Kehoe Conservation Camp in Castleton was alive with the clucks, yelps and purrs of wild turkeys as 28 youths competed in the 18th annual Bart Jacob Memorial Youth Turkey Calling Contest, April 13. The event was open to anyone 18 years old or younger and attracted several participants as young as 4 years old.
Each age group was asked to perform a specific set of calls, using either a handmade or store-bought turkey call.
Ken Jones, of Proctor, donated mouth calls to the top three winners in each age group. The first-place winners also received a turkey decoy and a custom knife, donated by Marley Mason of Pawlet in memory of the late Keith Mason, also of Pawlet.
The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. provided Bone Collector turkey calls for the second-place finishers while third place received shot gun ammunition donated by John Butler, of Dorset.
Competitors in the 14- to 18-year-old age group were scored on how well they performed several turkey calls including the cluck, yelp, purr, kee kee run and caller’s favorite.
Samuel Luis, of Whiting, placed first, followed by Jared Preseau, of Wells and Tanner Alexopoulos, of Manchester, finished third. Others participating in this age group were Mason Martelle, Wells, and Cooper and Spencer Sheldon, both from Dorset.
The 11- to 13-year-olds performed the cluck, yelp, purr and a locator call of their own choosing. Top three placements were Brooke Flewelling, Rutland (first); Noah Buck, Pownal (second); and Emeline Barber, Clemons, New York (third). Wyatt Delance, Castleton; Huck Ferenc, Dorset; Tony Perez, Pownal; Beckett Perham, Pawlet; and Zayden Perkins, Manchester; also competed in this division.
Winners for 8- to 10-year-olds were Sawyer Sheldon (first) and Luke Ferenc (second), both from Dorset; and Mack Parsons, Proctor (third). Blake Butler and Sam St. Martin, both from Wells; Gabriel Greene, Poultney; and Dominic Smith, Londonderry; rounded out the competition. Calls for this division included the cluck, yelp and locator call of choice.
Seven youths, ranging in age from 4 to 7, also demonstrated their turkey-calling skills. Although not scored, each received a turkey-shaped trophy for participating. They were Cole Baptie and Jesse and John Davenport, all from Poultney; Rhett Butler, Wells; Ryker Jenks, Bondville; Oliviah Ross, West Danville; and Knox White, Dorset.
Judges were Howard Coolidge, Dorset; Charlie Hewes, Manchester; Ken Jones, Proctor; Dan Nardi, Rupert; Wally Surething, Mount Holly; and Erwin Tobin, Shushan, New York.
The annual contest honors the late Bart Jacob, a nationally recognized turkey call-maker and avid turkey hunter from Pawlet. Jacob was a staunch supporter of youth hunters as well as a founder of the National Wild Turkey Federation and past president and life member of the Vermont chapter.
By Michelle Butler
Competitors (left to right) Luke Ferenc, Dorset; Mack Parsons, Proctor; and Sawyer Sheldon Dorset were among the top three scorers in the 8- to 10-year-old age group at the 18th annual Bart Jacob Memorial Youth Turkey Calling Contest, April 13 in Castleton.
By Michelle Butler
At the Bart Jacob Memorial Youth Turkey Calling Contest, April 13 in Castleton, (left to right) Emeline Barber, Clemons, New York; Noah Buck, Pownal; and Brooke Flewelling, Rutland, finished third, second and first, respectively in the 11- to 13-year-old age group.
By Michelle Butler
Capturing the top three places in the 14- to 18-year-old age group at the annual Bart Jacob Memorial Youth Turkey Calling Contest were (left to right) Tanner Alexopoulos, Manchester; Jared Preseau, Wells; and Samuel Luis, Whiting. The contest took place on April 13 at the Kehoe Conservation Camp in Castleton.
By Michelle Butler
Blake Butler, Wells, concentrates as he performs a turkey call in competition on April 13 in Castleton at the 18th annual Bart Jacob Memorial Youth Turkey Calling Contest.
