Dear Buck,

I want to let you know what kind of people you have representing you. I would like to share a little experience of what happened at the recent ISE show in Salt lake city. I want to give Carl Taylor some major props for something he did the other day at this calling contest.

My sister and brother in law and their boys went to the expo saturday (3/18). I told my sister to go over to the calling contest and have my nephews tell Carl Taylor hello and who they were if they saw him. If not still have the boys listen to the callers for a few minutes. They didn't know who Carl was so I told her if they saw him great if not no biggy. Well two of my nephews (8 and 4 yrs old) go to the back and ask someone if Carl is around. He is on the phone so he says to wait a minute tell he gets off. I guess the next that happens is Carl is up on stage with the microphone and he invites my two nephews up there with him. He talks to them for a second about hunting and duck calling and gives them each a duck call. He has them both blow them as he has the crowd cheer. This is at least the story I got from an excited 8 and 4 year old.

They called me right after to tell me how cool it was. As I talked to them about it later, they both started glowing big time and telling me again how cool it was. Here it is almost a week later and you bring it up and they both get excited as can be to tell me how "cool" Carl the duckman is and how cool their calls are.

I have dealt with Carl in several different capacities on different occasions. I have always thought of him as a good guy and consider him a friend. He has helped MC banquets for the Weber River Retriever Club multiple times. Always going above and beyond the call to make our events fantastic and always making it so everyone there, including kids have a great time. I have seen his passion flow for conservation of the outdoors and wildlife habitat. In my opinion there is no better Ambassador in the waterfowl and calling world than Carl Taylor. My respect for Carl has tripled from the above act with my nephews. I did not ask him to help them, I did not even tell him they were coming, he had never met my sister or nephews, I am not sure he even realized till after that they were my nephews. He took time out right in the primetime of his contest to make the day of a couple young kids. The funny thing is that he was adamant about telling people that it was not him donating the calls. He did not want anybody to give him any credit for it. He wanted all the credit to go to "Buck Gardner". My understanding is you donate a number of calls to Carl for this type of thing. Well, between you and Carl Taylor, this industy is a better place and there are a ton of kids who have something positive to look up to rather than stupid video games. Buck, ou have the right person as your ambassador. You should be very proud.

As I have mentioned this to others, it is amazing to me how many people have had similar experiences with their kids or been around such things involving Carl. I am not the only one who has experienced this. He is definately well known and looked up to for these type of things in this area.

This is something that my nephews will remember for a long time, maybe forever. Myself and all my family appreciate this very much!!!

Sincerely, Travis Skeen ( and Austin and Jordan Mickles)

Travis Skeen
Weber River Retriever Club President
Ogden, Utah
tshuntin@msn.com