I grew up hunting north of Stuttgart on Peckerwood Lake and on our farm in Slovak. As a youngster I always participated in Butchs’ calling lessons at the Youth Center and even called in the Junior Worlds contest. I started duck hunting when I was eight years old.
In high school I started helping a friend of my dad’s with his duck guiding service. We hunted rice fields and in the White River bottoms. My clients were always impressed with the way my duck calls looked and sounded, and I would send them to the Rich-N-Tone shop. This was years ago back in the 80’s when it was still on North Leslie Street in Stuttgart. I told them you will never catch Butch up there in the daytime; you have to go at night. I knew guys that would stay up there until 10:00 and 11:00 at night just to order a call and get a chance to talk to Mr. Richenback. I attended The University of Central Arkansas on a football scholarship and continued to guide hunters through college and after I graduated.
After graduation I received my MSE and coached football at the high school and college level. I got out of coaching and into administration and began competition duck calling again. I won the Arkansas State Duck Calling contest and qualified for the Worlds Duck Calling Contest. I have also placed in numerous regional contests and have won or placed in several one man and two man “meat” style calling contest.
I still guide some at a private club, but mostly enjoy taking friends and family. I live in Stuttgart with my wife Laura and we have two children. Cody and Kelsi. Kelsi is a three time winner of the Junior Women’s World Duck Calling Contest, and of course she uses an RNT call . We also have two Labs, Rollo and Roxie.