Turkey Calling Contest questions
02-09-2010, 12:53 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 2
Turkey Calling Contest questions
I have been turkey hunting for several years now and I think I want to try the contest thing. I haven't got to go to very many contest but I am just curious to know if it is better to use a real raspy diaphragm call or one that is not so much? I assume it's just one your comfortable with but i'm very new to the contest and am not real sure. Do you guys know if there are any contest videos out there so I can kinda check things out? I looked on you tube but there isn't much on there.
02-09-2010, 04:46 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Jackson, TN
Posts: 836
I'm not the most experienced contest caller, I'll say that up front. Take this advice for what it is worth.
My best friend competed in the NWTF Grand National final for several years in the 80s and 90s and I went with him to some of those events. He taught me to call and we hunted a lot together before he tragically passed away in 1997. I competed in the amateur division of the Tennessee State contest last year finishing 3rd and my son (Doall hunter here on these boards) placed 4th in Tennessee in the junior division. Because of my proximity to Nashville I usually attend the NWTF convention each year and listen to those guys compete.
I think the most important thing in contest calling is using calls you have absolute complete confidence in. Most guys in the Grand National are using less raspy calls for yelping and assembly calls. At the local level I don't think it makes a lot of difference if you are using raspy or clear, as long as you are consistent. It isn't so much how perfect it sounds - it is all about avoiding mistakes and having perfect rhythm and cadence. A mistake is instantly noticable to the judges.
Another thing - practicing calling on your own is completely different from getting in front of a crowd and judges in a contest. You cannot replicate the situation no matter how hard you try. When it is your time to call and they announce you as contestent number whatever, plain yelp of the wild hen, and that room is totally silent and you have to make the first sound on that mouthcall and it better be good, you can cut the tension with a knife. A big part of contest calling is gained from experience and your ability to block out all the nerves. I've done a ton of public speaking but have never been more nervous than being on stage with a diaphram in my mouth about to make the first call. It is exilerating and nerve-wracking all at the same time.
Good luck
My best friend competed in the NWTF Grand National final for several years in the 80s and 90s and I went with him to some of those events. He taught me to call and we hunted a lot together before he tragically passed away in 1997. I competed in the amateur division of the Tennessee State contest last year finishing 3rd and my son (Doall hunter here on these boards) placed 4th in Tennessee in the junior division. Because of my proximity to Nashville I usually attend the NWTF convention each year and listen to those guys compete.
I think the most important thing in contest calling is using calls you have absolute complete confidence in. Most guys in the Grand National are using less raspy calls for yelping and assembly calls. At the local level I don't think it makes a lot of difference if you are using raspy or clear, as long as you are consistent. It isn't so much how perfect it sounds - it is all about avoiding mistakes and having perfect rhythm and cadence. A mistake is instantly noticable to the judges.
Another thing - practicing calling on your own is completely different from getting in front of a crowd and judges in a contest. You cannot replicate the situation no matter how hard you try. When it is your time to call and they announce you as contestent number whatever, plain yelp of the wild hen, and that room is totally silent and you have to make the first sound on that mouthcall and it better be good, you can cut the tension with a knife. A big part of contest calling is gained from experience and your ability to block out all the nerves. I've done a ton of public speaking but have never been more nervous than being on stage with a diaphram in my mouth about to make the first call. It is exilerating and nerve-wracking all at the same time.
Good luck
Last edited by mouthcaller; 02-10-2010 at 03:49 AM.
02-09-2010, 04:54 PM
#3
Spike
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Indiana
Posts: 19
Mouthcaller -
This was really good (interesting) advice!!! Excellent insight in to what happens at these competitions. I'll be going to the NWTF Convention (in a couple weeks)
and I'm really hoping to be able to watch these... Even more so, now, after reading this!!!
Kim
This was really good (interesting) advice!!! Excellent insight in to what happens at these competitions. I'll be going to the NWTF Convention (in a couple weeks)
and I'm really hoping to be able to watch these... Even more so, now, after reading this!!!Kim
02-09-2010, 05:17 PM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Jackson, TN
Posts: 836
02-09-2010, 05:53 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 654
Good insight and advice Mouthcaller.
jschultz- You need to practice, practice, practice your routine for each call. Don't enter without a routine worked out beforehand. Most contests post the particular calls they will be judging beforehand such as plain yelp, assembly yelp, fly down cackle, cutt'n, purr, kee kee run, etc. etc. Find out what they're going to judge and then develop a routine for each call. Video your routine's. This will be your first contest so have fun with it.
Dan
jschultz- You need to practice, practice, practice your routine for each call. Don't enter without a routine worked out beforehand. Most contests post the particular calls they will be judging beforehand such as plain yelp, assembly yelp, fly down cackle, cutt'n, purr, kee kee run, etc. etc. Find out what they're going to judge and then develop a routine for each call. Video your routine's. This will be your first contest so have fun with it.
Dan
02-10-2010, 03:46 AM
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Jackson, TN
Posts: 836
Good insight and advice Mouthcaller.
jschultz- You need to practice, practice, practice your routine for each call. Don't enter without a routine worked out beforehand. Most contests post the particular calls they will be judging beforehand such as plain yelp, assembly yelp, fly down cackle, cutt'n, purr, kee kee run, etc. etc. Find out what they're going to judge and then develop a routine for each call. Video your routine's. This will be your first contest so have fun with it.
Dan
jschultz- You need to practice, practice, practice your routine for each call. Don't enter without a routine worked out beforehand. Most contests post the particular calls they will be judging beforehand such as plain yelp, assembly yelp, fly down cackle, cutt'n, purr, kee kee run, etc. etc. Find out what they're going to judge and then develop a routine for each call. Video your routine's. This will be your first contest so have fun with it.
Dan
Thanks, and good point about a routine for each call. Some of the small contests, depending on how many entries they get, won't have contestents do every call in the interest of time. If it is a NWTF qualifer they will, but if not they may cut the number of calls per contestant to save time. That's why it is so important to know in advance what the rules are.
02-10-2010, 09:49 AM
#8
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Jackson, TN
Posts: 836
Grand National Finals
The Grand National Senior Division Finals is usually on Saturday afternoon at the Convention. My son and I will be there so maybe we'll run into each other. There typically is a huge crowd for the final in a very large ballroom. It definitely is worth watching. Those guys are unvelievable. The owl hooting and gobbling contest are just as entertaining also.
Tom
02-10-2010, 12:33 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: pa.
Posts: 1,115
Being a former contest caller and judge, let me say this. It is a totally different game on stage. Forget what you do to kill gobblers and start getting your rythym and sounds right. You can have one and not the other and scores will reflect that. It is so difficult to impress all the judges that you need to spend a lot of time defining your program. It is a lot of work!!! For me to get to where I was it took hundreds of calls and tons of practice, not only calling but listening. I listened to any turkey sound I could get my hands on. Watched countless hours of video of real hens and even contests. Recorded myself to make sure I knew what it sounded like.
When I called at the Grand Nationals for the first time (and any time after that) it was awesome. The lights, crowd, cameras and so many great callers made it a special time for me. To be able to make the cut at that contest was just fantastic.
Its a lot of fun and you can meet some great people. Just sound like a turkey and give it a try. Good luck.
When I called at the Grand Nationals for the first time (and any time after that) it was awesome. The lights, crowd, cameras and so many great callers made it a special time for me. To be able to make the cut at that contest was just fantastic.
Its a lot of fun and you can meet some great people. Just sound like a turkey and give it a try. Good luck.