Dear Callers:
Enclosed are the rules and regulations and an application to compete at the championships,
Feb. 11-14 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Please
read all of the rules and take note of the rules for the contest or contests in which you intend to
compete this year.
All calling contests will be held in the Governor’s Ballroom of the Gaylord Opryland. The
Governor’s Ballroom is in the Delta Section of the Convention Center. Caller registration packets
should be picked up at the main registration desk in the Delta Lobby.
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PLEASE NOTE: This year’s Head-to-Head contest will be modified to fit contest time
restrictions. The first two rounds will be run as a single elimination bracket. We will
then take the remaining 8 callers and run a double elimination bracket. This contest
will still be a lottery drawing with the previous year’s champions getting a
guaranteed bid.
Contestants calling in a tie-breaking call off will be asked to produce 3 new calls that will
be drawn randomly by the EMCEE (each caller will execute the same three calls)
We are looking forward to this year’s contest in Nashville and we hope to see you there. If you
have any questions, please call Chris Piltz at 803-637-7412 or email at [email protected].
Complete information regarding the 2016 NWTF Convention and Sport Show, including online
registration and maps, can be found by going to our website www.nwtf.org; click on the link for the
convention.
We will see you in Nashville. Good luck to all callers!
Chris Piltz
2016 GRAND NATIONAL
TURKEY CALLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
I.
INTRODUCTION
Purpose of Regulations
The regulations contained herein set forth rules and procedures governing the NWTF Grand National Calling
Championships through which the Grand National Friction, Senior Division, Team Challenge, Gobbling, Owl
Hooting and Head-to-Head champions are chosen.
These regulations are published to create high standards for all turkey calling competitions.
II.
FAILURE TO COMPLY
Any entrant failing to comply with contest regulations shall be disqualified from the contest and will be
considered ineligible by the judging panel.
III.
JUDGING
Judges will be selected by the NWTF for each contest. Each judge selected will be of high personal integrity
and superior reputation, and exhibit excellent interest and knowledge of wild turkeys and turkey calling. The
judging panel will be announced just prior to competition, Judges must use ink pens on all scoring sheets.
IV.
REGISTRATION
To compete in the Grand National Championships, one MUST PREREGISTER and pay registration fees via
mail, email or fax by January 15, 2016 at 5 p.m. EST, or you may contact NWTF National Headquarters by
phone 803-637-3106 or fax request to 803-637-9960. Registration will NOT be available at the convention.
*The National Wild Turkey Federation retains the right to modify or change any portion of the rules and
regulations.
Rules and Guidelines for all 2016 NWTF
Grand National Calling Championships.
Mandatory Callers’ Meeting, Roll Call & Order of Calling
 Roll call will be taken at the callers’ meeting prior to each contest. Callers must be present at this roll
call and meeting.
 A second roll call will be taken just prior to the drawing of the numbers by the contestants. Any caller
not present at the second roll call may be disqualified from the contest.
 Contestants will draw numbers to determine their calling position.
 The contestant drawing number one (1) will immediately draw a second number. They will call in both
positions. Only the score derived while calling the second calling position will count for score.
 Please note: If number one (1) is not drawn by a contestant, then a re-draw will be held until the
number one (1) is drawn.
 Do not leave the drawing area until it is determined that a re-draw is not necessary.
Refund policy
 The total amount is refundable if the applicant is unable to participate in the competition and if notice is
given prior to roll call for the registered contest.
Registration
 To compete in the Grand National Calling Championships, all contestants MUST PREREGISTER via
mail, email or fax. Registration will NOT be available at the convention.
 The entry fee and the official registration form must be received by the NWTF on or before January 15,
2016 at 5 p.m. EST.
 Registration fees include admission to the seminars and unlimited access to the convention exhibit hall.
Banquet and auction tickets must be purchased separately.
 Payment should be made payable to the National Wild Turkey Federation.
Requirements
 All contestants competing in the GNCC must be a current member of the National Wild Turkey
Federation.
 All contestants must meet the age requirements set forth for each competition.
Ties
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All scoring ties determining award places will be broken by a call-off.
Those contestants with equal total scores will be called back on stage in the same calling order.
Each contestant will be asked to produce 3 new calls that will be drawn randomly by the EMCEE (each
caller will execute the same three calls)
The contestant with the highest point total will be declared the winner of that place.
Scores obtained in the call-off are used solely to break ties.
Call-off scores are not figured in determining the total score.
Winners
 The caller with the highest point total from the final round will be declared the 2014 Champion of their
respective competition.
 The person with the second highest score will be declared the first runner-up.
 The person with the third highest score will be declared the second runner-up.
 The person with the fourth highest score will be declared the third runner-up.
 The person with the fifth highest score will be declared the fourth runner-up.
2016 NWTF Grand National
Senior Division Competition Sponsored by Lynch Custom Calls
Entry Fee
 A $250 entry fee is required with registration.
Requirements/Eligibility
 Contestants must be at least 21 years old on or before February 11, 2016.
 Contestants must be current members of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
 Any person who was a first place winner or finished second to an already qualified contestant in a
qualifying NWTF Sanctioned Open or State division contest from January 1, 2015 until January 11,
2016 is eligible to compete in this year’s Senior preliminary contest. Previous Grand National Senior
Division or World Open Division calling champions are eligible. Past champions of Team Challenge,
Head-to-Head, Intermediate, Youth, Junior, Amateur, Owl Hooting or Gobbling divisions are ineligible.
 The top five place finishers in the 2015 NWTF Senior Division Grand National Wild Turkey Calling
Championships are automatically eligible. The reigning NWTF Senior Division Grand National
Champion is automatically qualified to call in the finals division and may call in the preliminary if he or
she desires. Their score will not affect the top twelve (12) scores of the preliminary round.
 Contestants who qualified for the 2015 Senior Division finals are automatically qualified to compete in
the 2015 Senior Division preliminary competition.
 All eligible contestants except the reigning Senior Division Grand National Champion must call in the
preliminary round.
Preliminaries
 The Senior Division preliminaries will be held Friday, February 12, 2016 at 12 p.m., in the Governor’s
Ballroom.
 A mandatory preparation meeting and roll call beginning at 11:30 a.m. will be held in the Governor’s
Ballroom at the front of the stage for all Senior Division preliminary contestants.
Time Limits
 There will be a one-minute per-call time limit in the preliminary and final rounds. The clock will begin on
the first note of the first call and stop on the acknowledgment of the caller that they are finished with
their last call.
 The NWTF reserves the right to use a clock showing the time remaining. A 5-point penalty will be
added to the final score of any contestant going over the time limit.
Calls
 Contestants will be judged on a minimum of four (4) calls in the preliminary contest and five (5) calls in
the finals.
 Calls will be drawn and posted in front of the calling contest stage at 5 p.m. the day before the
contest.
 The calls will be selected from among the following: plain yelp of the hen, cutting of excited hen, adult
hen assembly call, fly-down cackle, kee kee run, cluck and purr, yelp of excited hen and tree call.
Scoring
 Judges will score on a 1-20 scale, with 20 as the highest score possible.
 Scorers will calculate each judge’s score after each caller finishes.
 The highest and lowest scores from the seven (7) judges will be discarded.
 The five (5) remaining scores will be calculated for a final score.

NOTE: The Senior Finals will consist of 5 judges and each judges score will count
towards the callers total score.
2016 NWTF Grand National
Senior Division Competition … (continued)
Finals
 The Senior Division Finals will be held Saturday, February 13, 2016 immediately following the Friction
Finals which begin at 1:00 PM, in the Governor’s Ballroom.
 A mandatory preparation meeting and roll call beginning at 12:30 p.m. will be held in the Governor’s
Ballroom at the front of the stage for all Senior Division Finals contestants.
 A new number will be drawn before the final round by each of the top twelve (12) finalists and the
reigning Grand National Senior Division Champion and World Champion immediately before the senior
finals competition begins.
**Prizes
 Prize money will be 80% of the entry fees collected for the division and distributed to the five (5)
highest-scoring contestants. Trophies will be awarded to the top five finishing contestants.
 The 2015 NWTF Grand National Senior Division Calling Champion will receive a beautiful custom
champion ring.
*The National Wild Turkey Federation retains the right to modify or change any portion of this section.
2016 NWTF Grand National
Friction Division Competition Sponsored by Lynch Custom Calls
Entry Fee
 A $250 entry fee is required with registration.
Requirements/ Eligibility
 The contestant must be at least 21 years old on or before February 11, 2016.
 The contestant must be a current member of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
 Any person who was a first place winner or finished second to an already qualified caller or third in a
contest with 10 or more contestants in a qualifying NWTF Sanctioned Open, State, Friction or Grand
National Senior Division calling contest from January 1, 2015 until January 11, 2016 is eligible.
 The top five place finishers in the 2015 NWTF Grand National Friction Division Championships are
automatically eligible.
 Team, Intermediate, Youth, Junior, Amateur, Owl Hooting, Gobbling or other various divisions are
ineligible.
 Sanctioned calling contest results sent into the National office by the contest chairman will be used to
verify contestant eligibility. If the chairman did not submit results, the contestant must contact the
chairman and get the results sent to the National office prior to the entry deadline.
Preliminaries
 The Friction Division preliminaries will be held Thursday, February 11, 2015 at 1 p.m., in the
Governor’s Ballroom.
 A mandatory preparation meeting and roll call beginning at 12:30 p.m. will be held in the Governor’s
Ballroom at the front of the stage for all Senior Division preliminary contestants.
Finals
 The Friction Division Finals will be held Saturday, February 13, 2016 at 1 p.m., in the Governor’s
Ballroom.
 A mandatory preparation meeting and roll call beginning at 12:30 p.m. will be held in the Governor’s
Ballroom at the front of the stage for all Friction Division Finals contestants.
 A new number will be drawn before the final round by each of the top eight (8) finalists and the reigning
Grand National and World Friction Division Champion immediately before the senior finals competition
begins.
Time Limits
 There will be a one-minute per-call time limit. The clock will begin on the first note of the first call and
stop on the acknowledgment of the caller that they are finished with their last call.
 The NWTF reserves the right to use a clock showing the time remaining. A 5-point penalty will be
added to the final score of any contestant going over the time limit.
Calls
 Contestants will be judged on a minimum of four (4) calls in the contest.
 Calls will be drawn and posted in front of the calling contest stage at 5 p.m. the day before the
contest.
 Calls will be selected from among the following: tree call before flying down time, plain yelp of the hen,
cutting of excited hen, adult hen assembly call, fly-down cackle, kee kee run, cluck and purr, yelp of
excited hen. The caller may be asked to do a medley of calls at a judge's discretion.
Scoring
 Judges will score on a 1-20 scale, with 20 as the highest score possible.
 Scorers will calculate each judge’s score after each caller.
 The highest and lowest scores from the seven (7) judges will be discarded.
 The five (5) remaining scores will be calculated for a final score.
**Prizes
 Prize money will be 80% of the entry fees collected for the division and distributed to the five (5)
highest-scoring contestants. Trophies will be awarded to the top five finishing contestants.
2016 NWTF Grand National
Team Challenge Championship Sponsored by Lynch Custom Calls
Registration
 A $250 team entry fee is required with registration.
Requirements/Eligibility
 Contestants of any age may compete in the Team Challenge Championship.
 Contestants must be current members of the NWTF.
When
 The Team Challenge will be held Sunday, February 14, 2015 at 10 a.m., in the Governor’s Ballroom.
 A mandatory preparation meeting and roll call will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Governor’s Ballroom at the
front of the stage for all Team Challenge competitors.
Time Limit
 There will be a 2-minute time limit for each situation in the Team Challenge Division. The clock will
begin on the first note of the first call and stop on the acknowledgment of the callers that they are
finished with their current situation.
 The NWTF reserves the right to use a clock showing the time remaining. A 5-point penalty will be
added to the final score of any contestant going over the time limit.
Rules of Competition
 Each team will be given three hunting scenarios (specified below).
 The team will have up to two minutes to address each scenario.
 The Master of Ceremonies will notify each team when they have ten (10) seconds left to complete their
calling.
 Each scenario will include compulsory calls (specified below) that the team must perform at least once.
 Judges will give one score per scenario based on the following:
o 1. Completion of compulsory calls
o 2. Realistic wild turkey sound and cadence
o 3. Quality and precision
o 4. Creativity
 Callers shall not deviate from specified scenarios and should reproduce traditional wild turkey sounds
and locator calls. NO GUNS OR INCENDIARY DEVICES ARE TO BE USED AT ANYTIME.
Scoring
 Judges will score on a 1-50 scale, with 50 as the highest score possible.
 Scorers will calculate each judge’s score after each caller finishes.
 The highest and lowest scores from the seven (7) judges will be discarded.
 The five (5) remaining scores will be calculated for a final score.
**Prizes
 Prize money will be 80% of the entry fees collected for the division and distributed to the three (3)
highest-scoring teams. Trophies will be awarded to the top three (3) finishing teams.
2016 NWTF Grand National
Team Challenge Championship…continued
SCENARIO ONE: EARLY SPRING – DAYBREAK – GOBBLER WITH HENS
You are at the edge of a pasture in central Arkansas. The hens have started yelping from a tree line
at the edge of the pasture. You know the gobblers are there, but you haven’t heard them yet.
Objective: Make them gobble, then call in the whole flock, hens included
Approximate Distance: 200 yards
Compulsory Calls: Locator calls – both crow and owl, excited cutting and yelping, fly-down cackle
SCENARIO TWO: LATE SPRING – LATE MORNING – WARY GOBBLER WITH A FEW HENS
You are hunting late in the season on public land in New Mexico. The season is winding down,
hunting pressure has been high, but the turkeys are still gobbling. Unfortunately, some of the hens
are still with the gobblers, and they don’t like to hear loud yelping.
Objective: Start up, then call this educated, public-land gobbler into range
Approximate Distance: 400 yards
Compulsory calls: Appropriate locator calls for this area, drumming, clucks, yelps, purrs
SCENARIO THREE: FALL SEASON – MID AFTERNOON – SCATTERED FLOCK OF HENS AND JAKES
Something has scattered this flock, you don’t know exactly when or how well. You heard hens and
jakes calling to each other from several directions as you topped the open hardwood ridge. Your
state allows harvest of male birds only.
Objective: Call in one of the jakes before the old hen does
Approximate Distances: 200-400 yards
Compulsory Calls: Jake yelps, kee kee run, assembly yelps, caller’s best call
*The National Wild Turkey Federation retains the right to modify or change any portion of this section.
2016 NWTF Grand National
Head-to-Head Championship
Sponsored by Cabelas
Registration
 A $150 entry fee is required with registration.
 The 2015 Head-to-Head contest will be drawn by lottery. If you would like to participate in this
year’s contest, please select the box for Head-to-Head and pay the required registration fee. If
you do not get chosen in the lottery your registration fee for that contest will be
refunded.
Requirements/Eligibility
 Contestants of any age may compete in the Head-to-Head Championship.
 All previous Head-to-Head Champions are automatically eligible for the current year’s contest.
 Contestants must be current members of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
When
 The Head to Head competition will be held Friday, February 12, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. in the Governor’s
Ballroom.
 A mandatory preparation meeting and roll call will begin at 7:30 a.m. for all contestants in the
Governor’s Ballroom at the front of the stage.
Format
 True to the name of the competition, two callers will compete against one another, occupying the calling
stage at the same time and calling alternately.
 Lottery drawing will be used for seating and for calling order.
 The first round of 32 callers will be single elimination. The remaining 16 callers will continue the contest
in a double elimination bracket.
 Brackets will be used to track each caller's progress through the contest.
Time Limits
 Each caller will be given thirty (30) seconds to produce each call before proceeding to the next call.
The clock will begin on the first note of the first call and stop on the acknowledgment of the caller that
they are finished.
 The EMCEE will notify you if you have gone over the allotted time limit.
Calls
 The contestants will be judged on a minimum of three calls (3) in the contest.
 Calls will be drawn and posted in front of the calling contest stage at 5 p.m. the day before the
contest.
 Calls will be selected from among the following: tree call before flying down time, plain yelp of the hen,
cutting of excited hen, adult hen assembly call, fly-down cackle, kee kee run, cluck and purr, yelp of
excited hen.
 The three calls will change each round of the competition.
 Both callers will perform each call before moving on to the next call.
Judging
 Five (5) judges will grade each caller. Judges will choose which caller sounded most like a real turkey
for each individual call.
 The first contestant to win two of the three calling sessions moves forward.
 First-round winners proceed to the winner’s bracket; first-round losers move to the loser’s bracket.
 For all subsequent rounds, callers who lose in the winner’s bracket drop to the loser’s bracket.
 Callers who are defeated a second time are out of the contest.
 The championship round will consist of the winner of the winner’s bracket and the winner of the loser’s
bracket. The caller from the loser’s bracket must beat the winner’s bracket winner twice to win the
championship. The winner’s bracket winner needs to win just once in the finals for the championship.
 The winner of each match will be announced immediately after the match has ended.
**Prizes
 Prize money will be 80% of the entry fees collected for the division and distributed to the four (4)
highest-finishing contestants. Trophies will be awarded to the top four (4) finishing contestants.
*The National Wild Turkey Federation retains the right to modify or change any portion of this section.
2016 NWTF Grand National
Gobbling Championship Sponsored by Lynch Custom Calls
Registration
 A $100 entry fee is required with registration.
Requirements/Eligibility
 Contestants of any age may compete in the Gobbling Championship.
 Contestants must be current members of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
When
 The Gobbling Competition will be held Thursday, February 11, 2016 at 9 a.m. in the Governor’s
Ballroom.
 A mandatory preparation meeting and roll call will begin at 8:30 a.m. for all Gobbling contestants in the
Governor’s Ballroom at the front of the stage.
Calls
 Contestants will be judged on their ability to imitate the gobble of the wild turkey.
Time Limit
 There will be a one-minute time limit for each contestant. The clock will begin on the first note of the
first call and stop on the acknowledgment of the caller that they are finished with their call.
 The NWTF reserves the right to use a clock showing the time remaining. A 5-point penalty will be
added to the final score of any contestant going over the time limit.
Scoring
 Judges will score on a 1-50 scale, with 50 as the highest score possible.
 Scorers will calculate each judge’s score after each caller finishes.
 The highest and lowest scores from the seven (7) judges will be discarded.
 The five (5) remaining scores will be calculated for a final score.
**Prizes
 Prize money will be 80% of the entry fees collected for the division and distributed to the five (5)
highest-scoring contestants. Trophies will be awarded to the top five finishing contestants.
*The National Wild Turkey Federation retains the right to modify or change any portion of this section.
2016 NWTF Grand National
Owl Hooting Championship Sponsored by Lynch Custom Calls
Registration
 A $100 entry fee is required with registration.
Requirements/Eligibility
 Contestants of any age may compete in the Owl Hooting Championship.
 Contestants must be current members of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
When
 The Owl Hooting competition will be held Thursday, February 11, 2016, in the Governor’s Ballroom
immediately following the Gobbling Competition at 9 a.m.
 A mandatory preparation meeting and roll call will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Governor’s Ballroom, at the
front of the stage, for all Owl Hooting contestants.
Calls
 Contestants will be judged on their ability to make the sound of the barred owl.
Time Limit
 There will be a one-minute time limit for each contestant. The clock will begin on the first note of the
call and stop on the acknowledgment of the caller that they are finished with their call.
 The NWTF reserves the right to use a clock showing the time remaining. A 5-point penalty will be
added to the final score of any contestant going over the time limit.
Scoring
 Judges will score on a 1-50 scale, with 50 as the highest score possible.
 Scorers will calculate each judge’s score after each caller finishes.
 The highest and lowest scores from the seven (7) judges will be discarded.
 The five (5) remaining scores will be calculated for a final score.
**Prizes
 Prize money will be 80% of the entry fees collected for the division and distributed to the five (5)
highest-scoring contestants. Trophies will be awarded to the top five finishing contestants.
*The National Wild Turkey Federation retains the right to modify or change any portion of this section.
2016 Grand National Calling Championships
Registration Deadline: 5 p.m. EST, January 16, 2015
Contestant Information
Name
Parent or Guardian if under 18 Yrs. Old
Mailing Address
Email Address
City
ST
NWTF Membership #
Company Representing
Zip
Daytime Phone #
Date of Birth
/
/
# Years Calling
#Years Calling in GNCC
Age
Hometown Newspaper
CHECK THE DIVISION OR DIVISION(S) YOU ARE ENTERING
Division
Entry Fee Age Specifications
Head to Head Competition
$150
None
Gobbling Contest
$100
None
Owl Hooting Division
$100
None
**Friction Division
$250
Must be at least 21 years old on/before February 12, 2015
**Team Challenge
$250/
None
Team
** Team Challenge Partner
**Senior Division
Entry Fee(s) Total $
$250
Must be at least 21 years old on/before February 12, 2015
**Senior Division, Friction Division & Champion of Champion Contestants: List the NWTF Sanctioned Open, State
or Friction GNCC contest in which you won 1st Place or placed 2nd behind a qualified caller to qualify you for ’14 GNCC.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Contest Name
Location
Date Event Held
By signing this form, I hereby waive and release all other participants, the host, sponsors and all other officials or parties
involved in the event from all claims and/or damage incurred in connection with this event. I hereby grant the sponsor and
co-sponsor the unconditional right to use the name, voice, competition calling regimen and photographic or video likeness of
the above in connection with newspaper or magazine articles, press releases, audio/video productions or other media.
All contestants (or parent/guardian of contestants under age of 18) please sign:
X____________________________________________
Date________________________
**This form must be returned with the registration fee and payment to:
National Wild Turkey Federation, Attn: GNCC, P.O. Box 530, 770 Augusta Road, Edgefield, SC 29824-0530
or fax to 803-637-9960
Check, money order or Credit Card:
Please circle
payment type:
Visa
Mastercard
Discover
Am Exp
Credit Card Number: __________-__________-________-_________ Expiration:_____/_____
Signature
2016 National Wild Turkey Federation
Grand National Calling Championship
DVD Pre Order Form
Head to Head………………….
Team Challenge…………
Gobbling/Owl Hooting.....
Senior Prelims………
Friction Prelims…………
Senior Finals………..
Intermediate………………
Juniors……………….
Poults………
Friction Finals………
Please select the DVD/s you would like to purchase
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Please return form with a separate payment with your 2016 GNCC
registration form