I have worked very hard over the last few years to win a Iowa State Turkey Calling Championship. I started competitive calling in 2006 with the help of Jim Fink. Jim has won many Iowa State and Open Titles and he was willing to help get me into the sport. In 2010 I started working with good friend and accomplished caller Tracy Pedretti to better my calling. Tracy makes his own calls and that really helped bring my calling up a step. That’s one of the coolest things about turkey callers is the willingness to help other callers.
WoodHaven Custom Calls takes the Top Spots (L to R) Iowa Hunter Division (Simon Ellis), Iowa Open (Scott Ellis) and Iowa State Championship (Curtis Goettsch).
Last year I won the Owl Hooting Division that was a first for me. In January of this year I join a very well known call company’s prostaff and started calling for WoodHaven Custom Calls. It was another step in becoming a great caller and along with that I had the help of 2013 Grand National Head to Head Division Champion, Scott Ellis. Scott even made the trip from Florida to call in this contest, mostly because he had never called in Iowa and wanted a chance to win the Open Title. He did win the Iowa Open, with WoodHaven taking the top spots in the Iowa Hunter Division (Simon Ellis), Iowa Open and Iowa State Championship.
Twin Cities “Head 2 Head” Turkey Calling Championships in Minneapolis, MN
I got my first big Open win on March 24th of this year winning the Twin Cities “Head 2 Head” Turkey Calling Championships in Minneapolis, MN. I was so close to what would be my biggest win thus far in 8 years of calling but I still needed to beat the winner of the Consolation Bracket. That caller was none other than Tracy Pedretti. In the first round my nerves got the best of me and Tracy flat out beat me. I calmed myself and in the next round called much better. So there we are two friends waiting to see whose arm will be raised. When they raised my hand I was pumped. Best of all Tracy was happy for me, although he “jokingly” told me no more lessons.
I have to thank everyone who has helped me get to this win; my wife, Sara for putting up with my calling year-round and the rest of my family; Jim, Tracy, and Scott for all of their help as well as all the other callers; to all the people who make these calling contest happen thank you with out your efforts we wouldn’t have contest to go too. Special Thanks to my calling sponsors Mossy Oak Brand Camo and WoodHaven Custom Calls.
The video below is the Iowa State Championship Division, there was a call off for 1st place between myself and Brian Fowler. Brian is a great caller and burst on the calling scene in Iowa last spring by winning the Mid Iowa Open and State Divisions. My calling for the call-off starts at 26:19 and then it goes into the awards part. Very cool to me to hear all of my fellow callers cheer for me, what a great bunch of people!
2013 Iowa State Turkey Calling Contest – Full Results
Iowa State Championship: 1st Curtis Goettsch, 2nd Brian Fowler, 3rd Jim Fink
Open Division: 1st Scott Ellis, 2nd Shane Simpson, 3rd Curtis Goettsch
Friction Division: 1st Jim Fink, 2nd Scott Ellis, 3rd Douglas Herman
Gobbling Division: 1st Douglas Herman, 2nd Tracy Lee Pedretti 3rd Scott Ellis
Owl Hooting Division: 1st Austin Woelfel, 2nd Shane Simpson, 3rd Scott Ellis
Hunter Division: 1st Simon Ellis, 2nd Edwin Paris Shirts, 3rd Austin Woelfel
Intermediate Division: 1st Connor Wall, 2nd Austin Woelfel, 3rd Logan Shirts
Junior Division: 1st Austin Woelfel, 2nd Connor Wall, 3rd Logan Shirts
