idahoelkinstructor

I don't know where to post this but since elk calling is mostly a archery type of thing, I am posting it here. Ok for those who don'tknow me, besides being a huge elk hunter I am a serious competion elk caller and have been so the last 2 years. I travel to many different competitons in the west.Here are a few of the bigger competions that I compeated in lastyear.I am also sayingwhat I placed to help you understand my problem and maybe have some advice. For the most part these competions are all sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. In January 2006 I started off the year at theCalifoniaStateChampionships, took 4th overall, I admit I wasrusty and it was nice to have one competion under my belt before worlds. In februaryit was worlds championships in Reno Nevada atthe RMEF annual elk camp, I took10th place. In march it was on toSalt Lake Utah. ISEBest of the west again I choked, and again I took 4th. In Julyit wasIdaho State championship, which is not only my home statebut a very hard stateto be at the top because of the number of excellent callers. In the first round I did awesome and didn't choke and made it into the top 3.In the second roundto be battled out by the top 3 for first second and third, I did so so ok, and was tied for second place at the end of that round.There was a first place winner, but then me and this other caller were tied for second, sowe had to have another round/call off tie breaker. In the last round I let my nerves get the best of me, and I choked and ended up in third place. In the Montana state championships in August I didn't choke becasue I knew that there were8 callers who were ranked under the 10 best callers in the world. I didn't think I had a chance against them and didn't feel much pressure and as a result I didn't choke, and I ended up taking fouth place. Speaking of worlds, last year was my first time at worlds and I didn't think I had a chance either, andlike I said before I took 10th overall inworld. To some thats awesome. and yes its kind of close to the top, but at the same time1st place feels far off to me.After the contest I did havea small pro staff offer from Knight and Hale game calls that I ended up turing down.(another story for a different day).I am sponsored in my calling by ASAT camo, so I know I am not a bad caller, but I am not at the very top either.I admit Iwas on cloude nine after worlds in february because I never expected to do that well, but thencamecrashing down becasue I choked/bombed in the ISE best of the west in Utah a month later in march. In the past I have taken 3rd and 2ndinUtah so to only come out in 4thwas a huge dissapointmen.Sure there were good callers in Utah but nowhere near the level of competion that I had to face in Worlds, Idaho or Montana.Before the contest startedin Utah Iknewthat Iout calledall the other callers that were there at worlds the month before. At the same time for some reason I felt huge pressure andI choked instead and they beat me, or I should say I beat myself. I do want you to understand that I am not trying to take anything away from any other callers, so please don't think I am putting them down in any way.Also please don't think I am being a sore looser, becaue I am not and I givecredit where credit is due to thewinners. If I choke I choked andI admitI don'tdeserve to win whenthat happens.Most competitorshave become friends andand I will saymost if not allare all good callers or else they wouldn't dare be on stage in the first place. But at worldsIMO and manyothercalling expets/manufactures agreethat the top 20 callers are just flat out awsome with what they can do with a diaphram elk call.They are trulygreat with the calls on stage oroff, and for many people it would be a treat to go elk hunting with any of them. In my mind I look at many of them and can't believe that I beat them for I thinkthat they are betterthan me. And that is part of the problem, I know I need to have more confidence in myself.Now when I say I choked, its because I get stage fright, and loose my concentration. I have had several past world champs that have worked with me a bit here and there and tell methat I have the ability to win the entire thing if I wouldn't get nevous and let stage fright get the best of me. I guess they see something I don't and feel that I could be their equal on a stage. Now I just have to get myself to believe that. lol This also sounds silly but I can kind of understand what some people in other sports feel. Some athletes are among the best of the best but when a game is on the line they, screw up and loose it. I feel like I am so close to breaking over the top and instead of just missing the top 3 that I could be in the top 3 almost all the time. I just have to figure out how to overcome my stage fright and do what I can do without any pressure. So I ask what if any ideas do any of you have for helping me overcome stage fright. Sure you might have never been in a calling competition of any kind before but that doesn't mean you don't have a idea or experience that might help me. Ido feel silly and realy dumbin asking this but I want make it into the top 5/or better at worlds at the end of this monthso bad that I am willing to try anything that might help me. If I could just take a recording from what I sound like at home in my living room then I might just have a chance, lolbut in front of several hunderd people, and 7 hidden judges, well its not as easy as it seems. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I thank you in advance for any advice you have. Jason

nodog

Hope you get what your after!

Elkcrazy8

Drink 2 beers and call me in the morning ;0)

Rob/PA Bowyer

Interesting read iei, I hear that alot from my fellow River Valley Prostaffers when it comes to turkey calling competitions. For the most part I tell them this, at our booth, they stand and call in front of hundreds of people every day, it shouldn't be any different when calling in the competition as it is standing there in front of people all day long.....but it is different for whatever reason.

Whom you should talk to is tkycaller here on HNI, he's a RVGC Prostaffer and a world class caller. He has some great advice and hopefully he'll offer some up, I'll email him this link. He's not on a lot.

As for my thoughts, I think you have everything it takes to cure yourself. It's clear you're already a world class elk caller, stage gitters are part of it, I know I have it when I shoot or call in front of a crowd, it's just different as you mentioned. I won't pretend to offer any great advice other than contact tkycaller and I'll learn as well by reading from our fellow board members. I will offer my congrats on your accomplishments already and wish you luck in your future competitions.

hardcorehunter

Get mad when you go out there. Think of something that pisses you off and concentrateon that.I have a friend that would get buck fever all of the time when it came down to his bowshot at an animal. He finally cured his nerves by getting mad when the animal came in. He would think of his exwife and he hasn't choked since. They also say picture everyone in the audience naked, but that might make you laugh. Maybe do some public speaking anywhere the opportunity arrises. Good luck, Jason.

Hiawatha

Probelm is you are saying to yourself don't choke, don't choke b4 hand. If your concious of it the it will happen. You need that "i will not choke" into "i am goin to rip it up".Focus on what you are going to do rather than what you are trying to avoid. any neg self talk can ruin ya. And no this isn't from a self help book.

idahoelkinstructor

Thank you all for your ideas they are all excellent and very helpful, Chad, I will be in touch soon, I think I still have your number if not I bet Paul has it. Donin addition to liking your idea it made me laugh too. The reason being is because I too used to be like your friend. In my first 3 years of archery as a young teenage I missed many easy shots at both deer and elkthat should have been slam dunks. I then started getting mad thinking about all the easy shots that I have missed and guess what I nailed them dead after that. To this day when hunting and I start to get the jitters I just think of a huge 6x6 bull that came running into me at age 16. It was my third year of archery and I didn't know crap about calling, but this bull was dumb enough to think I was a cow elk. He came running into me stopping broadside, totalyout in the open at 18-20 yards away.As Idrew back he just froze looking strait ahead at something, just as I was settlingmy top pin behind his frontshoulder, I saw his chest puff up and he let outone hell of a bugle. After that my legs and arms became rubber and I couldn't even keep the bull in my peep/sight picture. I was bobbing up and down and left and rightso bad, that I have to laugh at myslelf now whenI lookback and think about it. I wasseeing ground elk sky, sky elk ground, and soon,try as hard as I couldI couldn't help it, I was shaking so badly. Finaly I just let the arrow fly when my top pin was moving over the bull's midsection. I was just hoping my timing was right and that the arrow would find its way into the vitals. Sure enough that was not to be, that last I saw the arrowit was still flying harmlessly over the horrizion.Being honest looking back now I am very thankfull that I didn't wound that bull and that the arrow clearly missed. I know nowthat it was stupid shot, but I also know I was a teenage and it was a learning experience.That big bull is the biggest bull that I have shot at and missed to date. In 1998 I killed a very nice 6x6 bull at 15 yards buthe is notas big as that bullI missed. Since then I have called in bigger bulls that I just didn't have any shot at.But never againhave I hadso dumb ofbullbe that big andgive me such a easy shot.I swear to myslef thatI will not miss another shotlike that again, and so far thats worked for me. Anywaythat idea just might work for me on stage too. Sorry for the long story but I felt you might find humor in it too. Thanks again Jason

shed33

Jason,

Good luck with your calling, just have somebody cuff you upside the head about three times real hard before you walk out there.. your jitters will be gone

Idaho hunter 58

I would say don't choke and you'll be good.

Sounds like you got the skills but the mental aspect is keeping you from achieving better scores? Maybe try working with a person specialized in overcoming fears/stage fright/nerves.

tkycaller

Thanks to Rob for the vote of confidence in me.
As for your choking problem. I would suggest that you practice your routine and do it enough that when you get on the stage, you do not even have to think about how it is going to come out.
I know that when I attend a contest I try not to listen to the other callers as well. They will only have you second guessing your own ability and make you think, hey that sounds good, I should try that!
If you are that close to winning one or finishing in the top three all it takes is confidence in your calling. When I go on stage I say to myself that this is exactly what a turkey sounds like and never second guess yourself.
Put all your heart and soul into your calling and make a statement to the judges that says: This is whata bull elk sounds like, This is what a cow elk sounds like and so on. Practice is what gave me the confidence to perform on stage and not be nervous. (Well not as nervous as I once was.) If you dont get a little nervous it is not even worth it is it?
I would not think of anything but elk and your routine if I where you. Any other thoughts will only cause you to lose focus.
Hope this helps.
On a side note. Before I called at the Grand Nationals for the first time I was so nervous that I was doing jumping jacks to settle myself down enough to breathe right before I went on. But once I hit the stage, it was on.....