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SALT LAKE CITY — If you're interested in testing your elk calling skills, you can compete in the upcoming 2018 World Elk Calling Championships that will be held in Salt Lake City for the second consecutive year.
The world championships will take place March 16-17 during the International Sportsmen’s Expo at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy. The event, co-sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the International Sportsmen's Expo, will be offering more money and a new bracket format, similar to what is done is sports tournaments, for the 2018 competition.
“We are excited to unveil this new format as it will increase elk calling skills and boost friendly rivalries,” Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation vice president of marketing Steve Decker said in an emailed statement. “And to add to the excitement and level of competition, RMEF will double the prize money from a year ago.”
Participants will be judged based on the best sequence and sound of their elk calls during the “March Madness” style tournament. There will be seven categories including one where participants use their own voice rather than a manufactured elk call.
Participants will be seeded based on the results from the previous year's competition, then by the rankings from the regional competition, and all the remaining contestants will be seeded randomly.
Prize money will be awarded as follows:
- Professional: $5,000
- Men: $2,500
- Women’s: $2,500
- Voice: $2,000
- Youth (ages 11-17): $1,000
- Pee Wee (10 & younger): $1,000
Participants must register online by 8 p.m. March 14; there are no entry fees, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation officials said. A regional qualifying event, which is not mandatory for those wanting to compete in Utah, will take place Jan. 13 at the International Sportsmen’s Expo Denver show.
Click here for the rules and regulations of the competition.
