They were also required to perform a series of compulsory calls. The winners were scored based on completion of required calls, realistic wild turkey sound and cadence, quality and precision and creativity. Rewarded for mimicking the sounds of the barred owl, Don Lauderdale of Camden, Ala., took home the first prize trophy in the Owl Hooting Championship. Contestants were judged on their ability to make the sound of a barred owl. The Gobbling Contest is a light-hearted competition where contestants mimic the sounds and gestures of the wild turkey tom.
Entrants perform for two minutes and are scored by a panel of five celebrity judges.
Wild Turkey Bourbon has sponsored the Senior Calling, Champion of Champions, Team Challenge, Owl Hooting and Gobbling championships conducted by the NWTF since 1994.