02/18/2010
Camden Man Impresses at NWTF's Grand National Friction Calling Championship
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Sadler McGraw's focus, talent and practice paid off on Thursday, Feb. 18, when he placed second in the Friction Division at the Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National Turkey Calling Championships in Nashville, Tenn.
 Sadler McGraw, from Camden, Ala., placed second in the Friction Division at the 2010 Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National Turkey Calling Championships. Click image for print quality version |
Hailing from Camden, Ala., McGraw used friction calls made by Woodhaven Custom Calls to fall just one point shy of being crowned champion.
Every February, callers from all over the nation flock to the National Wild Turkey Federation's National Convention and Sport Show, sponsored by MidwayUSA, to compete in the championships. With more than $25,000 in cash and prizes going to the top callers, seats fill up with onlookers to see and hear the terrific turkey talk.
In the Friction Division, callers are asked to perform a series of calls that imitate a single wild turkey hen. Some of these calls include the yelp, cluck and purr, kee kee run, and cutting of the excited hen. A panel of seven expert judges score each call and the slightest mistake can virtually eliminate a caller from contention.
"Winning a title at the Grand National Turkey Calling Championships is like reaching the summit of a mountain. There is no higher place among the turkey calling's elite," said George Thornton, NWTF CEO. "The atmosphere in the room during the trophy presentation is electric. Raising the first-place trophy at these contests means that you have beaten the best callers in the world."
Each year, thousands of outdoor enthusiasts and NWTF supporters rally at the NWTF National Convention and Sport Show. The event features the Grand National Calling Championships, seminars from hunting pros, more than 550 vendor booths, top entertainers at evening functions and more.
The NWTF is a nonprofit conservation organization that works daily to further its mission of conserving the wild turkey and preserving our hunting heritage.
Through dynamic partnerships with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members have helped restore wild turkey populations across the country, spending more than $306 million to conserve 14 million acres of habitat for all types of wildlife.
2010 Convention Sponsors: Affinity4, ATK/Federal Premium Ammunition, Bank of America, Bass Pro Shops, Benelli, Browning, Call Makers and Collectors Association of America, CamoFX, Chevrolet, Farm Service Agency, Foxy Huntress, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, HuntVe, Knight Rifles, Leupold & Stevens, Marlin Firearms Company, MeadWestvaco, MidwayUSA, Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, National Band & Tag Co., O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., Mossy Oak and The Pursuit Channel, The Outdoor Connection, Remington Arms Company, Inc., SHE Outdoor Apparel, TriStar Sporting Arms, USDA Forest Service, Weatherby, Inc., Wild Turkey Bourbon, Winchester Division/Olin Corp.
