Grand National Custom Callmaking Competition

Grand National
Custom Callmaking Competition

This is the largest callmaking competition in the world, and we couldn't be prouder of it. But more than a contest, it's a family, and everyone is welcome. Join us in Nashville this year for the reunion: callmakers coming together to help each other, swap stories and share their love for the craft. We see the work you put in all year long, not just the week you're in Nashville. This is your contest, and we're grateful to be part of the family.

New Changes this Year

A competition that continues to evolve

Each year we find new ways to make the competition better for all the competitors that it means so much to. The Grand National Custom Callmaking Competition is the largest competition of its kind in the WORLD with over 1400 "custom" made Turkey calls registered each year. As it continues to grow, we frequently have to evaluate what works and what doesn't. Here is what's new for 2027.

Challenge Categories: an extra $500 on the line

To encourage more entries in categories that deserve more attention, four existing categories have been named 2027 “Challenge Categories.” The winner of each one takes home a one-time $500 bonus on top of the standard cash prize.

Division 1Decorative Turkey Calls – Category 19 – Trough Style Call (slate, glass, or other material)
Division 2Hunting Turkey Calls – Category 4 – Tom Turpin Hen Box Handled Design
Division 3Decorative Duck and Goose Call Competition – Category 10 – Carved Waterfowl Head Call
Division 4Hunting Duck and Goose Call Competition – Category 16 – Open Working Decorative Duck/ Goose Call

Callmaker Entry Awards: $1,000 just for entering

We want to thank every callmaker who makes this competition what it is. This year, one turkey callmaker and one waterfowl callmaker will each win $1,000 in our new Callmaker Entry Awards. Every entry in Divisions 1 and 2 is in the Turkey drawing, and every entry in Divisions 3 and 4 is in the Waterfowl drawing. There's nothing to sign up for. Winners are drawn at random and contacted by text, and the prize is mailed by check.

Kids workshops are growing

Last year's free kids callmaking workshops were a huge success, with young people building their own calls alongside some of the best callmakers in the country. This year we're bringing even more to the program, because getting kids excited about callmaking, the wild turkey and our hunting heritage is how we keep it all alive for the next generation.

A new and improved website, with faster auctions

We've rebuilt a lot of this website behind the scenes, and the online auctions have been redesigned from the ground up. Bidding is now much faster and more responsive, so the lag many of you ran into in past years, especially in the busy final minutes, should be a thing of the past.

Overall Score Judging in select categories

In some categories, judges will now look at each entry as a whole. Each judge gives one overall score from 1 to 100, weighing design, craftsmanship and sound together the way an experienced judge sees them. Each entry's highest and lowest scores are dropped so no single judge decides the outcome. You'll also see each judge's name next to their score. Each category on the Contest Rules page shows how it's judged.

A faster website, easier payments and clearer rules

We've rebuilt much of this website. Online auctions are much faster in the busy final minutes, and paying for your entries and winning bids is simpler and more secure. The Contest Rules page now shows each category's details in one place: prize money, medallions, the classes its winner goes on to, and how it's judged.

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