February 15, 2011
World Elk Calling Championships On for March 4-5
MISSOULA, Mont.—Amateur and professional elk callers from across the U.S. will converge on Reno, Nev., for the RMEF/Leupold World Elk Calling Championships, March 4-5, 2011.
Preliminary rounds begin March 4 at 9:00 a.m. (PT), and championship rounds begin March 5 at 9:00 a.m. (PT), at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center.
The championships are a centerpiece of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s annual Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo. The four-day convention, March 3-6, 2011, helps raise awareness of elk, habitat and RMEF conservation initiatives.
Competition will be held in six divisions: professional, men’s, women’s, natural voice, youth and pee-wee. Amateur-level callers have 30 seconds to mimic cow elk sounds, followed by bull sounds. Professionals are required to make specific calls such as barks, whistles and screaming bugles. Most callers blow across a latex reed placed inside the mouth. In the natural voice division, however, no reeds are allowed. A variety of plastic tubes are used like megaphones, giving the sounds realistic resonance. Judges score each competitor anonymously.
Winners receive prizes and cash ranging from $500 to $2,500.
Prize sponsors included Leupold, Block Fusion, Cabela’s, Horn Hunter Packs, Hoyt, Kershaw Knives, Montana Decoy, Montana Silversmiths, New Archery Products (NAP), Remington, Schnee’s and Traditions Performance Firearms.
Leupold, America’s Optics Authority™, has been a title sponsor of the competition for three years, as well as a longtime supporter of RMEF’s work to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat.
Defending world champion elk callers include:
Professional Division
1. Joel Turner, Eatonville, Wash.
2. Rockie Jacobsen, Kamiah, Idaho
3. Bryan Langley, McMinnville, Ore.
Men’s Division
1. Thomas Diesing, Loveland, Colo.
2. Dirk Durham, Moscow, Idaho
3. Greg Hubbell, Belmont, Calif.
Women’s Division
1. Misty Waggener, Priest River, Idaho
2. Amy Morris, Payson, Utah
3. Brittani Currier, Montrose, Colo.
Natural Voice Division
1. Greg Hubbell, Jr., Belmont, Calif.
2. Gavin McKitrick, McAllister, Mont.
3. Michael Hatten, Elko, Nev.
Youth Division
1. Ross LeValley, Hotchkiss, Colo.
2. Brayden Langley, McMinnville, Ore.
3. Austin Durham, Moscow, Idaho
Pee Wee Division
1. Colton Crawford, McMinnville, Ore.
2. Morgan Priest, Reno, Nev.
3. Matthew Bertero, Reno, Nev.
Elk Camp also includes Cabela’s-sponsored seminars led by authorities on bowhunting and other hunting skills, horse packing, marksmanship, wild game cooking, game calling strategies and more. Also included are displays of record elk, attractions and activities for the whole family, plus a 450-booth expo hall filled with outfitted hunting and fishing opportunities, art, gear, firearms and everything elk. For details, visit www.rmef.org.
Daily admission is $12 per person or $25 per family, and free for kids 5 and under.
Show hours: Thurs., March 3, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Fri., March 4, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sat., March 5, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and Sun., March 6, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.