Turkey Call King Defending Crowns

Scott Hook, co-owner of Hook’s Custom Calls in Batesville, is a veteran turkey call maker, hunter and judge of prestigious calling contests. He was cutting up potatoes at a bear hunting camp in 2005 when he first heard Stephan Richardson call.

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“I told him right then he needed to compete at the NWTF Grand National Turkey Calling Championships,” Hook said.

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Two years later Richardson did, and he took second place that year both at nationals and in the world championships. In 2008, the now six-time major title winner was ready to strut. He will defend back-to-back national and world titles this year.

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Richardson, a national accounts manager with third-party logistics provider JBW Logistics in Bentonville, used audio CDs of live turkeys and recordings of himself to train for hundreds of hours.

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Hook said Richardson left little doubt either year who was the champ.

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“It was incredible to see someone win the most prestigious calling title in the nation with a call I built for him,” said Hook, who is coordinating the annual Yellville National Turkey Calling Championship on Oct. 10.

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The 34th Annual NWTF Convention and Sports Show will be held Feb. 18-21 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville. The event will include the Grand National calling contest.

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“I will be working my tail off through the winter getting ready,” Richardson said. “When you start winning at this level, you don’t want to get lazy or the competition will snatch those titles quicker than a turkey will snatch up a grasshopper!”

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