"" Phil Robertson’s audience was people instead
of ducks Thursday as he assembled the Duck
Commander’s 1 millionth call of the year at
the company’s retail store on Kings Lane in
West Monroe.
Robertson put the call — fittingly his wooden
Classic Commander with cedar insert and
poplar barrel — and blew a few mallard notes.
“Not bad for the 1 millionth duck call,” said
the Duck Commander, who said it was his first
time in the store.
The Robertsons, whose Duck Commander
business has exploded following their “Duck
Dynasty” fame, are auctioning off the duck call
with proceeds to benefit the Northeast
Louisiana Veterans Association for its
Wounded Warrior hunts.
“This has been the best thing to ever happen
to the Warrior hunt,” said veteran John Nolan,
who coordinates the hunts in northeastern
Louisiana, including an upcoming event with
24 disabled veterans.
“For the (men and women) who have
sacrificed with their lives and limbs ... the
least I can do is try to help out,” Phil
Robinson said.
More than 100 fans, among them a tour
busload from Oklahoma, packed the Duck
Commander store to cheer the milestone, a far
cry from the reaction Phil received when he
presented his first duck call to his family in
the early 1970s.
Phil said he walked into the house and
presented the duck call to his parents, his wife
“Miss Kay” and the couple’s two young sons
Al and Jase as they were playing dominoes.
“I walked in and said we’re going to sell a
million dollars worth of these before it’s over,”
Phil recalled.
He said the family never looked up and
continued the domino game. “They said
nothing,” Phil said.
“Little did I know 40 years later I would be
erroneous,” he said. Instead of $1 million
worth of calls, “we literally sold 1 million in
just a year.”
The Robertsons aren’t revealing annual
revenue generated by the company, but
consider that Duck Commander calls sell from
a low of $19.95 to a high of $179.95 for the
Cold Blooded series calls made of acrylic that
look like snakeskin. Phil’s Classic Commander
goes for $44.95.
“It’s a momentous occasion,” Al Robertson
said while introducing his father to the crowd.
“Who’d have thought from one duck call this
empire would emerge?”
Duck Commander call sales have surged from
60,000 in 2011 to 1 million and counting this
year. Robertson said he sold 2,000 his first
year.
Phil Robertson, with his Classic Commander in
one hand and the Bible, credited God for his
and the family’s success.
“I’m a C-plus man, so I can’t attribute it to
intellect,” he said. “God has poured out his
blessing toward us.”
He recounted his story of redemption to fans
Thursday.
“I repented at 28 and turned to God,” said
Robertson, who often uses the stage of fame
to profess his Christian faith. “There’s no
down side to loving God and loving your
neighbor.”
But even with that faith Robertson said he
could have never predicted the company’s
current success.
“I didn’t think it possible,” he said. “But I’m
still the same dude. The only difference is I’ve
sold a million duck calls.”"" Link. Quack Quack Jack!

Woo hoo

I love those guys! :)