One Saturday with Six Eminence, MO Callmakers WARNING-Picture heavy

[Turkeybuster]

Great post thanks for sharing it with us there is a lot of history there.

Jon

[B-Ready]

Sounds like a great day you had. I had the chance to meet Dave in Nashville.... Stand up guy for sure! I love a good history lesson!! Congrats on your trip !!  

[Porter]

augiedog55 - I totally agree with you.  
PS - I'm on the list for #2 from Harley and yes he is a fine young man that would make any father proud.  Hey was the Ferguson watch dog Gobbler around when you made your visit?  My cousin took a video of him struttin and gobbling on the front porch while he stood guard.  He is getting a prety good set of hooks on him.
 

Now that is my favorite reason to go see David... that bird hates me!!!!  Bruce tormented him and he flogged me... those spurs are SHARP!!!!

It's been almost a year since he flogged me and he still hates me... who says turkeys aren't very smart

I got to play Dan's dads call.  I loved it and it sounded so good.  I've also got to play Walt's call that he built after that design.  David has done wonders for me.  He's just a class act for sure!!!

I wish I would have been able to come visit you down there too! 

[GSLAM95]

Dan had this call that I believe he made in memory of his fathers call.

I did not see a Winterbottom call while I was there.  Walter if I understand correctly took measurements off the original 1912 call from R.E. Searcy to later make his box calls.  Neil Cost later hunted this area and was given the OK to take and use dimensions from Winterbottom's call.  If this is incorrect I hope that David will step in and correct me.

[augiedog55]

You should have seen the guard turkey get after Mike. Priceless. David sent that turkey reeling when he hit him. That bird was spinning for sure... It was hillarious.

[Ferguson]

The way I understand it told to me and from Neils book, he traded for one of Walts calls from Red Rhodes. That is how he originally came to own one of Walts calls. Later he met with Walt and they became good friends and hunted together some. I'm not sure how Dan and Neil became freinds but will ask the next time we talk. Neil would come here and hunt then load his old car up with walnut lumber that Don Basinger would collect for him during the year. Don and Neil became good friends and Neil made calls for and hunted with their family too.

John,
I appreciate the kind words of me and my family but the real story is Dan, Jake, John, Jack, and the rest of the local callmakers and their history. Some has passed but not forgotten. They are the ones this local long box legacy is all about. There was one more call maker we didn't get to meet. Doug Conway. He is part of this heritage too. The next time you come down we'll get in touch with Doug. Spreading their words, stories and legacy so that they are not forgotten and fade away with time is my goal.

David

[yankee gobbler]

Did you ask to see the Calls that Jim Chilton has of his dad, Walt??? He has 2 he was willing to sell earlier this year. He also has one for his granddaughter sittin around.

[KPcalls]

 Next time you go to Eminence make sure you canoe down the Jacks Fork and Current Rivers.......

[jmck]

what heritage and history and thanks for sharing those pictures with us.
I'd paid to see a video of that gue=ard turkey after Porter 

[KPcalls]

 I love Eminence.....been there several times.  I've spent some time hunting in the public land areas, and canoeing the Jacks Fork and Current rivers.  The next time you go, you should hook up with Bob Fulcher " shade tree callers "  he has spent alot of time there helping those call makers start a museum and writing a book about the call makers there....I'm sure he could have helped you out in your visit.....It's a fine place, and next year I hope to hook up with ole Dave Fergusen while I'm there...yes, his wood burning art work is awesome.....

[Silverspur]

Great history and great photo's...thanks for sharing it all!!

[GSLAM95]

Did you ask to see the Calls that Jim Chilton has of his dad, Walt??? He has 2 he was willing to sell earlier this year. He also has one for his granddaughter sittin around.

He never mentioned having any of his step-father's calls for sale while I was there.  David has one of Walter Winterbottom's call as well in his personal collection in which I did get to view.  To now know that Neil Cost built his boat paddles after the Winterbottom call and that Walt built his call after the E.R. Searcy call is a nice part of history. 
To see Dan Searcy hold and run his fathers call was truly the highlight of my visit at his house.  I can never say thanks enough to David Ferguson for introducing me to so many different callmakers in a single day.     

[GSLAM95]

Next time you go to Eminence make sure you canoe down the Jacks Fork and Current Rivers.......

I have been on the current river many times both in a canoe and also trout fishing.  My Uncle who has now passed was form St James and I still go there to visit my Aunt and cousins.  I have fished the Meramac several times as well but I have never floated the Jacks Fork.  It is all beautiful country indeed and I hope to return again soon.

[GSLAM95]

I love Eminence.....been there several times.  I've spent some time hunting in the public land areas, and canoeing the Jacks Fork and Current rivers.  The next time you go, you should hook up with Bob Fulcher " shade tree callers "  he has spent alot of time there helping those call makers start a museum and writing a book about the call makers there....I'm sure he could have helped you out in your visit.....It's a fine place, and next year I hope to hook up with ole Dave Fergusen while I'm there...yes, his wood burning art work is awesome.....

Where is this museum as I would be interested in a visit myself?  You should definitely try to hook up with David while in the area.  I must say that it is not just his wood burning that is awesome.  The cedar fence post caller that I purchased from him runs as good or better than a lot of the top name long boxes that I have.

[KPcalls]

 It's on the main drag through town....the court house maybe.....I tried to hook up with Dave last year while I was there, but i was with my family and spent my days running around the beautiful lanf scape......Bob could tell you where its at...