Mac Olsen
Spotlight
Avery Outdoors and Richie McKnight a World renown goose and duck caller came from Kentucky to the Peace Country to hunt geese and ducks with Bluesky Outfitting.
Richie McKnight and his crew spent last week with Kevin McNeil of Bluesky Outfitting in McLennan. McKnight is a world champion goose caller and he won the 2002 US Open Goose Calling Championship. His other achievements include three grand national titles and an international championship.
As part of his trip to the Peace Country, Kevin McNeil asked McKnight for a donation of his time for several seminars on goose and duck calling. Several people signed up for the seminars and they paid $1,000 each to participate. All that money went to the Falher and Area Beautification and Leisure Activities Society, or FABuLAS. In recent years, FABuLAS has fundraised for a new slide and splash park, located by the Falher Regional Recreation Complex.
McKnight is pleased to help a local charitable cause.
“We wanted to help Kevin with the FABuLAS fundraiser,” says McKnight. “We never hesitate to be part of helping communities and donate where we can.”
He’s participated in other charitable causes, including the St. Jude’s Celebrity Turkey Hunt in Tennessee and Live 4 a Cure for cystic fibrosis.
McNeil is pleased that McKnight and his crew were able to come to the Peace Country and help with a charitable cause.
“It’s great that they gave their time and expertise, and donated to a charitable cause.”
McNeil hosted a five-day hunt for the week.
McKnight held his goose and duck calling seminars at Bluesky Outfitting in McLennan. He brought calls for the participants and taught the participants using his own line of calls.
McKnight tried to give each participant the right nuance and finger positioning to blow into their calls. His partner, Drew Jones, came in occasionally to mimic two or more ducks/geese.
McKnight also discussed strategies for when to shoot and not to shoot.
Check out the Smoky River Express’ Facebook page for a couple of video clips of the calling lessons.
McKnight also filmed the hunts, which he will make into an episode for ‘Running Traffic’ on The Outdoor Channel in the U.S. It will also appear on YouTube.com later. Check out McKnight’s products and shows on Facebook as well.
This charitable event was possible with the co-operation of farmers and landowners, says McNeil, adding it’s about everybody working together for mutual benefit.
McNeil supports local businesses for services and supplies. They, in turn, help him to provide the kind of charitable event that was possible between Kevin, McKnight and his crew.
