FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: January 31, 2005 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Gatto Joseph C. Jr.   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CALLON PETROLEUM CO [CPE] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) SR VP - Corporate Finance (Last) (First) (Middle) 200 NORTH CANAL STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 05/10/2012 (Street) NATCHEZ, MS 391203212 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock (1) 05/11/2012   A V 433 A $ 5.07 433 I 401(k) Account

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
	Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.		SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

2012 Phantom Shares (2)

$ 5.09

05/10/2012

A

V

10,500

12/31/2014

12/31/2014

Common Stock

10,500

$ 0

10,500

D

2012 Restricted Stock Units - Cash (3)

$ 5.09

05/10/2012

A

V

3,150

05/08/2015

05/08/2015

Common Stock

3,150

$ 0

3,150

D

2012 Restricted Stock Units - Stock (4)

$ 5.09

05/10/2012

A

V

17,850

05/08/2015

05/01/2015

Common Stock

17,850

$ 0

17,850

D

2012 Resrticted Stock Units - Stock

$ 5.93

10/05/2012

07/01/2015

Common Stock

100,000

100,000

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Gatto Joseph C. Jr. 200 NORTH CANAL STREET NATCHEZ, MS 391203212			SR VP - Corporate Finance

Signatures

By: Clay V. Bland as Attorney-in-fact for		05/14/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The number of shares reported is calculated by dividing the total market value of the reporting person's 401(k) account balance invested in the Callon Petroleum Company Employee Savings and Protection Plan on the day prior to this Form 4 reporting date by the closing market price-per-share on that date.
(2)	This Phantom Share award is subject to vesting on December 31, 2014 and is payable in cash rather than stock. In addition, the award is subject to a variable percentage payout based on a performance criteria related to the Total Shareholder Return of the Company compared to a group of peer companies. Therefore this award can range from 0% to as much as 150% of its original value at the vesting date.
(3)	Restricted Stock Units will vest on the third anniversary date following the grant date. Payment will be made in cash based on the average of the opening and closing market price of the underlying common stock on the date of vesting.
(4)	Restricted Stock Units will vest on the third anniversary date following the grant date. Payment will be made in shares of common stock of the issuer based on the average of the opening and closing market price of the underlying common stock on the date of vesting. The recipient has the option to surrender shares necessary to pay a portion of the income taxes associated with the vesting.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.