarification for 2017. The rule clarification was in regards to the Carved Division and the Open Division. The original definition of the Carved/Natural division states: Major influence is relief carving done using hand tools. This includes the traditional hand carving tools and the more recent hand held power tools using air and electricity to drive the cutting burs. The intention of the Carved/Natural Division is for a call to be relief carved from a solid piece of material. If parts of the call are carved separately and assembled together to give the call is final appearance, then this configuration is to be entered into the Open Division. The emphasis for the Carved/Natural Division will be relief carving on a solid piece of material.
And keep in mind, there were a couple slight adjustments to the rules in 2015. One adjustment is in regards to the rule that is loosely referred to as the "3 wins in a category and you're out" that states if a call maker in the professional class wins 3 blues in the same category (ie, laminated category), then they can no longer enter that category again. The change to that rule will exclude the blue ribbons that are awarded if there is only one call maker entered that year. So if you win a blue ribbon and you are the only entry in that category, then that blue ribbon will not count towards the total "3 wins and out" clause. The rule change was made to promote participation, and will be retroactive to previous contest blue ribbon single entry winners as well.
The second rule adjustment is similar in nature, and applies to the amateur class. Currently the rules state that if an entry wins a blue ribbon in an amateur category, then the call maker can no longer enter the amateur division again in that category, and must move up to the professional division the next year. The rule will be adjusted starting with 2015 entries, to state that if there is only one call maker that enters a category in the amateur division and wins a blue ribbon, that the call maker can choose to compete in the amateur division again the following year. Again, the rule was adjusted to increase participation. We don't want call makers to either withhold entries in fear that they may be the only entry and get automatically bumped up to the professional division for their blue ribbon.
A contestant must be a paid-up member of record for entry into any fancy call competition sponsored and conducted by the Callmakers & Collectors Association of America. Membership dues may be paid and new members may join at the time of entering a call.
Call Entries must be entered into the Fancy Call Contest by the maker / makers, or by a designated representative per written directive. The events coordinator can be the designated representative of makers entering calls by mail.
The entry form marked MAIL ENTRY will serve as a written authorization & receipt for these mail in entries.
All calls entered must be listed on an entry form for entry into the CCAA Fancy Call Contest. The form must be signed by the maker / makers entering the call entry into the Fancy Call Contest.
No more than 2 call makers can team up to make a call. Both call makers must be members of CCAA and no money will be paid to either call maker for the work performed. Both call makers must be involved with "hands on" in the making of the call. "Making" includes anything done to the call - turning, carving, painting etc. For example: both call makers design and plan the call. One maker would turn the call, the other maker would carve or paint the call.
If a co-op call is judged to be a winner, there will be only one ribbon awarded for the call, not a ribbon for both call makers.
A call entry may be entered into only one (1) division of one (1) class. Calls entered in prior CCAA contests are eligible for entry in future CCAA contests unless said call was a division winner (Blue Ribbon). Additionally any call entries into the amateur, professional or master classes may not subsequently be entered down in class. Division winners (Blue Ribbon Calls) in any division of any class may not be entered into any subsequent CCAA Fancy Call contest.
All types of calls, (Duck, Goose, Crow, Turkey, Predator, etc.) are eligible for entry into the contest.
Call entries may be constructed of any material and have any finish applied.
Mounts, Adornments, etc. affixed onto the call entry must have been crafted by the maker / makers entering the call / calls into the contest.
Signatures, brands and makers marks will not disqualify the entry or influence the judging.
Entries are not limited. You may enter as many calls into as many divisions, within class, as you wish.
The call entry may be presented in the contest on a presentation stand or box. These stands / boxes / bases will not be judged as a part of the call entry. They may be of a commercial nature if desired as their presence will not influence the judging of the call entry.
Separate division for banding and / or lip guards is not provided. Banding and lip guards (of any material) is allowed and may be present on calls entered in any division and class.
Call entries must be a functional, working call capable of producing the appropriate sound as intended. I.E. upon inspection, the call must sound like a duck, goose, crow, turkey, predator etc.
Call entries must have no restrictions attached precluding physical handling, touching, blowing or in hand inspection! If so restricted the call entries will not be considered for any awards by the judges! This call entry however can be presented for exhibit only.
Computer aided or driven equipment cannot be used to make any part of a call entered in any class or division. Computers may be used to create designs and or patterns for the call but the actual construction of the call must be made using hand held tools. Air or electrical powered tools are OK as long as the process requires eye - hand coordination by the call maker to create the call. Mechanical attachments to traditional call making equipment are OK as long as the attachments require eye - hand coordination by the call maker to create the call.
An entry may be constructed using one or more styles and techniques, if so the major influence apparent will determine which division to enter the call into. The contestant shall state which division on his entry form. The rules committee reserves definition and placement within divisions and classes of entries to any CCAA Fancy Calls Contest!
Questions concerning the primary adornments and / or major influence presented on a call entry will be decided and resolved by the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee shall be the final authority on determining the status of any entry and into which division and class the entry should be placed.
Entry fees for the CCAA Fancy Call Contest will be determined by the committee and posted in a newsletter notice. This is the on-site entry fee. If you elect to mail your entry, please include the correct and appropriate amounts for entry fees and shipping fees as noted on the entry form!
On the evening of the first day of the show, CCAA conducts a live and silent auction of calls. All call entries in the contest are eligible for placement in one of these auctions. CCAA will also accept calls that are not in the contest for the auctions. A small fee is charged for each call and the call maker receives the full amount of the winning bid for the call.
Call entries must remain on display as prescribed by the committee.
Amateur Class - Primarily for new call makers but any call maker can enter calls in the Amateur Class, with the following exceptions.
Professional Class - Open to any call maker who has progressed beyond the amateur level and no longer qualifies for the Amateur Class (see Amateur Class rules) and to any contestants who believes his craftsmanship is at the Professional Class Level.
Master Call Maker Class - Open to any call maker who has won a Best of Show or a Best of Class in the amateur or professional class.
The Amateur and Professional classes will have 6 divisions in each class.
The Master class is an open class with no divisions.
If there is only one (1) contestant in any division of the amateur, professional or master class then only one (1) Ribbon (Blue) will be awarded.
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