Mulberry, Florida Caller Scott Ellis Wins National Title

Scott Ellis went head-to-head with old friend Jesse Martin and came out on top to win the NWTF Grand National Calling Championships third-annual Head-to-Head title Feb. 16 at the NWTF Convention and Sport Show.

Ellis, who lives in Mulberry, Fla., outlasted a valiant effort by defending champion Martin, who won eight straight matchups while climbing back through the losers’ bracket of the double-elimination, 31-caller event.

In the Head-to-Head competition, two turkey callers perform at the same time with the judges determining the winner. The competition stretched over six hours.

“It was a long, long day,” said Ellis, who went first in the back-and-forth exchange in the finals and was undefeated in the competition. “This event has come a long way in the last few years. Now, you really have to step up and do something extra. It’s a lot different than other types of calling contests.

“Two callers are going against each other and the crowd gets excited. Having Jesse in the finals was great. We kind of came up together in this.”

Martin, a Mt. Sterling, Ky., native, had the misfortune of facing former winner Shane Henderson in the opening round then had to win several matches to remain alive in the bracket.

“There were so many ups and downs with the anticipation and waiting for the next opponent,” said Martin. “The excitement and the crowd make it real fun for me.”

The NWTF, a non-profit organization, is the leader in upland wildlife habitat conservation in North America. The NWTF is dedicated to the conservation of the wild turkey and other wildlife species and the preservation of our hunting heritage.

Through vital partnerships with state, federal and provincial agencies, the NWTF has conserved 17.3 million acres of wildlife habitat, investing more than $412 million.

Since the NWTF was founded in 1973, the wild turkey population has increased from 1.3 million to almost 7 million and has been restored to 99 percent of suitable habitat. Wild turkeys are in the 48 continental U.S. state and Hawaii.

National Wild Turkey Federation

The National Wild Turkey Federation is the leader in upland wildlife habitat conservation in North America. The NWTF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving the wild turkey and preserving our hunting heritage.

Through dynamic partnerships with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members have helped restore wild turkey populations throughout North America, spending more than $331 million to conserve nearly 16 million acres of habitat. Wild turkeys and hundreds of other species of upland wildlife, including quail, deer, grouse, pheasant and songbirds, benefit from this improved habitat.

The NWTF also brings new conservationists and hunters into the fold through outdoor education events and its Women in the Outdoors, Wheelin' Sportsmen, JAKES and Xtreme JAKES youth outreach programs. Our dedicated NWTF volunteers introduce about 100,000 people to the outdoors through these programs every year.

Founded in 1973, the NWTF is headquartered in Edgefield, S.C., and has local chapters in every state and Canada. According to many state and federal agencies, the restoration of the wild turkey is arguably the greatest conservation success story in North America's wildlife history.