NWTF 2016 HUNTING CALL RESULTS

[The Woodsman]

I agree but who would admit to taking top honors by incompetent judging?
Absolutely no one.
Looks good on the resume though.....

[boatpaddle]

I agree but who would admit to taking top honors by incompetent judging?
Absolutely no one.
Looks good on the resume though.....

   

[Roughneck]

So your saying the judges were incompetent lol wow. Fact is the wrong name got placed in the wrong spot look at the score sheet. Go back an read the rules on where you got to place an win in order to get chancey award. I can assure you the man who won is not ashamed and works his but off building calls and puts his heart an soul in everyone of them and has earned everything he has won. If someone is so but hurt take your time off from work or whatever and go spend an extra couple days of your money to judge and I can promise you next year you will be the bad so called incompetent judge who doesn't know the difference between the sound of a turkey or a chicken.

[The Woodsman]

Ok, how about being biased? Incompetency may be a wrong description.

[hunter22]

I was fortunate to get to go to Nashville this year and had the opportunity to run most of the calls entered. I will also say that most of the winning calls sounded good. I had my buddy David running them and I was off a few feet so I could hear the calls. I can honestly say that several calls that did not place sounded as good as some that did. I can't imagine how a judge could differentiate between them. I may be wrong here and if I am please correct me if I am, but I think for the most part the same judges judge the same categories each year. So if John Doe wins this year and the judges like his calls, then it stands to reason that they will like his calls next year. And if those judges are good friends and hunting buddies with the callmaker it has to influence them. And when the judges are seen hanging out in the callmakers' booths it does not send a good signal to the guys who lost out to those guys. Please don't tell me that this does not happen because I saw it with my own eyes and I have seen pictures of calls that were given to a judge's kid by a callmaker before the competition was held. If you want to get next to me do something kind for one of my kids. I had a good talk this week with one of the callmakers that did real well and he even said that if you get five different judges then you probably have several different winners. I think that would be true even if there was no friendship factor involved. We all have a particular sound we like in a call.

I have gotten to a point that I really do not care if a callmaker makes his calls using a CNC/Mill or whatever. In my opinion these tools take away from the learning curve in how to make a call. But I can say I played some at Nashville that sounded great. One of the "Old School" callmakers told me what the big advantage was in using the advanced technology. The old school maker is very limited on how many calls he can turn out. The maker I talked to said he might be able to make 30 or so calls a year. Where a guy with advanced technology can turn out several hundred a year. In a pile of calls that big there is a lot more likelihood that there will be some that jump out at you.

[Roughneck]

Unbiased judging come on man all five of those judges had to agree on the calls all them. This whole thing that friends judging or paying judges off or whatever is crazy is it possible a judge might know 10 call makers yes I guess it could happen do I think they had there minds made up before judging no not at all. The man who won call maker of the year won with a trough call "a trough call "do you think he had a friend judging I don't think so. It was said he had the best trough call in 15 years there I herd the call played at the auction for the winners it sounded good I'm happy for him and so are is everyone else. The man who won the longbox division never won a first place at Nashvillle before do I think he or anybody else influenced the judges not at all. I'm happy for everyone who won or placed. The man who won rookie call maker of the year first time he ever enterd a comp ever pretty sure there was nothing fishy about that.     I was blessed and lucky and won first in my first ever comp and best of class and I don't know a soul in Virginia or the judges don't care to know them. It's a comp you win or lose its that simple man just like any other sport. Like I said you win with grace you lose with grace. Next time build a better a call just like everyone else who doesn't win or place try's to do. But bashing people with no facts is wrong.

[Roughneck]

Dude all you doing is trying to get under my skin it's not working. The wrong name got placed in a spot that simple. Since you know so much about judging y not be one next year I'll pay for your 5 days there. Fact is people are jealous of other call makers who do good it's a comp anyone can win anyone. We both know you have an agenda on certain call makers that's obvious and that's your right but know what your talking about before  talking about crooked judges. Or better yet start building your on calls if you think it's just so easy. I'm in the shop right now myself trying to get better at it cause I know where I want to be someday an I assure you i won't get what I'm after cause of a friend who's a judge or cause I paid them off i will have earned it.

[hunter22]

I could care less if I get under your skin or not. Maybe you need to re-read my post. Nowhere did I say that the calls that won did not deserve to win. I ran them and they sounded good. But I played calls that did not get a ribbon that sounded just as good. To me the competition was that close. With calls that close it just seems odd to a lot of folks the same guys win each year. It is all about perception. Take away any hint of friendship such as calls being given to a judge's family member and that would make the guys that did not place be able to take it a little better.

Why do you think the top callmakers out there do not enter this contest? Guys like Darrin Dawkins, Steve Mann, Albert Paul, Lamar, etc.  Like Darrin told me, his judges all have a red head and come in making a big fuss. He refuses to be judged by a group of guys that may not even know how to run a call.

You can hammer away at me because I am done on this subject. Good luck in your call making endeavors.

[Roughneck]

Ricky my last post was not directed at you. Secondly have you ever thought that the reason others don't enter is because if they didn't do good they think it might hurt there reputation maybe that's it maybe I don't know. All I know is anyone can enter anyone and to say that the winners of this years comp in Nashville are lesser call makers or aren't in the same category  than the ones mentioned  because you  concider them to be the top call makers is just not fair. Every one of the ones you mentioned make great calls no doubt about it I agree with you. But as far as I'm concerned anyone one can win or lose on any given day regardless who you are. The main thing is doing it with class win or lose. Me I'm not building calls to win trophys or medals if i do that's great if not I'm still happy. I do it cause I love it and love the sport and knowing that someone killed a bird with a call I made that's what will give me more satisfaction than anything.  I've spoke my piece on this and not bashing anyone. I was there I know what happened and know a mistake was made it happens. This whole judging thing will never change regardless what they do some people are always going to complain and cry no matter if your judging watermelon eatting contest some one is going to get but hurt.  So everyone have good day I know I am and I'm looking forward to the up coming season good luck to every one and roll them up.

[packmule]

I live a long ways away from the NWTF convention and have never attended, I also don't personally know any of the callmakers who enter calls in a given year.  I do love to hunt turkeys and I love to collect turkey calls.  For me the callmakers contest that NWTF puts on each year is at least semi-important.  When I open up a magazine and see a callmaker's advertisement with a record of wins at such events, that means something to me, or at least it did before learning more about these details the past few weeks.

For me, there seems to be a couple main issues:

(1) Should totally "hand built" calls be judged against others that are built with varying degrees of assistance from power tools and technology.  I'm not sure how or where you'd draw the line on this one.  Can a drill press be used? A lathe?  A CNC machine?  I don't know if the NWTF could address this effectively.  I know that I have my beliefs on this particular issue, and I can purchase calls based on those beliefs so I guess that's good enough for me.

(2) However, the main issue seems to be whether or not the NWTF is operating the judgement of these calls in a fair and professional manner.  That's what is giving me a lot of heartburn.  In my opinion, there's no way that identical judges should be used from year to year to year.  The judges also need to understand the seriousness of their duties on that particular weekend.  If I'm judging you'd better be assured that I wouldn't be hanging out with a couple of the callmakers in that competition, and sure wouldn't be accepting calls from them, at least during that particular weekend.  Putting out an "official" sign displaying the winners and then having to take it back down and put up new "official" sign with different names because a "mistake" was made?  That is laughable and a disgrace to anyone who is involved with managing the contest.  Whatever happened to double checking or triple checking your work?  That competition could and should be designed and executed in a PROFESSIONAL and UNBIASED manner.

My 

[slicksbeagles1]

I'm sure glad I made my post it has opened up blind eyes! A machine that can produce a call with the push of a button is manufactured. Those that are made with different tools to make each piece or pieces are handmade. As far as the judging goes this has been going on from the beginning of any competion whether it is horses, dogs, cars, etc. I don't know what the answer is to this  just go pick enough turkey hunters at the convention at random that can answer certain questions to there ability on calls and ask them to judge. Now don't go crazy that is just a thought!

[Flounder]

Please tell Josh I will kill  turkey with my new call made by him! If I have to knock him in the dang head with it!!
Keep up the good work. This will serve as a life lesson, believe me. I learned this a long time ago in sports.
You have a great talent and NO ONE can take it away from you.
Flounder

[idratherb]

 

[Chamberlin Calls]

I can't imagine how disappointing that must have been and shows a real lack of professionalism in the administration of the competition.  As a long time duck call maker but relative new comer to turkey calls I entered hunting calls just see how my stacked up against the top makers.  Come to find out that, at least in the hunting calls, there is no record of how they scored or how they ranked so it is impossible to gauge where you stand. Lesson learned.

[The Woodsman]