Outdoors
Calling Tom Championship turkey calling returns to Mobile next March By Alan White
Turkey calling is an art. Creating the various true sounds of wild turkeys can take a lifetime to master. Although turkey-calling contests may not be as common as they once were, plenty of opportunity for competition still exists throughout Alabama. The World Championship of Turkey Calling will return to Mobile on March 10 and 11, 2012, at the Mobile Convention Center in conjunction with the annual Mobile Boat Show. One expert caller will walk away with the title of world champion. Past winners of this contest have appeared on national television shows, launched successful careers in call manufacturing and marketing, have been hired by outdoor gear companies like Pro Staff, and are sought after as speakers at turkey-hunting events throughout the United States. Five experts judge the contest, and most of the judges are past champions themselves. The contestants are hidden from view of the judges and only the sounds they make are judged. Most of the best callers in the country will compete at this event but anyone who wants to compete, should pay the entry fee of $250 and join the contest. The entry fee goes up to $300 after Dec. 1. Alabama has produced many world champions in the past. These include Eddie Salter, Ben Rogers Lee, Hannis Williams, Larry Norton and others. Eddie Salter, a resident of Evergreen and member of the Hunter Specialties Pro Staff, appears on television, radio shows and in magazines regularly. He is considered to be one of America’s top experts in the hunting industry. Turkey calling while hunting the wild turkey involves many more skills than being able to make
Alan White is publisher of Great Days Outdoors magazine. To learn more, www.greatdaysoutdoors.com or call 800-597-6828.
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| NOVEMBER 2011 | www.alabamaliving.coop
Champion turkey caller Eddie Salter of Alabama the correct sounds. You must know when to call, how often to call, how loud to call, when to shut up, where to call from, when to move, when to be still as well as woodmanship skills in finding the roosting locations and scouting the regular travel paths of certain gobblers. Competing in the wild and trying to outwit a mature, wild tom turkey in Alabama is a whole different category than just calling. The difficulty in hunting wild turkey is the one reason that some of us love it so much. But beware: Wild turkeys are the great equalizer. It doesn’t matter what genetic match may have occurred in your ancestral line or how much money you have in the bank, the wild turkey will put you back in your proper place when it comes to your status in the natural world. In fact, he will sometimes shame and embarrass even the most skilled hunter. If you’d like to compete in the World Champion Turkey Calling Contest or would like more details, call Dan Miller at 251-377-7045. Let’s support this national event and keep it at home in Alabama. We hope to see you there.d