CORSICA — Listening to the enthusiastic, relaxed delivery used by Shawn Kotchey in presenting his seminar on hunting spring gobblers at last year’s Lehigh Valley Sportsman Show conveyed the confidence that comes from someone who talks the talk.
After working approximately 20 years in the outdoors industry on the pro staff of various game call and camouflage companies, Kotchey launched his own line of calls in 2010. Now, after five years, his line of Millcreek Valley Game Calls is in demand throughout the Northeast and is gaining a loyal following in the Midwest and south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
A lifelong outdoorsman, Kotchey was still a student at Fox Chapel Area High School — he graduated in 1995 — when he became interested in game-calling competitions through his uncle and a friend. In particular, he became captivated by all the sounds and calls associated with hunting spring gobbler — from mimicking crows for locating gobblers to the yelps, purrs and clucks of hens — and recorded wild birds to accurately reproduce their vocalization.
Kotchey began earning trophies in state and national contests after honing his skills at local and regional calling competitions in western Pennsylvania. In addition to earning recognition for his calling, Kotchey’s calls also began winning and placing in contests, with the highlight coming in the prestigious Norseman national competition held in Minnesota. He entered four calls and earned two first places, a second and a third.
At this year’s Norseman, Kotchey’s crow call took a first and a second and was best of show for hunting calls. His slate pot call took a first and a third, while Kotchey’s box call took a second and his crystal pot took a third. Since his breakthrough year of 2013, Kotchey has earned five firsts, three seconds, two thirds and a fourth at the Grand National.
“When I opened my company in 2010, my first design was based on the pot call by the late pioneer call maker D.D. Adams, who coined the phrase ‘pot’ call because he designed the first using a plastic flower pot for the sound chamber,” Kotchey said. “Dave Tilburg from the Williamsport area won two world turkey calling contests and two U.S. Open turkey calling contests with Adams pot calls.
“Dave said D.D. always wanted to make his plastic pot call with a wooden sound chamber, so with permission from his family, and the help of Dave, my wood pot was born. This pot has won many medals, ribbons and awards, and we’re fortunate to have our turkey calls in turkey hunting magazines and in ‘Outdoor Life’ magazine.”
When Kotchey presents his seminars, which he will do during the upcoming Lehigh Valley Sportsman Show on Friday-Sunday, March 6-8, in the Agri-Plex at the Allentown Fairgrounds, the focus is on understanding and calling the wild turkey. He covers the basics to advanced tactics in what he calls “A-to-Z” sessions.
In addition to giving calling demonstrations and explanations on the proper use of calls, Kotchey will also explain the language and meaning of turkey sounds and why they do the things they do. He also includes tips on decoy placement and how to get the most benefit from using them.
“I get to travel all over the United States turkey hunting, participating in calling contests and doing calling seminars, and I’ve been fortunate to have taken five Grand Slams and hunt in more than 27 states,” Kotchey said. “I’m proud to say we participate in the Wounded Warrior Project and Hunt of a Lifetime, and am certified to teach turkey hunting and basic hunter education in Pennsylvania.”
During the opening day of Pennsylvania spring gobbler season in late May, Kotchey and his guest were deep in the turkey woods not far from his home. Sure enough, his calling proved he not only talks the talk, but can walk the walk when it comes to bringing a gobbler into shotgun range.
Suddenly, the red head of a gobbler came around the right side of a dirt mound to the left of the hunters. As his companion raised his shotgun, Kotchey whispered “wrong bird.”
Sure enough, the boss gobbler had come around the left side of the mound, which was all it took for the big boy to escape that day and survive the season. This year, however, brings another season.
For information on Millcreek Valley Game Calls and seminars by Shawn Kotchey, call (814)-379-9647, email millcreekvalleygamecalls@yahoo.com, access the website at www.millcreekvalleygamecalls.com or visit him at the Lehigh Valley Sportsman Show, March 6-8, in the Agri-Plex at the Allentown Fairgrounds.