Jim Pollard of Corning, N.Y., was crowned the greatest turkey caller in the world after winning the senior division of the 2002 Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National Calling Championships.

Callers from across North America took their best shot at imitating the sounds of the wild turkey and the hoots of the barred owl at the National Wild Turkey Federation’s 26th Annual Convention and Sport Show in Charlotte, N.C., Feb. 22-24.

More than 30 contestants competed, but only a handful of the skilled and talented callers proved they are “a call above the rest” in the 2002 Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National Calling Championships.

In addition to a trophy, Pollard also won $5,000 for his efforts. The 36 contestants in this championship all have earned their way into the competition by winning local and state NWTF-sanctioned turkey calling contests.

“I still can’t believe I won. I’ve been practicing all year for this day, and it surely paid off,” said Pollard. “I’m still numb. A lot of people believed in me, and I’m glad I didn’t let them down.”

Rewarded for mimicking the sounds of the barred owl, Jeremy Palmer of Jackson, Mo., took home the first prize trophy in the Owl Hooting Championship. Contestants were judged on their ability to make the sound of a barred owl. 

Because owls and turkeys are natural enemies, an owl sound is often used to make a wild turkey tom gobble.

Doug Benefield of Sharpsburg, Ga., won the 2002 Wild Turkey Bourbon/National Wild Turkey Federation Grand National Gobbling Contest. The Gobbling Contest is a light-hearted competition where contestants mimic the sounds and gestures of the wild turkey tom. Entrants perform for two minutes and are scored by a panel of celebrity judges.

“The calling contests are the highlight of the NWTF annual convention and sport show,” said NWTF CEO Rob Keck. “These championships allow the top callers to be rewarded and recognized for their hard work and talent, but it’s also a lot of fun for everyone involved.”

The Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National Calling Champion of Champions Competition was held Sunday morning at the Charlotte Convention Center as the finale to an exciting weekend of competitive calling. Two-time Senior Division champion Chris Parrish of Centralia, Mo. won the competition. This elite category consists of past Grand National Senior Champions, past World Open Division Champions, or past Natural Voice World Champions. Callers were judged on their performance of a medley of different turkey calls. 

Parrish then teamed up with Preston Pittman of Pickens, Miss., to win the 2002 Wild Turkey Bourbon/National Wild Turkey Federation Grand National Team Challenge Calling Championships. Contestants were given three actual hunting situations—lone gobbler, locate and scatter a flock and gobbler sound off. They also performed a series of compulsory calls. Competitors were scored based on completion of required calls, realistic wild turkey sound and cadence, quality and precision and creativity.

Wild Turkey Bourbon has sponsored the Senior Calling, Champion of Champions, Team Challenge, Owl Hooting and Gobbling championships conducted by the NWTF since 1994. 

For more information about the NWTF or the 2003 Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National Calling Championships to be held in Nashville, Tenn., February 13-16, call 1-800-THE-NWTF; and check out our website at www.nwtf.org or e-mail questions to nwtf@nwtf.net.

About the NWTF: In 1973 when the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded, there were an estimated 1.3 million wild turkeys and 1.5 million turkey hunters. Thanks to the work of state wildlife agencies and the NWTF's many volunteers and partners, today there are an estimated 5.4 million wild turkeys and approximately 2.6 million turkey hunters. Since 1985, more than
$135 million NWTF and cooperator dollars have been spent on over 15,000 projects benefiting wild turkeys throughout North America.

The NWTF is a 390,000-member grassroots, nonprofit organization with members in 50 states, Canada and 11 foreign countries. It supports scientific wildlife management on public, private and corporate lands as well as wild turkey hunting as a traditional North American sport.