Christian Waterfowlers Association
Founder and President
I want to thank you for taking some time out to do this interview. I've been wanting to pick your brain on a few topics for a long time and now I finally get my chance! Let's begin by getting a little history on Tim Sallee. Give us a brief summary of your journey and tell us how and when you discovered your love and passion for waterfowl hunting.
SALLEE
Dave, first of all thanks for the invite to be interviewed. It is an honor. I wished that I could say that I started waterfowling at a young age, but I did not begin hunting for waterfowl until I was around 23 years old. I was a youth pastor in Fort Smith, Arkansas and we had a youth talent night. One of my youth members brought his RNT single reed call and demonstrated the different duck calls for his talent. I asked him about calling and waterfowling and if I might be able to join him and his brother on a hunt sometime. I purchased a Remington 870 Express which I still hunt with today, some shells and my license, borrowed a pair of their waders and a Columbia Widgeon coat and I was set. We scouted and headed out the next morning on the Arkansas River to a little cove between the river and some soybean fields. I will never forget getting set up with the decoys and the blind and seeing the sun rise with flocks of geese and ducks flying above. The sound of whistling wings was incredible. We had about 14 mallards turn and cup, sounding like a jet bomber landing as they flew over our heads. My friend said take em, I jumped up and because I was so excited I shot three times and never hit a duck. My friend managed to take a couple. Even though I didn’t get my first duck, I was hooked right then and there.
FLYWAY
Do you remember the first duck or goose you ever shot? What was it, where did you shoot it and do you recall what gun you shot it with?
SALLEE
Soon after my first waterfowl hunt I asked my friend to go with me to the same river bottom area near Mulberry, Arkansas. It happened to snow about 6 inches that morning and even though I didn’t have a four wheel drive I had a front wheel drive car. The river bottom road was hard packed with gravel and to my amazement I made it into the hunting area without getting stuck. We set up and within a few minutes after shooting time three mallards slowed as they came down the slough. I raised up and shot twice with my Remington 870 Express missing both times, but on the last shot I led the third duck and scored a hit. It was my first Mallard. Wow! Even though it was about 20 degrees, it seemed like it was 90 as I almost walked on the water to retrieve it. I never will forget that hunt.
FLYWAY
Speaking of unforgettable hunts, do you have a hunt that you consider your favorite?
SALLEE
My favorite hunt happened while I pastored in Hot Springs, Arkansas. A member of my church loved to duck hunt and his friend scouted out a place around the Des Arc, Hazen area near Little Rock. The temp was around 7 degrees that morning. We parked and walked about a quarter of a mile back through the woods to a creek that had been dammed and flooded by beavers. I carried six Mallard decoys in and was beginning to toss them out when I heard the most incredible jet like noise above with the sound of whistling wings, so loud that chills shot up and down my spine. All of a sudden I heard splashes all around and within a foot of where I was standing. It was ten minutes before shooting time and we were covered up with ducks. When it was legal to shoot we had so many ducks down we had to stop and count the hens. Four of us had our limit in the first 10 minutes or so.
FLYWAY
What is one duck you haven't shot but really want to?
SALLEE
Golden Eye or Canvasback.
FLYWAY
For your birthday this year I will be inviting 3 of your favorite bands or singers to perform especially for you at your birthday party. Who will I be inviting?
SALLEE
Right now at this point in my life I would say a trio of Phil Keaggy, legendary guitarist, along with my brother Anthony Sallee on bass. Anthony has played for a ton of Christian Artists. On drums it would be Keith Carlock. Keith played recently with Sting and Steely Dan. These three teamed up to play on Phil Keaggy’s “Jammed” CD. I also would like to see Switch foot and Chris August.
FLYWAY
Let's say you can go on a dream of a lifetime hunt with any 3 people you want, alive or deceased. They can be family or friends, professional athletes, celebrities,political or biblical figures, anybody past or present you wish! Who will you be taking on your hunt, where will you be going and what will you be hunting?
SALLEE
I would like to hunt waterfowl and deer with my dad who died back in 2001 and my two brothers, Mark and Anthony. I never had the privilege to hunt with my dad as well as have hunted with the entire family together. I have hunted many times with my brothers but not with us all together as a family. If I could add a fourth it would be my son.
FLYWAY
I want to touch on the Christian Waterfowlers Association. Tell us when the CWA got it's start and the thought process and inspiration behind it. What were your goals and aspirations when you started it and do you feel you have achieved them?
SALLEE
The idea or inspiration for the Christian Waterfowlers Association came to me while hunting with my brother Anthony. We talked about how it would be neat to have a Christian Waterfowlers Fellowship, kind of like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes or similar to some of the other Christian Hunting Fellowship or organizations. We kicked around a logo idea or two but really didn’t pursue it any further. The thought or idea was still in the back of my mind. In 2009 our church that I founded and have pastored for the past eleven years hosted a Wild Game Dinner with Chuck McAlister of Adventure Bound Outdoor TV Program as our guest speaker. I first met Chuck while pastoring in Hot Springs, AR. After the event I saw first-hand the impact of bringing sportsmen and women together not only for fellowship, but also to make an impact for Christ. That spark of beginning the Christian Waterfowlers Association ignited and at that moment I knew that it was a God thing and the timing was right. After a lot of prayer and advice from those who started other similar organizations we launched the CWA website at the end of September of 2009. What has happened since that time is amazing! With only word of mouth on some forums and Facebook it has exploded with membership all over the world. We had our first convention with our game dinner in 2010 and had a great number of vendors and organizations show with many accepting Christ at our dinner. This year we are hosting our International Waterfowl Festival & Outdoor Expo featuring the Duck Commander, Buck Gardner, Brad Allen, Ryan Nolan, George Lynch and a ton of pros conducting seminars. We also have had an incredible response from vendors and organizations all across the country. However, with all of the big names and response from everyone the goal of the event is not to see how big of an event we can have, but how we can impact people with the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are asked almost every day about future plans. People ask about CWA chapters, Festivals and Calling Contests for their area. Our plans for the future are simply that we will continue to follow wherever God leads and walk through the doors that He opens. I have a vision for fellowships or chapters forming as well as CWA Waterfowl Festivals not only here in the US but all around the world.
FLYWAY
Some people find Christ late in life while others latch onto Him at a young age. For some it takes a tragic event or a sad time in their life to finally turn to Him. How and when did your journey with Jesus Christ begin? Was it an instant decision or was it a gradual process?
SALLEE
I accepted Christ when I was ten years old at our church camp. Even though I was young and had not been this bad person with the bad past, I realized that I was a sinner and that I needed a savior and that savior was Jesus Christ. The final night of the camp at the invitation I walked to the front, knelt and prayed believing that Christ loved me so much that He died for me, was buried and rose from the grave. I believed that with all my heart and confessed Him as my Lord and Savior. Even at ten years of age I felt at that moment that the weight of the world had lifted off of my shoulders. It was the most incredible moment of my life. I walked out to the edge of the main camp meeting building and one of my friends that I had met congratulated me as we looked up in the rural night sky at the milky way and made the comment that all of the angels in heaven were rejoicing because I had accepted Christ. I didn’t see angels but it looked like it with all of those stars in the sky.That was a moment that I will never forget.
FLYWAY
If you were made to choose one, what would your favorite or most comforting Bible verse be and why?
SALLEE
There are so many but right now I really think about Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Or I have strength for all things. The good news is that God is with me, He will never leave me or forsake me. Jesus was forsaken and rejected so that I would not be. No matter what I face or go through here on this earth I can make it, I can do all things. I am victorious because of what Christ did on the cross for me. Through Him I can do all things.
FLYWAY
I have read the Book of Revelation a time or two and I have to be honest with you, either I'm a complete moron or it must take scholars and people a whole lot smarter than me to figure it out. The symbology and numerology completely baffle me. Do you understand the book of Revelation? I know it focuses on the end times but you would think it would be easier to understand considering its based on a topic that should be very important to all of us?
SALLEE
Great question! First of all let me say that the Bible was not written to be understood with your mind. It was written to be understood with your heart. You can’t understand the Bible with your natural mind. The fact is that we don’t have the ability in just our physical minds to understand the spiritual truths that God is trying to communicate to us. That is why the book of Revelation looks or seems so complicated by just reading it and trying to understand it with your natural mind. However, God has given us the Holy Spirit to reveal it or the truth to us, to explain the Word of God to us. Jesus taught in parables because people didn’t understand even though they heard it with their ears. You must see and hear with your heart. I know that sounds complicated but if as a believer you will pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the Word of God to you He will.
The Holy Spirit is sent to us specifically to teach and explain things that we can’t know with just our natural mind. John 14:26; 16:13-15.
I would recommend that people who have never read the Bible or are fairly new to the Bible not go straight to Revelation but start with the beginning of the New Testament. Begin with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
FLYWAY
I believe that God wants both you and I to be happy. I am fairly convinced of that. I'm also convinced that the afterlife, or Heaven, is sure to be awesome! Would it be safe to assume that we will be able to duck hunt in Heaven? After all, if He wants us to be happy and He knows duck hunting makes us extremely happy, then why wouldn't he plant a few marshes and fields somewhere and let us do our thing?
SALLEE
I don’t know about Duck Hunting in Heaven, I will check into it! If we could, it would be the ultimate hunt for eternity. However, one thing I do know is that when we reach heaven and we see Jesus the focus won’t be on what we like to do, but it will be on Jesus. We were created to worship and praise Him and we will be able to do that forever.
FLYWAY
I will never forget a woman walking up to me at a gas station one morning after a hunt. She told me that I should be ashamed of myself and that I was a horrible human being for killing God's beautiful creatures. According to her I was responsible for destroying Gods creation. This woman wasn't kidding around and I really thought she was going to slap me in the face. Despite her accusations and verbal assaults, I managed to get out later that afternoon and do it all over again. Do you believe that God frowns upon us as waterfowl hunters, or any other hunter for that matter?
SALLEE
Sorry about your experience with the lady at the gas station. As Waterfowlers we are to abide by the hunting rules and regulations in harvesting game as well as not wasting, but preparing and eating what we harvest. There is absolutely nothing wrong with harvesting and eating game. As a matter of fact ,God provided the animals and plants for us to live by.
Genesis 9:3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.
The Duck Commander Phil Robertson uses this from Acts.
Acts 10:13
And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
FLYWAY
Your favorite movie of all time?
SALLEE
There are many but I really like “The Patriot”.
FLYWAY
Your favorite meal?
SALLEE
Any Mexican food.
FLYWAY
What is your favorite gun to waterfowl hunt with and what calls would we find on your lanyard right now?
SALLEE
My Remington 870 Express and right now I have a Custom made C&S Redeemer, RNT Burnt Hedge Short Barrel, a Hedge Ryno call by Ryan Nolan (only a few made), and a RNT Dirty Bird goose call. This changes from time to time.
FLYWAY
Let's talk about decoy placement for a moment. Are you a guy who devises his decoy strategy like a General devises his battle plan? Some guys lay awake at night thinking about their decoy spread, paying attention to every possible detail and they will not rest until they get it just right. Other guys go out there and simply throw them anywhere, their spread looks like a soup sandwich, there is no rhyme or reason to it and yet they still have success! Your thoughts?
SALLEE
Weather dictates a lot about how we set up. I don’t think about it that much until we check what the weather is going to do. The past couple of years we have tried to give our spread a little different look by placing floaters with different poses as well as some full body decoys with some pipe extensions to allow us to place them in a little deeper water. This gives a totally different look to the spread rather than just throwing out the same poses all facing the same direction.
FLYWAY
Describe Tim Sallee in one word.
SALLEE
Determined.
FLYWAY
Have you ever doubled or tripled on ducks?
SALLEE
I can remember shooting two ducks once with one shot. I don’t usually take hens but I shot at a Mallard Drake and the hen happened to be right behind it and was hit by some of the shot. Last year I shot three ducks, one on the left, then the center and then one flying away to the right with three shots, boom, boom, boom,
FLYWAY
Let's say we can transport you back to Biblical times and you can be anybody you want besides Jesus Christ. Who would you choose to be? Whose sandals would you choose to walk in? Old Testament times or New Testament times, you get to choose. Who is it going to be and why?
SALLEE
I don’t know that I would like to fill Paul’s sandals or not but I really do admire him. He endured more than we will ever even think about enduring and yet his perspective was incredible. He viewed his problems, difficulties and circumstances as light afflictions and when compared to eternity only for a moment. Wow! What a perspective. Paul lasted!
FLYWAY
Besides the Bible, what are a few of your other favorite books? Do you have a favorite genre you enjoy reading?
SALLEE
I don’t have a lot of time outside of reading the Bible and other books for sermon preparation etc. but recently I received as a gift some books about WWII and the 101 Airborne Division, Easy Company at D-Day that I have enjoyed reading. I also bring out the Arkansas Duck Hunter’s almanac occasionally. I can never get enough of that. I like the Waterfowl Magazines like DU, Delta Waterfowl, Wildfowl Magazine etc. Not a lot of time for reading these days other than the Bible and ministry related resource books.
FLYWAY
You have been a pastor for a long time. Do you remember your very first sermon and what it was about? I've often wondered if writing a sermon can get tedious or difficult at times. Have you ever felt pressed or found it hard to find the inspiration to sit down and write a sermon? Just like authors get writers block, I have to think pastors can get sermon block at times. Fair to say?
SALLEE
My first sermon was when I was 16 years old. I talked about the good news, the gospel of Christ. Maybe for some. I don’t usually run out of things to talk about. My family says I have the gift of gab.
FLYWAY
What are some other things you like to do in your spare time besides hunting? Do you have a few hobbies that you enjoy?
SALLEE
Spending time with my family, working with our Black Lab, Max and working in our garden.
FLYWAY
Who or what inspires you? On your daily walk through life, where do you turn for inspiration and motivation?
SALLEE
The Bible.
FLYWAY
You and I are in a duck blind. We see a flock of Pintails to our left, a flock of mallard straight ahead and a flock of Canvasbacks to our right. They are all heading in our direction and want to land in our spread. I speak up and say we should go for the Pintails first. You think I'm crazy and that we should go for the Canvasbacks first. I want the Pintails really bad and you want the Canvasbacks even more. As two Christian men sitting side by side in a small duck blind and finding differing opinions, how are we to resolve this dilemma?
SALLEE
Well, the first thing that I would do is determine what ducks are in season and what the limit of that species is. Next being the peace maker that I am If the pintails and canvasbacks are in season since you are on the left you take the Pintails and since I am on the right I will take the Canvasbacks. Is this a trick question?
FLYWAY
In closing, I want to thank you again for taking the time to chat. I enjoyed it and consider it an honor. If you are ever in Minnesota look me up and the Minnesota Flyway crew will take you on a hunt. Before you go tell people how they can find out more about the Christian Waterfowlers Association and how can they get involved in it. You have a great thing going there my friend!
SALLEE
Dave, It has been an honor to be here today. I would love to come up to Minnesota and hunt with the Minnesota Flyway crew. If you are planning a trip south It would be great to hook up for a hunt in Arkansas or Oklahoma. For more information about the Christian Waterfowlers Association visit our website at www.thecwa.org . If you would like to be a member of the CWA, membership is free. The “Become a member” link is on the left side of the site. Clink on the link and fill in the form and hit send and you are officially a member. For those interested in become a State Rep. or Pro and Field Staffer shoot me an email at tim@thecwa.org. We will have information in the future about how you can begin a CWA chapter in your area. We also have a Forum as well as Facebook, Twitter & Youtube site. All of those links are on the front of the site. If you need more information you may reach us by phone at 479-238-0003.
Minnesota Flyway would like to thank Tim Sallee for taking the time to answer our interview questions.
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