ATLANTA – The auditorium is packed, the judges are tough and the tension is palpable. It’s not the latest installment of American Idol – it’s the National Wild Turkey Federation Grand National Wild Turkey Calling Championships, sponsored by Wild Turkey Bourbon.
The championships, which will be held in Atlanta during the Federation’s 32nd annual Convention and Sport Show Feb. 21 to Feb. 24, 2008, at the Georgia World Congress Center, will showcase dozens of contestants from all over North America as they strut their stuff to impress the judges.
Entrants will take their best shot at imitating the sounds of the wild turkey. Contestants are scored by a panel of judges who are directly in front of the stage, but cannot see who is doing the calling. Callers have one minute per call requested to mimic a series of wild turkey sounds using an assortment of wild turkey calls or their voices. Points are awarded for the realism of the call, cadence and the caller’s creativity.
The Senior Division’s top caller will win $5,000, a trophy, a championship ring and a wild turkey hunt. The NWTF calling contest will also feature the Rare Breed Champion of Champions, Team Challenge Championships and Owl Hooting divisions.
“These callers practice all year and travel to compete in qualifying contests,” said NWTF CEO Rob Keck. “They’re dedicated to what they do and these championships allow the top callers to be rewarded and recognized for their dedication and talent.”
Contestants in the Wild Turkey Bourbon Grand National Calling Contest say the pressure to perform is high, and preparation and focus are critical.
“It’s like the Super Bowl of turkey hunting, and the clock’s running out and you’ve only got one play left,” said 1981 Senior Division Grand National Calling Champion Tom Stuckey of Roanoke, Va. Stuckey added that performing for the crowd was “One of the most pressure-packed moments of my life. The wild turkeys in the woods are a lot more forgiving than the judges!”
Last year’s Senior Division Grand National Champ Shane Hendershot of Zanesville, Ohio, agreed: “It’s taken me eight solid years of practice and a lot of competitions to get here. I can’t put into words how it feels [to win], but it’s awesome.”
Although 2008 marks the NWTF’s 32nd annual Convention and Sport Show, the Federation has spent 35 years shaping a legacy of wild turkey conservation and preservation of the hunting tradition. Since 1973, the Federation’s ranks have grown to more than 550,000 members across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Wild Turkey Bourbon has sponsored the Grand National Calling Championships since 1994.
