HR1020 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1020 LRB094 19393 HSS 55396 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, It is the privilege of this Body to recognize the achievements of young people in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Hunter Grounds, born June 10, 1987, was in the goose pit with his dad, World Champion Goose Caller Tim Grounds, when he was still in diapers; he has had a call in his hand from the time he could take hold of anything; he learned to blow the call very early and has been entering calling contests since the age of seven; he has almost 70 titles to his credit; and

WHEREAS, In 2000, Hunter won the World Junior Goose title in Easton, Maryland, then two weeks later went to Stuttgart, Arkansas, and won the World Junior Duck title; this is the first and only time anyone has held both titles in the same year; and

WHEREAS, Never in the history of the World Championship at Easton, Maryland, has a competitor won both the World Goose Calling contest and also won the Junior World contest on the same night; Hunter did just that at the age of 16 on November 15, 2003; to top off a perfect evening, that same night he also won the Junior Duck Calling contest; Hunter, at 16, made history by being the youngest person to ever win the senior division world championship; he also is the first winner to have a father retired from that prestigious event after having won it three times; and

WHEREAS, After he won the World Goose Calling Championship in 2003, two weeks later in Stuttgart again, he won the World Intermediate Duck Calling Championship; he held seven world titles for goose calling and three world titles for duck calling at the age of 16; and

WHEREAS, He currently holds the Illinois State title and the International title; he has hunted geese and ducks in Canada, Mexico, and all over the United States; he has appeared in several hunting videos and several hunting shows on TV for the Outdoor Channel; blowing the goose call that his father manufactures won Hunter $30,000 in 2004 and $44,000 in 2005; in 2006 he has already earned $6,500; and

WHEREAS, He loves the outdoors and hunts whatever is in season; he fishes in the spring and summer and aspires to be a professional bass fisherman; he currently works in his father's business, Tim Grounds Championship Calls, Inc., in Johnston City; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize Hunter Grounds for his worldwide success as a champion goose caller; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Hunter Grounds as an expression of our esteem.