GREENBRIER COUNTY (WVDN) – Phillip Bryant has the distinction of being the first Greenbrier County resident to win the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) West Virginia State Turkey Calling Championship in 2019. Now he has taken first runner-up at the World Turkey Calling Championship held in Mobile AL on June 9-10 2023.
The Greenbrier County native accomplished the feat in June at the oldest turkey calling championship in the world. There were more than 100 of the best callers of all ages from more than 20 states. In Bryant’s division, there were 18 of the best callers in the world. He actually tied for first place with a contestant from Louisiana. After a call-off for first, there was only a one-point difference.
“I have been competitively turkey calling since 2015. It was a dream come true to compete in the world championships, let alone take first runner up.”
Although he now lives in Lewisburg, Bryant was born and raised in the Dawson area and, like most avid hunters, he got the fever at an early age.
“I have been turkey hunting since I was a boy and I killed my first turkey when I was 12,” Bryant said. “My first hunt wasn’t a success hunt, though. I remember mom letting me miss school and my dad called in two big gobblers for me off the limb. I missed, but it was an adrenaline rush and I was hooked.”
Competitive turkey calling started after seeing a post on social media and it was reminiscent of his first turkey hunt.
“Back in 2015, I saw a turkey calling contest posted on Facebook in St. Marys, West Virginia,” Bryant said. “I told my wife I wanted to try it out. I didn’t place and kind of embarrassed myself. But, you have to learn from it. I knew I was just as good as the guys on the stage, I just needed some better calls and a little bit of help.”
Bryant did get better and is now considered one of the best turkey callers in the country, traveling up and down the east coast. He is also part of the Mossy Oak Pro Staff Turkey Team and Hank’s Game Calls out of Reidsville, NC.
Bryant plans to attend the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Grand National Championships in Feb. 2024 and return to the National Wild Turkey Federation’s World Turkey Calling Championships in June 2024 to hopefully bring home the first-place win.
For more information about the National Wild Turkey Federation, visit www.nwtf.org.
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