Name/Title
Turkey Call Collector's Guide (2009, 2013, 2018) by George DenkaEntry/Object ID
WTL001P0025Description
George Denka retired after 38 years as an executive in the alcoholic beverage industry, working in various roles at the distributor, importer, and winery levels. He retired as President of Shelton Vineyards in 2011.
He started turkey hunting in 1972 after a chance encounter with a flock of turkeys on a deer hunt. That led to his eventual collection of turkey calls, which began in the mid-1990s.
He has no formal business name for his publications or callmaking, but his first attempt was in 2001 while working in Virginia. He made his first and only box call and killed a turkey with it on public land. His callmaking and writing are now done at his home in Blythewood, SC. He considers his call making more of a hobby than an occupation. He primarily produces a hybrid call that he dubbed the Carolina Peg Box, fashioned after Earnest Black, Jr.’s Success Call. Denka discovered the Success Call in the mid-1970s and found it to be very effective. He made his first version in 2001 after discussing the process with Earnest over the telephone on many occasions. Earnest made all his calls from Walnut or Cedar. Denka likes to use various woods, including Cedar, Walnut, Cherry, Black Locust, Sycamore, Dogwood, Chinaberry, Spalted River Birch, Monkey Pod, and Koa, among others. His Peg box calls are now also made with an acrylic striker vs. Black’s wooden striker. He does make a few hand slates and turtle shell calls as well.
He wrote his first book (Turkey Call Collectors’ Guide) on turkey call values in 2009 after many discussions with the late Earl Mickel, who encouraged him and offered several suggestions. He has published four books on turkey calls, call makers, and wild turkey literature: one in 2009, one in 2013, the Turkey Call Collectors' Guide: from Artifacts to Art and everything in between in 2018, and the final one, Turkey Call and Literature Collectors’ Guide with Brent Rogers (who did the literature section), in 2023. The books offer photos of such collectibles, with directional collectability ratings and average sales prices and ranges based on observations from public auctions.Collection
Brent Rogers collectionCataloged By
Brent RogersCreate Date
May 10, 2026Update Date
May 10, 2026
