After several close calls, Jared Lowe from Gadsden, Ala. won the top title during the 2026 World Turkey Calling Championships, held June 12-13 in Mobile, Ala.
In the National Wild Turkey Federation sanctioned event, Lowe won the World Open Champion title as best all-around turkey caller. To win this title, Lowe needed to make several specific calls assigned by the event staff and scored by a panel of expert judges.
“It feels incredible to be a world champion,” Lowe said. “I’ve been on the cusp of winning several times. I placed second here three times, each time just a half-point from winning. Coming that close is so humbling. I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity.”
Lowe started competitive calling at 12 years old. This year, he scored 479 points, beating his nearest competitor by more than 10 points.
“I didn’t have much confidence coming into this competition,” Lowe admitted. “I thought I called well. Many good callers competed, so one never knows how things will turn out. Luckily, I came out on top.”
Among others, Lowe beat Matthew Presley from Front Royal, Va., the 2025 defending champion. Presley and Steve Stoltz tied for second with 468.5 points. They faced each other in a tiebreaker “Call-off.” In the Call-off, Stoltz scored 470 to Presley’s 468.5.
This year, 82 individual callers competed. Many called in multiple events. They came from more than 20 states, some as far away as Nebraska and Pennsylvania, to fill more than 200 calling positions.
“We had two jam-packed days,” commented Kenny Weiss, the event organizer. “We had about a 25 percent increase in callers over 2025. Everyone did extremely well. We had several ties and many scores separated by fractions.”
In the World Gobbling Championship competition, Russell Andrews from Tuscaloosa, Ala. successfully defended his 2025 title. The co-owner of Black Label Game Calls (blacklabelgamecalls.com) with Jesse Martin, also won the 2025 Grand Nationals.
“I’ve really been in depth with prayer lately and feel like the Lord writes my path,” Andrews advised. “I don’t put a lot of emphasis on practicing as much as I do on making sure I have the right call built. This year, I used a Russell Andrews Signature Series gobble call to win the championship.”
In the 2026 Gobbling competition, Andrews scored 241 points. Mitchell Johnston scored 237.5, followed by Josh Pruitt with 236.
“I won this contest for Will Roberts,” Andrews stated. “He’s a 14-year-old in Tuscaloosa battling cancer. I told Will I was going to win this one for him and the Lord delivered. It’s a special feeling.”
In the World Championship Friction Calling contest, competitors must use calls that make sounds by rubbing objects together. The 2025 champion Michael Strawn from Aliceville, Ala. defended his title.
“It feels good to win,” Strawn confirmed. “I guess I just got lucky again, but I’ll take it. To be honest, I didn’t train very hard to compete this year with kids and all their activities. It’s like riding a bike once you’ve done it for a long time.”
In a very tight competition, Strawn won by just a half point. He scored 477.5 to former champion Bruce Saale’s 477. Jason Bryan finished third with 474.
“The Friction competition was positively the closest that even the judges had ever heard,” Weiss remarked. “That’s what happens when the best callers in the world all want that championship title.”
Kaleb Payton of Central City, Ky. won the Owling World Championship, his fourth one. He also won in 2025 and won several Grand Nationals titles. Turkey hunters commonly use owl calls to locate gobblers. A turkey might respond to an owl call with a gobble.
“I went to a calling contest about 20 years ago,” Payton recalled. “That lit a fire underneath me to compete. I didn’t have much expectations this year because I didn’t really practice for it, but I’ve been calling for a long time.”
Payton scored 241 points, just ahead of Hudson McGarity with 240.5. Jason Conrad and Shane Martinez tied with 240 points. In the first Call-off, Conrad and Martinez again tied with 238. In the second Call-off, Conrad won 242.5 to 241 to finish third.
During the Team Challenge, two people must act out specific scenarios turkeys might do. They must make several calls, such as multiple turkey sounds, simulated gunshots, hawks, owls, coyotes and other sounds one might hear in the forest.
This year, Kenny Weiss, Jr. teamed with Tyler Presley to win with 481 points. Cameron Callaway and Nick Wilson finished second with 476. Ryan Greathouse and Brad Holmes followed with 474.
Callers of any age could compete in the Amateur Division if they never won a championship. Mason Johnson won with 216.5 points. Sawyer DeBord, Levi Pruitt and Chris Nelson all scored 215 points. In the Call-off, DeBord and Pruitt each scored 217.5. Nelson scored 215. In the second Call-off, DeBord beat Pruitt 219.5 to 215.
In the Intermediate Division for callers 16 to 20 years old, Chase Roberts won with 220.5. William Ridgley won the Junior Division for youngsters 11 to 15 years old, with 222 points. Boone Miller scored 164 to win the Poult Division for callers 10 years old or younger.
In addition, the Alabama Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame inducted five people. The 2026 Class included Doug Camp from Munford, Ben Ezelle of Aliceville, Corky Pugh of Monroeville, Ken Tucker from Brewton and Bob Walker of Livingston.
Camp owned Camp Calls and wrote a book, Turkey Hunting, Spring and Fall. Ezelle guided hunts for years. Pugh retired as the director of the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division. Tucker hosted the Sportsman’s Showcase television show. Walker hosted the Mossy Oak Turkey Thugs television show.
“These deserving people have contributed significantly to the sport of turkey hunting in Alabama,” explained Doug Max, Alabama Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame chairman. “The sad thing, so many deserving people who should be in the HOF are no longer with us.”
For more information, contact Weiss at 251-605-6077.
2026 Turkey Calling Results
World Open Championship
Name Points
- Jared Lowe 479
- Steve Stoltz 468.5*
- Matthew Presley 468.5*
- Nick Wilson 468
- Brock Looney 465.5
* In the Call-off tiebreaker, Stoltz scored 470 and Presley scored 468.5.
World Gobbling Championship
- Russell Andrews 241
- Mitchell Johnston 237.5
- Josh Pruitt 236
- Wayne Dozier 235
- Ryan Greathouse 234
World Friction Championship
- Michael Strawn 477.5
- Bruce Saale 477
- Jason Bryan 474
- Haylee Newell 473
- Stanley Wymbs 471.5
Owling
- Kaleb Payton 241
- Hudson McGarity 240.5
- Jason Conrad 240*
- Shane Martinez 240*
- Brandon “Tater” Rick 235.5
* In the first Call-off tiebreaker, Conrad and Martinez both scored 238. In the second Call-off, Conrad won 242.5 to 241.
Two-Person Team Challenge
- Kenny Weiss, Jr./Tyler Presley 481
- Cameron Callaway/Nick Wilson 476
- Ryan Greathouse/Brad Holmes 474
- Wayne Dozier, Jared Lowe 472.5
- Mitchell Johnston, Jon Miller 471.5
Amateur Division
- Mason Johnson 216.5
- Sawyer DeBord 215*
- Levi Pruitt 215*
- Chris Nelson 215*
- Tristen Hargreaves 211.5
* In the Call-off tiebreaker, DeBord and Pruitt each scored 217.5. Nelson scored 215. In the second Call-off, DeBord scored 219.5 to Pruitt’s 215.
Intermediate Division (16 to 20 years old)
- Chase Roberts 220.5
- Tristen Hargreaves 211.5
- Isaac Pentecost 210
Junior Division (11 to 15 years old)
- William Ridgley 222
- Mason Johnston 220
- Gavin Bryan 219.5
- Levi Pruitt 217
- Sawyer Debord 215.5
Poult Division (10 years old or younger)
- Boone Miller 164
- Kinlee Bryan 161
- Mary Ellen Dozier 153.5*
- Tracy Kimbrough 153.5*
- Wesson Callaway 152
* Dozier won the Call-off 155.5 to Kimbrough’s 153.5
For complete results, look up World Championship Turkey Calling Contest on Facebook
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An avid sportsman, Felsher is professional writer, photographer and radio show host who has written thousands of articles for many publications. He’s always looking for ideas or outdoors adventures that will make good stories. Contact Felsh at [email protected] or through Facebook. He also hosts an outdoors tips show for WAVH FM Talk 106.5 radio station in Mobile.