Turkey Hunting Clinic and Calling Contest

[Turkeyman]

I will try to be there.

[fishunt247]

I'm going to be on spring break, so I will try to be there as well.

[turkeydancer]

The Narrows Strut Busters will be there from 8am to 6pm.

The hunting and calling clinic is at 9am and covers all the basics.

Calling Contest Registration is free, but required by 1pm at our table.
Youth Contest begins @ 1pm with going over the rules ... 3 calls are yelp, cluck, excited cutting.
Adult contest starts at 2pm with going over the rules .... 5 calls are the yelp, cluck, excited cutting, purr, and kee-kee-run.

Top 3 each division win prizes, everyone else still has fun ...

We will also have the following tickets available for you if you desire:
1) 8th Annual Hunter Heritage Banquet - Sat Mar 28th @ Tucker's at Gold Mountain (Games for Guns, Raffles, Live & Silent Auctions, Door Prizes - Prime Rib and Salmon Buffet with all the trimmings and dessert)
2) Local Shotgun - Remington 11-87 Semi-Auto In Mossyoak Camo
3) State 30.06 Deluxe Special Editon with VX-1 Leopold Scope, and Wheeled HardCase.

Come have some fun with us ... meet the guys ... get your questions answered ... shop 'til you drop (LOL --- TD aka "Al")

[fishunt247]

Thanks turkeydancer, hopefully I will see you there. I have to order some stuff from Cabelas, so now this is an excuse to drive over and buy it live.

[Tom Tamer]

Any more info on the calling contest. Is it a contest for pros? I'm just asking because I've never competed before and don't want to go get my ass kicked in front of a bunch of pros.

No it is open to everyone and not a sanctioned event for the NWTF we're doing it just to get folks to come have fun and possibly make it an eventin years to come, that can be sanctioned. I went through that same fear as you..and I actually won the state one a couple years back. Later on in the mail I got the offical invite to go back to Nationals....Wow I was shocked to be invited to an event with the Likes of a Parrot, stolz, Pittman...what a rush, I never did go due to money reasons. But beleive me to go from that to where my calling came from was a great compliment. So come down join us and have a blast....you'll like it My 7 year old daughter even does it.

[fishunt247]

I'm practicing right now.

[fishunt247]

Any tips for the uninitiated? 

[Birdguy]

Keep practicing and show up and get initiated  . Should be a great time for all who want to call or just watch and learn.

[Turkeyman]

Cant what sounds like a great time.

[westcoastsoutherner]

Sounds like a great time.  I would love to make it but too many commitments.  Does know of any turkey calling contest on the eastside?

[turkeydancer]

Only one I know of - Washington State NWTF Chapter Calling Contest (Sanctioned) on July 18th at Camp Delaney at Sun Lakes Park.  Will post when more is know (probably sometime in June).

I never was in it to win a calling contest as I just wanted to be good enough to get turkeys in close (if having them land on my boots, having their heads at my left pocket, yearly having them close enough to slap them ... then I guess I reached my goal). I do it for the fun of it only, and it has made me a better caller (surprising what you can learn) ... and every now and then you'll win some nice prizes too. I had never seen a contest when I was pushed into to it by my Gig Harbor (and the Tacoma) Chapter members during the State Summer Meeting after my 1st year of turkey hunting (finished 3rd in state). This last summer was the lowest I've placed (4th) after finishing 2nd in 2007.  We have a lot of really good callers in this state, but qualified judges are a bit hard to find and it is all subjective to each judges ear> So where you think you did horrible, you'll finish high ... and when you think you just rocked the world, you might finish out of the money ("On any given Sunday") ... so always do it for the fun and experience, don't worry about winning (that will take care of it's self) ... if you don't, it will probably just drive you nuts. 

[fishunt247]

Thanks for the insights. I said when I first picked up a call that I wanted to call in at least one contest, just to do it. I don't think I'll place, which is tough to swallow for anyone with a competitive nature (like me), but it will be a good experience.

[turkeydancer]

I've always been competitive too, but as I've gotten older I realized that not even the greatest in any sport will win  them all (ask Michael Jordon for example) and dynasties do come and go. You also learn to be a lot more humble when a critter with a brain the size of a walnut outsmarts you (too many times).  I now actually like watching new blood win the contests, my family or friends experience the excitement of their first (or subsequent)  harvests, etc. Don't get me wrong though, I still get excited when I punch my ticket or bird -- just not as important --- I don't have to finish first, get the biggest rack or fish, etc.  It's more about the pursuit and the sharing of the experiences with the old and new people in my life that I increasing enjoy ! If i could, I'ld like to take every new turkey hunter with me for at least for a day ... but since that's totally impossible, I try to take my chapter members that haven't harvested a bird out as a thank you for being a volunteer. Enough of them have become good hunters (like brewzer13) that they are now taking newer members with them ... and I am really excited to see them "paying it forward" too !  My chapter members have not only become friends, they have become family !  Great guys with big hearts that constantly show their caring natures for those around them ... that's what makes a "legacy" that will outlive everyone of us.   

[brewzer13]

Added note to all. We will be there all day from 8 till 6, and will be more than happy to answer questions and give tips or just trade stories. I for one am always interested in hearing from others, and learning from them as well. I dont care how long you have been hunting or how good you are, you can always learn something new from ever person you come in contact with.

[fishunt247]

Thanks guys for putting that contest on. I had a blast. Great to meet new people, test out your calling. I wish now that I would have looked at the numbers more closely to see what my lower scores were, probably my cutting and kee kee, but I'm not sure. Anyways, it was fun and hopefully that can become a yearly gig.