2022 Coyote Creek Outdoors Sports Show Recap

On August 5-7, 2022, Coyote Creek Outdoors hosted their first-ever Coyote Creek Outdoors Sports Show at their shop in Rochester, Minnesota. This all-day, all-ages, free, and family-focused outdoor event was the perfect pairing of their Customer Appreciation Days and their brand-new Coyote Creek Calling Classic, a series of duck and goose calling competitions that took center stage on Saturday. With food trucks, fun and games, and nearly three dozen vendors on-site, there was a little something for every waterfowler, archer, shooter, and outdoor enthusiast who attended.

Mike Benjamin, Coyote Creek Outdoors archery department manager—and renowned title-winning duck and goose caller—shared his excitement about the event. “In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and as major retailers are shifting their focus away from events and leaning toward online sales, several large outdoor events and calling contests have dried up. We worked closely with the International Callers Association and wanted to create a new opportunity for waterfowlers and contest callers throughout the region. Minnesota hasn’t held a state goose comp since COVID struck, and with so many new callers looking to try out stage calling, we put together the Coyote Creek Calling Classic, and also brought back the old ‘Home of the Giants’ regional goose contest, which is open to any and all callers.”

A Call to All

The Coyote Creek Calling Classic attracted many of the world’s best contest callers for a chance to win thousands of dollars in cash and other prizes. The series included a suite of duck and goose calling contests: Junior duck, junior goose, novice duck, novice goose, Minnesota State goose, open meat duck, and “Home of the Giants” open goose.

Benjamin spoke on the noticeable popularity of the event, despite it being their first one. “Contestants came from all across the Midwest and even Ontario to compete. We had lots of novice and junior contestants, around 14-15 in each section, and several individuals mentioned this was their first time ever competing. We’re very pleased to have gotten this event off the ground and to promote contest calling, it just wouldn’t be good for the next generation without something like this happening.”

Coyote Creek Calling Classic Contest Results

Junior Duck:

1. Alden Pugh
2. Riley Heron
3. Wyatt Warweg

Junior Goose:

1. Alden Pugh
2. JT Johnson
3. Hunter Daylong

Novice Duck:

1. Alden Pugh
2. Ben Heron
3. Shaun Lynn

Novice Goose:

1. Austin Schelander
2. Alden Pugh
3. Tony Strauss

Minnesota State Goose:

1. Austin Schelander
2. Joe Heintz
3. David Goos

Meat Duck:

1. Cory Niccum
2. Mike Benjamin
3. Ben Heron

"Home of the Giants" Open Goose:

1. Mike Benjamin
2. Alden Pugh
3. David Goos

Beyond the Stage

Additionally, the show featured the Coyote Creek 3D Classic—a 3D Archery shoot—one of the largest paying 3D shoots in the Midwest. Attendees also enjoyed firearms demonstrations, a kids BB gun shoot, decoy toss, axe throwing, prizes, giveaways, and many other fun festivities.

With overwhelming success on this premiere event, the first Saturday in August will be quick to become one of Southeast Minnesota’s most popular outdoor summer sports shows for waterfowl hunters and outdoor enthusiasts.

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