Meet Cally Morris, By Fred Lutger

Last year I shot my first Osceola turkey on the Bowhunting.net online 4X4 Grand Slammer Quest. It was a very heavy, long bearded Tom. I was hunting near Wauchula, FL with good friend and hunting partner Doug Crabtree. Doug called in and filmed the bird. I put an arrow in the gobbler at 25 yards and dropped it in its tracks.

I was elated not only with the kill, but with the size of the bird. I wanted a full body mount. 

Doug told me about Cally Morris and his Hazel Creek taxidermy business in Green Castle, MO. Doug assured me Cally’s mounts are world class. I never question Doug on anything turkey. If he say’s Cally is the man, I’m there. 

My mounted turkey arrived last month (February 2005). It is by far the best-looking turkey mount I have ever seen. If you are like me you’ve seen mounted turkeys in sporting goods stores and thought, it just doesn’t look right. Cally’s mount is the pride of my collection. It looks real in every detail. 

Word got around quickly and people started popping into my archery shop and asking to see the gobbler. Every comment was the same, “He looks so real! This mount puts mine to shame.”

I wanted to see Cally Morris at this year's NWTF convention. Not only did I want to thank him for his outstanding work but also I wanted to see if he had any hens mounted that he would sell. 

I used a mounted hen while hunting with Dave Keiser, owner of Double K Guide Service in Gregory, South Dakota. I was amazed at the turkeys reaction to this mounted decoy. Both hens and Toms ran directly to Keiser's decoy. I wanted to have one in my own turkey arsenal. But I didn't know where to get one.

When I arrived at Cally's booth at the show -- was I ever surprised to learn he had started a new business making decoys out of pen-raised hen turkeys! 

Cally wasn’t at his booth but I left my cell phone number and word that I would like to talk to him about his business. Before leaving the crowded booth I pulled out my credit card and bought one of the fast disappearing hen mounts Morris brought to the show.

When Cally and I finally got to talk, I was impressed with him as I was with his work. I instantly felt the pride he has for his business. 

“I have a team of very skilled professionals." Morris explained. "We control every aspect of the mounting process. Each team member has a step to do in mounting each bird.”

“First, the birds are skinned and frozen till we are ready to do the mount. The mounting process takes 12 to 16 people each doing his specialty on the mount. This includes preparing the skin, wiring process, mounting bird on mannequin, final mounting and finishing and the finally processing and shipping.”

“This is done over a 14-day period.” Cally explained. “Each bird has 18 to 24 hours work from start to finish.”

Cally and the Hazel Creek team mount 800 to 1000 birds per year. Although Morris is trained in every aspect of taxidermy he specializes in the art of wild turkey taxidermy. Cally also has the largest freeze dry turkey head business in the nation, serving the taxidermy industry.

Cally stated, “My number one goal is quality. Turn around time is also a priority. I have mounted around 8,000 turkeys in my career. I’m glad the Lord blessed me with this ability.” 

Morris’s work has earned him the title of NWTF Grand National Wild Turkey Taxidermy Champion for three consecutive years. In 1997 Cally won the coveted “Best in World Bird” at the World Taxidermy Championship. He is the first to win the World Title for birds with a wild turkey mount. 

Cally hunts turkey every day of Missouri’s 21-day season. “With a regular decoy, turkeys come and leave right away.” Explained Morris. “With a real bird decoy they will stay for several minuets and their full attention is on the mounted decoy. I started using mounted hens 7 years ago. This is the first year I have offered them to the public.” 

Morris’s Hazel Creek Decoys are featured on Hunter’s Specialties Cutt-N-Struttin 9 as well as Turkey Call television. Cally wanted me to tell my readers that orders might be hard to fill at this time and could take up to a year. 

All’s I can say is, “I got mine!” It will fit in perfect with my 2 favorite decoys.

Contact Cally Morris at;
Hazel Creek, Inc
21338 Chasewood Trail
Green Castle, MO 63544
660-488-5688
Visit their web sight at www.HazelCreekTurkeys.com