Legacy Callmaker Collection — Ed Terefencko

Terefencko says he is constantly striving to be a better call maker, using every opportunity to learn and improve.  

Turkey hunting has always been at the root of his love for call making because it became something he could pursue all year. 

Terefencko started turkey hunting in high school with his dad. During the spring preseason, he would take out some of his dad’s old turkey calls and was surprised when three jakes came in, gobbling their heads off.  

He was always fascinated by being able to communicate with wild turkeys and soon realized he didn’t have to buy calls from a store; he could make them on his own.  

Terefencko started experimenting in his parents’ basement with different designs, and it ignited a fire. His passion continued to grow, and since then, call making has transformed from a small hobby into a part of who he is. 

“Some of my early calls were very crude,” Terefencko said. “But I remember the first one I made that made a sound; it was a big deal for me. It didn’t sound like a turkey, but it was a sound, and it took off from there. I was always driven to make them better, and 25 years later, I’m still learning new things about them. It’s just something I really enjoy.”  

In 2001, when he joined an online turkey callmaking forum, a whole new world of information and a community of call makers opened up to him. He learned about legendary call maker Neil Cost, known for popularizing long-box, or boat-paddle, calls, and inspiration struck.  

Shortly after, he learned about the Grand National Custom Callmaking Competition at the NWTF National Convention and Sports Show and believes that attending the event might have been the best thing he ever did to grow as a call maker.  

Around 2005, he entered calls that he was confident about, but they didn’t place. When he got his hands on the winning calls, he was able to see where and how he had to step up his game.  

But convention wasn’t just about refining his craft; it was also about entering into turkey callmaking community. 

“The callmaking community has some of the best people out there,” he said. “Everyone has the same drive, and it's the wild turkey. Nashville is one of my favorite trips of the year because I have so many friends in call making from across the country.” 

Terefencko is proud to call the state of Pennsylvania home because of its deep tradition with turkey call making. He has become close friends with legendary call makers in his state, like Mike Lapp, Scott Baseshore and Patt Strawser, who have all helped him improve his callmaking skills. 

Since his specialty is box calls, it can be a challenge for Terefencko to create new designs without compromising the sound of the call.  

“When it comes down to it, I build hunting calls,” he said. “I don’t build the decorative calls that are intended to be put on a shelf. I build every call with the idea that they’re going to be taken into the woods, and they’re going to be used to hunt a turkey. I set myself apart with the sound. That's the most important aspect of it to me. The craftsmanship is a big part of it. I try to make sure everything is done cleanly, but the bottom line is the sound that my calls produce, and it's a unique sound I look for out of a call.” 

Although he values all of the opportunities he’s gained through his callmaking journey, his favorite memories remain the time he spends in the woods with his family. 

His father started turkey hunting because Terefencko loved it. Being able to call in a gobbler for his dad ranks among Terefencko’s best memories, second only to when his two kids, Michael and Ava, shot their first turkeys. 

“They’re both in high school now, but when they were young, they went through the mentorship program in Pennsylvania,” he said. “Of all the turkeys I’ve killed, those two are the most memorable for me because they’re my kids. They were both pretty amazing days.” 

Terefencko’s son, Michael, is now starting to get involved with call making, and dad couldn’t be happier. He always tells new call makers, including his son, to find good resources, ask questions and, most importantly, expect failure.  

“You’ll fail more often than you’ll succeed, but be willing to keep pushing through, be willing to learn, to try new things and understand that it doesn’t happen overnight,” Terefencko said. “If you want to learn a craft, it takes time.” 

Terefencko donates his calls to numerous local NWTF chapter banquets, and he is grateful for the opportunities the NWTF has given him to elevate his work.  

“I owe a great deal of gratitude to the federation,” Terefencko said. “The conservation of the wild turkey is very important, and by competing and getting some of the notoriety through my success, I’m giving back to the federation through donations, and it’s going to good use.” 

Bid on Terefencko's Legacy Callmaker Collection Auction Entry

Terefencko's entry is a 1 of 1 box call with a curly maple base and a snakewood paddle with the Legacy Callmaker Collection coin embedded near the grip of the lid.