 There’s nothing more heart-pounding in the hunting woods (or anywhere else) than the sound of a thundering gobble as a tom turkey approaches your setup – unless you add the pressure of a $25,000 payday. That’s what some of the world’s best turkey hunters faced April 13-16 at the Flextone
World Turkey Hunting Championship in La Cygne, Kansas. Having just completed its third year, the WTHC has grown into a multi-day event featuring intense, high-pressure turkey hunting with more than $50,000 in cash and prizes on the line, a benefit dinner and a big-name country music concert. Best of all, you don’t have to be a hunting professional to participate. “We’re proud to be part of this event,” said Pete Angle, vice president of marketing for Plano Synergy. “Not only does it bring attention to one of the most difficult and exciting hunting opportunities in the world – wild turkey hunting – it also raises funds for a fantastic charity, H4H (Hunting for Heroes). When you add in the ability of everyday hunters to compete against and hang out with the country’s top hunting celebrities, it’s an event that’s second to none.” Title sponsor Flextone was well represented at the WTHC with three teams in action, including Team Turkey Man, consisting of Eddie Salter, Dean Reagan and cameraman Kyle Hicks. Team Turkey Man started off hot, winning the Early Bird prize and leading the competition early in day two, but they slipped to third place after falling one bird short of the competition’s four-bird limit of two turkeys per day. They also wowed the crowd when they donated their $1,500 prize money to H4H. Flextone teams Avian X, consisting of Matt Morrett, Pete Angle and cameraman Jeff Shelby, finished 10th; and Head Hunters TV, made up of Randy Birdsong, Nate Hosie and cameraman John Skidmore, drew a tough property and finished out of the top 10. It was a long two days of hunting for Head Hunters TV after finishing second in the 2014 WTHC and having high hopes for this year’s event. As exciting as being in the race for first place was for Team Turkey Man’s Dean Reagan, he said nothing could compare to the thrill of helping Navy veteran Brantley Cargill take his first turkey. |
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| The WTHC contestants hunted until lunchtime, after which they took H4H participants to the woods for an evening hunt. Cargill had been shot in the head while serving in the U.S. Navy, and Reagan said he was more nervous to try to call in a bird for the veteran than any bird he had every chased for himself.
Cargill’s hunt turned out to be an intense thrill ride with at least three gobblers approaching Reagan’s calling from different directions. “I told Brantley that once our gobbler went into full strut and his tail feathers blocked his head, to quickly swing the gun barrel and shoot as soon as the bird’s head appeared,” Reagan said. “Like a veteran turkey hunter, Brantley made his move, and within seconds dropped his first gobbler!” Cargill was understandably a shaking mess, saying nothing in all his years of taking deer and hogs compared to the thrill of that amazing turkey hunt. “It was at that moment I knew why I wanted to be a part of the H4H,” Reagan said. “I was the one who was fortunate and blessed to share that moment with a true hero, and I want to thank Flextone and the WTHC for making it happen.” The 2015 WTHC was wrapped up with an awards ceremony and country music concert by Mark Chesnutt and the Davisson Brothers Band, along with special appearances by Aaron Lewis and Andy Griggs. Dates for the 2016 WTHC will be announced later this year. 2015 Flextone WTHC Final Standings (Top 10) Team, Score, Prize
*Biggest Bird award went to Drew Keeth with a score of 93.5625. *Early Bird award went to Eddie Salter and Dean Reagan at 6:45 a.m. *Best Footage award went to Team Avian-X Flextone would like to give a special thanks to WTHC founder, Bobby Pinson and everybody involved in the WTHC for putting on this life changing event. For more information on the Flextone World Turkey Hunting Championship, go to www.worldturkeyhuntingchampionship.com Check out Flextone’s complete line of turkey calls and other hunting products at www.flextonegamecalls.com.
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